Page 224 of Pucking Strong

“Why?”

She shrugs. “You just don’tfeellike an uncle to me. I had a mom, and she was perfect. And I have an uncle,” she adds, smiling up at Henrik. Then she turns back to me. “I think I’d like to have a dad … if you’ll let me.”

I set the card down, tears flowing. “Oh, honey, of course. I mean—is it okay with Henrik?” I look to him to see he’s crying too. I choke on a laugh, grabbing my napkin off my lap. “Oh my god, look at us. The waiter is gonna kick us out of here.”

They both laugh as they wipe their eyes.

I hold out my arms. “Oh, honey, come here.”

She darts out of her chair and around Henrik, dropping into my lap with a soft sob. I hold her to me, my arms around her tight, trying and failing to keep my cool. I brush my hand up and down her back, slowly rocking her. “I’d be honored if you chose to call me your dad. Karolina, I love you so much.”

“I love you.” Her words are muffled against my chest.

“Can I call you my daughter? Is that what you want?”

She nods again.

I turn to Henrik. “Apparently you have something to ask me too?”

“I do.” His expression is glowing as he reaches into the pocket of his suit and pulls out his own papers, folded long ways. Smiling, he extends his arm, holding them out across the table.

Still sniffling on my lap, Karro turns so she can watch me take them. Heart in my throat, I unfold the papers to see some kind of government document. “A name change application for the State of Florida? What, are we about to all go on the lam? Are we committing a crime before dessert?”

Karro grins.

“No,” Henrik replies, his voice soft. “I’d like you to consider changing your last name.”

“To what?” I reply, obviously in a daze.

The corner of his mouth twitches with a smile. “Well, I suppose that will really be up to you, but I was hoping you might add ‘Karlsson’ to the short list of options.”

I gasp, dropping the papers to the table. “You want me to change my last name to Karlsson?”

He shrugs noncommittally. But I see the heat in his eyes. After five years together, I can read him like a book. He wants this. Desperately. “We’re married,” he reasons. “It’s common practice for people who are married to take each other’s name.”

“We are married,” I muse. I wear the rings to prove it. Heck, we did it twice, just to make sure it would really stick.

“And it’s two against one,” Karro chimes, pointing between her and Henrik.

“Oh yeah? Two against one, huh?”

“Yeah, ’cause our names are both already Karlsson. Yours could be too. I think it should be. Then no one can doubt that we’re a family, that we belong together.”

My heart flutters as I glance down at her. “You want this too?”

She nods.

I glance to Henrik. “Well, what if I want to keep my name?Would you consider changing your name to O’Connor?”

After a moment, he nods. “I already asked Elin about the process. Karolina and I can petition the Swedish Tax Agency to have our names changed if that’s your preference.”

I pick up the papers, flipping through them, trying to keep my tone measured. Meanwhile, my heart is racing. “But your preference is for me to become a Karlsson?”

“I have no preference,” he calmly replies. “I’m merely offering you the options. If you don’t wish to become a Karlsson, Karro and I will happily become O’Connors. We’re ready, and we want this. We hope you do too.”

Fighting my smile, I test it out, as if I haven’t whispered it like a prayer a thousand times before. “Teddy Karlsson … it has a nice ring to it.”

Henrik’s gaze is molten. If we were alone right now, instead of in a crowded restaurant, he’d already have me in his arms, mybody splayed across this table. The thought makes me sit up a little straighter. “Fine. I’ll take your last name on one condition …”

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