Page 102 of Roaring Fork Rockstar

The sound of footsteps on the stairs made us all look up. My father appeared with Luna in his arms, her head resting against his shoulder, eyes heavy with sleep.

“Someone wanted to say good night,” he explained, carrying her to me.

Luna lifted her head, brightening when she spotted Holt. “Mr. Holt! You’re here. I missed you.”

He smiled, rising to take her from my father. “I missed you too, Unicorn Girl.”

“Will you tell me a story?” she asked, fighting to keep her eyes open.

“Tomorrow,” he promised. “You need your rest now.”

“Okay. But it has to be a long one.”

“The longest,” he agreed, carrying her upstairs.

“We should go,” Sam said after she and Beau exchanged a look. “It’s been a tiring day for everyone.”

“Thank you for staying,” I said, hugging them both.

“Hey, Sam,” said Holt, returning downstairs. “The family is going to meet again tomorrow. Our plan is to see if we can get Six-pack to come to the ranch. We’d like you to be part of that meeting.”

“Just tell me when.”

After they left, my father retreated to the guest room, claiming fatigue, though I suspected he wanted to give Holt and me privacy.

Holt’s expression was somber when he sat beside me on the sofa. “Luna asked if I was going to be her daddy now.”

My heart squeezed at the words. “What did you tell her?”

“That if it was okay with her and you, then yes.” He ran a hand through his hair again. “I hope that was all right.”

“More than all right,” I assured him, snuggling into him. “If I had to guess, I’d say it’s what she’s wanted since Christmas.”

He held me close, his chin resting on top of my head. “I never thought I’d have this, Keltie. A family of my own. Someone to love and protect.”

“No second thoughts?” I asked.

“God, no,” he said, leaning to look into my eyes. “If anything, finding out about Scarlett makes me more certain we were meant to find each other.”

I reached up to touch his face. “Even with all the complications? Luna’s illness, Remi’s involvement, your career?”

“Especially with all that,” he said. “I’m here to support you in every way I can.”

I kissed him then, a gentle press of the lips that conveyed more than words ever could.

“Stay tonight,” I whispered against his mouth.

His arms tightened around me. “I wasn’t planning to leave.”

Later,as we lay in bed after making love, my head resting on his chest, I couldn’t help but marvel at how quickly my life had changed. Now, I wore Holt’s ring on my finger, and Luna had asked him to be her daddy. The universe, it seemed, had a far different plan than what I’d previously envisioned.

“What are you thinking about?” Holt asked, his fingers tracing lazy patterns on my arm.

“How none of this makes sense, yet somehow, it all does,” I replied honestly.

As we drifted to sleep, he hummed a familiar tune.

“My dad used to sing me a lullaby like that when I was young,” I told him.

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