Page 94 of Worth the Want
“After, obviously,” I quip, and she laughs, a sound that I would recognize anywhere now, sliding over the bench seat in the truck to climb onto my lap.
“Have I mentioned I love you?” she asks.
“Yes, but not nearly enough.”
“I love you,” she says, leaning in to kiss me.
“I love you, Indiana. I love you”—kiss—“and I love you”—kiss—“and I love you,” I tell her before pulling her out of the truck with me. Hazel wakes up from her nap, still sleepy but happy. Always my happy girl. Indie picks her up, snuggling her close while we walk down to the end of the dock, sitting in our chairs. Two chairs. It wasn’t that long ago that I thought having two chairs would be nice. It turns out it’s not nice. It’severything.
We watch the sunset, turning from a soft yellow to a brilliant orange. Well, Indie watches the sunset. I watch her, cradling Hazel in her arms, playing with her hair, and kissing her head. The love they have for one another is more than I could have hoped for. It’s the most precious sight I’ve ever seen. Indie catches me staring.
“What?” she asks.
“Nothing. You’re just so beautiful.”
“I’m glad you think so, Mr. Holloway. I think you’re stuck with me.” She grins at me, nose scrunching.
“Lucky me,” I tell her. Because I don’t know how it gets better than this.
“Lucky you,” Indie agrees.
“How did I ever get to be this lucky?”
She sighs, making a show, like she always does. Like she has so much to say, and I’m on the edge of my seat to hear every last word.
“It’s a long story.”
“Don’t leave anything out.”
The leaves are changing colors outside now, telling me that summer is over—the best summer of my life. Life with my girls has been so good to me. I used to be a little skeptical of people falling in love. I understood the concept but never the emotion behind it. The chemical reaction that I would hear explained never really made sense to me. Until Indiana.
She came into my life and completely turned it on its head. Not realizing that I had given up hope of finding someone to go through life with. If it hadn’t happened by then, I just assumed it wouldn’t, and I made peace with that. Watching my brothers find love, seeing it change them into the men they are. Now, I know that’s what real love does. It transforms.
For the last three years, I’ve felt like my heart was full. I had my family. I had Hazel. When Indie showed up out of the blue, it’s like it expanded.
I look in on Indiana getting Hazel ready for the wedding. I’ve spent the last four months watching these moments between them. Hazel adoring Indie, and Indie indulging herevery request. They’ve started their own collections and a whole fairy village in the backyard. The cuckoo clock wall has expanded. We now have a table full of rocks and a cabinet full of dinosaur figurines. There are shelves upon shelves of flower books, and then there’s the gallery wall of postcards. Indie will explain them all to Hazel one day when she asks why her aunt Han isn’t here.
“Okay, braid is all done and pinned perfectly. I’m just going to put these flowers in. You have the most lovely hair, baby.”
“Thank you. I love yours.”
“I loveyou,” Indie says offhandedly while putting little yellow flowers in Hazey’s hair.
“I love you too, mommy.” Indiana’s hands freeze momentarily before she continues with her flower placement. I see her left hand come up, swiping her face quickly. She leans forward and presses a long kiss to the braided crown on Hazel’s head before squeezing my daughter’s shoulders lightly.
“All done, baby. You look perfect.”
“Thank you!” she says, turning around to hug her neck before running toward me. “Look at my hair, Daddy!”
“Oh, it’s so beautiful, Hazey. You’re the most beautiful little girl I’ve ever seen!”
“Thank you,” she says shyly. “I’m going to show Sally!” Then she’s off.
“Hi,” Indiana says.
“Hi, Honey.”
“How long have you been here?”
