Page 122 of Perfect Pairing
The family.
The babies.
Everything.
I grinned at him as I came down from my high, our entire future stretching out in front of me in my mind.
“I love you so much,” I said, tears springing to my eyes and flowing freely.
“I love you more, honey.”
“You ready?” Brie asked,gripping my hand tightly as we walked into the winery.
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
Today was the day of my big meeting with Amara and Liam, and in true Brie fashion, she’d made it a family affair. We’d moved it from the offices to the restaurant, which was still closed, to accommodate the entire Delatou gang. Since I’d been the one to call this meeting, I was, for once, not cooking lunch. We’d talked Tanya from Granny Smith’s Tavern into feeding us, and as long as I got to stuff my face with one of her signature mushroom and Swiss burgers when this was all over, I could survive this meeting.
“It’s going to be great,” she said as we made our way through the lobby. Chatter from her family greeted us, and I hated the lead weight that settled in my stomach.
For some reason, I felt like a lot was riding on this. My livelihood wouldn’t suffer if the community garden didn’t pan out, but I genuinely felt as if the community’s would. There was all kinds of undeveloped land on the peninsula, all of which was owned by the Delatou family. All I wanted to do was to carve a little piece out for myself and the rest of the residents of Apple Blossom Bay to enjoy.
Truthfully, I didn’t think that was asking too much.
“Ezra, my boy!” Leon boomed as Brie and I crossed the threshold, and I couldn’t explain why, but I instantly relaxed. This man had been a number of things to me over the years: friend, confidant when my world was falling apart, boss, caretaker of my child, friend again when he’d ultimately stepped aside as CEO.
But now that Brie and I were committed to each other, our dynamic had yet again shifted, and I found myself bracing for the moment when he’d pull me into one of his signature back slapping hugs…and strangle me to death instead of releasing me.
“Relax,” Brie whispered and let go of my hand as her dad dragged me into an embrace.
I sighed deeply when he let me go.
Maybe one day, I’d grow out of that terror, but…Leon Delatou was an imposing man, and nothing in the world was more important to him than his girls.
As a parent myself, I knew the feeling, but I also understood it was different between a father and son than between a father and daughter. Would I retaliate against anyone who dared hurt Hansen? Of course.
But Leon was the kind of man who would go scorched earth for his daughters.
With a hand on my shoulder, he directed me away from Brie and toward the head of the table, pausing at a chair beside Liam. Across the table from him sat Amara, Cal next to her, their hands clasped together.
“You taking good care of my girl?” Leon asked before letting me go.
“Always,” I promised him.
Leon nodded and moved around to sit on Calvin’s side, and Brie took the seat next to Liam.
But I needed her next to me, and even two feet apart was too much.
“Trade with her,” I told Liam, glancing between them.
“Oh, Ez, it’s fine,” Brie said, waving her hand.
“I don’t mind,” Liam said, already rising to move.
“C’mon, honey.” I patted the chair next to me. “Sit.”
“Possessive and demanding,” Amara said with a twinkle in her eye.
“I’ll take that as a compliment,” I told her.
