Page 163 of Stolen Fate

“But I am your dad, first and foremost. Don’t you know, sweetheart? I would tear that house down to the ground to guard your happiness.”

I smiled through the tears. “I know,” I said. “That’s why I didn’t go to you.”

His brown eyes turned misty as fresh tears formed in his eyes, and I didn’t know why, but I was surprised to see my dad cry about this. I shook my head. “Don’t be sad, Daddy. I’m okay now. I think… I think I’m actually happy now.”

And as I said it, I knew it was true. I was happy.

“He makes me really happy, Daddy. He’s a good man, and I know you will really like him.”

“This Jace person, right?”

I laughed at the way he said Jace’s name, and I knew we were getting back to normal. My dad would never think any man was good enough for his little girls, but I knew he would like Jace.

“He’s good to you?”

“So good. He cherishes me.”

And I knew what I had to do. I was going back to Jace. I was going to live the rest of my life with him and Elliot and that was all there was to it, because Jace was good to me, and he might even love me more than I loved him, if that was even possible.

“Okay,” was all he said, and I laughed. His eyes softened, and I wiped away my remaining tears.

“Would you like to meet him? Would you like to meet your grandson, Dad?”

More tears came to his eyes, and though I had thought I had stopped crying, that wasn’t the case anymore.

“He’s here? Elliot, right?”

“Yes, Elliot. He’s here, and he’s the most perfect little boy.”

“What a good name,” Dad commented with a laugh.

I smiled and stood up, walking to the door.

Katie, Ethan, Emilia, and Elliot were outside, with Elliot on Emilia’s lap. I didn’t know where they’d gotten the paper and a clipboard from, but as I predicted, Elliot was learning to write names.

They all looked up when they heard the door open and Elliot jumped off Emilia’s lap and ran to me. “What’s wrong, Evelyn? Why are you crying?”

I leaned down and picked him up, placing a kiss on his cheek. He wiped away my tears with both his small hands.

“Don’t be sad,” he said.

I shook my head. “I’m not, sweetheart. I’m happy. These are happy tears.”

“You shouldn’t cry when you’re happy. Don’t worry, I’ll tell Daddy when we get home and he’ll make you laugh again, like he always makes me laugh when I’m sad.”

I laughed at that. “Of course he will.”

Always so confident in his dad’s ability to take care of everything for him. Elliot and I were lucky to have Jace as our person.

“Would you like to meet my dad?” I asked.

“Oh. Um, okay.”

I knew Elliot didn’t always like to meet new people, but he was being so brave for me. I kissed his cheek again before letting him down so he could walk inside the room.

I stood by the door and watched them. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but I could see Elliot walking timidly toward my dad at first, before Dad said something that made him smile, and then he was climbing onto the bed to sit next to him.

Elliot patted Dad’s chest, and I knew it was because I told him Dad’s heart was sick. I cried as I watched my dad fall irrevocably in love with my son at first sight.

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