The Single Dad (The Dalton Family, #3)

by Marni Mann

“Hey, hey,” I whispered into her face. The heat from her crying thick like steam. “I know you don’t know my voice or the feel of my arms, but I’m going to tell you something.” I pressed my lips against her forehead, breathing her in, her scent so clean and powdery. “I’m never going to let anything happen to you.” I held my lips there, my eyes closing, my heart pounding away. “I promise.”

“I’m the lucky one to have her.”

“I feel so undeserving of you,” she whispered. “Like this is all a dream that I’m soon going to wake up from.” “Stop thinking that way.” I rubbed down her spine and up her sides. “You’re mine. Nothing is going to change that.”

She hadn’t realized I’d gotten on my knee. That I was holding out my hand. That I was asking, “Be my wife?” “And my mommy,” Everly chimed in. I slipped my other arm around Everly, glancing at my daughter as I added, “Be ours.” I took the ring from Everly, and I positioned it over Sydney’s finger. Waiting. It took only seconds for Sydney to reply, “Yes.” Once the ring was on her finger, she bent down and threw her arms around us. “Forever and ever.”