Dance Like Nobody's Watching (Summer Lake 3) (32 page)

It felt like his heart was exploding in his chest.
Jesus, she'd scared him! He could feel his face wanting to split in
two as he smiled. Then he remembered he hadn't even shown her the
ring. He opened the box and held it up for her to see before he slid
it onto her finger.

“I'm going to spend the rest of my life
making a believer out of you, beautiful.”

She pulled him up to his feet. “It's
beautiful, Dan.”

He grinned. “
You
are beautiful. But
we've had this conversation before. You know what it symbolizes.”

She nodded happily, as she looked at the three
diamonds sitting on her finger.

He drew her to him. He was aware of the applause
and slaps on his back, but they seemed to be happening at a great
distance as he held her to him and kissed her deeply.

***

Missy stared out at the lake. She loved the way it
sparkled in the afternoon sunshine. She looked down at her ring. She
loved the way it sparkled even more. She loved everything it meant,
but most of all, she loved the man who had given it to her. He came
back out to the patio with a fresh beer for each of them and sat
across the table from her.

“Thanks.”

“Miss, I want to give you an engagement
present.”

She wrinkled her nose. “You already gave me
this beautiful ring, and the best present I could ever have, hero.
The promise of a future with you in it.”

She loved the way he cocked his head to one side,
loved knowing that she'd get to see his beautiful smile every day for
the rest of her life.

“I feel like you got that backwards. They
are your gifts to
me.
That
you're wearing my ring and
y
ou've promised me a future with
you
in it,”

He truly meant it too. What had she ever done to
deserve this man?

“So will you accept an engagement gift? Say
you'll accept it in the spirit that I give it?”

She frowned. “Want to tell me what it what
it is before I answer that?”

Big brown eyes twinkled at her. “No. I
don't. I want you to trust me.”

She nodded. “Okay then. I do. I trust you,
Danny.”

“Good. Then enjoy college. My gift is your
tuition. I signed you up. Get your degree done, Miss. You don't have
to wait any longer.”

Missy's mouth fell open. She was at a loss for
words. “Oh, Danny!” was all she could manage.

The poor man looked so worried. “Is it okay?
Did I do wrong? Should I have asked you first?”

She couldn't help but laugh as she came around the
table to sit in his lap. “You did wonderfully. Thank you. We
both know that if you'd asked I would have said no. But we both also
know that it's what I want, and need. I love you Danny, so much!”

Before she could get lost in his kiss, she heard
car doors slam out on the driveway. Dan lifted his head, hearing it
too. “Sounds like our boy is back.”

Scot came running around the side of the house,
with Chance not far behind.

“Dan, Dan, DAD!”

Missy's heart stopped in her chest. She felt Dan
go completely still, his arms stiffen around her. Even Chance stopped
in his tracks and fixed his gaze on Dan.

Scot stopped when he reached the table and looked
at Dan with a big grin, apparently oblivious to the tension in the
air. “So can I call you Dad now then? I don't have to wait ’til
you actually get married, do I?”

Missy looked up at Dan, she had no idea what to
expect. He looked nervous. She hoped he wasn't scared by this
development, but how could he not be? When they had talked about not
letting their relationship affect his friendship with Scot, she had
never dreamed that it might mean demanding more of Dan than he knew
how to give.

Dan looked at her; there was no question he was
nervous. Oh, how she hoped this would turn out okay.

He smiled at Scot. “I wanted to talk to you
about that, champ.”

Oh, no. She knew she couldn't expect Dan to
suddenly step into the role of father. How she wished they'd talked
about this first. Decided how they could handle it, without
pressuring Dan or disappointing Scot.

“Okay?” Scot was still grinning.

Dan looked down at her. “And to talk to you
about it too, Miss.”

Missy, let out the breath she'd been holding.
Wishing he'd just spit it out now, so they could start to deal with
whatever it was he had to say. “I think we better.”

He looked back at Scot, “If you want to call
me Dad, I would love that. And if you want me to
be
your Dad,
I would love that even more. We already are a family. But, if you
want to, I'd like to make it official, become your Dad, adopt you.”

“
Yes
!” Scot punched the air,
before wrapping his arms around the two of them. “Thanks, Dad!
Isn't that awesome, Mom?”

Missy didn't know what to say. She was stunned
that was what Dan wanted, and a little apprehensive as to whether it
was possible. Scot did have a father. Somewhere.

“It'd be great.” She smiled, not
wanting to dampen Scot's excitement.

Dan's hand closed around the back of her neck.
“Please don't be mad at me, Miss.”

“Mad? I think it's great. I just don't know
if it's possible. Legally.”

Scot stood back, looking concerned. “Say it
is, Dad?”

Dan looked so sure of himself now. His nervousness
gone. “It is, son. I already got it all set up in the hope that
you would both want me. All I need is for the two of you to say yes,
and we can get the papers.”

“
Yes!”
Scot punched the air and
ran back to Chance. “Dan's my Dad! Dan's my Dad, Uncle Chance!
Isn't that awesome?”

Chance grinned at the kid. “It is awesome,
Shorty. And I get him as a brother too!”

Missy put her hands on Dan's shoulders and rubbed
her nose against his. “I hope you really are prepared to work
at making a believer out of me, hero. It's going to take an awful lot
to convince me that I got this lucky!”

His beautiful smile melted her heart. “I'll
do everything in my power, beautiful. Every single day. Forever.”

I hope you enjoyed Missy and Dan's story and
visiting Summer Lake and its residents. If you did, please consider
letting your friends know about the book if you feel they might like
it, too. If this is the first Summer Lake book you've read, be sure
to check out:

Emma and Jack in
Love
Like You've Never Been Hurt.

Holly and Pete in
Work
Like You Don't Need the Money

Smoke and Laura's story will be next. Join me on
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I hope our paths will cross again soon. Until
then, take care, and thanks for your support—you are the reason
I write!

Love

SJ

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