The Single Dad (The Dalton Family #3)(76)

“Daddy!” Everly screamed, rushing over and clinging to my leg. “Daddy, Daddy! Uncle D says it’s present time. I wanna open presents!”

“And she’s opening mine first,” Dominick said from the couch.

I chuckled, rubbing the back of my little girl’s head. “Tell Uncle D you’re opening mine first. He’s going to have to wait.” I lifted her into my arms and carried her over to the couch, setting her on the large ottoman. “Stay right there,” I told her.

I went into the area of the living room where all the presents had been placed, finding mine among the massive stack. I grabbed the small bag and handed it to her.

By the time I sat, everyone had found a place on the couch, Sydney directly next to me.

“Open it,” I said to Everly, who normally needed no prompting, but I was sure the small bag was puzzling since my gifts typically came in larger packaging.

She pulled out the small bundle and tore off the tissue paper, holding the book in her hands.

“Do you know what it is?” I asked.

The book was made entirely of photos.

She opened to the first page, her curls bouncing as she wiggled on the cushion. “Photos! From your trip!”

“That’s right.” I looked at Sydney, smiling.

The gift had been my idea, but the way I was presenting it had been Sydney’s. She’d also helped put the booklet together, downloading each of the pictures I had sent during my time on the road and arranging them in order.

“Do you know why I’m giving this to you?” I asked Everly.

She shook her head.

“Because we’re going to make our own book, just like this one.” I moved to the end of the couch to get closer to her and pointed at the shot of the Las Vegas Strip, the picture she had just arrived at. “We’re going to fly there, and you’re going to see all the lights and have all the adventures, just like you asked for.”

Her mouth opened so wide. “We are?”

“How nice,” my mother said. “Everly, your daddy got you such a wonderful gift.”

“And we spoil her,” Dominick huffed.

I ignored my brother, flipping back a few pages to show her the mountain shots. “And we’re also going there, to Colorado, so you can see those mountains and ride some horses.”

“I am?”

“You’re going to love the horses,” my father said to her.

I lifted her off the ottoman and set her on my lap. “We’re leaving in this many days.” I held two hands in the air, spreading my fingers wide—the same way she had all morning.

Her face lit up even more. “Yay!”

Sydney reached for Everly’s hand, swinging it so gently. “What do you say, Miss Everly?”

“Thank you, Daddy.” She threw her tiny arms around my neck and squeezed me.

“You’re welcome, baby.” I rubbed circles across her back. “Can you guess who’s coming with us?”

She leaned away, looking at my face. A second passed, and she shrugged.

“I am, sweetheart,” Sydney said.

“Wahoo! I wanna leave now!” She jumped off my lap and landed on Sydney’s, giving her a hug. When she pulled away, she asked, “Did you get me a present?”

Sydney laughed. “I made you a present. Would you like to see it?”

“Yes!”

She carried Everly off the couch and set her down in the kitchen, leading her into the pantry.

I followed behind, wanting to see Everly’s face when Sydney showed her the surprise.

The cake was sitting on a table that Craig had set up, so no one would see the dessert until it was time for Everly to blow out her candles.

But Everly rushed right up to it, her eyes so wide, her mouth open. “My animals!” she screeched. “All of them!”

Three layers tall, the cake had taken Sydney two days to make. She hand-carved each of the animals, matching their faces and coloring to the ones that slept on Everly’s bed. She’d even remembered the pink skirt that went around the hippo’s waist and the pink tie that hung from the giraffe’s neck. Since Sydney knew how much Everly loved the mountains, that was the design of each layer, the animals grazing, climbing, resting in different sections and along the base.

This wasn’t just a cake.

This was a masterpiece that had been baked and designed straight from Sydney’s heart.

But I wasn’t sure my daughter understood that part.

I rubbed the back of Everly’s neck and said to her, “Do you know that Sydney made this cake just for you?”

“Like when we bake?” Everly asked her.

Sydney nodded. “Yes, like when we make cupcakes, but this was a bit bigger of a project.”

“I love it, Syd.” She wrapped around Sydney’s waist, holding on to her, not letting go. “Sooo much.”

While Sydney held Everly’s head, she looked at me, her face filled with something I recognized.

Something I felt as I glanced between both my girls.





Eighteen





Sydney





The first three days in Las Vegas had been an absolute dream. Ford spared no expense, and that didn’t surprise me one bit. He wanted memories, adventures, and he gave us both. We took Everly on the High Roller Ferris wheel, so she could see the lights of the Strip. He even rented a helicopter to fly us to the Grand Canyon for the day with a huge picnic set up the moment we landed. We had gone to the best restaurants and had the most delicious wine, and every evening, we went to a show that he’d chosen just for Everly.