When I'm with You (Hope Town #3)(72)

I look away from our parents and laugh at Sway.

“I always look handsome.”

“Just as cocky as your father. Come wrap those big strong arms of yours around Sway and give me a proper hello.”

I bend, giving him the hug he wants. “Hey, Davey,” I tell his husband over his shoulder and wait for him to finally let go.

Finally, he does, but not before I get a kiss on my cheek. Ember is at my side laughing at his antics, and I would gladly let that man kiss me again if it means she’s no longer feeling unsure about how we will be received today.

“I think we should probably go finish the rounds,” I whisper in her ear after stepping away from Sway.

She looks up before following my eyes to our parents and gives me a nod. This time, she takes my hand before leading the way. You couldn’t have stopped the grin that came over me at her claim of ownership. My mom passes my nephew, Owen, to my father before walking from their foursome and meeting us halfway. Instead of giving her baby boy a hug, though, she approaches Ember.

She places her hands on Ember’s biceps and says, “Hey, sweetheart. You look beautiful.” I clear my throat and raise my brow when she looks up at me. “What? Do you want me to tell you that you look beautiful too, son?”

“That would be lovely. Yes, you can tell me how beautiful I am.”

She shakes her head and looks back at my girl. “I’m so happy for you two.”

I don’t need to look at Ember to know that her happiness does, in fact, make her look beautiful.

“Thanks, Izzy,” she says softly. “You have no idea how much it means to hear you say that.”

I give a mock gasp. “You mean you doubted my own mother thought her baby boy was beautiful?”

Ember pulls her hand from mine to give me a playful smack against my chest at the same time my mother does, and we all three laugh.

“Go on,” she tells us before turning and calling Owen’s name. He jumps from my dad’s arms and starts rushing to his grandma. “Don’t let those big men intimidate you,” she warns before walking away.

“Let’s go, baby.”

We move until we’re standing in front of them. My dad reaches out and hooks my shoulder before pulling me to his body. With just a few inches separating our height, his mouth turns to my ear. “Don’t make me hurt my own boy by doing something stupid as f*ck to his woman. Got it?”

“Yes, sir,” I lament, shoving off him playfully and turning to Ember’s dad.

He has his arms crossed over his chest and his face gives nothing away as to what he is thinking. It doesn’t matter that he knows about us. It doesn’t even matter that I have his blessing to be with his daughter. Right now, he’s playing the part of a father that is, in a sense, letting go of the daughter he has loved and raised for twenty-one years and giving her to the man who will spend the rest of her life being the one to make sure no harm comes to her heart.

“Maddox.” I nod.

“Nate.” He doesn’t move.

“Mind if I have a word?”

His nostrils flare; the only tell he gives me before nodding. I step back and watch him wrap his arms around Ember before giving both her and Emmy a kiss on their foreheads. Ember looks up at me, worried, but I just smile. Then enjoy the f*ck out of the growl that I hear from her dad when I pull her into my arms and give her a deep kiss.

“Be right back, baby.”





WE WALK TO THE SIDE of my parents’ house, out of view and earshot, and I turn to stand tall in front of her frowning father.

“I love her,” I blurt without any lead-up.

I wait for him to speak, but he doesn’t.

“You gave me your blessing once, but I need you to understand just what you were giving me when you did. I love your daughter with every fiber in my body. Her happiness is the only thing that matters to me. Her smile will never die again if I have anything to do with it. I promised myself that I would prove to her that I was worthy of her love, and even though her opinion is really the only one that matters, I’m asking you again to respect the love we share and let me have her.”

“What exactly are you trying to say, Nate?”

I take a deep breath. “I don’t want to spend another day without her by my side. The same goes for her. I will be her supporter in every aspect of her life personally and professionally. No cheerleader in her corner will yell louder. I will make sure she never doubts the love we share and her choice to give me a chance. I would give my life for her, Maddox. One day soon, I pray to God that I’m lucky enough to have you walking her down the aisle. But most importantly, I want all of that to happen with you not only giving me your blessing to make sure it does but with you being happy that you did.”

“If I told you I would cut your arm from your body if you caused her a second of pain, what would you say?”

I stand a little straighter and keep my face as impassive as his. “I would hand you the knife.”

“If I told you that you didn’t deserve her?”

“I would agree. She deserves the world, but she’s just getting me, and with me, she’s going to get a man who works his ass off to hand the world to her.”

He continues his stare down when I finish speaking, and then he gives me something that not once in my damn life have I been on the receiving end of.