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Now, I wasn’t horrified at the prospect of living with Nolan under anyone’s roof. I mean, his argument made sense. To learn, he’d have to observe from beginning to end. No, what worried me was how my father, Aaron East, was going to react.
“Call your parents and ask them to come over please,” he said curtly as he left the hallway.
Mom looked as confused as I felt. I expected him to put his foot down and completely deny his request.
“May I use your phone?” Nolan asked my mother.
“Of course you can. Starr, can show you where it is,” she said, as she quickly left the room to check on my father.
“That went a little better than I expected,” he remarked.
I put my wheels into motion and led him into the kitchen without saying anything. I was worried about Daddy. I wanted to go check on him as soon as Nolan’s phone call was being placed.
“Well, there it is. I’m gonna go see how he’s doing,” I said, nodding toward the backyard.
Nolan nodded as he picked up the receiver and began to dial. I made my way quickly out of the kitchen to the back door, and shoved it open after a couple of tries. Dad was standing in the middle of the backyard with his hands in his pockets and staring up at the sky. I noticed that Mom was sitting on her chair swing just outside the door, watching him. When she saw me go past her, she went inside.
“Hi, Daddy,” I said softly as I stopped next to him.
“You know I remember the day you were born,” he replied. “You were so healthy, strong, and perfect. I knew that you’d be my little girl forever; even after you got sick. Jane, I love you more than I can ever say, I just never thought this day would come. And it has nothing to do with your... situation. I just. No father ever thinks their little girl will leave them. No matter how silly it sounds.”
“I’ll always be your little girl. I’m just grown up now,” I assured him softly.
“I meant what I said upstairs. You deserve to be happy. I’m glad that you said yes to Nolan, but you have to understand that I will never trust him. Not since the aquarium; and I need you to accept that.”
I put a hand on his leg. He looked down at me and I nodded. He let out a sigh and turned his attention back to the sky. I sat next to him in silence and watched the sky with him.
Ten minutes later, Stella ran out to announce that Nolan’s parents had arrived.
Dad cleared his throat and straightened himself out before we went in. He held the door open for me and I made my way into the living room. His parents were sitting in the love seat talking to my mother, and Nolan was sitting in his usual spot with Liam in his lap and Stella standing at his side.
“There you two are!” Mom said brightly. “Aaron, you remember Rosalie and Bryan don’t you?”
Dad nodded and went to sit next to Mom. I was wheeling my way over there when Nolan reached out an arm and stopped me. I glanced at him, and he grinned as he pulled me backwards until I was sitting next to him. Liam climbed off of his lap and moved down the couch with Stella.
I raised an eyebrow when he stood up after a moment and lifted me out of the chair. He set me into the spot next to him and put his arm around me. I clasped my hands in my lap and leaned my head against his shoulder.
“Doesn’t hurt, does it?” he asked me quietly. I shook my head and he grinned again.
I felt his body heat starting to permeate throughout me again and I closed my eyes for a moment.
I loved feeling him so close.
“Nolan tells us that you have something you’d like to discuss with us,” Bryan said to my father.
Dad explained everything to them. From the park to the aquarium to the proposal to his idea for living arrangements. By the end of it, Nolan’s parents were looking at us very seriously.
“Are you sure this is something you both want to do? From the sounds of it, neither of you have been very responsible so far. Especially you,” Bryan said, looking pointedly at his son.
“Um, excuse me, Mr. ...Uh...”
It suddenly dawned on me that I had no idea what Nolan’s last name was.
“Ransom,” Nolan whispered.
I looked at him incredulously.
“I swear it is,” he whispered again laughing.
