Page 234 of The Path to Loving Him
Cassidy not being around to watch MacKenzie grow up will always sit heavily in my chest. With each passing day, there’s always something Mac does that I think about how Cassidy would react, how she’d smile . . . laugh . . . steal a picture, take a moment.
This means that I’m now in charge of being that person. And yes, this might have been a minor setback, but it won’t be the end. Mac and I have a very long way to go.
When Mac pulls away, I ask, “So . . . do you think I can still be Uncle Dad?”
She nods enthusiastically. “You’ll always be Uncle Dad.”
I smirk and tip her chin up. “Good, because I have no intention of ever changing that.”
“What about . . . what about when you marry Gabby?”
“You think I’m going to marry her?” I tease.
“I think so.”
“Do you like her?”
“I do. I do. I do.” She cutely jumps up and down.
“So if I did marry her, you would like that?”
“Yes! But . . .” Her nose crinkles. “Does that mean I have to play with her brother?”
I let out a laugh. “He’s a fun guy, I promise. Watch, next time you see him, he’ll play with you.”
“Okay . . .” She thinks for a moment. “But what about when you marry Gabby?”
“What about it?”
“Will your name change?”
“Oh.” I chuckle. “No, it won’t. I’ll always be Uncle Dad.”
“Always?”
I tap her nose. “Always.”
Epilogue
RYLAND
“Have you seen her?” Hattie asks, walking up to me in a beautiful purple gown.
I shake my head, my hands sweating. “No.”
Hattie’s smile grows wider. “You are in for it. Hope you have tissues.” She pats my back and moves over to Hayes, who’s wearing a three-piece suit just like me.
“Where’s my phone? I want to record this,” Aubree says as she moves into the living room portion of the suite we’re in.
“Right here,” Wyatt says, holding a box of tissues.
“Dude, give me some of those.”
“No fucking way,” he says. “I want to see the tears flow down you.”
“Ass,” I say.
“No, I agree. I want to see the tears too,” Abel says from the corner, his phone out as well.
