Page 99 of Draft Pick
With their arms wrapped around each other, Juniper focuses on her sweetly. “What’s Emerald City?”
Without wavering, Addie answers her in one breath, “My favorite place in the whole wide world. I feel so happy there. The colors are green just like daddy’s eyes. And he’s my favoritepersonin the whole wide world. There’s lots of butterflies and Halloween pancakes. Everyone loves each other in Emerald City.”
“Your daddy’s eyes really are green. The most beautiful shade, too.” Juniper looks at me in wonder. “And butterflies? My favorite.”
“Yep!” Addie has no idea the gravity of her words, still admiring the pictures on Juniper’s coupons. “More butterflies. More of my Juniper.”
Her Juniper. I like that.
I don’t think we give kids enough credit. Their ability to love without conditions is something everyone can learn from. Including myself. My little girl has shown me what it looks like to value myself. To see myself as someone who can do and have everything I’ve ever wanted, because when you’ve got a village of people standing beside you, anything is possible.
She’s a living example of never giving up. Despite her diagnosis, which she knows no better about, Addie has refused to let her light be dimmed by others or what a test score mayprove to show. She shows up and tries her best, even when it’s hard.
Juniper kisses the top of Addie’s head. “Sounds like the most magical place.”
Hearing Apollo dancing from afar, Addie asks, “Daddy, can I go play now?”
“Sure. Go for it.”
Replacing the spot beside Juniper that Addie just left, I turn to face her, my arm wrapping around her tight. “You make me so happy,” I whisper into her ear softly.
Her forehead falls to mine, our favorite place to be together. Soul to soul. “You make me the happiest.”
“Move in with us.”
Juniper’s brows rise, but there’s no doubt there. “Okay. I’ll move in.”
“Simple as that?”
She kisses my lips. “Simple as that. Although I did just buy my house, so I need to figure out what to do with it.”
“I was thinking you keep it. We could finish up your renovations and get it decorated and designed however you want. Whatever you call that whole process,” I laugh. “We stay at my house in the meantime and then move into yours when it’s finished.”
“Wait, seriously? You’d do that? But that house is all Addie knows. I’d never want to be the reason she lost that familiarity.”
I tuck a strand of loose hair behind her ear. “Addie can make any place a home. But I refuse to live without you. In my home and in my bed. I can’t do it without you, baby.”
I feel her grin bone deep. “Then we make the house ours. Into something we all want. There’s plenty of space.”
“Room for a bigger family someday, too?”
Her lips crest mine again and I know tonight will be one for the books. We’re already insatiable together, but tonight is just us. “Plenty of room for more kings and queens.”
“Good,” I mutter, my voice growing deep. “I look forward to practicing with you, Doc.”
Her lips meet my ear. “And I look forward to fucking you, Suburban Daddy. Practice makes perfect, after all. Might even break out the jersey again if you’re lucky.”
I’m not sure what I did to deserve this level of peace and contentment, but I’m a better man for it. A better man because of my daughter’s pediatrician, who flipped my entire world upside down.
She’s the one I chose. There was never an ultimatum of having her or nothing. Not when she’s my draft pick. The available space in my life I had all along, but never believed I could manage to keep.
Now, my love tank is full.
“Sounds perfect.”
There’s no doubt in my mind that Dr. Wilde is our verybestpick.
Everything in my life is now solidified in this place. A building with four walls, a roof, doors, and old windows. But it’s the diner Juniper happened to discover and love before me. The same one my grandparents own with my pictures along the walls. Similar to the one she and her mother spent time together at when she was younger.
