“You’re my baby girl.” He smiles and his hand comes up to hold my cheek. “From the moment your mom told me she was pregnant with you, my world changed, and you became one of the most important things in my life. When you took your first breath, I knew I would do everything within my power to make sure that each breath you took was easy. You will always be my baby girl, and I can’t promise you I will like any man you’re with.”

He pulls me forward and kisses my forehead. “Your grandfather gave me a chance with your mom, and I swore that when my girls told me they were in love I would find a way to make peace with that, so they would never have to choose between me and the man they wanted to share their lives with,” he confesses, and I cry harder, sobbing into his chest as he wraps his arms around me.

“I love you, Dad,” I hiccup.

“Love you too, more than anything in this world.”

“What should I do about Wes?” I ask, pulling away and wiping my face.

“Just talk to him. If he’s a man worthy of you, he’ll understand your reasoning.”

“What if he doesn’t?” I whisper my biggest fear.

“Then he doesn’t deserve you,” he states, standing. I follow him up and walk him to the door. He gives me a hug, and a kiss on the forehead, before stepping out onto the front porch. “Call me tomorrow,” he orders, walking to his Jeep, passing Mic on the way and shaking his hand. I give him a small wave as he backs out of my driveway then look at Mic, who is standing near his bike, talking on his phone.

“Is that him?” I ask hopefully.

“No, babe, go back inside,” he tells me, and I frown but step back into my house and shut the door.

The moment the door closes, I realize how quiet it is. Since the moment I met Wes, there has been a loudness in my life that wasn’t there before. Not the kind of noise that is annoying or that you want to get away from, but the kind of noise that lets you know you’re alive and that the life you’re living is full. I didn’t know my life was missing anything until Wes…until now. Closing my eyes, I take a few deep breaths then pick up the remote and turn on the TV, hoping the sound will help chase away the feeling that has settled in my gut since I watched Wes ride away.

“You did this to yourself,” I whisper, going to the kitchen and getting a bottle of water before walking to my room and changing into a pair of sweats and a t-shirt. Afterwards, I head out to the living room to watch some TV.

*

“You’re home,” I murmur as I’m lifted off the couch and tucked close to Wes’ front as he carries me to my room.

“Sleep,” he mutters, laying me down then pulling the covers over me. I chew on my bottom lip, watching him, trying to gauge where his head’s at.

His back is to me, and he lifts his shirt off over his head and drops it to the floor, and then the sound of his belt coming off fills the silence, making that coiled ball of energy in my stomach unravel slightly with the knowledge that he’s not leaving.

“I’m sorry.” I reach out to him and run my fingers down his back as he takes a seat on the side of the bed. The moment I touch him, his muscles contract and he looks over his shoulder at me.

“We’ll talk about it in the morning.”

“I told my dad. He was here earlier.” I close my eyes, hating the distance I feel between us. “I know you will probably think it’s idiotic, but the idea of you and my dad not getting along is one of the worst things I can imagine.” I open my eyes back up, seeing he’s still watching me. “I love my dad; he’s my best friend, but since the moment I met you, that has changed. You have become important in a way that I know if I had to choose between the two of you, I wouldn’t be able to without it ripping me apart.”

“You think I would make you choose between us?” he growls, and his brows shoot together.

Okay, said out loud like that makes it sound stupid.

“I…I don’t think you would,” I shake my head. “I don’t think he would either, but how could I choose between two men I love?”

“Love?”

“What?” I ask, confused.

“You said you couldn’t choose between the two men you love.” He crawls over me, pressing me into the bed with his weight, his face inches from mine. “You love me?” he asks softly, and I shake my head and close my eyes. “July, open your eyes and look at me.”

I shake my head again and his hands go to each side of my face. “Baby, open your eyes and look at me.” The tone of his voice has my eyes opening to look at him. “I love you too,” he says, and my eyes slide closed and I let his words wash over me before opening them again. “Loving you means I want what’s best for you and that I want you to be happy. You think I don’t know what your family means to you?” He pushes my hair away from my face. “You don’t think I see the way your face lights up when you talk about your dad, or the love you have for him?” He kisses my lips then my chin. “I see it baby, and regardless if we get along, I would never make you choose between us.”

“I can’t believe you love me.”

“That’s all you got from that speech?” he asks, smiling.

“Uh basically…”

“I have no idea what I’m going to do with your crazy ass,” he mutters, looking over my head.

“Hey,” I smack his side, “you telling me you love me is kinda a big deal.”