I do best to remind her, how much I like her and want her, how much I believe we can do this. I roll her to her back and follow, and I don’t stop showing her until she’s clenching around me again, crying out my name, and digging her nails into my back.
Yeah.
Life with Gigi will be fun. Definitely.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Gigi
“You sure about this?”
“I’ve had a lot of time to think about it, Dad.”
I place my hand on top of his and the paperwork sitting on his desk. Last week, I told him I wasn’t sure the bar was for me but not why. Given his concerns about the little he knew about Sebastian and me, to say I’ve lessened them is a lie.
He’s more concerned than ever, but in the last week, Sebastian and I have done a lot of talking.
And I now have a plan, at least somewhat. Really, the only thing I’m certain of is there’s no way I’ll go back to a nine-to-five job in a cubicle.
Sebastian believes I can do this. More than that, I want to do this.
“I’ll figure this out and I have lots of time. But I do have some ideas brewing which I’ll let you know about once I look into them more.” Plans like renovating and updating the bar, making the outside more welcoming. George’s Bar is great for what my dad wanted it to be, but I want something different. A little more lively. I’ve been brainstorming ideas with Sebastian all week long and the more I consider what I can do with this, the more determined I’ve become.
“If it’s yours, you don’t have to clear anything with me.”
“It’ll always be your bar, and now, maybe it’ll be the legacy we also leave to your grandchild.”
He blanches. Tan and wrinkled skin turns to snow and I laugh.
“Dad.”
He pulls his hand from beneath mine and like he’s done every time I’ve reminded him I’m pregnant, he scrubs his hands down his face.
“You’ll have to get used to that sometime, you know.”
One of his eyes peers open. “Have you?”
“I’m getting there.” And like I always do when I think of the baby growing inside of me, my hand settles to my stomach. “But I’m happy.”
There’s scared, nervous, fearful, anxious, elated, and joyful all joining my current mixed-up bundle of emotions over the last couple of weeks, but mostly, I’m choosing to be happy.
Mostly because Sebastian has decided to settle on ecstatic over the news, so it’s hard to let worry and fear creep in.
“Then I suppose I should get used to becoming a grandpa, huh?”
“You have time.”
“So do you,” he says, bringing us back to the topic of the bar. “You have time to decide this isn’t right for you for whatever reason and now that you’ve got something else to put first, I get it. You know that, right?”
“Like I’ve always said. If I decide to do something different, I won’t hesitate to let you know, but this feels right. And I have time to figure out how to make it work so I can run and own the bar, but not be here all the time. Trust me, I’ll figure it out.”
He sighs, big belly jostling with the force of it. Leaning back in his chair, he settles his hands on his stomach, linking his fingers together. “Then I guess I need to start planning what I’m going to do with retirement. Can’t move to Florida now and be too far away from watching my grandbaby grow up, can I?”
Tears prick the corners of my eyes. “You can still take up golfing.”
“Maybe tennis.”
“And shuffleboard.” He grimaces as he says it and lifts a hand. “Never mind. Maybe I’ll just be the old, washed-up regular at George’s and take a seat next to Steve.”
“Or, you could go find something, or someone that makes you happy too.”
“Let’s not get crazy.” He grins, but that sad look in his eyes every time I’ve ever mentioned him moving on and finding someone creeps in. “In all seriousness. You sure about this? Sebastian?”
“It’s new. We’re taking it slow, but yeah. I think so.”
“Then I suppose I should invite the boy over for dinner sometime. Get to know the dad of my first grandbaby better, huh?”
I laugh at Dad calling Sebastian a boy. There’s nothing boyish about him. Nope. My guy is all man. In body, in manners, and in heart.
“I’m sure he’d like that. I’ll mention it to him when he gets here.” Taking a