Alpha Hero - Hope Ford Page 0,59

respect, push you to be the person you should be. I’m doing this because I truly believe that he loves you almost as much as I do.

I know you’re too young for this now, but one day, you’ll look back at how Brian and hopefully I had loved you and you will expect nothing less from the man you pick to be your husband. My prayer is for you find someone that treats you like Brian will. I need you to trust me on this.

I love you, buttercup. I hope you know that. I also hope you know that nothing you could ever do will stop me from loving you.

I love you and I’ll see you again one day.

Love,

Dad

He finishes the letter and wipes a stray tear off his cheek. I go back to the floor in front of him. “Do you see? Dad would have been okay with this. If you want me.”

He stops me. “If I want you? Honey, you’re all I want. But I want forever.”

I smile and lean up and kiss him, his arms go around me, and he holds me tightly to him. Forever never felt so good.

Epilogue

Two Months Later

Brian

I dreamed about it, but I never imagined how good it could be. I’ve given her an out so many times, but she’s always told me that I’m the one she wants. Which is good, because if she wanted out, I don’t know if I could actually let her go.

Today is our wedding day. She stayed at her apartment last night because I’m not supposed to see her, but it’s killing me.

I knock on the door where she’s getting ready. “Come in,” she calls.

I start to open the door, but I don’t want to upset her by doing away with tradition.

“It’s me,” I tell her.

There’s a silence and then she pulls the door open widely. “Brian? Are you okay?”

I stare at her speechless. The white dress she has on is fitted to her body and I have to force myself to close my mouth. “Uh, yeah.” I step into the room and close the door behind me. “Fuck, you’re beautiful, honey.”

Her face turns a shade of red, but I can tell my words please her. She cocks her hip out and puts her hand on it. “What are you doing in here? You ‘bout gave me a heart attack. I thought you changed your mind or something.”

I crowd her then, my arms going around her. “No way, you’re mine. But I forgot to give you your gift.”

She smiles at me. “And you couldn’t wait until after?”

I shake my head. “My gift you get later. This one is not from me.” I open the pocket inside my jacket and pull out the box and hand it to her.

Her hands shake as she takes it from me. “Who’s it from?” she asks me, but I can tell she already knows.

I lead her to a chair and have her sit down. “Your dad.”

She smiles at me and her eyes are watery. I shake my head and rub her cheek. “Uh, uh, no crying. Your dad wouldn’t want you to cry.”

She takes a deep breath and rips open the box carefully. Nestled in tissue paper is a necklace. She pulls out the heart-shaped locket and opens it. And we both gasp. Inside is the picture of the two of us from her graduation.

She holds it out to me. “He knew. He knew before we did.”

I shake my head and laugh. “I knew, honey.” I kiss her then, smudging her lipstick and doing everything I can not to take it further.

She pulls away from me. “Help me put it on.”

She turns her back to me and I clasp the necklace around her neck. I walk her over to the floor-length mirror and stand behind her. She’s admiring the necklace and I’m admiring her. She’s positively glowing.

She turns in my arms. “I have a present for you.”

I lean down and kiss her nose. “I already have everything I want.”

She shrugs her shoulders. “I’m pretty sure this is something you’ll want.”

She reaches for a box on the shelf next to her and places it in my hands. “I hope you like it, because I can’t take it back.”

I laugh. “I already love it.”

She just smirks at me. “Open it.”

I undo the ribbon and start opening the box. I peel back the tissue paper and pull the coffee mug out. “I love it, honey. You know I can always use another coffee mug.”

I lean