Lucky Forever - Cee Bowerman Page 0,40

close to our room. I watched him gently take Lexi out of the truck and carry her inside and for some reason, I felt myself tearing up at the sight.

I’d never dated anyone seriously enough for them to meet my Lexi and she’d never had a man around her that cared enough to keep her safe and sleeping while he carried her in his arms. I was happy with what I knew about Rowdy so far, but even if I never grew to love him romantically, I knew I would love the way he treated my daughter like she was his own flesh and blood. Her own uncle had never done that and he eventually even tried to kill her.

I shook my head and pushed all thoughts of Jackson out of my mind. Lexi was safe from him now and so was I. Rowdy had promised that he and his family would take care of us and I already trusted his word. I could tell just by the way he talked to her and the gentle way he treated her that Rowdy would lay down his life for my little girl if that was asked of him.

◆◆◆

I watched as Shanda and Allie, Leia's aunties, walked away with Leia and Lexi. They were on their way to the Austin Children’s Museum for the day and would meet up with us later for dinner.

Rowdy and I were headed to our appointment at the Lottery Commissioner’s office so that he could turn in the ticket and then sign all of the papers necessary to receive the money. He was holding a packet of papers with banking information and looked over at me with a smile before he reached out and took my hand.

“You ready?” he asked as he squeezed my hand.

“I am,” I said as I let out a breath and looked up at the sky. “I hope our plan works.”

“It will,” Rowdy assured me. “I promise I’ll keep you and Lexi safe from him, baby.”

“Let’s do this,” I shook my head and then put my shoulders back. “I’m ready.”

Rowdy pulled the door open and held it for me and within two hours, we were back outside. We didn’t have a bag full of money like I had always imagined being handed to lottery winners, but we had confirmation from our bank that a massive deposit had been made and it was being dispersed into the different accounts that Marcus had arranged for us.

Now, each of our daughters had a sizable college fund that would take care of them through any degree they might want and then it would set them up well afterwards in case they wanted to buy a home or travel. Another account was there to the side, just in case Rowdy and I had more children so that we could disperse a trust to each of them also.

I hadn’t thought of that scenario, but Rowdy had, which made me content to think that he most definitely saw a future between us that included the possibility of adding more children to our little family.

My tiny little bank balance was giant now and I knew that Reagan would be working with Nicole on my wedding gift to Rowdy today, if he hadn’t finished it already.

“Let’s take a picture,” Rowdy suggested. He slung the backpack he had carried with him off his shoulder and reached into it for a small digital camera. “I hated having to stand up there and smile while I was holding a check that was meant for you, but I understand why you didn’t want to have anything to do with it.”

Rowdy stopped a couple on the street as they walked by and he asked them to take a picture of the two of us together on the steps in front of the government building we had just left. The lady agreed and took the camera from Rowdy with a smile and he dropped his bag down at our feet and put his arm around my shoulders to pull me close to his side. He and I both smiled at the woman and she took a few photos.

With a laugh, Rowdy pulled me into his arms and dipped my back over his leg. He laid a kiss on my lips that made me quiver inside and I heard the couple in front of us laughing as the woman took a few more pictures of us. When Rowdy lifted me up and settled me back on both feet, I