Epilogue
One Year Later
Nerves got the best of Dane as the soccer game began. His leg swayed with anxious motion, needing an escape. It wasn’t that Kenzie was in danger. At least not from anyone but herself.
She wasn’t the most graceful of athletes, despite the hours they’d spent practicing in the backyard. She was, however, as determined as her mother, who was now patting his knee in a calming manner.
Giving up her place, Kenzie ran after the ball and stole it from a frail-looking boy who was shorter than her. Dane clapped and cheered as she dribbled it between her tiny feet down the field. She was quick. He knew the effort was taking every ounce of concentration, as evidenced by the way her tongue was sticking out.
God, please don’t let her fall and bite off her tongue.
As if by some kind of magic spell, she glided right up to the net and kicked it past the goalie, scoring like an Olympic star. The look of shock on her face was priceless.
Without a thought, Dane jumped down from the bleachers and ran to scoop her up on the sideline in celebration.
“Did you see that? I got a goal!” she squealed, panting.
“I saw.”
Other kids piled around, chattering and patting her on the back when he released her. “Great job!”
“How did you do that?” one of her team members asked.
“My dad’s been practicing with me.” She looked up at him with wide eyes. “I mean Dane.”
He swallowed and smiled to reassure her the slip-up was fine with him.
It was the second time she’d called him dad. The first time, he hadn’t known how to handle it. He hadn’t really handled it, which was why she probably thought he didn’t like it.
In a sense, he was her dad. When he’d married her mother four months ago, it had made him officially her stepdad. But they hadn’t taken the next step yet to straight dadhood.
He had never wanted to use another child to fill the empty space in his heart he kept for Tobey. But over time, he realized the space wasn’t empty.
His son was happy, safe, and loved by three parents. And Tobey knew it.
As much as Dane loved his son, he found he still had plenty of love left for Kenzie, Lena, and however many more children they might have in the future.
The team ran off as Lena fixed her daughter’s loose braid. He remembered the stress Tobey felt over using the title Dad with Randy. Dane couldn’t let Kenzie go through the same dilemma. He didn’t want another moment to go by without making sure she was completely happy.
He bent down to her level and pulled her close. “Know what? I like when you call me Dad.”
She looked to her mother, who had tears in her eyes. He hadn’t meant to make the soccer game into something so dramatic.
“Go on. Your team is waiting for you. Remember to have fun,” he added, sounding very fatherly.
She grinned. “It was fun making a goal.”
“Well, good. Then keep doing that.” He winked at her.
She tore off, only to run back and hug him. “I will, Dad.”
“I love you, sweetie,” he whispered into her hair.
“Love you, too.” She was gone in a flash.
He wrapped his arm around his wife to lead her back to their seats.
“So… What would you think about having someone else call you Dad?” she asked.
He stopped walking and darted a look at her. “You want to have a baby?”
They’d discussed it once, and Lena said she wasn’t ready. She’d been anxious about what could happen if her attention was divided.
She tilted her head coyly. “Yes, I’m ready now. I think we should start trying.”
He wiggled his brows. “I’ll give it my best effort.”
She snuggled into his arms.
He brushed a stray hair back from her face and kissed her right there in front of all the other parents. “I love you.”
She smiled up at him, joy filling her beautiful eyes. “When Kenzie was taken, I thought my life was over. I never in a million years expected to have a happy ending like this.”
He rested his forehead against hers. “This isn’t the ending, sweetheart. We’re just beginning.”
Did you love this book from Entangled’s Amara imprint? Check out more of our titles here!
Don’t miss Allison B. Hanson’s next book! Sign up for our newsletter here!