Blindsided (Indigo Love Spectrum) (40 page)

“You know, you stand here and talk about all you’ve
given to Norris, and the only things you’ve given him are
money and grief. You and your husband never gave him
the love and attention he wanted and still craves, so he’s
learned to live without it. Just like he has to live with the
fact that you refuse to accept your granddaughter. It is
the ultimate example of gall for you to come to
my
house
and presume to tell me the kind of man your son, and, yes,
my
future husband, is.”

Genevieve’s face burned bright red with anger. Dahlia
smiled, pleased with the reaction. “Norris is smart, funny,
sweet, caring, gentle, loving, and just the slightest bit
vain, a wonderful array of qualities that made me fall in love with him. You have missed out on so much with
Norris. And for a woman who’s supposedly so worldly,
it’s a shame you haven’t realized that yet.” She opened the
door and turned to Genevieve. “Now, if you’ll excuse me,
I have someplace to be.” Dahlia stood at the door and
waited for Genevieve to pass.

The woman’s silence and angry glare said everything.
Dahlia locked the door and raced to her car when
Genevieve’s limo drove away, ready for all the surprises
and happiness the evening promised to hold.

* * *

Reese’s party was back in full swing after an unex
pected glitch with one of her surprises, a live performance
by a chart-topping male R&B superstar, which had
prompted six girls and one boy to faint from shock and
excitement. Norris sighed in relief when he joined Dahlia
and the others in the adult corner.

“Everybody has come to, thank God,” he shouted
above the loud music. “I was beginning to worry about
the young man.”

Dahlia curled her arm around his. “Worry no more.
Things are back to normal and Reese is enjoying her
party. Look at her and Jack.” Dahlia smiled at the
dancing duo surrounded by their cohorts and Agnes and
her husband, Bob, who were threatening to steal the
show. “Everyone’s having a great time.”

Norris nodded. The one good thing about the
headache-inducing music was it kept Reese out of Jack’s
arms. He’d slipped the DJ an extra fifty bucks to ensure
no slow songs got played tonight. She could have as
much fun as she wanted so long as the songs stayed fast.
Norris smiled at Jack’s parents. He had invited David and
Margo as a show of goodwill for Reese in regard to Jack,
and to drop a hint to David about more responsibility at
the firm. Both seemed to be working.

Minutes later, after hearing a humorous earful from
the Andrews, Monroes, and Armstrongs about the loud
music and their need to escape it, Norris decided to
present Reese’s other surprise as soon as possible so the over-thirty crowd could go home and still rescue some of
the evening. Spotting his smiling siblings flashing
thumbs up, Norris knew now was the time. Hopefully,
things would die down quickly thereafter and the party
would wrap up. He still had a surprise to give to Dahlia.

“It’s time for Reese’s next present,” Norris said.

Following a quick meeting with his siblings, Norris
got the DJ to cut the music, and he called Reese to join
him on stage. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders
and pressed a kiss to her temple, his love for her filling his
heart to overflowing.

“Five months ago, I discovered this beautiful young
woman was my daughter. And as some of you know, that
was quite a time for the both of us.”

Chuckles and murmurs of affirmation echoed about
the room.

“You can say that again,” offered Diana.

Norris smiled. “When I think of how far we’ve come,
it makes this moment all the more special. Today is Reese’s
seventeenth birthday, but for me it’s her first. I thought long and hard about all the things I didn’t get to buy for
her birthdays as she was growing up, and one gift stuck out
in my mind. A pony. A white pony with a red ribbon.”

Reese squinted. “A pony?” she whispered. “Don’t you
think I’m a little big for a pony?”

“She asked if I thought she was too big for a pony,”
Norris said to the crowd. “Yes, I do, sweetie. So, I
thought outside the box. You’re too big for a pony, but
you’re just the right size for a horse. Three hundred of
them—inside the engine of a brand new Mustang.”
Norris pulled the key from his pocket and dropped it in
her hand. “Happy birthday, Reese.”

“
You got me a Mustang!” Reese squealed and leapt
into Norris’s arms. “I don’t have to drive Mom’s ten-year-
old Honda anymore!”

“I take it you’re happy.” Norris laughed.

“Beyond words.” Reese kissed his cheek. “Thank you,
Daddy! Thank you.”

Norris froze. Had his ears deceived him? He pulled back, looking at Reese through a haze of tears. “Did you call me Daddy?”

“I did. You are my daddy. And I love you.”

“I love you, too, Reese.”

Norris looked out in the crowd as he held his daughter
and met Dahlia’s teary, love-filled gaze. Perhaps before his
daughter’s birthday was over, he’d have his greatest wish.
A promise from Dahlia that she’d be his wife.

* * *

Norris collapsed onto Dahlia’s comfy couch. “What a
day.”

Dahlia dropped down beside him, blowing out a long
breath. “Yes indeed.” She curled against up against him. “But wasn’t it a great party?”

“Yes, it was. Thanks for all of your help, Dahlia. I couldn’t have done this party without you.”

Dahlia pecked his lips. “You’re more than welcome.
Reese is a special girl, and she deserved a special
birthday.”

“This day surpassed all of my hopes. Reese enjoyed all
of her gifts, from the video call with Gail and Ben this m
orning to her brand new car. She’s out on a date with
what’s his name and I’m not going too crazy. And she
called me Daddy.” Norris closed his eyes, the memory of
that moment still fresh in his mind. “She called me
Daddy, Dahlia. I can’t describe how wonderful it is to
hear that word directed at me.”

Dahlia smiled. “You’re describing it pretty well right
now.” She brushed her fingertips along his temple.
“Something happened to me today I find a little hard to
describe.” She chuckled. “I was paid a visit by your mother.”

Norris blinked. “You what?”

“She came by just as I was leaving for Reese’s party.
She’s every bit the way you described.”

He groaned. “I can’t believe this. I told her about you,
but I never mentioned you by name.”

“She wears her money very well. I guess she used
some of it to do some digging. It’s not like we’ve been a
secret these past months. She was particularly curious
about your—she caught herself before calling it a
threat—desire to marry me.”

Norris grunted. “Well, she would call it a threat, but
it’s only my greatest wish. I do want to marry you,
Dahlia.”

“That’s good to know, because I want you to marry
me, too.”

He smiled. “Are you asking?”

Dahlia chuckled. “Are you?”

Norris eased off the couch and dropped to one knee.
“I am indeed.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out
the ring he’d purchased for Dahlia so many months ago.

“I’ve had this ring for a long time, and now I want you to have it on your finger. Dahlia, will you marry me?”

She nodded. “Yes, Norris, I will. I love you so much.”

“I love you, too.” Norris slipped the ring on her finger
and then asked his newest burning question. “When?” he
asked.

“Is two weeks soon enough?”

“One will be better.”

“Rev. Leonard won’t marry us without at least three
marriage counseling sessions, and there’s only two per
week. I married Jonah on his family’s estate with a judge.
This time is for keeps, and I want the blessing of the
church for us.”

“And you’ll have it. Sweet Zion in two weeks?”

“It’s a date,” she said, sealing the promise with a kiss.

* * *

Norris followed the scent of scrambled eggs and
sausage into the kitchen, just in time to see Reese place a
platter of the breakfast items on the table. They’d come
so far. She still grumbled when he reminded her of
curfew, but she respected him in his role as her father,
and they loved each other. They were a family. And
before the day was over, he’d have a wife.

He walked over and kissed her cheek. “What a fine way to start off my wedding day,” he said, sitting down and digging into the food. “Thanks, sweetie.”

Reese smiled. “You’re welcome, Daddy.” Her eyes
widened as he scarfed down the scrambled eggs and
s
ausage. “I can’t believe in a few hours you’ll be standing
in Sweet Zion about to get married. You don’t even seem
nervous.”

“I’m not. I do feel bad for the slew of women who are
going to be crying into their pillows tonight, but they’ll
get over it—in about five or ten years.” He laughed.

Reese rolled her eyes. “And people think I’m bad,” she
said, popping the last of a sausage link in her mouth.

Norris continued laughing. “Seriously, I’m over the
moon.” He ate the last of his toast. “I’m hours away from
marrying the woman of my dreams, and my beautiful
daughter is here to share it with me. What more could I
ask for?”

“That your beautiful daughter won’t steal your
thunder when she walks down the aisle in her-to-die for
bridesmaid dress.” She smiled broadly. “You might want to ask for that.”

Norris laughed with Reese. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

* * *

“Would you stop fidgeting!” Ryan said, trying to tie
Norris’s bow tie. “You’re worse than Justin and Angelica.
And she wanted to sleep in her flower girl dress.”

“I can’t help it.” Norris couldn’t contain his smile. “In
a few minutes, Dahlia is going to be Mrs. Converse. I’m
going to have a wife. I’ll be a husband.”

“Now all you have to do is lose the leather furniture.”

“Nothing doing, pal. I like my leather, and so does
Dahlia.” He smiled brighter. “She likes everything about
me.”

“
Oh, whatever.” Ryan finished with the tie. “All
done.” He grabbed Norris’s shoulders. “How do you feel?”

“Loved.” Norris groaned. “Damn, I sound like a
greeting card,” he said, checking his reflection in the mirror.

“The right woman does that. You start humming love
songs and smiling all the time.”

Norris nodded. “Yeah. Yeah.”

“I’m sorry your parents aren’t here to share in this.”

“It’s their loss. They’ve missed most of my life. This is
nothing new. I haven’t seen my father in almost five years,
and he’s not returned any of my calls. Lane and Jules
haven’t heard from him either. I guess separating from
Mom freed him from parenthood, too. Not that either of
them were there before. I met Reese less than six months
ago, and I can’t imagine not being in her life. I don’t care
how old she gets.”

“You’re a real parent. Do you miss your folks?”

“It’s hard to miss something you never truly had. I
have what I need now. What I’ve been searching for. A
family. The people I love and who love me are here.
That’s what matters.”