Arriving at the diner, we see Luke sitting in his truck waiting for us. As soon as he sees us he is out and heading toward the car. Lucy spots him approaching and squeals and unbuckles herself as soon as I put the car in park. Throwing open the door, she runs right into his arms where he scoops her up and she gives him a kiss on the cheek.
“Hi, Daddy! Mommy said you gave me this dolphin. I love it! It’s my favorite. Did you know that Mommy calls me her little dolphin because I like to swim?”
“I did know that Lucy,” he smiles. “Your Uncle Adam told me, so that is why I got it for you. I am so glad you like it.”
I lift my brows at Luke as if to say, ‘you called Adam, huh?’
What the hell? Adam didn’t even tell me he talked to Luke. Wondering what the hell they talked about, I follow the two of them into the restaurant. A very cute young blonde girl with a nametag reading ‘Lisa’ greets us.
“Hi, Lisa. Do you have a booth available for three?”
“I sure do, Mr. Schavone,” she smiles brightly. “Follow me, please.”
I slide into the booth first, then Luke tucks Lucy in between the two of us. I place our drink orders, but I don’t even pick up my menu to look as I already know what I want. Dale makes the best blueberry pancakes I have ever tasted and thank God, those are Lucy’s favorite, too.
“Are you ready to order?” Lisa asks, bringing our drinks back to the table. Going first, I order a single blueberry pancake for Lucy and a small stack for myself. Luke orders the same.
Lucy is delighted by his choice.
“I love blueberry pancakes too, Daddy!” she exclaims. “Those are my favorite and they’re Mommy’s, too.”
“I remember that those are Mommy’s favorites,” Luke says thoughtfully, lifting his eyes to meet mine with a hint of a smile in them, then looking back at Lucy. “I am glad they are yours, too.”
After breakfast, we follow Luke to his home. As soon as we start down the drive, Lucy is enchanted by all of the trees lining it.
“Wow, Mommy. This is pretty,” she says in a hushed tone.
“It sure is, baby.”
Luke has both stalls open at the garage. I pull the car inside where he meets us, opening my car door first and then getting Lucy out. She grabs his hand on the way up to the front of the house. The scene is picture-perfect. Lucy is adjusting to this big change in her life better than I thought she would. I have to tell her how proud I am of her, I think to myself.
Luke and I show her around the house and make sure she knows where the bathroom is, arriving finally at the kitchen. Lucy runs to the doors leading to the back porch, screaming at the top of her lungs.
“Luciana Judith Andrews! You know better than to scream inside.”
Looking at me with sad eyes she humbly shrugs her shoulders.
“But Mommy, look at the pool! It’s so big! Can we go swimming now?”
I smile, catching her enthusiasm.
“Yes, baby. We can go swimming. Go take your bag into the bathroom and change, then come back here so I can put some sunscreen on you.”
Running past us as fast as she can, she grabs her bag and is gone.
I shrug my shoulders at Luke in apology. The look on his face is unreadable. Coming a few steps closer, he lightly trails his hand down my face and cups my cheek.
“Tesoro bella. I was so blinded by my anger, yet you have given me the greatest honor by naming our daughter after me. I just want to thank you for that, even when I didn’t deserve it.”
I sigh, palming his face between my hands.
“You did deserve it, Luke and don’t ever think you didn’t. That little girl in there is ours, yours and mine. We made her and she deserves to be named after you.”
Not meaning to but interrupting our intimate moment, Lucy walks in and grabs Luke by the hand.
“Ready to go swimming now, Daddy.”
“Okay, princess. Let me go change and I’ll be right back.”
I stand there wallowing in my thoughts for a few seconds and then bend down and lift my amazing child up onto the counter. She looks at me with her gorgeous green eyes as I speak to her quietly.
“Lucy, I am so proud of you! You’re a big girl. You told me you were scared to meet your Daddy at first and look at you, you weren’t scared at all.”
“I love him, Mommy.”
“He loves you, too.”
“Can I give him a hug and a kiss and a secret just like I do you?”
“Of course you can, sweet girl. I think he would love that.”
Hugging and giving my sweet baby girl a kiss on her cheek, I set her down just as Luke returns wearing green and white swim trunks that sit low on his hips, showing off every hard muscle in his abs and chest. His dark hair is all messed up and his sexy green eyes are unforgettable.