hurt by O’Malley’s obsessive gambling. Billy had missed the first five years of his daughter’s life. But fate had given them a second chance and Angel almost threw it away.
“Let’s go inside.” Once in the living room Billy turned to her. “Angel, I,” He tipped up her chin with his finger. “Aww, Baby, I’m sorry he made you cry.”
“I’m not crying about that. These are happy tears.”
“Happy tears?” Billy scratched his head. “I’m confused.”
“You defended me. Believed in me.”
“Always.” He brushed her tears away. “Can you try to believe in me too? Believe that I will never, never place another bet in my life. Believe that I would never hurt you or Gabby.” He got down on one knee and held both her hands. “Believe that I will always love you. Marry me, my Angel.”
Looking down into his sincere blue eyes, her fears washed away on a wave of intense love. “I do believe in you.” Fresh tears sprung in her eyes. “I love you, Billy. I never stopped.”
A stomp of a foot sounded from the hallway. “Mommy, you’re supposed to say yes!”
Billy and Angel broke into laughter. Releasing one of her hands, Billy held out an arm. “Come on, Gabby, huddle up.”
Gabby ran over throwing her arms around her Daddy’s neck. He stood and wrapped them both in a warm hug. “Mommy, huddle up means group hug in football.”
Bounding out of Gabby’s room even Lucy seemed to know. She weaved around Billy and Angel’s ankles then rubbed her face against Billy’s pant leg.
“Can I have a cookie?”
“No, honey, you had one earlier,” he said with surprising firmness.
Angel hid her smile when she saw how equally surprised their daughter was. Gabby’s bottom lip started to quiver. Oh boy, Billy was about to get a taste of a five-year-old’s wrath. Angel slipped away from the hug.
“Wait! Where are you going?”
The panic in his voice brooked no sympathy from Angel. “To take a bath,” she said. “With bubbles. And maybe a beer.”
“But…but.”
Gabby’s wail filled the air.
“Welcome to fatherhood, Billy,” she said as she sashayed down the hall. Smiling she whispered, “And welcome to your happily ever after, Angel.”
Epilogue
H ayden hated weddings. Okay, maybe hate was too strong of a word. But the word fit perfectly for how she felt about her father’s order to attend Billy Burner’s nuptials as the Middleton family representative. Her father lectured constantly about the importance of treating the football team like family. Too bad he didn’t extend the same courtesy to his own daughter.
Billy and Angel wasted no time after the engagement, planning a no-fuss wedding at the courthouse. That was until Hannah and Samantha took over, rescheduling the ceremony for the team’s bye week.
The bride twirled, showing off the beautiful wedding dress designed by Hannah. Only the supermodel could pull off such a masterpiece in a month. The classic ball gown skirt swirled with the perfection of a storybook princess while the woven white leather rock star inspired bodice suited Angel’s hard edge. Dressed in an eighteen century styled suit, the groom wore his mane of blond hair in a slick ponytail that his daughter was currently tugging on. Gabriela, who was the picture of cuteness, almost made Hayden feel maternal.
Almost. She looked away before the sickening sweet scene ruined her foul mood.
Hayden’s gaze landed on Liam McQueen, the reformed bad boy quarterback of the Cougars. The press was currently hailing him the Savior of the Cougars’ season. She was surprised Liam wasn’t home having milk and cookies instead of nursing what looked like a Scotch. Hating his holier than thou attitude, she itched to mess with him. Could the choirboy be tempted to sin again? Challenge accepted. Just the something she needed to distract her from her latest run in with the paparazzi.
Oh, shit. Liam had just caught her staring. Staring? More like ogling. With a smile created
“Let’s go inside.” Once in the living room Billy turned to her. “Angel, I,” He tipped up her chin with his finger. “Aww, Baby, I’m sorry he made you cry.”
“I’m not crying about that. These are happy tears.”
“Happy tears?” Billy scratched his head. “I’m confused.”
“You defended me. Believed in me.”
“Always.” He brushed her tears away. “Can you try to believe in me too? Believe that I will never, never place another bet in my life. Believe that I would never hurt you or Gabby.” He got down on one knee and held both her hands. “Believe that I will always love you. Marry me, my Angel.”
Looking down into his sincere blue eyes, her fears washed away on a wave of intense love. “I do believe in you.” Fresh tears sprung in her eyes. “I love you, Billy. I never stopped.”
A stomp of a foot sounded from the hallway. “Mommy, you’re supposed to say yes!”
Billy and Angel broke into laughter. Releasing one of her hands, Billy held out an arm. “Come on, Gabby, huddle up.”
Gabby ran over throwing her arms around her Daddy’s neck. He stood and wrapped them both in a warm hug. “Mommy, huddle up means group hug in football.”
Bounding out of Gabby’s room even Lucy seemed to know. She weaved around Billy and Angel’s ankles then rubbed her face against Billy’s pant leg.
“Can I have a cookie?”
“No, honey, you had one earlier,” he said with surprising firmness.
Angel hid her smile when she saw how equally surprised their daughter was. Gabby’s bottom lip started to quiver. Oh boy, Billy was about to get a taste of a five-year-old’s wrath. Angel slipped away from the hug.
“Wait! Where are you going?”
The panic in his voice brooked no sympathy from Angel. “To take a bath,” she said. “With bubbles. And maybe a beer.”
“But…but.”
Gabby’s wail filled the air.
“Welcome to fatherhood, Billy,” she said as she sashayed down the hall. Smiling she whispered, “And welcome to your happily ever after, Angel.”
Epilogue
H ayden hated weddings. Okay, maybe hate was too strong of a word. But the word fit perfectly for how she felt about her father’s order to attend Billy Burner’s nuptials as the Middleton family representative. Her father lectured constantly about the importance of treating the football team like family. Too bad he didn’t extend the same courtesy to his own daughter.
Billy and Angel wasted no time after the engagement, planning a no-fuss wedding at the courthouse. That was until Hannah and Samantha took over, rescheduling the ceremony for the team’s bye week.
The bride twirled, showing off the beautiful wedding dress designed by Hannah. Only the supermodel could pull off such a masterpiece in a month. The classic ball gown skirt swirled with the perfection of a storybook princess while the woven white leather rock star inspired bodice suited Angel’s hard edge. Dressed in an eighteen century styled suit, the groom wore his mane of blond hair in a slick ponytail that his daughter was currently tugging on. Gabriela, who was the picture of cuteness, almost made Hayden feel maternal.
Almost. She looked away before the sickening sweet scene ruined her foul mood.
Hayden’s gaze landed on Liam McQueen, the reformed bad boy quarterback of the Cougars. The press was currently hailing him the Savior of the Cougars’ season. She was surprised Liam wasn’t home having milk and cookies instead of nursing what looked like a Scotch. Hating his holier than thou attitude, she itched to mess with him. Could the choirboy be tempted to sin again? Challenge accepted. Just the something she needed to distract her from her latest run in with the paparazzi.
Oh, shit. Liam had just caught her staring. Staring? More like ogling. With a smile created
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