The Perks Of Loving Lincoln by Nia Arthurs

Author:Nia Arthurs [Arthurs, Nia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2018-05-01T16:00:00+00:00

Twenty

“It’s not like I didn’t know you were interested in my daughter,” Patrick said as he paced his office. The detective was still up in arms after catching him and Ray kissing in the pool. And in the towel room. He was also taken aback by the fact that there would be many such instances he wouldn’t know about.

“Yes, sir.” Lincoln nodded. He stood with his feet spread apart and his hands right in front of him. After living with Patrick for ten years and becoming an unofficial part of the Trainor family, he knew exactly how this conversation would go. His only responsibility was to nod solemnly until it was over.

“Anyone with eyes could see that you were head over heels. Anything Des wanted, you just followed along. I thought it was weakness. Until I saw the way she followed you when you put your foot down. I understood that confusing give-and-take was your dynamic.”

“It is, sir.”

“So you have to understand, this isn’t disapproval. You and Des have been the topic of many late night conversations with my wife. I watched my daughter closely in case she wasn’t interested in you. I trusted you to use that same discernment.”

“I did, sir.”

“Again, this is not me rejecting your relationship. Fay would kill me if she thought this conversation was about that. It’s not.” He swiped his hand in the air. “This is me trying to understand how it happened. Because I left you as friends and came back to, well…”

“That must have been shocking, sir.”

“It was.” Patrick put a hand to his hips. The sunlight danced over his dark skin and turned the grey hairs in his beard to pure white. “Oh it was. She’s my precious baby girl. You’re my son. Whether there are papers to prove it or not.”

Lincoln blinked, surprised by the emotion that welled in him. Patrick had always treated him like a son, but he’d never said it aloud. He confessed, “You provided for me, sent me to school, attended every award ceremony and writing competition, I’d say that’s pretty close to a father.”

Patrick stopped and placed a hand over his mouth. “Now, don’t say things like that. Make a grown man cry.”

Lincoln laughed. “Sorry.”

“What changed? How did you find the courage to say something you couldn’t for years?”

He ducked and rubbed the back of his neck. “I wish I could say it was me but—”

“It was Des.” He sighed. “That girl.”

“I’m a little embarrassed that she beat me to it, but now that we’re dating I don’t want anything between us to change. You taught me to respect women and treat them in a way that would make Fay and my mother proud. I’ve wanted Ray for a long time. I’ll take care of her.”

Patrick stood behind a chair and chuckled sheepishly. “Is this your way of asking for her hand in marriage? Did Des put you up to this?” He scratched his chin and grumbled. “That girl. Always rushing headfirst into things.”

“No, no. We’re not getting married right now.

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