“I wanted to tell you something.” My father smiled, exposing the wrinkles on his handsome face, looking all fatherly. His gaze, full of unspoken emotions.

That got my attention.

My father rarely spoke in a gentle tone and never show me that kind of face before. My father was always hard and strict on us.

Maybe old age and living without worries made him soft.

“Yes?” I urged when he paused as he look at me. He seemed to be thinking of something.

“You know. I remember the time when you were born. We couldn’t keep our eyes away from you even for a second. You were like this plump, squishy, cute, little lovable thing.”

My eyes widened when my father said girly words, and it was five of them!

I wonder what’s going on. Did my father hit his head or something?

“Even little, you’re not the crying type, you were always the laughing type. Our little bundle of joy. Our little one and only girl.”

I blinked the tears away when my father’s eyes moistened.

He reached for my hand, squeezing it as he smiled. “Leanna, don’t think we agree to all of this, you getting engaged at sixteen because of Cain being a pretty face and rich.”

“And the grandchildren.” I grinned.

“And the grandchildren,” he breathes.

I laughed a bit when he rolled his eyes.

“It’s not about all of that. Just think about it . . . my one and only girl snatch away from me. No. Not happening.”

I stifled a laugh when he contorted his face into a scowl.

“The first time I saw Cain . . . he was looking at you. It’s just the way he looks at you . . . is the way I look at your mother.”

Now he’s going to make me cry.

“And . . . he is the man our little baby girl approves. The rest of him is just an added bonus.”

He tucked my hair behind my ears, and I squeezed his hand. Trying not to burst into tears.

“You are a beautiful girl, Leanna. Both inside and out. Cain is so lucky to have you.”

*sniff . . .

My face must be red as my eyes right now.

“Thanks, dad.”