UNSHAKABLE (Able Series Book 4) (33 page)
“So, I have to wait for the one, huh? That’ll be a long time of feeling this pesky tug.” My palm lands on my chest, rubbing the pain away.
He smiles, seeming to enjoy my discomfort. “It’s part of the brotherhood, Son. But kidding aside, Damien, the only time it stopped was when my Sophia found you. The tugging disappeared and in its place is pure peace because I’ve seen the love and dedication through your actions. My own eyes can’t deny it even if I tried. So, make sure your ticker is in tip top shape because it’s in for a good work out.”
“I’m ready. I hope her one will be too.”
He grins my way. “Oh, trust me, he will. He has big shoes to fill. You know I can rest easy now because of you. I know my girls and Jude are in good hands.”
“No saying goodbye, Dad. Not yet. My Sophia and your new love aren’t ready for that.” I walk around the island and pull him in for a hug. “Thanks, Dad.”
“No, thank you.”
Both of us go outside to spend time with family and talking to my daughter has all been forgotten.
“Can I talk to you for a minute, Daddy?”
I nod and guide her to our favorite spot—a wooden bench by the cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean under an Apple tree.
“I’m sorry about earlier, okay? Cole respects me. He won’t do anything to break my trust or yours.”
“He shouldn’t break my trust if he knows what’s good for him.” I pause only to look at my daughter’s beautiful face. “Abigail, I trust you, and I’m trying to trust him.
Trying
being the key word, so please cut your dad some slack, okay? This is all too recent. I need more time.”
“Recent? We’ve been together for two years! He’s done everything you’ve asked, that should mean something, right?”
“Two years is recent. And while everything he’s done has scored him some damn brownie points, he hasn’t passed the heart yet.”
“A heart test?” Her brow arches. “How?”
“Well, when my heart stops questioning his every move and starts trusting them, then that’s when I’ll know.”
“Ooookay. Will that ever happen?”
I scoff at her jokingly, “More like never!” Blowing a heavy breath out in surrender I say, “I’m trying, Abigail. I’m trying very hard.”
Abigail snorts as if saying I’m crazy without uttering the words. Then hangs onto my arm and lays her head on my shoulder. “Daddy, I promise to call every night. We’ll even face time. College is part of growing up, and Mom said I should enjoy it.”
“I know. Just don’t enjoy it by kissing him too much, alright? I’ll miss our long walks on the beach and even longer talks.” I kiss her forehead feeling a lump slowly forming in my throat. Afraid of the day she leaves and takes half of my heart with her. “And face time just isn’t the same, sweetheart. Not even close.”
She pulls back and gazes into my eyes lovingly. “I love you, Daddy, so much.”
I smile at her enjoying our moment. “I love you too, Abigail, so much—too much. It hurts to let you go, but I will. Just do me a favor, call when you can every single time you can, okay? I need to know you’re okay, that you’re breathing so I can breathe better.”
“I will, Dad.” She sighs and looks over her shoulder. “Let me talk to Gramps, he’s been giving me the eye.”
I chuckle to myself knowing my father-in-law is just as crazy about his granddaughter as I am. I turn to find my wife walking my way with a knowing smile on her face. She’s been more hands on with me today. I’m sure she knows how Abigail turning eighteen weighs heavily on me.
“We’re about ready for the eighteen roses dance. Are you?” She asks.
“As I’ll ever be.”
My heart feels that tug again when I see Abigail and Cole dancing. He holds her properly, as he should. Abigail looks happy, and my poor heart aches a bit. I now have been relegated second in command as far as my daughter’s heart is concerned. However, I’m taking it like a damn man. The music stops and Neil hands Abigail the mic while the stupid idiot steals another damn kiss.
Abigail smiles demurely. “Thank you everyone for making tonight special. But, my night wouldn’t be complete if I don’t get to dance with my special man.” She pauses as her eyes search for me. “The man who has shown us how to love, not by words but by actions. He protected my grandfather with his life, he’s my mother’s shield, he went to battle for his sister, and he’s ready to put everything aside to help anyone. I’ve seen with my own eyes how his actions speak more boldly than any word. Daddy. . . .” Another pause as her eyes shine in happiness. “. . . . tonight wouldn’t be memorable without you. You’re my number one man, my forever protector. You’ve shown me that love isn’t just a word or a feeling, but that love is a verb.”
John Mayer’s
Love Is A Verb
plays through the speaker as I walk toward my princess. I take her into my arms, forgetting about everything around us. My mind plays all the times she ran to me and all the times I carried her to ease her hurts. The vivid picture of her eyes smiling in mirth when she discovers something new and runs to share it with me will forever be in my heart. I could never remember a time when I wasn’t near her or her mother and brother. As we sway to the song, my heart fills with everything about my Abigail.
“I love you, Daddy.”
My eyes water and even if they fall I won’t wipe them because her love makes me cry with happiness. Just as much as I’ve shown her what love is, my daughter has given it to me in spades just like her mother.
“I love you too, Abigail. . . . so much—too much.”
We finish our dance with my heart full of love and hope as the day she was born. As I watch Abigail walk away, that familiar tug pulls again. Soft skin meets mine, the one that is made only for me. Her fingers twine with mine as my eyes lock with hers.
“Was that hard?”
“So hard, Sophia. Too hard.”
“It’ll get easier as time goes by. Besides, if there’s anyone I know who could withstand anything, put his emotions in check, it’s you, baby. You got this.”
I face her, pull her against me, and wrap my arms around her. I sigh out loud expelling all hurtful thoughts, replacing them with good ones.
“I just want you, Abigail, and Jude to be safe. You see, my wife, your heart is safe with me because I’m the one holding it. I’ve taught Jude how to defend himself. Abigail’s heart isn’t mine to hold anymore, well it used to be. I know this is part of life, of her growing up, but I can’t erase that part of me that has to protect what’s mine, Sophia. I can’t shut it off.”
Tipping her head to meet my eyes she says, “I know. Don’t blow a gasket every time you see Cole’s hands on her or his lips kissing her.”
My eyes go somber a bit. “I’ll put up with it because I love you. You have no idea how much.”
“I do, Damien.” Her eyes full of confidence stops my heart.
“You do?” My grin matches the smile on her face.
“Mmm-hmmm. I see it every day. I feel it every second you’re near; my heart knows it because of what my eyes see. Your love is never at a standstill, it always moves, babe.”
I caress the apple of her cheek with my thumb, enjoying the feel of her soft skin against mine. “You make me move. Our kids make me move. But it’s when I’m still that I feel your love and theirs. It’s in the quiet that I understand it. It’s in moments like this my shield protects it.”
She leans in and kisses me into compliance like she’s done for many years.
Alpha
—I can’t change that about myself. I’m learning to tone it down a bit for my daughter’s sake and to appease my wife. However, the protector in me will always emerge, it’ll always be aware, and it’ll always be prepared to act when one of my own needs me. I’m their shield forever.
Beta
—My Sophia is. What can I say? She’s my world, my life, my motivation, my love. No one touches her but me, and no one will ever stand beside, behind, before her but me. Why? Because an Alpha’s job is to protect its Beta forever.
Art Garfunkel ~ Lasso The Moon
Ashes Remain ~ Right Here
Ashes Remain ~ Without You
Boys II Men ~ I Swear
Ben Factor ~ Loving You Is Easy
BBMak ~ Back Here
Cascada ~ Everytime We Touch
Cascada ~ Hold On
Cascada ~ Could It Be You
City and Colour ~ The Girl
David Foster ~ For Just A Moment
Daniel Powter ~ Don’t Give Up On Me
Echo And The Bunnyman ~ The Killing Moon
Ed Sheeran ~ Thinking Out Loud
Gerri Halliwell ~ It’s Raining Man
Heartland ~ I Loved Her First
Hinder ~ Heaven Sent
Hinder ~ Without You
He Is We, Owl City ~ All About Us
John Parr ~ Man In Motion
Journey ~ We Will Meet Again
Journey ~ Separate Ways
Jason Marz ~ I’m Yours
John Mayer ~ Love Is A Verb
Katherine McPhee ~ Terrified
Lifehouse ~ Hanging By A Moment
Modern English ~ I Melt With You
MKTO ~ God Only Knows
Maroon 5 ~ She Will Be Loved
Matthew West ~ The List
Matthew West ~ You Are Everything
OneRepublic ~ I Lived
Phil Collins ~ You Can’t Hurry Love
Pentatonix ~ Somebody That I Used To Love
Pentatonix ~ Starships
Rascall Flatts ~ My Wish
Ryan Star ~ My Life With You
Sam Tsui, Casey Breves ~ Thinking Out Loud/I’m The Only One
Tal Bachman ~ She’s So High
The Script ~ Breakeven
Taylor Swift ~ Today Was A Fairytale
Trading Yestersday ~ She Is The Sunlight
The Righteous Brothers ~ Unchained Melody
Walk The Moon ~ Shut Up And Dance
AFTER GROWING UP IN THE
Philippines, I now live in California with my husband and two girls. My husband survived two bouts of cancer, AML Leukemia and Mucoid Carcinoma, hence the inspiration in Unbreakable. I thank the good Lord for healing my husband twice. It can’t get any better than that.
Our oldest, Andrea is a senior in APU. When she looks at my computer the first thing out of her mouth is “Mom! What are you looking at? Dad!” Our youngest, Allysa is a sophomore in high school. The few times she passed by me and looked over my shoulder when I was writing her reaction was, “Mom! I’m telling dad!” There you have it, I have two double agents in my house. What happened to loyalty!
If my husband is the ying to my yang, Andrea is the Marlin to my Dory while Allysa is the Buzz Lightyear to my Woody. I love the beach but I hate the sand, I love to travel but I hate to fly, I love to eat but I hate gaining weight (all women can relate to this) and so it goes my little quirks in life.
Am I crazy? Well, the jury is still out on that one, but I’d like to think I can make one person smile with my craziness.
Connect With Me On:
ABLE SERIES
UNBREAKABLE (Able Series Book 1)
UNMISTAKABLE (Able Series Book 2)
UNFORGETTABLE (Able Series Book 3)
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