Page 56 of Triple Protection

"Hey sis," I say instead. Amy looks from me to Angela before her jaw drops, obviously recognizing her.

"I... wha... wh... why..." she stammers. Angela simply laughs next to me.

"Hi, I'm Angela, but I think you may already know that." She says, holding out a hand in introduction.

Amy comically takes it while ping-ponging her head back and forth between the two of us.

"Can we come inside before your head explodes? It's cold out here."

Still gaping, Amy steps backwards to let us in. Angela and I shuck out of our jackets and shoes and set them by the front door. I hang my weapon on the coat rack, up and out of the way of little people's hands.

My sister steps closer to me and whisper-shouts, "Why isAngelastanding in my house?!" as if Angela can't hear her.

"I thought you'd like that surprise. Where's Dad? I want to explain everything to both of you."

"Dad!" Amy shouts, still staring at Angela as if she were a fish in a tank.

My father comes into the living room from the kitchen, with my nephew Andy on his hip.

"Brick! How good to see you!" my dad booms. He's a large man like myself, with a barrel chest and a bigger belly to go with it. Where I am more introverted, though, Dad is extroverted and has a big personality to go along with the big body.

Dad's gaze moves to Angela. "Oh! And who is this beautiful woman you've brought with you?"

"Daaadddd," Amy hisses, clearly embarrassed Dad didn't recognize Angela.

Angela steps forward and offers him a hand. "I'm Angela, Mr. Taylor. It's a pleasure to meet you." He takes her hand in his and gives it a polite shake.

"Can we sit so I can explain everything?"

Dad, Amy and Andy sit on the faded cloth couch in the living room while Angela and I squeeze together in the love seat. Andy looks back and forth between Angela and I. I can tell he recognizes me from FaceTiming with my sister and him, but he doesn't recognize Angela, and is typically shy at first. We see each other every holiday we can and he's always shy for the first fifteen or twenty minutes before he warms up and becomes the life of the party.

Amy looks between us, noticing how closely we are sitting, and arches a brow curiously.

"Okay," I say, rubbing my hands up and down my thighs.

"Dad, Angela's a pretty famous influencer and the boys and I took over as her security details about six months ago." I pause for a moment, unsure how to summarize the entire ordeal. Her stalker, how we fell in love, how she's fallen in love with not justme but Alex and Liam too, about how she helped me get over my Haphephobia. How she was the most amazing woman I'd ever met and how I wanted to marry her.

My dad nods, waiting.

"But somehow in those six months we also fell in love," I continue, reaching over to hold her hand. "Dad, I brought Angela with me to introduce you to my girlfriend." I bring her hand to my lips and give her a soft kiss to the knuckles.

Dad's face falls and his brow creases. Amy shoots off the couch, almost knocking Andy over. "No way! There's no freaking way!"

I laugh. I knew Amy would lose her mind, not only to meet Angela, but that we are an item.

"But...how does that work?" My dad says, carefully picking his words.

I shake my head. "I don't know how it happened, but she can touch me without me freaking out."

Andy's fifteen minutes of being nervous are up and he comes tottering towards me to show me his toy pickup truck. I brace myself for the touch. Without missing a beat, Angela shoots up and scoops him up in her arms.

"Okay Andy, I have a super serious question." She states as she rests him in the crook of her waist. "Are you a dinosaur kid or a shark kid?" Andy's eyes shoot wide open.

"Both!" he shouts, his entire body vibrating with excitement.

"Will you show me your room? I bet you've got lots of dinosaur and shark toys in there!"

Watching the love of my life with a baby on her hip does uncomfortable things to the inside of me. My heart clenches hard, wanting that for us, while acid churns in my gut. Would my leg and phobia prevent me from being the father our kids would deserve? Would it put more responsibility on her? To make up for my failings? She would have to get up with the baby at nightbecause of my leg. What if I could never play with our kid? What if my phobia continues with a kid? Unease swims in my gut, but I push it aside. Angela is purposefully giving us space to discuss whatever bad news my family has for me.