Page 103 of Mile High Baby

Alex's hand took mine as if he knew I was nervous. My father's eyes narrowed as they looked at our joined hands.

"I'm happy, Dad." I led with that because he told me that was what he wanted most for me. To be happy.

His jaw tightened as he turned his head to the side, looking away. He unbound his arms, setting them on the wall behind him. "That's all I want for you, Tori."

I smiled, ready to deliver the first blow. "Alex and I are getting married."

My father’s eyes tensed, darkening. He looked at Alex. "It's a little soon, don't you think?"

Alex shook his head. "When you know, you know. I know."

I couldn’t stop the sappy smile at his using the words he’d said when he came to me telling me he wanted to know if we’d make it and then on the plane telling me he knew we’d make it.

"You didn't think to talk to me first?" my father asked.

"With all due respect, Henry, Victoria is her own woman. I don't need your permission to marry her. I don't even need your blessing, although that would be nice. All I need is Victoria’s permission, which she’s given me."

I hated how difficult it was for my father to hear this. Why couldn't he be happy for me? Yes, Alex was his friend. Yes, maybe it was a little weird that I had fallen for his friend and his friend for me, but still.

"Dad, what kind of man would you have liked me to marry?"

Alex looked at me with an arched brow. I squeezed his hand to let him know I knew what I was doing.

"Not a Lothario.”

I rolled my eyes. "Don't be like that. You'd want me to be with somebody who is kind, loyal, treats me well, with a good moral compass, trusted. Alex is all of those things. You wouldn't have been his friend otherwise. He was the one you thought of when I needed protecting. So how is this different?"

"I'll tell you how it's different. It's different because he’s not worthy.”

Alex stood. I didn’t think he was trying to challenge my father. It almost looked like he was trying to be the friend they’d once been to each other. "I don’t disagree with that. I know this is unsettling for you, and I'm sorry for that. I also understand that you may never get over it. And I'll grieve about that. But I love your daughter. She's the most important thing in my life. I plan to make her happy until the day I die. And if your feeling betrayed by the situation is more important than supporting us, I'll understand. But it feels like it would be a fucking shame."

My father reared back in shock at Alex's words. To be honest, I was a little surprised too, although I knew Alex could be blunt.

I rose and went to stand with Alex, threading my arm through his. "I think what Alex is saying is that we could be a family if you could let go of this resentment you have."

"Or what?"

"Or nothing," Alex said. "There's no ultimatum here, Henry. No threats. Victoria and I are going to be happy regardless of how you treat me. I suspect it will continue to hurt her, but you can't help what you feel, can you?"

"You think I'm being unreasonable for finding it offensive that my friend from college, the friend I remember holding the record for the highest number of girls fucked in a single semester, is now telling me he wants to marry my daughter?"

"Yes. That was over twenty years ago, Henry. We've grown up since then. Hell, I've grown up since the moment I met Victoria."

My father turned, pressing his hands against the terrace wall as he looked out into the small yard.

Alex leaned over to me. "Perhaps it's time to give him the other news."

It was hard to tell how Dad would take this, but I sucked in a breath. "There's one more thing we need to tell you, Dad."

He turned around, his arms crossed again." "Don't tell me, you're taking her away from me and moving to London after all."

"No. We're staying here. Alex is going to be managing the New York office of Saint Security. And I'm going to continue to do the work I'm doing. But in a few months, we're also going to have our hands full. We're having a baby."

A range of emotions swept across my father's face. Part of it was the bitterness he felt toward Alex. Another part of it seemed to be disappointment because a child would definitely bind us permanently.

But then he looked at me with awe. "My baby is having a baby?"

Tears welled in my eyes, and I nodded. "You're going to be a grandpa."