Page 75 of Second Chances

“No, it’s lipstick,” he assured her as he wiped his mouth clean. “I might have a black eye though.”

She smiled. “Me too.” She touched her left eye and he laughed. “You fight like a champ.”

“Not like a girl?” she asked, as every part of her body began to ache.

“Hell no.” He leaned in and brushed his lips across her forehead. “Remind me to never cross you.”

She smiled and looked around. “Where’d Kimber and Nicholai go?”

“They’ve been taken away. Ethan’s team took them outside.” He wrapped his arms around her again. “What were you thinking?” He leaned back. “Putting yourself in danger like that.”

“I was thinking of you.” She stood up with his help and started to dust off her jeans, only to realize they were beyond ruined. So were her shirt and shoes. Everything she wore was ripped or covered in blood.

“You have to think of Simona.” He took her shoulders lightly and turned her towards him. “She needs a mother.”

Olivia’s eyes narrowed. “She needs a father too, and I had hoped that you would fill that position.”

Todd remained silent for a moment. “You…” He swallowed. “You want me to be Simona’s father?”

“Yes,” she said rolling her eyes. “I really had hoped you weren’t this dense,” she added with a smile.

“You put yourself in danger to save me.” He pulled her into his arms.

“Don’t make me regret it.” She kissed him.

“I was going to ask you to marry me on the Fourth,” he said as he rested his forehead against hers. “I figured that way, if you said no, I could use the excuse of not hearing you over the fireworks I had planned to set off.”

She smiled. “What if I said yes now, so you know my answer ahead of time?”

He grinned. “Does that mean I still have to get down on my knee to ask?”

“Yes,” she said. She kissed him again. “And this time, I want a big fancy wedding. White dress, bridesmaids, and all.”

“That can be arranged. I know your family wouldn’t want it any other way.”

“Oh!” she gasped. “My family.” She tried to jerk out of his arms. “They’re probably worried sick. We have to…”

He took her hand and followed her outside.

“There’s a boat ready to take you back to the harbor.” Ethan came out of the dark and motioned to a small dinghy attached to the yacht.

She pulled off the hairpiece that was, at this point, hanging from her head and handed it to Ethan. Then she climbed down the ladder and sat next to Todd on the small boat.

They held onto one another as they rode back to Silver Creek docks. When they grew closer, she noticed that everyone they knew stood under the lights, waiting for them.

Crystal was holding onto Rory, who held Simona in his arms. Sarah and Ben, Lilly and Adam, and Kayla and Rowan waited with all of their kids gathered around them.

When they saw them coming, they all broke out in cheers as Olivia and Todd started waving.

“Mommy!” Simona jumped into her arms when she stepped onto the dock, causing Olivia to hiss with pain. Todd snagged Simona from her grasp and spun her around to distract her from Olivia’s pain. When he stopped spinning her, he wrapped an arm around Olivia’s shoulders.

“Your mommy has agreed to let me be your daddy,” he told Simona.

Her daughter looked up at her with big eyes. “You have?”

“Yes,” Olivia answered with a smile. “If it’s okay with you?”

“Yes!” Simona started bouncing in Todd’s arms. “It’s the best birthday present ever!” Simona shouted.