“Yes,” the lawyer said simply.
“And Paisley,” I said. “He always wanted to make sure she was taken care of?”
“Yes,” the lawyer said. His voice was kind, and he waited patiently while I processed all this new information.
After I was ready, he continued with the reading of my father’s will. There wasn’t much left to discuss, and we were soon on our way. I held Tara’s hand while we left the office, Paisley running a little ahead of us. I watched her closely but let my mind drift as we stepped outside.
“I still can’t believe it,” I said. “He left it to me. Me.”
“I can,” Tara said simply. “He always loved you and trusted you. He always knew that, between you and Zach, you were the right choice.”
“He could have left it to you,” I said.
“No.” She shook her head firmly. “He wanted it to be a family business, and I’m not family.”
“He trusted you,” I reminded her. “He promoted you before he died.”
“I know,” she smiled. “And I’m grateful. But now, I work for you.”
She grinned widely without a trace of resentment. I knew her excitement was genuine and that she was just happy Zach didn’t get his hands on the company again. We walked hand in hand around the building. Paisley was dancing in front of us, her dress billowing out around her. She looked happy. Young and innocent. Exactly what I always wanted her to be.
“What are you thinking?” Tara asked while I watched Paisley.
“Nothing,” I said truthfully. “I’m just watching her.”
“Do you think,” she began slowly. “Do you think you’ll get a paternity test done?”
“What?” I asked.
“Just to be sure,” Tara said. Her voice was low, almost as if she was afraid I might be angry at the suggestion. I wasn’t angry, but my answer came easily.
I watched Paisley for a few minutes longer, enjoying the sight of her there in front of me. In all my life, I had never loved anyone as completely as I loved her. She was my entire world, and no piece of paper would ever tell me differently.
“No,” I said firmly. “She’s my daughter. I’m her father. I don’t need a piece of paper to tell me that. She’s mine and she always will be. No matter what.”
Tara’s smile widened even more, and she squeezed my hand. She leaned her head against my shoulder, and we watched Paisley together. She played in a stretch of grass, spinning in circles so that her dress flew up around her. I laughed and kissed the top of Tara’s head.
“I’m glad you said that,” Tara whispered.
“Why?” I asked.
“Because it just proves me right,” Tara said. “It proves that I’m right about you.”
“And what exactly are you right about?” I asked.
“That you’re an amazing man,” she said simply. “One of the most amazing men I’ve ever known. Paisley is so lucky to have you, Sean. And so am I.”
Her words filled me warmth, and I wrapped my arms tightly around her. Paisley was still playing, and I wanted to enjoy this moment for as long as possible. I held onto Tara, and we stood there in silence, letting the joy of the day wash over us. My father’s memory would live on inside of us forever, and our sadness was just beginning, but so was our happiness. With his will, my father gave all three of us a fresh start. We would never be able to repay him for that. In his death, he provided us with a life we never imagined we would have.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Tara
It took a while after Ray’s death, but things started to get back to normal. Work was back in full swing, and despite my insistence that he take more time, Sean was almost ready to get involved. I ran most of the day to day business and I loved it. Now that Zach was gone, my life at Yates’ Motorcycles was better than I ever thought it could be. The only thing missing was Ray. I missed him each time I walked past his now empty office.
It was hard, but we were all determined to keep living our lives. So, in the spirit of getting back to normal, I met Niki on my lunch break. She was getting her nails done in town, and I knew of a great sushi place right next door. I planned to stop in and catch up with her before picking up some food to take back to the office.
“I’m sorry,” Niki said for the hundredth time. “I know he was important to you.”
“He was,” I said. “But you don’t have to apologize every time we talk, Nik. I’m okay. I’ll be okay.”
“How’s work going?” Niki asked. “Now that he’s gone.”
“Hard,” I admitted. “I miss him a lot and so does everyone else. His presence still hangs in the air, you know? When I walk past his office, I feel like he’s still there. Watching me.”
“Creepy,” Niki chuckled.
“Very.” I laughed. “But also kind of comforting? In a way. It’s like he’s watching over me, making sure I’m doing the job the right way.”
“He doesn’t need to do that,” Niki said. “Even ghost Ray trusts you implicitly. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have picked you to run the damn thing.”
“I know.” I smiled. “Still, I don’t want to fail him. He put so much faith in me. I don’t want to let him down. Him. Or Sean.”
“Sean, huh?” Niki asked with raised eyebrows. “How’s he doing?”
“He’s sad,” I said. “Of course, he is. His father just died.”
“But they weren’t exactly close, were they?” Niki asked. She switched hands, letting the manicurist start on her left.
“No,” I said. “They weren’t, but they put all that aside in the end. Remember, Ray left the entire company to Sean. You should have seen Zach’s face when the lawyer read that part of the will. I’ve never seen anyone look that pissed.”
“Good,” Niki said. “If anyone deserves it, it’s that asshole.”
“True.” I nodded. “He practically ran that company into the ground. The only reason it’s still afloat is because of Ray and me. Plus, Sean really deserves this opportunity. He doesn’t really have the business mind, but his heart is always in the right place. He’ll do the right thing, which is more than anyone can say for Zach. With Sean in charge, I really think the company will be better than it’s ever been.”
As I spoke, I could feel my heart beating faster in my chest. Whenever I talked about Sean, I got butterflies. Even when he wasn’t around me, he had such a profound effect on me. In our short time together, we’d managed to bond so deeply that I knew we would never be able to leave each other’s lives.
“You’re glowing,” Niki pointed out. “You’re happy.”
“I am,” I admitted. “We’re all still grieving for Ray, but Sean makes me happy. Sean and Paisley.”
“How are things going with you two?” Niki asked. “Really.”