In the end, the only thing they’d negotiated on was the menu for the reception, because Curt suggested they have a small, or at least small by Sherbrooke standards, wedding from the start. Rather than invite every acquaintance he and his family had like many of his cousins had done, they’d only added his aunts and uncles as well as his cousins and a handful of friends to the guest list. She hadn’t blinked an eye at his suggestion to include his cousins. In the year and a half they’d been together, she had spent enough time around his family to know how close he was to all of them.
Taylor poured a can of soda water into her glass before adding a splash of cranberry juice. “Where’s Reese?”
“Living room. Right after she finished putting the decals up in her room, she grabbed a book from her backpack and disappeared in there. I haven’t seen or heard from her since.” Curt moved to the other side of the kitchen and opened the oven. “But dinner is done if you want to get her.”
Taylor didn’t need to hear that twice. Her stomach was in the process of eating itself, and the sooner she got food into it, the better.
Taylor never complained when Curt grilled. Actually, she never complained when he cooked because she was glad to be able to come home at night and not worry about making a meal for her and Reese. However, Taylor much preferred when he prepared dinner on the grill. Maybe it was just her, but she found almost everything tasted better when cooked that way, including most veggies. The steaks he’d made tonight were as delicious as always. The same was true of the portobello mushrooms he cooked on the grill and the oven-roasted rosemary potatoes.
What had been unlike usual, though, was Curt himself. After being together for over a year and a half, she could read him. And the look he’d worn tonight, she’d seen countless times. While he contributed a little to the conversation, his mind had been elsewhere. More than likely, it’d been on his current manuscript. He’d helped a lot during his uncle’s campaign and had fallen behind. Ever since election day, he’d been playing catch-up, so he’d meet his deadline.
Taylor turned on the dishwasher and returned to the table. “Did you hit another snag with the book?”
Except for in the most general terms, although she asked about them, they didn’t discuss his writing projects with Reese around. While his novels weren’t X-rated or anything, they were suspense books and included some violence. But with Reese once again in the living room reading, they were alone for the moment.
“No, I got a lot accomplished today. I should finish it on time.”
“Oh, then is something else wrong? You weren’t exactly mentally here during dinner.” Prior to her relationship with Curt, she hadn’t realized how beneficial talking to someone could be when something bothered you. And since he shared everything with her as well, she guessed he found it just as helpful.
“Sorry. Nothing’s wrong. But there’s something I want to talk to you about.”
“Go for it. I’m listening.”
Resting both his elbows on the table, Curt clasped his hands together. “You know I love Reese like a daughter. I can’t even imagine my life without the two of you.”
If this was what he wanted to discuss, there was no need. She knew how Curt felt about Reese. From the very beginning of their relationship, he’d showered her niece with love and attention. And in all the ways that mattered, he acted like Reese’s dad. “I know how much you love her, Curt. So does she.” Not only did Reese know how Curt felt about her, but she loved him too.
“I want to adopt her. I’d like to legally be her father and for her to take my last name,” he explained.
Taylor considered herself an astute individual. However, she’d never expected to be having this conversation with Curt. Instead, she’d assumed the only thing that would really change after they got married was where she and Reese lived—at least until they had children. Yet here they were, and once again, she wondered how she’d gotten so lucky.
“Obviously, I want to adopt her because I love her, but it’s not the only reason.” Curt continued while she processed his previous statement. “If she’s my daughter when we have children, they will be her siblings. And if something ever happened to you, legally, there would be no question about who would take care of her.”
She wondered how long he’d been considering this decision because clearly he’d put a lot of thought into it.
He didn’t give her a chance to offer an opinion or ask a question. “This afternoon, I spoke with an attorney. According to him, since you are her legal guardian, the adoption process would be more or less the same as if you were her biological mother and I wanted to adopt her after we got married. He said it wouldn’t take long.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a slip of paper. “The attorney’s name is Christian Stratford. He specializes in family law and adoptions. He said you can call him anytime if you have any questions.”
Taylor glanced down at the slip of paper Curt held, but she didn’t reach for it.
“You don’t have to decide today or even this week. But if you agree, I’d like to get the process going as soon as possible.”
If he’d given her a chance to talk, he’d already have his answer. “Can I speak now?”
He set the paper with the name and number down in front of her. “Yeah, of course, but you don’t have to make a decision now. It’s not like I’m going to change my mind. And no matter what you decide, it won’t change how I feel about Reese.”
Under the table, she nudged his foot with hers. “You said I could get a word into this conversation, so zip it.”
Curt pretended to pull a zipper across his lips and then toss an imaginary key over his shoulder as if he was a kid.
“There’s nothing for me to think about. I love the idea. I kind of wish I’d suggested it to you. Whenever you’re ready to get the ball rolling, let me know, and I’ll do whatever you need me to.”
He pretended to tug at the end of a zipper.
“Yes, you can speak again.”
That was all he needed to hear before he unzipped the imaginary zipper keeping his lips closed. But before he managed a single syllable, Taylor placed her index finger over his mouth.
“I love you.” She should have told him so right after he announced his desire to adopt Reese, but better late than never.
“I’m—”
She didn’t allow him to finish. “Did you seriously think I would say no?”
Grabbing the back of her chair, he pulled it and her closer to him. “For the most part, I expected you to agree, but I knew you might have some reason why you’d rather keep the situation between you and Reese as it is.”
And you might need to have your head examined sometime soon. Considering the seriousness of their conversation, she refrained from sharing the thought. “What’s the first step?”
“Talking to Reese. I want to make sure she wants me as her father.”
She expected something more along the lines of having a meeting with the attorney. “You’re kidding, right? Reese loves you, and I am pretty sure she considers you her father now. There is no way she won’t want you to adopt her.”