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Ford started tickling his baby, distracting her from finishing the rest of her question. Her head fell back, her mouth opened, and the cutest, loudest giggles came out of her.
I leaned into my daughter’s ear and said, “When are you going to give me one of those?”
She looked at me. “A grandchild? Dad, we’re not even engaged yet. Besides, you keep me so busy; I don’t have time for anything, let alone a child.”
I did keep her busy, but that was because I needed her.
She was far more talented than her old man with an eye for design and a personality that kept her marketing team engaged and motivated.
Of course, I hadn’t believed that at first.
In fact, Utah was a role I never intended to give her.
I didn’t think she had the skills. Right out of college, she didn’t have a lick of experience, and she was far too green.
But after finding out that the two of them had gotten together-a bit of news that had shocked the hell out of me-how else was I going to see if Jenner was the right man for her?
I laughed to myself as I watched the two of them, lost in conversation, arms wrapped around each other.
They thought they had fooled me.
They thought they had kept their relationship a secret.
But what they didn’t realize was that I knew everything that went on in my hotels.
Especially if my daughter was staying in one.
And the Vegas property made it even easier because there were cameras on every inch of the interior.
Jenner Dalton was a dirty fucking dog.
He wasn’t the type of guy you let your daughter date, and my initial instinct had been to put a stop to it.
But deep down, I knew if Jenner mended his ways, if he gave up being such a playboy and was in it for the long haul, then he would be perfect for Joanna.
I just had to make sure he wasn’t going to break my pumpkin’s heart.
Their first trip to Utah might have broken them up, but I was positive the second would glue them back together, and that was why I insisted she go with him.
Neither of them would ever know it was my doing.
I preferred to keep it that way.
So, I waited to see how long it was going to take him to tell me the truth. Every time we met, every time we spoke on the phone, I listened to him struggle with the secret. And when he finally shared the news, I wasn’t easy on him. I certainly wasn’t going to let him think he was the alpha in this family.
That role only belonged to me.
But what I did do was test him.
I wanted to see what meant more to him.
Spade Hotels or my daughter.
He made the right choice.
And even though I had given him a hard time, even though I’d borne down and buried him in pressure, he’d become a part of my circle the moment I saw the smile on my daughter’s face.
The same one she wore now.
Happiness looked good on the both of them.This belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.
I looked away from Joanna just in time to see Dominick come closer and stop at my side.
He gripped the top of my shoulder, like we were shaking hands again, and said, “Walter, we’ll see you inside.”
Kendall and Ford and Everly followed him.
Joanna then checked the time on her watch, our eyes connecting as she said, “Dad, I have to go get ready for the gala.” She kissed me on the cheek.
“Don’t be late,” I warned even though I knew she’d be early.
Jenner shook my hand again, his head nodding, his fingers squeezing my shoulder before he linked fingers with Joanna.
I turned and watched them walk through the entrance.
Even though they had a home in the area, they were spending the weekend at the hotel, participating in the festivities her team had planned.
Little did she know, when they boarded the plane Monday morning, they weren’t headed for LA, like she thought.
Jenner was taking her to Bali.
And the ring he was going to propose with was currently locked in the hotel’s private safe.
She would always be my baby girl.
She would always be a Spade.
But soon, she would also be a Dalton.