She said so slowly that I was clenching my stomach to keep the laughter in, “His B’s, Buttercup, which is me. And Baby girl, which is Mommy. And then, of course, you have Collins and Conleigh.”
She looked up at him with a frown. “I know you’re not stupid. You heard him call us those names multiple times.”
“You’re right Buttercup, I apologize.”
She threw her hands in the air, exasperated, “You can’t call me that. Only Gage can call me that. To you, I am anything else but Buttercup.”
Powers raised his eyebrows, “Is that right?”
“Yes, it is. Mommy told me all about my birth mommy and that she didn’t know my birth daddy.” And then she dropped her voice to a whisper when she said, “But God made sure that Mommy had my back. And then he made sure that Gage, my choice in Daddy, had both of our backs. So that being that case, he is the only one allowed to use Buttercup.”
And did Powers question her about that? Hell fucking no.
As for myself, I felt actual tears building as my emotions clogged my throat.
I had planned to do this later on down the line when I was more secure with their feelings about me. But damn if this wasn’t the perfect time.
Squeezing Conleigh’s hip, I signaled for her to move her legs, and then I crooked my finger at Collins. She had been looking at me when she said those words even though she was talking to the Pres.
When she came over to me, shuffling her feet, I curved my arm around her waist, lifted her, and then settled her tiny body on my other knee that wasn’t occupied by Conleigh.
“Wanna tell me what that was all about? You choosing for me to be your daddy?”
Collins looked at Conleigh. I looked at her too as she encouraged Collins, “Tell him, sweetheart.”
What the hell was this all about?
“Well… I asked my mommy after my princess biker party if you would be interested in being my daddy. She told me that blood doesn't make a parent, which makes sense. But I could choose someone to be a father figure. You know, someone I could look up to. Well… I don’t want just a father figure. I want a daddy.”
Smiling, I pressed a kiss to her temple, then asked, “And you want me to be that man for you?”
“Well, I’m too young to take you away from my mommy. Besides, you make her smile. And you make me feel all good inside. So… the next best thing is for you to be my daddy.”
Chuckles came from my brothers as I looked over at Lil and signaled to her.
“Well, I guess now is a good time to do this.”
“To do what?” Conleigh asked as she looked in the direction where Lil had disappeared to.
“To make y’all mine.”
Conleigh bit her lip. Her eyes had that little shine in them that told me she was happy without ever having to give me the words, “We’ve been yours when you didn’t even know it.”
“Yeah, but proposing to you, and adopting Collins takes time babe, this, in the eyes of my brothers, is instant. Just need the both of you to say yes.”
“Yes.” Collins blurted out. Not even knowing what was about to happen.
Seeing Lil weaving through the crowd that was now watching, glued to see the outcome, I waited for her to get close. I smiled as I pressed another kiss to Collins temple then I turned my full attention to Conleigh when Lil handed her a white gift box with a red ribbon on it.
“What is this?”
“Open it.”