Smiling, Curt took both of Reese’s hands in his. “They didn’t give me the wrong one, short stuff. Your name right now is Reese Emma Walker, but if it’s okay with you, I’d like it to be Reese Emma Sherbrooke.”
Reese tilted her head slightly to the left as her eyebrows bunched together. “For us to have the same last name, you’d have to adopt me. Like Megan’s parents did, but they adopted her when she was a little baby, and Megan doesn’t remember it happening. And if you adopted me, then you’d be my dad.”
“Correct on both accounts, if it is something you want.”
Grabbing the bracelet back, she launched herself at Curt. “Can I call you Dad?”
Wrapping his arms around her, Curt kissed Reese’s cheek. “You can call me Curt or Dad. It’s up to you.”
Taylor had fallen in love with him over a year and a half ago when he showed up with a lacrosse stick in each hand, ready to give Reese a lesson. Now with him sitting there with a silver bow on his head and making her niece the happiest girl in the world, judging by her smile, Taylor fell in love with him all over again.
“Will you help me put this on?” Moving from Curt’s embrace, Reese handed Curt the bracelet and extended her arm out. “Hey, now that you’ll be my dad, Leah and Brett will be my aunt and uncle. Do you think they’ll let me call them Aunt Leah and Uncle Brett?”
When Curt mentioned adopting Reese, she’d told him he had nothing to worry about. Later, she’d remind him how right she’d been.
Curt fastened the bracelet around Reese’s wrist. “I don’t know. You’ll have to ask them.”
Yeah, she didn’t see Leah and Brett saying anything but yes. They’d been treating Reese like a niece for over a year.
Reese grabbed Curt’s hand, and then as if just remembering Taylor sat there, she took hers too and pulled. “C’mon, let’s go ask them and tell Mimi and Erin.”
She didn’t let go until they reached the living room where everyone was gathered.
“Guess what?” Reese called out, stepping into the room.
Reese’s question stopped the various conversations, and everyone, including the four little boys, looked in their direction.
“Curt’s going to be my dad, and I’ll have the same last name as him and Aunt Taylor.”
Her mom blinked several times, but Taylor still noticed a few tears slip down her cheeks. “All good news in the email then?”
Not only good news but perhaps the best news she’d received in a long time. “Yep.”
Joining them, Curt’s mom hugged Reese. “You do realize if Curt’s your father that makes me your grandmother. And since you already have a Mimi, you’ll have to call me Nana.”
Reese’s face lit up, and she smiled. “I didn’t think of that. And it means Jonathan is my grandfather, right?”
Judith nodded.
“What should I call him?” Reese asked.
“You’ll have to ask him next time you see him,” Judith answered.
Satisfied with the answer, Reese approached Curt’s b
rother. “Can I start calling you Uncle Brett?”
“You better, or I won’t play soccer with you anymore.” Brett pulled Reese in for a bear hug.
“Same goes for me,” Leah called from the opposite sofa.
“You want Reese to call you Uncle Brett?” Trent asked.
Leah threw her cousin a dirty look and elbowed him in the side. “Reese knows what I mean.”
In true nine-year-old fashion, Reese rolled her eyes. “Trent, she wants me to call her Aunt Leah.” Turning, she glanced at the table where the boys were eating their snack, and then she looked back at Taylor and Curt. “Since Trent, Jake, Scott, and Callie are Curt’s cousins, does that mean Kendrick, James, Cooper, and Garrett will be my cousins now?”
“Yep, and so will Theresa, Belinda, and Courtney’s son, Liam.”