“Just because you were the Screw Crew once, doesn’t mean every single boy out there will be assholes like you. Reed is a nice boy.”
“Reed is a fucking man with a working dick!” Carter growls. “He’s a senior. My baby is a junior. I know what happens at proms.”
“Carter Hayes, I will throat punch you. Danny and Reed have been dating for a year. That boy has always treated our daughter like the princess she is. He’s too damn terrified of the bunch of you to treat her as anything less.”
“That’s true,” I whisper. “I might have gone a little heavy on the threats.”
“Danny looks beautiful, and unless you want me going psycho on you all, you will smile and tell her so. She’s sixteen! She’s a young woman. Treat her like one.”
We all mumble our unhappiness with the situation, but none of us want to see Della in psycho mode.
“Now get your asses to the bottom of the stairs and give Danny the attention she deserves.”
We all walk back to the bottom of the stairs and form a half circle.
“Smile,” Della snaps. “Danny you can come out,” she calls up the stairs.
All you see are a bunch of men and a row of teeth as Danny once again steps out onto the landing.
“You look beautiful, Princess,” Carter praises her.
I can feel Della's scowl burning into the side of my head.
“You’re a vision, Princess,” I say.
“I am?” Danny asks. “You’re not just saying that because Mom is standing right behind you, and giving you the same look I get when she catches me sneaking out of the house?”
“That look is pretty intense, right?”
“Yeah,” Danny laughs.
I climb the stairs and raise my hand to her cheek, gently brushing a knuckle over the curve of her cheek.
“Daniele,” I say. She knows I only call her by her given name if I’m dead serious. “I’ll always see you as my little princess, who made me watch Frozen and sing Let It Go a million times. Whether it’s tonight, or in ten years, I’m your fairy-godfather.”
“Uncle Ledge,” she breathes as she fights to hold back the tears.
“You are an absolute vision, Princess. Reed is lucky to have you as his prom date.”
Just then the doorbell rings.
“I’ll get it while you finish with your uncles,” I say as I rush to get to the door first.
I yank it open, and when Reed sees that it’s me, he straightens his spine and swallows.
“Hi, Mr. Daniels.”
“Reed,” I say, and I don’t move out of the way so he can come inside. “Before I let you near my princess, let’s go over what will happen to you if you don’t bring her back in one piece.”
“Yes, Sir,” Reed says. He sucks in a deep breath. “You will find me, and you will attach weights to my ding-dong before tossing me into the ocean.”
“Good. What are the rules?” I ask.
“No drinking. No leaving her side at any time. No touching her below the neck. If there’s a situation, I tell Danny to run and let them kill me because if anything happens to Danny, you’ll kill me.”
“Now that we have that out of the way,” I say smiling, “come inside.” Over my shoulder, I yell, “Danny, Reed’s here.”
Reed steps into the house as Danny comes walking into the foyer with Carter and the guys right behind her. I know the boy only has eyes for her when he doesn’t even see the guys, but instead, just focuses on Danny.