Dani's POV:

"Hey Siri, start a daily reminder telling me to never miss work again, no matter the circumstances." I said jokingly as I sat in the middle of the floor in the storeroom with my laptop in my lap sorting what felt like a million online orders. Add in the almost steady beeping from the front door of the boutique opening and closing and it was safe to say that business was good. Better than it had been in a long time. But I wasn't an idiot. I knew that a lot of the people that were popping into the store were only trying to get dirt on Brantley and I since the news sites hadn't slacked up any on the rumors about if I was the woman in his life. Hell, this morning alone, there had been an article saying that sources close to Brantley said that wedding bells were ringing. That same article went on to say that I was pregnant and that was why Brantley was preparing to "put a ring on it". And boy had Brantley nearly choked on his chocolate chip waffles when I'd read that aloud.

Thinking about the panicked look on his face in that moment still made me giggle since we had used protection on every occasion, even if I had wanted nothing more than to be skin in skin with him. But I wasn't stupid either. Things were too new with him and I to risk getting pregnant. I mean can you imagine the field day that the press would have with that one? I can see the headlines now...

Brantley Gilbert's Mystery woman Pregnant – But is he the father? Or is she just after his Money?

I mean, he and I would know the truth, but that didn't mean that just because we would say that there was no possibility for the hypothetical baby to be anyone else's but his, that the press wouldn't put their own spin on things. In fact, it would be second nature for them to spin their own lies with just enough half-truths that people thought that it was believable versus actually printing the truth.

"Hey Dani, you have a visitor." Said Shelly, one of my part-time employees, pulling me from my thoughts of hypothetical babies and the lying press.

"Who is it?" I said, standing and dusting off my jeans.

"He wouldn't tell me." Replied Shelly.

"Does he look like a businessman?" I asked, curiosity starting to build. In the past couple of months, some big wigs from a development company had been snooping around wanting to buy up all the properties, claiming they were prime real estate and would make the perfect location for the condos they wanted to build. Of course, no one had wanted to sell, but from what I'd heard recently, a their upped their offers to a couple of the older shop owners, making it harder and harder for them to refuse the sale. And you couldn't blame them. Mrs. Blackstone was closing in on 80 and had run her fabric shop from its current location for nearly 60 years. Same with Mr. Deltgen who ran an army surplus store, as well as Mr. Roman who had a music store a couple of doors down from me. No one really used CD's or vinyl's anymore, but Mr. Roman refused to close down even if it meant that he only had maybe a couple of customers a week or the occasional hipster looking for a particular album on vinyl that had been created before they had even been born.

"No. But I'm sure he would look hot as hell in a suit though." Said Shelly, waggling her eyebrows as a shit eating grin tore across her face.

"Down girl." I said with a chuckle. "Take him to my office and I'll be there in just a minute. See what you can find out about him though and let me know."

"Yes ma'am." Said Shelly, turning on her heel and making her way back onto the main floor of the boutique.

Curiosity was about to get the best of me as I checked my reflection the mirror of the employee bathroom. But even as curious as I was felling, I couldn't help the stab of disappointment that I felt at it not being Brantley. Surely Shelly would have known who he was since Quinny is always talking about his music and joking about how he's going to be her husband one day. She might not be his wife one day, but she might be his daughter if things keep going the way they are...

Pushing that thought out of my mind, I check my reflection once more, satisfied that my floral top looked both professional and comfortable paired with my skinny jeans. No, it wasn't a power suit that spoke of endless business meetings or the hours I'd spent in banks practically begging for loans for the boutique, but it would have to do. I mean it wasn't like I was trying to broker a deal with those slimy land developers that wanted to change my town or anything. Mobile -especially my little part of town- was fine just like it is.

As soon as I stepped out of the bathroom, Shelly was making her way to my office. "The guy is in your office. He was pretty hesitant on answering any questions, so I didn't get anything out of him." She said, stopping in front of me.

"Shit. I hate going into meeting like this blind." I said with a sigh.

"God luck." Said Shelly with a weak smile. "Don't let him convince you to sell. It goes without saying that I need this job."

"You don't have to worry about that. It will be a cold day in hell before I let some outsiders come in here and want to demolish the place in order to build more tourist housing." I said reassuringly. Don't get me wrong, we all loved the tourist season because it's what pulled us through in the winter months, but we also hated them because they wanted to change Mobile from what it was, a little slice of heaven on the gulf coast.

"Good to know." Shelly said with a smile. "Now go get 'em, Boss."

Stepping into the office, I caught a glimpse of the man sitting in the chair waiting for me and wished that it had been anyone else but him. His back was to me, but I didn't need to see his face to know just who it was; his wavy brown hair that was long past due for a trim gave it away. As did the cocky way he lounged in the chair as he waited as if he hadn't a care in the world. Funny how that cockiness used to be a major turn on for me when it came to him. Now though, I wanted nothing more than to throttle his ass for all the pain he'd caused both Quinny and I because he had refused to take responsibility for his actions.

"What are you doing here Asher?" I said, stepping into the room and fighting the urge to kick him out without hearing a word he had to say.

"It's been to long Dani." Asher said, pulling his long, tall frame from the chair and standing to his full height.

"Almost 6 years to be exact." I said, skirting his hand as he had reached out to touch me.

"Ouch. So cold." Said Asher. "You wound me babygirl." I watched as his hand came up to his chest, covering his heart as if I had broken the beating organ. Truth was, I had half a mind to rip it right from his chest so to see that he in fact had one.

"I'm not your babygirl. I'm not anything to you. You made that very clear when you walked away the minute you found out I was pregnant." I said, walking around my desk, putting it between him and I.

"I was young, dumb, and full of—"

"Don't even finish that sentence." I said, pointing my finger at him, effectively cutting him off. "The fact that you were about to spout something that a damn teenager would say if all the proof I need that you are the same ol' Asher Sheridan that you were all those years ago."

"And there's that temper that I loved so much." Asher said, as that smug smirk appeared on his face; the same one that used to make me weak in the knees. Now, all it did was make me want to vomit.

"Yeah, you loved it so much that you couldn't keep your wick out of every woman within 50 miles honey pot." I said, pure venom lacing my tone.

"Again, I was young then. I've changed." Said Asher, sitting back down in his chair.

"I find that hard to believe." I said, choosing to remain standing.

"Give me a chance to prove it to you." Said Asher. "I know I fucked up by walking away when you needed me. I know I fucked up when it came to not being there for you and our daughter. But I'm here now."

"We don't have a daughter." I said, motioning my hand between the two of us before slamming my hand over my heart and adding "I have a daughter. I have a daughter that is absolutely perfect, not thanks to you or your family."

"She has my DNA. That makes her mine." Said Asher, standing from his chair once more. I could hear the anger in his voice and it only made me madder.

"Sharing DNA with someone doesn't make you a damn father. Being there for 2am feedings, changing diapers, watching her learn to walk and talk, kissing boo-boo's when she falls, and just simply being there for her in general makes you a father. And guess what... you have done NONE of that. You weren't there when she rolled over for the first time. You weren't there for her first words. You weren't there for any of her firsts. And you know why? Because you were too fucking busy to screwing any woman who lacked the common sense to see that you were just a player looking for his next piece of ass." I said, the anger I'd been barely holding onto letting lose. "I was there for her for everything. I was the one who had to explain to a 3-year-old why her daddy didn't want anything to do with her. I was the one that had to explain why she only had one set of grandparents when all her friends in school had two. I was the one that was there to teach her the things that she needed to learn. I was the one wiping her tears when she used to cry out for her daddy, wondering why he didn't love her enough to want to get to know her. And you know what? I wouldn't trade any of that for all the fucking gold in California because when she gets older, she will see who made sacrifices for her, who stepped up and took responsibility for their actions who loved her enough before she was even born to push through all the hard times and be there for her and who didn't.

"I'm her fuckin' Daddy!" yelled Asher, slapping his hands down on the top of my desk and leaning across the surface in an attempt to intimidate me. Not going to lie, years ago that move would have worked. But not now.

"You are her goddamned sperm doner." I said, matching his stance

"Is there a problem here?" said a voice from the door.

I whipped my head in the direction of the voice and saw who was standing there. That's when an evil thought popped into my mind. I just hoped he went along with me on this one and it didn't freak him out. "No problem here, handsome. I was just informing Quinny's sperm doner that you are going to adopt her and officially become her father since her real dad couldn't be bothered with her existence until now." I said, walking across the room and into the arms that would like a shelter in a storm.

"You're out of your goddamned mind you bitch if you think I'm going to let this biker wannabe become my daughters' father." Roared Asher.

"Hold the hell up. You will not talk to my Ol' lady like that. Not while I'm here. For that matter, not ever." Said Brantley, pulling be into his grasp even more.

"And what are you going to do about it, easy rider?" said Asher, taking a step towards Brantley. I felt Brantley tense up, prepared to lay Asher out. Part of me wanted to see him do just that but the other part of me -the part that knew without a shadow of a doubt that Asher would run to the law looking for a quick payout- had me stepping in front of Brantley, placing a hand over his chest. I looked into his green eyes, silently telling him that Asher wasn't worth the trouble.

Only when I was sure that Brantley had calmed down and was on the same page as he did I turn back to Asher. "I don't see where you have any choice since you never acknowledged that she was even yours until now. In fact, I seem to remember you accusing me of sleeping with half the town and insinuating that she could belong to anyone. Need I remind you that there is no father on her birth certificate nor has there ever been a father in her life. The only reason you want anything to do with her now is because you see that another man has stepped up and decided to be the father that she needs.

"But if you think that you have even the slightest chance of stopping the adoption then, then by all means have at it. I can't wait to see the look on the judges face when he sees that you only want to be in her life now that someone else has stepped up for her. In fact, I hope he laughs you right out of the court room." I said.

Asher stood silent for a moment, clearly trying to figure out what to say since when we had argued in the past, I'd been the type to cower down and not stand up to him. But that girl had died the day that he walked out on me at 8 weeks pregnant and had refused to his only daughter.

"This ain't over Daniella." Asher practically seethed as me moved towards the office door. "And this ain't over for you either, Brantley." I knew he only said his name to prove that he knew who Brantley was. He may have tried to be intimidating, but Brantley simply smiled in his face.

"Looking forward to it." Said Brantley, the challenge clear in his tone. I watched as Asher eyed Brantley before turning his glare in my direction.

"You'll be hearing from my lawyer, Daniella." He said before stomping out of the office like a pissed off two-year-old.

Only when I was sure that he was gone did I let my guard down and breathed a sigh of relief. Brantley's arms wrapped around me tighter, pulling me to his chest and he placed a kiss on the top of my head. I know him and I would have some things to talk about, but they could wait. Right now, I just needed him to hold me and lend me the strength that I seemed to gather whenever he was around.  

Brantley's POV:

"Umm sweetheart, I think we need to talk." I said after giving Dani some time to pull herself together. Lord knows I had some questions, especially about Dani's statement about me adopting Quinny. Sure, I'd come here to ask her to move in with me, to start a life with me, but now that she had put that possibility out into the air, I couldn't think of anything else but calling that sweet little girl my daughter.

"I'm sorry, B. I didn't mean to put you on the spot. Asher just makes me so angry and petty. I wanted him to feel just a little bit of the hurt I felt when he denied her as his own years ago." Said Dani, lifting her head from my chest and looking into my eyes.

"No need to apologize. Not for anything." I said softly as I place a hand on her cheek, caressing the soft skin with my thumb.

"But I told him that you were adopting Quinny. I'd bet you dollars to donuts that he's already on the way to a lawyer to find out if I was lying or not. And when he finds out I was bluffing—"

"You weren't bluffing." I said, cutting her off. I watched as her jaw dropped at my words. Sure, it was a split-second decision and Mama would no doubt make me go have my head examined when she found out, but I couldn't think of anything else but finally giving that precious little girl the one things that she needed: a father in her life.

"Brantley—"

"I mean it Dani. I'll adopt that little girl today if it would make you happy. Hell, I came here to ask you to move in with me." I said, once more cutting her off.

"But—"

"No buts Dani. I love you. I love Quinny. The thought of going back to Maysville without you is killing me. Hell, even the kids are down in the dumps because were having to leave.

"If not too soon?" she whispered.

"Baby, listen to me. I can't think of anything that would make me happier than to have you come back home with me. I can't think of anything better than waking up to you every morning, cuddling next to you every night, coming home to you after a long tour, hell, I can't think of anything better than you being the mother figure to my kids that they need. I see how you are with Quinny -how much you love her and doat on her yet are still firm- and I want that for my kids too." I said, palming her cheeks in my hands and tilting her head back so that she was looking into my eyes. "I want to start a life with you. I know I'm asking a lot since you would be leaving home and I would never want anyone to ask me to leave Georgia, but you are the only one that I can see myself with in the long run. I know that we haven't known each other long but I just feel like you are the other half of my soul. In you, I feel like I found the part of me that I'd been missing."

"You're starting to sound like a hallmark movie." Said Dani jokingly as tears pooled in her eyes.

"Oh well." I smirked. "And just to make myself sound even more cheesy, I heard a song on the radio on the way over here that made me think of you. Cole was singing about going from Carolina to California and how he hoped the girl could fall for a boy from south Georgia. Well darling, I'll carry you anywhere you wanna go -London, Paris, Alaska, literally anywhere your heart desires- as long as you let this north Georgia boy show you how a woman is supposed to be treated. So, what do you say?"

My heart was threatening to beat out of my chest as I waited for Dani to give me an answer. Nothing -not even the first time I'd performed for my record label- had made me more nervous than the silence that had enveloped the room as I waited for her answer. God, I didn't know what I would so if she decided that things were moving too fast. All I knew if that I wasn't going to let her walk out of my life and I damn sure wasn't about to walk out of hers.

"You got a deal." Said Dani finally.

Lifting her into my arms, I kissed her firmly and passionately as I swung her around in one big circle. I don't remember the last time I felt more carefree or happier and it was all because of Daniella Chase Clark, the woman that I'd been looking for and hadn't even realized it.

"Where are the kids?" said Dani, breaking the kiss.

"I paid you cashier to take the kids for ice cream and close up shop for a while." I said. "Just so you know, I was prepared to lay you across that desk and fuck you until you gave me the answer that I wanted."

"Well, in that case..." said Dani, letting her sentence dangle.

"Sweetheart, I would love nothing more but right now, I want to go spring my future daughter from school and give her the good news." I said with a smile. It was true, I couldn't wait to see the look of joy on Quinn's face when we told her that I was going to adopt her. Couldn't wait to see the looks on Barrett and Bray's faces when they found out they were going to get a sister either.