Always the Opposites {Brollins}

[ Chapter 26 ]

Colby had his daughter and mother sit at the table as Rebecca plated the food.

"And then grandma bought me a lollipop!" Riley beamed, throwing her hands up and swinging her feet back and forth as she sat at the table explaining her adventure.

"She did? Great, just what you needed... more energy." Colby laughed as he put a bib on the little girl.

"Yeah!" She nodded emphatically, "What did you and Becca do?"

"I taught your dad how to be an adult." Rebecca spoke up from the kitchen with a laugh.

"She did not." He lowered his voice, "I already knew how to do that."

"No, you didn't." Rebecca shook her head, bringing over two plates. "You don't whisper very well."

Holly smiled at the two as Rebecca placed down her and Riley's plates. "I hope it's good! I don't know if your son sabotaged it."

"Liar..." He smirked, "You sampled it."

Rebecca rolled her eyes playfully as she grabbed her and Colby's plates. They all sat down and began to eat as Riley continued to fill them in on her day with Holly.

"This is yummy!" Riley spoke after taking a large bite. "Becca, you're good!"

"Thank you." She smiled at the little girl and reached over to squeeze her hand.

"Hey, what about me?" Colby looked at the little girl with a raised eyebrow.

"You probably just caused trouble." The little girl laughed, still eating away happily.

"Not true, I helped put in spices like basil and oregano." He informed her, "I even learned some interesting facts about basil from Rebecca while doing it."

"Oh yeah." She crossed her arms, "Like what?"

Rebecca cleared her throat after almost dropping her fork. Colby looked at Riley with a smug smirk, "I can't tell you since you don't think I helped. It's mine and Rebecca's secret now."

"That's fine." Riley shrugged, "Me and Becca have a lot of secrets."

"No, you don't." He laughed, leaning back in his seat with a shake of his head.

"We do." The little girl responded seriously.

He looked over at Rebecca, and she nodded, "We do."

"About what?" He asked curiously, and Holly laughed at the nonsense.

"About a lot of things." Riley giggled, "Sometimes even you."

"Don't you think I should get to know since it's about me?" Colby looked between Rebecca and Riley, seeing them both shake their heads.

"Mom?" He looked over at her for assistance, watching her chuckle slightly.

"Who's to say your mom isn't involved?" Rebecca raised an eyebrow, and he looked at Holly in shock.

Eventually, other conversations became prevalent, and Riley spoke up. "Daddy! I wanna join dance class!"

"Dance class?" Colby spoke wearily before looking at an observant Rebecca.

"How bout I talk about it with him later?" She leaned over and whispered to Riley with a wink. "Don't worry, I'll try to convince him."

Colby swallowed hard before excusing himself to go to the washroom. The girls finished up dinner, and when Colby didn't come out after more than ten minutes, Rebecca grew worried.

"Colby?" She knocked on the door gently, not wanting to worry Holly or Riley.

She heard the door unlock, and she opened it slowly. She saw him leaning against the edge of the sink's counter. "Are you okay?"

"Dance class?" He sighed, "Then what? Next thing you know she'll want to be travelling the world."

"Colby, it's okay. It's a normal thing for girls her age." She rubbed his arm in hopes to console him. "At least consider it for her."

"I already have." He looked up at her with a small shake of his head.

"Okay." Rebecca paused, "How about we go check out a studio for her tomorrow. And if you really don't feel comfortable with it, then we'll go from there."

Colby mulled over the idea in his mind before nodding hesitantly. He stared at Rebecca before opening his arms and looking at her sheepishly.

She smiled and hugged him, placing her head against his chest. "Jesus Colby, are you sure you're okay? Your heart is racing."

"I'm better now." He replied, feeling completely calm in her arms.

"Becca!" The little girl yelled, "Me and grandma forgot to give you our surprise."

Rebecca furrowed her eyebrows and looked at Colby, who just shrugged unknowingly. Rebecca sat down on the couch, and Colby sat next to her, pulling her legs over his lap. She tried not to show much of a reaction knowing Holly was watching with a smile.

"We got this for you!" Riley walked over and handed Rebecca a small box.

"You didn't have to get me anything." Rebecca smiled and opened the box, seeing a silver ring inside. Her jaw dropped, and she looked up at Holly and Riley. "It's beautiful, thank you."

Rebecca hugged the little girl, blinking back a few tears, "I love it."

"Oh, you're adorable." Holly smiled, joining in on the hug.

"Great, now all I'm gonna be hearing for the rest of my life is that they got you a ring before I did." Colby laughed, as the girls broke the hug.

Rebecca almost dropped the box when she realized what he said. "From study partners to being engaged... that's a bit of a big step."

She tried to laugh it off, "Did you want to help me put it on, Riley?"

Riley nodded before picking the ring up and pausing, "Wait! I think daddy should."

The little girl smiled sheepishly, handing the ring to her father, and Holly tried to hide her mix of a gasp and a laugh. Rebecca's head slowly turned to Colby, who just had a smile on his face.

She watched him extend his hand out, waiting for her to put hers on top of it. Rebecca obliged, breathing slowly as she tried to get her heart to stop racing. He slipped it on her finger, and they both stared at each other in silence.

Riley cheered, "You may now kiss the bride!"