by Hart, Eve R.
No, I wasn’t going to cry.
“Love you, too.”
I quickly changed then grabbed a cup of water to go. And after I made sure that he hadn’t forgotten to grab my bags, we were on our way.
I stayed quiet for most of the ride and he let me. His hand was there, big and heavy and warm on my knee. That was the thing with him, he didn’t need words. He knew how to give me what I needed without saying anything a lot of the time. Whether it be a kiss on one of my scars. Or a look that was full of love and admiration. Or like now, a simple touch that was so big to me.
He’d decided to take one of the clubs SUVs because he knew I’d be tired. He did keep me up most of the night and then I had to work the early shift. As my eyes fell heavy and my head leaned against the window, I was grateful that he’d made that choice.
“Beautiful.” His voice filtered into my ears as he shook my body slightly.
I groaned and refused to open my eyes.
I was pretty sure I heard him chuckling at me.
“So damn cute,” he said under his breath and I wasn’t sure if he meant for me to hear it. “Come on, Claire. We’re here.” I could tell he did mean for me to hear that.
“Already?” I asked as I blinked my eyes open.
“Yeah, you fell asleep the last half.”
“Shit,” I said as I wiped the little dab of drool off the corner of my mouth.
I bet I looked really awesome right then.
I flipped the visor down and tried to fix my hair. It was no use. Maybe I should have gone home to take a shower before we left. It was too late now.
Besides, Cable had told his mom that we’d be there in time for dinner. And if I had showered it would have set us behind.
“You’re beautiful,” he said softly. “Stop worrying about it.”
“Cable,” I said and paused.
What was I supposed to call him around his mom? Shit! I supposed I should have thought of that before. Okay, I knew his real name but I didn’t use it all that often. I knew him as Cable and so did most of the other people I knew. And in a way, I guess Clint was reserved for more private moments. It was mine. But now it wasn’t just mine because it was the name that his mother had given him. You know, the mother I was about to meet. While I didn’t really think it was a thing that I shared it with her, I was still unsure of what to do.
“What should I call you?” I asked and sounded super panicked.
What if he wanted me to call him Clint and I slipped up? What if she hated the club and the motorcycle and all that stuff and I only reminded her of it?
“Claire,” he said a little forcefully like he was trying really hard to snap me out of my thoughts.
“I don’t think I can do this,” I whispered and realized that we’d been sitting in the driveway for way too long. I was sure his mom had taken notice that we were there by now.
“Okay,” he said and turned over the ignition and moved like he was ready to back out of the driveway.
“What are you doing?!” I screeched and held onto his arm like that would somehow stop him.
“What?” he asked all confused sounding. “You seem uncomfortable, so I’m taking you home.”
“We just drove four hours to get here. It’s four hours to get back home.”
“Yeah, so?” He gave a little shrug.
“Turn the car off. We can’t do that to your mom. I’m sure she’s really excited to see you.”
“And meet you,” he said then flashed me a small, shy smile as he turned the car back off. “Stop worrying. I’m just as nervous as you.”
I eyed him skeptically. I very highly doubted that.
“What if you don’t like my mom?”
“I don’t think that’s going to happen. From everything you’ve told me, she sounds wonderful.”
He pinned me with a look. You know that look with the raised brow that told me that he’d talked me up to his mom and she probably said the same about me.
“Bet you think you’re smart, don’t you?” I glared at him but I couldn’t really be mad.
He leaned over and gave me a quick kiss, then he was out the door and rounded the front of the SUV until he reached my door. He helped me out and took my hand in his before leading the way to the front of the house.
He gave a quick knock before using his key to open the door.
“What the—” he said as the most amazing smell filled my nose.
“In the kitchen,” a woman’s voice called out but he was already walking in that direction.
“Mom?” He stopped dead right there in the doorway blocking my view. “What’s in the oven?” He sounded like he already knew.
“Enchiladas,” she said and I could hear the faintest tinge of an accent in her voice.
I was confused right along with Cable. From what he’d told me, she wasn’t one to cook enchiladas. Not that I was complaining because it smelled amazing.
I leaned to the side and peeked around his arm at her. She was tiny. And the look on her face was blank like she couldn’t understand Cable’s confusion.
“Hi, I’m Claire,” I said trying to break the silence.
“Oh, my,” she said wiping her hands on a towel then walking over to me and practically pushing Cable out of the way.
One minute she was taking me in, the next minute she was wrapping me up in a hug.
Now I knew where Cable got his hugging skills from. It was hard not to just melt into her.
“My son is right, you are so beautiful,” she said as she pulled back and then looked up at Cable. “Those eyes. I see why now.” She gave him a little nod and I looked over in time to see the red tint the apples of his cheeks. “I’m Daniela, but from the way Clint goes on about you, it sounds like you should just call me Mom.”
I coughed out a laugh.
“Mom!” Cable said sounding like an embarrassed teenage boy.
She rolled her eyes at him and then gave me a sweet pat on my cheek before heading back over to the stove.
“Are we going to talk about the enchilada thing?” he asked clearly not able to let it go.
“Your father would be mad he missed out,” she said with a shake of her head like she was trying to shoo away the sadness. “I have been thinking.”
“Oh yeah?” he asked.
“Yes,” she stated and turned to face him. “I want grandchildren. And I want them to know part of who they are. It may have taken me a lifetime to get back here, and I know your father would hate it for missing out, but I see the values in who I am beyond what my parents did to me.”
I felt a little out of place. Like this was a conversation that maybe I shouldn’t have been standing there for.
“I want you to know about my life before I met your father and I want your children to know too.”
“Mom,” he said with a sigh. I could see he was torn between wanting her to stop talking about children and being proud of her for this giant step she’d taken. “I love you.” He moved over to her and wrapped her in his arms.
She instantly disappeared in his big body. I had to hold back a chuckle but I found it incredibly adorable.
“Go,” she said, shooing him away with the towel. “Get washed up. Dinner will be ready in ten minutes.”
He let out a long sigh like he wasn’t ready to let it go but felt like he didn’t have a choice right now. Then turned to me, his eyes twinkling as he walked in my direction.
“Claire,” she called out. “It’s so lovely to meet you.” She flashed me a genuine smile which I couldn’t help but to return.
“Thank you for having me.”
And I felt like everything was going to work out exactly the way it was supposed to.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Cable
I didn’t want to talk about it. I really didn’t. But that was mostly because I walked into a house that smelled like the best Mexican food I’d ever smelled before. And it was almost like I didn’t recognize my own mother there for a moment.
Then she had to get all crazy on me and talk about grandchildren and shit.
Fuck!
The last thing I needed was to have her scare Claire off.
And the way she had been freaked-out nervous in the car, well, I could see it happening.
“I like her,” Claire said as she followed me back out to the SUV so I could grab our stuff.
Her tone was sweet and genuine. And this time, it was her that was reassuring me.
Fuck, I loved this woman.
“She likes you, too,” I said. “And don’t ask how I know. I can just tell.”
“I’m happy,” she said looking up at me with a twinkle in those magical steel eyes.
I stopped worrying about any and everything right then.
“I’m real fuckin’ happy too, Claire.” I leaned down and kissed the hell out of her.
“Come on,” she said as she broke away from me. “Let’s grab this stuff and get cleaned up. I don’t want to be late for dinner.” She let out a cute as hell chuckle.
I snatched up our bags and locked the SUV before heading back inside. I climbed the stairs, headed for my room, Claire following right behind me.
“We’re staying in the same room?” she asked like she hadn’t expected that as I set our stuff on the corner of the bed.
“Yep. It’s a queen so we might be a little cramped.”
“I don’t think I’ll mind.” She flashed me a mischievous smirk that had me wanting to throw her on the bed and have my way with her. “Get your mind out of the gutter. No sex in your mom’s house.”
“What?! Who the fuck made that rule?”
“I did,” she said as she pinned me with a hard look that told me there would be no arguing with her about it.
Damn.
Did she know that she already had that mom stare down pat?
I figured now was probably not a good time to point that out.
Still, it made me smile on the inside.
“There’s a bathroom at the end of the hall. I’ll use the one downstairs,” I said letting it go for now.
“Okay. I’ll be down in a minute.”
I placed a light kiss on her lips and left her to dig through her stuff for whatever the hell she was looking for.
“Mom,” I said as I walked back into the kitchen after I’d cleaned up. “You gotta take it easy with the kid talk.”
“Why?” She blinked up at me like I was being ridiculous. “You want them with her, no?”
“Yes,” I said with a sigh. “I want it all with her. But we haven’t talked about it, you know. And I… need to take some things slow with her.”
“I don’t understand.”
I let out a frustrated sigh. It wasn’t my story to tell. But how did I get her to understand without giving some sort of explanation?
“She just… hasn’t had the easiest life.”
“I can see that, son,” she said and her face fell a little soft. “But she has a light. I can see that too.”
“Yeah, she does. She’s amazing,” I breathed out in awe of the woman we were talking about.
“Then you love her. You cherish her. Show her every day how special she is. Just like your father did to me. And you marry her and give her babies. Like your father did for me.” She made it all sound so simple and she had the nerve to throw a wink in there at the end.
“He only gave you one baby,” I stated because I couldn’t help being a smartass.
“And thank God for that.”
I barked out a laugh.
“I told her I had to bring her here to meet you so that I could marry her.”
I didn’t know why, but I expected my mom to look more shocked than she did. How the hell did she just seem to know shit like that? All my life I could never figure it out.
“Good,” she told me with a nod and I knew she wasn’t going to say anything more about it right now.
Which was good because a second later, Claire came hesitantly walking into the kitchen.
“I think my mom is having a midlife crisis,” I whispered not too softly as I pulled Claire into my side. Mom turned her head and shot me a look over her shoulder as she pulled the dish out of the oven.
“I think she can hear you,” Claire playfully whispered back.
“Shit, I think you’re right.”
“You’re not too old for me to wash your mouth out with soap,” Mom said in a stern voice. “I blame your uncle for your mouth.”
My head fell back and I laughed.
Claire and I set the table while my mom made up the plates. I filled Claire in on my uncle and how he’d whipped me into shape when I was younger. I was a little surprised that I hadn’t already shared that story with her but then again, we sometimes got distracted from talking.
There was something that fell over the table the moment the three of us sat down together. I couldn’t explain it but it made me happy.
And I knew that everything would be alright.
Not that I had any doubts.
I knew my mom would love Claire the moment she laid eyes on her. Maybe even before. I didn’t really hold back when I talked about Claire to my mom.
Claire opened up around my mom. She didn’t talk about anything that I knew would make her uncomfortable and Mom went easy on her. By the time Mom brought out dessert, it was like they’d known each other for years.
Like Claire was already part of the family.
Oh, and those enchiladas were fuckin’ amazing. I was a little jealous for my younger self. And my dad. I wished that he could have been here to see my mom blossom like this. He would have been so happy and proud.
I knew Claire was probably tired since I’d kept her up most of the night before and she had to work early this morning. I’d like to say I was sorry about it, but I wasn’t. I hadn’t meant to keep her up that late but I kind of just got lost in her body. Like I always did. And no, one round wasn’t enough.
So not long after we’d finished dinner and I had the kitchen all cleaned up, I told my mom we were going to bed.
She hugged Claire for a long time before telling us goodnight.
I left Claire to shower while I got the bed ready.
She came in looking happily relaxed and beautiful. She didn’t hesitate to climb in next to me and settle into my waiting side.
“I think I love your mom,” she said.
“Yeah? See, I told you there was nothing to worry about. Pretty sure she loved you before we even got here. I might talk about you a lot.”
“Really?” she asked and sounded genuinely shocked at that.
“Fuck yeah. I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. So, of course, I’m going to tell my mom all about you.”
“Babies and shit,” she said so low that I wasn’t sure I’d heard her right. And for a second, I felt the urge to look around and make sure Sketch wasn’t in the room with us.
“What?” I asked not even trying to hide my confusion.
A tiny giggle slipped out of her.
“Sorry,” she said curling tighter into my side. “Just something Sketch said to me like a week ago.”
“Babies and shit?” Yeah, no wonder I felt that asshole here. But it had me laughing because it was so him.
“Yep.” I felt her head give a tiny nod against me. “He said that I should marry you and give you babies and shit.”
“I agree with him,” I said with a wide smile.
“Yeah,” she said and a huge yawn escaped her. “Me too.”
Then I could tell I was quickly losing her to sleep. I didn’t say anything else, just held her in my arms and thought about how great my life was turning out to be.
The next morning, I woke up with Claire plastered to my side. Every limb she had seemed like it was wrapped around me in some way as if she didn’t want to let me go. I laid there for a long time just breathing her in.
Eventually, I heard my mom moving around and I decided to get up. As carefully as I could, I detached myself from Claire and
slipped out of the room.
“Mornin’, Mom,” I said when I unsurprisingly found her in the kitchen making coffee. I shuffled over to her and wrapped her up in a hug.
“I love her, Clint,” she said the second I released her.
“Me too, Mom,” I said with a smile and a nod.
She reached into the pocket on her dress and pulled something out, keeping whatever it was hidden in her fist.
“You give her a good life,” she said as she pinned me with a knowing and motherly stare. “Like your father did for me.”
She reached down and grabbed my hand, placing whatever it was into my palm and holding it there until I closed my fingers around it.
I had an idea of what it was. I tried not to get a little choked up as I opened my hand and saw the tiny, leather pouch there.
My massive fingers had a hard time getting the thing open, but once I did, the tiniest diamond ring fell out into my palm.
“He bought that for me the night after he met me.” She looked happy and sad at the same time as she drifted back to that moment in her life. “He gave me a life that was better than any one that I could have dreamed of. He gave me you. And you will do the same for her.”
I didn’t open my mouth because she wasn’t asking a question.
“I’m proud of you,” she said as she patted my cheek. “Even though you have too much of your uncle in you, I’m still proud of you.”
I barked out a laugh.
“He’s not that bad,” I said with a shake of my head. I owed him a lot and I think my mom saw that she did too.
“I’m kidding. He’s a good man too, even if it’s hard to see through all that hair and tattoos and leather.”
“I don’t smoke, so there’s that.”
“Thank God for that,” she said with relief.
“I got good men around me, mom. Good people. You and I both know that I never fit in around here. You and Dad were my heart but this place wasn’t my home. I’ve found that now.”
“I know that you have.” Her head nodded like she understood it. There was still a sadness there though and I figured it had to do with the fact that I wasn’t here with her anymore. I imagined that she was lonely now that my dad wasn’t around.