by Mells, J. C.
“Brock Huntington doesn’t cry, silly man,” I chuckled into his chest.
“He might tonight. But don’t you dare tell Bernie. Now, tell me everything. I want to know about your disorder and what I can do to help. I want to talk about your kidnapping, too. I know it’s a subject I avoided in the past, thanks to my wife, but there’s no one to blame but me for the fact I never discussed it with you. Even I saw a change in you after that. I just didn’t want to deal with it and shame on me.”
So, I told him everything. An hour later, red-eyed and dehydrated from crying, the pair of us finally joined the others in the dining room.
Tallulah and Max sat on one side of the table and Bernie and Thatch opposite them. Correct that, Bernie was almost sitting in Thatch’s lap.
My dad took his place at the head of the table and I took the seat next to Thatch.
“Are you making a move on my boyfriend, Bernice?” I teased.
“Oh, you better believe it, girlfriend,” he laughed.
Thatch laughed with him before he turned to me.
“Good talk?” he whispered.
“Really good.”
Rose entered the room and set plates of food in front of my dad and me.
“Sorry we screwed up your dinner, Rosy,” I smiled at her apologetically.
“Nonsense, Cali. I kept your plates warm for you. Just good to see you home and happy, even if it’s only for a short visit.”
“Where’s Thaddeus?” I asked, suddenly concerned.
“He passed out on a couch in the other room about thirty minutes ago,” Thatch chuckled. “Max completely wore him out.”
“You’re a very lucky man, Thatcher,” Max interjected. I blushed when I noticed he was looking directly at me and not referring to Thaddeus.
“I know I am, Max.”
“And how do you feel about your daughter riding off into the sunset with a tattoo artist, Brock?” Tallulah slurred.
“Jesus, Max,” my dad laughed. “How drunk did you get her this time? And, in answer to your question, I’m just happy that she’s happy.”
“I am not drunk!” Tallulah protested. It would’ve worked better if she hadn’t hiccupped on the last word.
We all smirked and she got up and storm-wobbled out of the room.
“You want her back, Max? Ready to rekindle old flames?” my dad said, rolling his eyes.
“Oh, she’s all yours, buddy. Though I will admit… she’s a lot friendlier when she’s had a few drinks. Remember that for the future.”
Once my father and his best friend had shamelessly stopped picking on his wife, Dad turned his attention to Thatch.
“Tell me all about this competition you’re in. Bernie only made me aware of it a few days ago, and it seems I have a lot of catching up to do if I’m to keep up with all the happenings in my daughter’s life.”
And, just like that, Thatch was welcomed as a new member into the Huntington dysfunctional family.
{25}
Thatch
“Hey, little man, time to wake up,” I said opening the door to lift Thaddeus out of the car. I couldn’t afford to miss another day of work and we’d left California - the state and the girl - early this morning.
“Are we home, Daddy?” he asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. All the excitement and irregular sleeping patterns over the last two days had my kid exhausted.
“We sure are. Let’s go see Pop-Pop, okay?”
“Yay!” He was immediately more alert.
“There are going to be lots of people at the front of the shop. I don’t want you to get scared or anything, all right, little man?”
“Is it because you’re a ninja athlete, Daddy?”
“Yeah, kiddo. They’re going to be taking our picture and I want you to close your eyes and keep your head next to my chest so the lights from the cameras don’t hurt your eyes, okay?”
“Okay, Daddy.”
I threw my bag over my shoulder and then picked up my son and held him close, bracing myself for the onslaught as I rounded the corner.
“Thatch, did you know Cali had an eating disorder?”
“Are you and California Huntington dating now?”
“Is it true she’s carrying your child?”
“What happened when you met Brock?”
“What was it like becoming a father at sixteen?’
“Thaddeus! Thaddeus! Look over here!”
“Does Cali have a drug problem?”
“Are you ready for the finals on Saturday?”
“Is Cali moving to Vegas?”
“Will Cali be cheering you on this weekend?”
I pushed my way through the small mob of tabloid reporters, squinting against the flash of camera lights. I opened the door and my father took Thaddeus out of my arms.
I turned, standing half in and half out of the shop doorway.
“California Huntington has retained the services of publicist Ruby Maddox. All statements about… well anything… will be coming from her. I have a living to make and a competition to train for. Any chance you could give me and my son a little space, guys?” Without waiting for a response, I went into the shop, closing the door behind me.
“If it’s any consolation,” my dad grimaced, “There were twice as many out there yesterday.”
“Those men are weally excited about Ultimate Ninja Athlete, Daddy,” Thaddeus said as my dad set him on his feet.
“I know, aren’t they?” I exclaimed with exaggerated enthusiasm that made him giggle. “Head upstairs, little man. I have to get ready for work, okay?”
“You have an appointment in about thirty minutes, son,” my dad added.
“Got it.”
Luckily, I’d scheduled just a few appointments the week leading up to the finals. Only two of my clients had been put out by my impromptu trip to Los Angeles.
“Welcome home, Casanova,” Rufus called from his station at the back; obviously relishing the fact he finally had the opportunity to throw the name I often teased him with back in my face.
Thankfully, with a client in his chair, he had the tact not to press me for any details that could be shared with the mob outside.
“All right, settle down, big guy,” I smiled in reply. “Pay attention to what you’re doing there and stop gawking at me like that. You know I don’t swing that way, honey.”
I heard both Rufus and his client laughing as I went into the washroom to clean up a bit before my appointment.
Four hours later, I was putting some finishing touches on a detailed tattoo of the Manhattan skyline that wrapped around the top of my client’s arm. He was a showcaser of mine, which meant he wore a lot of my work, so I didn’t need to ask to know he was happy with the end result.
“I think that might have been the best carving I’ve ever seen you do, kiddo,” Rufus said after my client had paid and left. “It seems that being in love agrees with you,” he smirked.
His customer had left about twenty minutes earlier and there was no one waiting at the moment. My next appointment was not until four and we had the shop to ourselves for a few minutes.
“Shut up, Ruf,” I scolded. “It’s not love yet.”
“Yet being the key word there, kiddo. As soon as that girl walked into this shop looking for you with her pretty white dress, gorgeous red hair, and those killer come-to-bed eyes, I knew there was something big going on.”
“Is the ever-cynical Rufus a closet romantic?” I teased. “And what do you mean come-to-bed eyes, asshole?”
“Ooo… jealously is such a good look on you, kiddo. I hope you think of me every time you see that tattoo I did on her hip,” he chuckled.
“Trust me, jackass, you’re the last thing on my mind when I’m with her,” I laughed.
“By the way,” I added after Rufus had fake-punched me in the arm, “Why is it so quiet in here?”
“Bell let me set the phones to voicemail. He told the new girl to start when things outside quiet down a bit. Seemed pointless to p
ut yet another person through all this drama.”
“How are you and Mo-Mo holding up?”
“Mo took the day off since he’s fed up with all the attention. He’s got too much going on with family stuff to want to deal with all this. He’ll be back after the weekend.”
“Shit. I hate that it’s affected him. What about you?”
“Damn, son, you even have to ask? Do you have any idea the kind of pussy I get when they know I work with the Thatch Reston? I’m loving the attention,” Rufus laughed.
I rolled my eyes at him. “Of course, you are,” I sighed.
“So, is she moving to Vegas then?” he asked.
“That’s the plan, jackass.”
“I have to say I’m impressed. I never thought you had it in you to get involved with someone with her background and notoriety. Not that I’m saying I believe any of what’s said, I just mean someone that comes with a trail of photographers in their wake.”
I gave a dry laugh. “I didn’t think I had it in me either. I guess time will tell if I’m doing the right thing or not.”
{26}
Cali
It was just getting dark by the time I pulled into the garage of my new home in Las Vegas.
I say ‘new’ because I just spent the afternoon making Eric an offer he couldn’t refuse to purchase his vacation home from him. With Bernie’s help and negotiation skills, Eric agreed on ten percent above asking price along with my promise that I’d personally pack up and move all his artwork and other belongings into storage. I couldn’t wait to start painting over the purple and tearing down all the mirrors!
Thatch and I had both agreed to take things slow. He insisted that we couldn’t disrupt Thaddeus’ stable home life until we were completely sure we were making the right decision.
Translation: He needed more time to make sure he was ready to take a chance on me.
I certainly could’ve afforded to buy a bigger property in a nicer neighborhood, but why do that when I wasn’t exactly sure how long I would be there – and I loved my neighbors. At the back of my mind, there was also the thought that if I went too big and grand, there was no way Thatch would ever consider sharing the space with me if we ever ended up going down that road in the future. A small house in the suburbs was affordable and perfect.
“Well, welcome home Miss Huntington,” Zak said, stepping through the bushes that separated his driveway from mine.
“Have you been lurking in the foliage all day anticipating my return, Mr. Solano?” I teased, giving him a big hug.
“I have been a bit of a curtain-twitcher for the last twenty-four hours… I’m not gonna lie.”
“I have some exciting news, my curtain-twitching friend.”
“Oh, yeah? You and your hot and hunky tattoo man finally proclaimed undying love for one another and are going to live happily ever after in a big castle made entirely of ice, surrounded by a moat filled with angel dust and fairy wings?”
I rolled my eyes at him as I laughed. “Not quite yet. But, he’s at least going to give us a try. We’re ‘taking it slow’,” I added, using air quotes to demonstrate whose idea it was to take it slow.
“Ah. At least it’s a start, girly.”
“Yep. What I was actually going to say is that you have a new neighbor.”
“What do you mean?” Zak asked, eyebrow arched.
“I just bought this house from Eric.”
“Oh my God, that’s wonderful news!” Zak exclaimed, grabbing me by the waist and spinning us both around. “Come on, let’s go tell Tony and Hayles. There might even be some of Tony’s killer chili in it for you… if you play your cards right.”
***
It was after ten that night, as I lay lounging on my couch catching up on several weeks’ worth of Vampire Diaries episodes, that I heard the sound of the front door opening. I’d cut Thatch a key and given it to him before he left L.A.
He climbed over the back of the couch and scooted his way in next to me, so my legs were across his lap and the side of his body pressed tight to mine.
“Hi,” he smiled, kissing me on the nose.
“Hi,” I smiled back, pulling him in a little closer for a real kiss.
“What are we watching?” he finally asked after I greeted him properly.
“The Vampire Diaries. You ever seen it?”
“I don’t really watch much T.V.,” he replied apologetically. “Fill me in on what I’ve missed.”
“You’re going to regret you ever asked me that,” I giggled.
Thirty minutes later…
“But wait, you said her name was Elena.”
“It is. The same actress is also playing her doppelganger, Catherine. When she’s cute and sassy, she’s Elena. When she’s fierce and bitchy, she’s Catherine. When she’s Catherine she is all over Stefan like white on rice. But Elena is hot for Damon.”
“Damon’s the one with the squinty eyes and the drinking problem?”
“Yeah, only it’s not really a problem, as all vamps apparently drink a lot to lessen their blood cravings… or something like that.”
“The guy has had almost a full bottle of scotch in the thirty minutes I’ve been watching. Call it what you want, but that’s a problem,” Thatch grimaced. “Stefan’s the perpetually sad-looking one, right?”
“Yes, only that guy on screen now isn’t Stefan, but Silas. Stefan has a doppelganger, too.”
“You’re just fucking with me now, aren’t you?” Thatch laughed.
“Oh, if only I were,” I laughed back. “You miss a single episode of this show and there’s a chance you’ll never catch up to what’s going on.”
The closing credits began to roll and Thatch breathed out a heavy sigh of relief.
“Thank God. I thought I was going to have to break up with you if you made me watch any more of that crap.”
“Don’t diss the C.W., man,” I said in mock-horror. “You’re not supposed to follow the plotlines. You just have to look at all the pretty people and enjoy.”
“This coming from the girl who was watching a silent film the night I met her.”
“What can I say, I have varied tastes when it comes to television,” I giggled.
“I think I may need something with a bit more substance,” Thatch said, settling in to rest his head against my side, putting his feet up on the couch so we were almost in spooning position.
“By substance, do you mean action?”
“Maybe. What else you got saved on that DVR of yours?”
I settled back against his chest and pulled up my long list.
“Oh, I’ve heard of Game of Thrones,” Thatch exclaimed from behind me. “Rufus is always telling me I need to watch that show.”
I rolled my eyes although he wouldn’t be able to see it from his position. God, help me now. If he thought Vampire Diaries was a challenge to follow, Game of Thrones might just make his head explode.
“Let’s start with episode one, then,” I suggested.
Thatch
“It’s nice hanging out like this, Thatch,” California said after we’d watched an episode of Game of Thrones. “I think this might be the longest we spent alone, without jumping each other’s bones.”
“Would you be mad if I told you that’s pretty much all I’ve been thinking about since I got here?” I replied.
“Oh, thank God I’m not the only one. Bedroom. Now,” she said, turning off the T.V.
***
“A heart-shaped bed is not as comfortable as one would expect, is it?” I said as I pulled California in for a post-coital snuggle.
“Oh, I don’t know. I was thinking of keeping it,” she answered. The gleam in her eye told me she was joking.
“What are your plans for this house, anyway?”
“I’m thinking of tearing down that wall in the living room and expanding the kitchen a little. And, of course, new paint throughout. I was hoping you might like to give some input on some of the changes. If you’re planning on staying o
ver often, I’d love to turn one of the two guestrooms into a room for Thaddeus. Or is it too soon to be thinking like that?”
“Maybe. I don’t know. It might be nice to start off with staying here with him on the weekends – bearing in mind I have four-day weekends most of the time.”
“He does love that pool…” Cali added with a smile.
“That he does,” I smiled back, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
“We still haven’t had the money talk yet, have we?” she said hesitantly.
“I know,” I responded with a sigh. “I don’t need or want your money, California.”
“Yeah, I know that. But we still have to acknowledge the fact that I have a lot of it.”
“Which is why I’m a little surprised you bought this house.”
“Would you be comfortable if I bought a huge mansion or rented a permanent suite in a luxury hotel?”
“No.”
“Well, there’s your answer then.”
“Will you be happy here?” I asked.
“In Vegas, or in this house specifically?”
“Both.”
“Yes – to both. I love this house just because I love my neighbors. I love the little neighborhood and feel safe here. I love the fact that the house can be altered to fit my – our – needs, and I love the fact that it isn’t too much of a stretch to imagine you and Thaddeus moving in here with me one day, even if it’s only until we find a place together sometime in the distant future,” California said.
“I’m living with my dad because I’ve been saving money for Thaddeus. For his college and eventually the plan was to buy my own home. I could’ve easily afforded to move out of the shop a while ago. It was just easier before Thaddeus was in preschool to have my dad there to watch him while I was at work. It was a way to keep an eye on my dad, too. I don’t think he needs me as much anymore. I won’t ever be a kept man, California. A life with me would be much… smaller… than the one you’ve grown up in.”
“Well, that life didn’t exactly end up being so great as it turns out. A smaller life would be a good thing. It’s what I want,” she added. “Besides, if you ever move in here with me, those H.O.A. fees aren’t going to pay themselves,” she joked. “I was also thinking about trying to do some of the renovations myself.”