“I should’ve told you this over the phone last week,” Selena finally said, breaking the silence. “It would’ve given you time to process the news.”
“Why didn’t you?” I asked curiously.
“It also would’ve allowed you to run a background check on Charlie,” she teased.
“That’s a bad thing?”
“Only if you don’t trust me,” Selena countered.
“Sis, there are situations where I am going to trust you and your intentions while doubting those around you. It doesn’t mean I trust you less. It just means I’m proceeding with caution.”
“And you think this is one of those times? All you know about Charlie is his age, and you’re ready to doubt him. It seems a little jaded, big brother.”
“Life has taught me to be cautious with those I love, Selena. Never doubt for a second I love you, but you’ve got to give me a little bit of a break here. I didn’t even know you were seeing anyone, and they sprung it on me before I get inside the house.”
“I know you love me, and it’s why we’re having a mature conversation.”
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure,” she said, tilting her head so she could look up at me.
“Are you happy?”
“Deliriously so,” she admitted. A sly smile crept across her face. “Charlie had a big problem with the age difference when he found out he was fifteen years older than I was, but it never bothered me. He started avoiding me and making excuses why he couldn’t meet me for coffee or a drink. Charlie wanted me to date someone closer my age, but I’ve never liked guys my age. They’re too immature.”
“I can see where that would be an issue for you,” I admitted. “Are you guys on the same page about what you see five, ten, and fifteen years down the road?”
“You’re getting a little ahead of yourself there, Gabe. We haven’t been dating for very long.”
“It doesn’t always matter. Just answer me this: will this guy do everything in his power to make sure your dreams of becoming a doctor are realized?”
“I will,” a deep voice said. I glanced up and saw Charlie had come to see what was holding us up. I admired his bravery.
“Charlie Higgins,” he said, approaching me with and out-stretched hand.
“Gabriel Roman-Wyatt,” I said, gripping his hand firmly.
“My ears were burning,” Charlie teased. “As independent and fierce as she is, I didn’t feel right about leaving Selena out here to face the music so to speak.”
“I’m not angry; I’m surprised,” I assured him. I had many questions flying through my mind, but none of them were my business. Only one thing mattered, and I decided to lay it on the line for him. “You and I won’t have any problems as long as you treat my sister with the care and respect she deserves.”
“I promise.”
The three of us went inside the house to find everyone else.
“Poolside,” Selena said. “Mama prepared a feast, and I believe she asked Daddy to set up the tables on the veranda so we could enjoy the nice weather. It’s been so humid lately, so we’re enjoying the break for however long it lasts.”
Josh glanced up from sipping a margarita when I walked onto the veranda. “Hey, I’m not driving.”
I dropped down in the chair beside him and accepted the glass of lemonade he extended to me. I kissed his smiling lips before I quenched my thirst.
Bonita set up a delicious, buffet-style feast. I didn’t put as much on my plate as I wanted because I knew the combination of filling food and warm air would make me sleepy, and I had several more hours of driving left. I kept my portions small so I could sample a little bit of everything and not stuff myself as I did on Thanksgiving.
We kept the conversation light and caught up with what was going on in everyone’s lives. Charlie seemed like a good guy and appeared to care about Selena and her dreams. Bonita, Miguel, and my other sisters seemed to like him just fine, so who the hell was I to give them grief? I’d save my chest-thumping for a time when I felt it was warranted.
After lunch, everyone walked us to our van to see us off. Hugs and handshakes were exchanged then Josh gave Bonita several recent pictures of the twins. She held them against her chest after silently staring at them for several minutes. “I can’t wait to see Destiny and Dylan again,” she said with tears in her voice. “I’m so excited to be a part of their lives. You don’t know how much it means to me. Thank you.”
“We love you,” Josh said. “Of course, we want you in their lives. Besides, without you, I wouldn’t have Gabe and the kids. I would have a hole in my universe I could never fill. I thank you and your act of love every day, Bonita.”
“Oh, you always say the sweetest things,” Bonita said then sniffled as she wiped away her tears. “You guys drive carefully. Let me know if you want to stop by on your way home, and I’ll gladly feed you again.”
“Be careful what you wish for,” I warned before hugging her one last time. “I’ll text you when we arrive so you won’t worry.”
“Thank you, Gabe.”
The interior of the van was stifling hot when we got back inside it. Josh adjusted the temperature controls, and I rolled down the windows until the air coming out of the vents was cool. Once I backed out of the driveway, I honked and returned everyone’s waves as we drove down the street.
“I wish we could’ve stayed longer,” Josh said. “I feel like we ate and ran.”
“We did, but Bonita knew to expect it since we have a lot of driving left.”
“Bonita knows where we’re going, but I don’t?” Josh asked.
“She knows the state and number of hours left on our drive, not where we’ll be staying or what we’ll be doing.”
Josh snorted. “I bet she can guess what we’ll be doing.”
“I’m going to bet Bonita doesn’t allow her mind to go there,” I countered.
“You handled the thing with Charlie well, Gabe. I’m impressed.”
“Thank you,” I said as a suspicious thought wormed its way into my brain. “You didn’t seem very surprised.”
“I wasn’t,” Josh replied casually. “I’ve known about Charlie for a while now.” I don’t know why his admission felt like an act of betrayal, but right or wrong, that’s how it felt. “It wasn’t my place to tell you, babe.” He accurately read my mind, or maybe it was my tense body language. “Besides, you would know these things if you ever engaged on social media.”
“Devil’s creation,” I replied. I would never get over my dislike of social media. Up until that moment, I had expected Josh to stay relevant with those types of things and keep me updated. I realized my game plan wasn’t going to work.
Josh chuckled. “I know exactly what you’re thinking.”
“You can’t possibly.”
“You’re wondering how you can trust me to tell you important things when our kids are older.”
“I was not.”
“You were, and I’ll explain to you why you’ll be able to trust me. Are you ready?” He didn’t wait for me to answer him before continuing. “The most obvious reason is your sister is an intelligent, free-thinking woman who is in love for the first time in her life. No, she didn’t tell me about Charlie. It’s what I observed with my own eyes when I saw the pictures she posted on the devil’s creation. You saw the smile on her face today, right?”
“Yes.”
“It’s only a fraction of what I’ve seen in the pictures. It was her place to tell you, not mine. I don’t feel the same way when it comes to our kids, because we’re equal partners in their lives. I would never keep secrets about our children from you. Dylan and Destiny will know it as soon as they’re old enough to understand.”
“I couldn’t ask for anything more,” I replied honestly. “I can promise you the same respect too.”
Josh leaned over the console and kissed my cheek. “Selena will be just fine, Gabe. I can tell these things.”
I wasn’t sure how Josh and
I would handle a long road trip together. Even though we went together like peas and carrots, our personalities, especially our choice of entertainment, were vastly different. We took turns choosing music, and I flipped over to a sports talk show when Josh decided he wanted to read a beta copy of Chaz’s upcoming book release. I had no idea what a beta copy was, but he was excited, and I got to find out the latest sports gossip.
It didn’t take me long to get caught up on the trade rumors in the NBA, how the NFL rookies were doing in camps, and world series predictions. Nothing I learned was all that surprising, but I loved the way the different hosts approached each topic. Sometimes, they all agreed, and other times, they argued like Dylan and Destiny over a toy. I glanced over at Josh to see if the back-and-forth bickering was bothering him, but he was too absorbed in his book to notice.
I chuckled at the way he bit his bottom lip like he did when something was getting suspenseful in a movie or television show. I’d read enough of Chaz’s books to know he liked to shake things up a bit, so I figured he must’ve leaned more toward a thriller than a romance with the new book. A few seconds later, I saw Josh reach up and fiddle with the collar of his T-shirt out of the corner of my eye. Biting lips and fidgeting with clothes made me think he was reading something sexy instead of scary. It wasn’t a minute later before he started squirming in his seat a little.
I reached over and gently squeezed his thigh. “It must be a hot book.”
Josh loudly gasped and dropped his Kindle on the floorboard between his feet. “Jesus!” he exclaimed. “You scared the fuck out of me.”
“Don’t say Jesus and fuck in the same sentence,” I chastised.
“I didn’t, but you just did. I put an exclamation mark after Jesus and started a new sentence.”
Okay, maybe he had me there. “What made you so jumpy?”
“This is Chaz’s best book to date. It’s suspenseful, sexy, and a little taboo.”
“Taboo?” I asked.
“Taboo-ish.”
“What does that even mean?” I guess anyone could apply the word taboo to just about any situation.
“Well, the main characters aren’t blood-related,” Josh said. “The state they live in would recognize them as brothers, however.”
“Whoa.”
“It’s not nearly as tawdry as I just made it sound,” Josh rushed to tell me. “Their parents met and married when they were little kids. Their bond was instantaneous and innocent, but over time…”
“It became less innocent?”
Josh nodded. “There’s so much more to it though. The older brother—for lack of a better word—joined the military to get away from the younger brother. He wanted to resist temptation and do right by him which he thought he was doing by staying away. A series of events occur when he comes home on leave for a family emergency and grief breaks the tenuous control he’s always had, and it sets off a chain reaction that will impact their lives and keep them separated for more than a decade. They’ve just reconnected, and I had to bite my lip from crying. It’s beautiful.”
I had to admit it sounded interesting.
“The heart wants what the heart wants,” Josh softly said as he retrieved his book. This time, he placed his left hand palm up on the console, inviting me to hold his hand.
I returned my attention to sports talk, and Josh got lost in his fictional world again, but our joined hands kept us tethered to each other.
PLAYING DUMB WAS HARDER to do than I ever imagined. When we crossed over the North Carolina state line, I started guessing all the places we were going in the state. I knew damn well we were heading to Tarlington House located south of Charleston, South Carolina. Once I saw the name on the credit card statement, I couldn’t resist looking into the history of the majestic home built in 1810. My God, the stories those walls could tell. As beautiful as I found the home to be, I wasn’t excited about staying in a plantation home I assumed was built on the backs of slaves and overlooked fields worked by slaves. Then I read about the role the plantation played in the Underground Railroad system and was reminded not to rush to judgment and make assumptions.
Tarlington House was built by Jeffrey Tarlington, a union sympathizer who worked his land with only the help of his wife and eight children. They used the plantation’s proximity to the river to help slaves escape, knowing they would be killed if anyone ever found out. Once I learned the facts, I couldn’t wait to sleep under the same roof as such a brave family.
I wanted to wipe the smug grin off Gabe’s face when my fake guesses fell short each time, but I wouldn’t ruin the fun trip he planned with my need to always come out on top. I smiled mischievously because I had plenty of ideas about how I could come out on top once we arrived.
“What’s up with the big smile?” Gabe asked suspiciously.
“I’m just happy to have this time with you.”
“Yeah, I can tell it’s a genuine reply, but I also know there’s more to your smug smile. What do you have packed in those bags?”
“I didn’t bring our sex swing if that’s what you’re asking.”
Gabe snorted. “I was thinking smaller, more portable items.”
“Well, since you assured me we wouldn’t be going through airport security, I did bring along some fun things—both old and new.”
“I didn’t realize you meant sex toys when you said you were shopping for vacation,” Gabe teased.
“I figured you would appreciate some surprises too.”
“Every day is a surprise with you, Sunshine.” Lucky for him, I heard the affection in his voice.
“How much further before we reach our destination?” I asked. “I need to use the bathroom.”
“We have a few hours yet, but I’ll need to stop for gas soon.”
“You want me to use a bathroom at a gas station?” Did he even know me?
“I figured we’d find an exit that also has a few restaurants to choose from,” Gabe replied. “You need clean bathrooms, and I need to recharge my batteries.”
“Good deal,” I agreed. “I could use a recharge for my batteries too.”
“Something fast or something good?”
“Both,” I answered. “Oh, there’s a Popeyes chicken at the next exit. We have ourselves a winner.”
After a quick fill-up at the gas station, Gabe drove to Popeyes. He ordered our food to go at the counter while I went to the bathroom. We traded places when I was through then we got back on the road.
“Babe, we could’ve eaten this inside the restaurant where you could enjoy it better.”
“Nah, I’m hoping to time our arrival so you can see our vacation spot as the sun sets.”
The drive to Charleston was supposed to take nine hours and fifty minutes in normal traffic but stopping for a visit at Bonita’s added another hour to our travel time, and there was an accident on the interstate, causing a thirty-minute delay. I figured our almost ten-hour trip would take closer to twelve by the time we arrived at Tarlington House. It would put us there at about eight o’clock, giving us a bit of time to settle in and enjoy the sunset. I hoped Gabe was able to finagle one of the rooms off the gorgeous second-story balcony. I could easily picture drinking mojitos and watching the sun set from one of those rocking chairs I saw in the photos on the Tarlington House website. I had to hand it to my husband; he sure knew how to pick a vacation spot.
“Did you finish your book?” Gabe asked.
“Not yet. I want to devour every word, but I want to savor it at the same time.”
“Like a scrumptious apple pie?”
“Yes, like a decadent dessert you never want to stop eating. I think I’ll play a game on my iPad instead.”
“What game?” Gabe asked.
“Clue. It’s my favorite board game and now my favorite app.”
“Why have we never played Clue?”
I snorted. “If you think I’m good at Monopoly, you should see me at Clue.”
“I’m not surprised. Do you imitate Deputy C
hief Brenda Leigh Johnson when you play?”
“Does your dick get hard when I spin on my pole?” I asked, making Gabe laugh.
“I’d like to make a prediction, y’all,” Gabe said in a baby soft, Southern accent. “I think it was Miss Scarlett, in the library, with the candlestick. Thank you.”
“You do a pretty mean Brenda Leigh, babe. Maybe it can be your next Halloween costume.”
“It would be a vast improvement over our Miami Vice costumes,” Gabe countered. “Please don’t make me wear one of her ugly sweaters though. Pick one of the prettier outfits.”
“You got it,” I assured him. “Who should I dress as then?”
“Fritzy, of course,” Gabe replied. He used the same voice Brenda used when she was trying to charm Fritz into doing something he didn’t like and using a nickname he liked even less. His costume suggestion had a lot of merit.
“Oh, we’re heading into South Carolina,” I said excitedly. “You’re taking me to Myrtle Beach. I haven’t been there since I was a kid.”
“Nope, but I will at least confirm our vacation destination is in the same state. You can go ahead and text our mothers with the update so it’s not so obvious you want to find out how the babies are doing.”
“They’re probably giving the babies their baths and getting them ready for bed. I’ll wait until we get there and get settled.”
“Maybe we can FaceTime Dylan and Destiny in the morning. You don’t think it will upset them too much, do you?”
“Dylan and Destiny are getting spoiled rotten every single second of each day we’re away. This is much harder on us than it is on them,” I told Gabe. “I did bring an extra copy of their favorite book so we could read a bedtime story to them.”
“You think of everything,” Gabe said. “No wonder you brought so many bags.”
“I do like to be prepared,” I agreed. Once I learned about our destination, I accidentally saw another surprise Gabe had in store for me because the event was listed on the website. Gabe said he had everything planned out, but I packed some extra things to be sure.
Ride or Dye (Curl Up and Dye Mysteries, #6) Page 4