by LeAnn Ashers
“I have grandbabies?” my mom asks through her tears, her eyes lit up.
“Yeah. Ethan and Sydney. Ethan is twenty-seven and Sydney is twenty-four.”
“You have any pictures?” Mom asks, her voice slightly excited. I smile and take out my phone. I show her a picture of Ethan and Sydney together side by side. When I hand her the phone, she gasps.
“Look, Charles!” She hops out of her seat and moves too fast for someone her age so she can show Dad. “Ethan looks like me,” Dad breathes. Ethan’s built and stature are a lot like my dad’s. He also acts like him. A gentle giant.
“He is a gentle giant just like you.” I voice my thoughts. “Sydney is a sweetheart but is feisty once she gets mad.”
Dad laughs at that and looks at me with a gleam in his eye. “Lyn, you used to get into fights all the time. Those poor boys didn’t know what to do.”
Mom smacks him on the shoulder. “Don’t encourgae such behavior.” She scolds him but winks at me. “Beth, you know she got that from you! When I met you, you knocked me on my butt with a frying pan.”
“Mom!” I laugh, and Dave laughs along with me. This is the first time I have ever heard of this.
“You shouldn’t sneak up on me!” She pinches the side of his neck, and he shoots out of his seat. My parents have fought like this my whole life, but they love each other in a way that is all-consuming, which made them the envy of everyone.
“Woman!” He wraps his arms around her and rubs his sharp five o’ clock shadow along her face. She screams, stomping on his feet. He pulls away. Her face is red.
“Your parents are crazy,” Dave says, laughing and holding his stomach. I wipe my eyes. “They have always been like that.” I smile at him and go back to watching my parents. I feel all of my burdens slip away.
~*~
The next morning-
I turn over in Dave’s arms, yawning. We stayed up half the night with my parents. My dad never let me out of his reach for more than a few minutes. When it was time for bed, they put Dave and me in different bedrooms—to them it doesn’t matter if we are together or not—which lasted all of thirty minutes before he crawled into bed with me.
My door swings open and hits the wall, knocking the picture to the floor. Dave jumps up and moves on top of me, curling his body around me protectively.
I look over at the door and see my dad standing there with a shotgun in his hands. Is he doing what I think he is?
“Boy, I think you’ve woken up in the wrong bed.” My dad cocks his shotgun, and I burst out laughing. Then I see Dad standing there with a huge smile on his face.
“Charles! Get down here this instant and leave your daughter alone!” Mom yells from downstairs, and my dad drops his smile, does an about face, and walks down the stairs.
“I am sorry,” I tell Dave. He tightens his arms around my neck, while I run my hands down his back. His body is shaking with laughter. I touch his strong cheek and lean forward to kiss him. His hand floats up to hold my face to control the kiss.
“Lyn! Time to eat,” Mom yells loudly from downstairs. I break the kiss, and my head hits the pillow.
“I think we should get a hotel tonight, so I can make love to you,” Dave whispers softly into my ear and pushes off of me before I can say or do anything.
“Hotel sounds like a great idea,” I agree and toss the blanket off of me. I raise my arms above my head, stretching.
Since I have been with Dave, I have craved his touch in each and every way I can get it.
I head downstairs in my pajama pants and Dave’s T shirt. My dad is sitting at the dining room table with his gun propped in the corner of the room. Shaking my head, I enter the kitchen, where my mother has homemade biscuits, gravy, and fried potatoes resting on the stove.
“Need my help, Ma?” I ask, and she looks up from the stove at me, grinning from ear to ear. Her eyes have that mischevious glint in them that got herself into trouble one too many times. If my dad wasn’t a police officer and could get her out of it, she probably would have been in jail more than once. She takes no smack from those old fannies in town, and let’s just say, Nancy’s nose still isn’t the same.
“Help me carry this to the table?” She puts everything into large bowls with spoons sitting inside.
“Sure.” I grab the potatoes and gravy and carry them into the dining room just as Dave enters. I set the stuff onto the table, and he wraps his arm around me, his mouth touching my ear. “I like you in my shirt.” His breath is tickling my ear. I shudder and blush.
“How long have you been married?” My mom asks, breaking the moment. My heart hits the ground at her words. This will make everything more awkward. A million times more awkward. I look over at my mom, who is grinning knowingly. Then I look to my dad, who is staring at us with an arched eyebrow.
I pull away from Dave and sit down beside my dad. Dave comes up and sits beside me.
“Well, you going to answer me?”
I put my hands over my face and groan.
“We aren’t married yet, but soon,” Dave answers her. Soon? Did I catch that right?
I drop my hands and look at Dave, who is already looking at me. “Yes, baby, soon,” he confirms. I jerk in shock. Does he mean that? Would I say yes? That’s a for sure yes. Do I love him? Yes. I think I fell in love with him the very moment he protected me the first night I met him.
I hide my smile and grab my fork, digging in.
“You have my permission,” Dad says, and I look up at him, shocked. Dave squeezes my leg. I look at my mom, wondering if she is as shocked as me. But no, she winks at me, fanning her face, mouthing, He’s hot to me.
I will miss them so much when I leave tomorrow. I missed their banter, my dad’s crazy protective ways, my mom’s constant trouble that followed her.
Chapter Eight
I am leaving my parents. I am standing beside the rented vehicle when Dave loads everything up. Mom and Dad are walking down the front steps with a sad expression on both of their faces.
They stop in front of me and look at each other, sharing a secret smile. “I think we need a change of scenery.”
“What?” I ask and stare at them, confused.
“I think it’s time we move somewhere else.” I am shocked they are even talking about this. They always loved it here.
“Where would you go?”
“I heard Raleigh, Texas is great,” Dad says with a smile.
My mouth hits the ground.
“You guys are moving to Raleigh?” I stutter out and move closer to them.
“Yeah, I want to see my grandbabies and great grandbabies,” Mom says with tears in her eyes. I rush forward to hug her. I want my family close together, so it was paining me to leave them again.
Sydney called me last night and told me that Kane lost a cousin of his. She left behind a three-year-old little girl who they are adopting. Her name is Arabella. I am going to be a grandmother.
“You guys sure about this?” I ask and hug her tighter, praying she doesn’t change her mind.
“We are sure,” my dad answers for her, and I move from my mom’s arms to his, hugging him tightly. I pull back a minute later. “I love you guys. See you soon.” I smile and walk over to the passenger side of the car. Dave is already inside.
He backs up and turns in the driveway, then pulls out onto the main highway.
“Thank you for bringing us together.” I thank Dave and grab his hand, putting it in my lap.
“Welcome, baby. I can sense a huge weight has been lifted off your shoulders in the last two days.”
“Yeah, I needed this, but now I need to get to my daughter.”
Three months later
I walk out of the kitchen and into the living room. Dave is sitting on the floor, with a tiara on his head, feathers around his neck, holding a cup in his hand with his pinky in the air. I put my hand over my mouth so as not to laugh. It’s too cute.
The moment we met Arabella, we fell in love. It makes me sa
d that I can’t have any more kids. I had my tubes tied a few years after Sydney, and my age plays a big factor in that also.
“Princess Papa, mile!” Arabella says and touches his cheek, making him smile. He does as she asks, and I laugh at her calling him Princess Papa. He glares at me, but that’s when his front door opens and Kane and Sydney walk in.
They both stop when they see Dave dressed up like a princess. Kane smiles knowingly, while Sydney bursts out laughing. Dave still has his pinky up.
I love that man.
“Daddy!” Arabella screams and runs to Kane. He scoops her off the ground, and she immedietely tucks her head in the side of his neck, hugging him. She sits up and reaches for Sydney next, who grins at her. You can see how much she loves her. It’s written all over her face.
“Hi, baby.” She takes Arabella and rests her on her hip.
Dave wraps his arm around my waist. He has taken off his princess gear. I officially moved in with Dave two days ago. My parents now live in my house, and I live here with Dave. No point in my parents taking out a mortgage on a house when they can have mine. I have practically been living with Dave since we got back from visting. My horse is in his barn and has been for two months.
“Bye, Mom,” Sydney yells.
“Wait,” Arabella says and squirms in Sydney’s arms. Sydney sets her down, and she runs to Dave, who picks her up and kisses her on the forehead.
“Bye, Papa.”
When he sets her down, she comes to me next. I hug her, and she gives me a bear hug as she calls it. “Bye, Nana.”
“Bye, sweetheart.” I kiss her cheek. She lets me go and runs back to Kane and Sydney. This time, she takes both of their hands. When Arabella came to them, she was afraid of the world. Her home life was pure hell for a baby. It took a couple of weeks before she came out of her shell, revealing the little girl we now see.
They walk out, and I sit down on the couch with Dave beside me. “I wish my kids were still little,” I voice and lay back against the couch.
“We could always adopt,” Dave suggests, and I look over at him. I never thought of that.
“Maybe.” I shrug and rest my head on his shoulder. His arm comes around me.
“Your friend?”
“The one I am going to try to set up with Daniel.”
Dave laughs. “My little matchmaker.”
“Hey.” I pout and smack him lightly on the chest when my phone rings on the coffee table. I reach forward and see my dad is calling.
“Hello?”
“Who’s Marcus?” Dad asks angrily. I sit up straight on the couch. How does he know about Marcus?
“He’s nobody, Dad. What’s wrong?” I put my hand over my mouth worriedly. Dave puts his hand on my back, giving me his silent support.
“He came by here, threatening your mom, asking where you moved to. She hit him with that skillet, then I tossed him into his truck.” My dad’s voice gets darker the longer he talks. I gasp when he says Mom hit him.
Dave takes the phone from me. “What is it?” he asks too calmly.
Dave
“I am leaving now,” I tell her dad and stand up, leaving Evelyn sitting on the couch.
“What’s wrong?” Evelyn asks and grabs my forearm. I look down at her and see her concerned eyes. She shouldn’t be feeling this right now. Marcus is becoming a menace and needs to be stopped before he gets out of hand.
“Your dad and I are going to go talk to Marcus,” I state and move toward the door.
“No, wait,” Evelyn says loudly and runs in front of me. I look down at her and feel my body let go some of that anger. This woman in front of me can bring me to my knees with one look.
“I don’t want you to go and get hurt.” Her eyes fill with tears, and I grit my teeth. I want to go pound that guy’s face in, but seeing her hurt and scared over this hurts me a million times worse.
Stepping forward, I wrap my arms around her. She settles her head on my chest, her little fist clutching at the back of my shirt like she is afraid I will run off.
“I love you,” she says against my chest, and my heart stops. Did she just say that?
I pull back, and she lifts her head from my chest so she is looking directly into my eyes. “I love you, Dave. The thought of something happening to you is unbareable,” she whispers, and I can see she means every word.
I love her too. I’ve loved her since that moment my eyes met hers four months ago.
“I love you too, darlin’.”
She closes her eyes, her little hands shaking as she lifts them to my chest. I cup my hands around her face, and she opens her eyes. A tear falls, and I catch it with my thumb before I lean down and press her lips to mine.
Evelyn
Oh my god. He loves me. When his mouth connects with mine, my body shakes uncontrollably. I cry against his mouth as the raw love I feel for this man is pouring out of me. His arms around my back are lifting me off the ground.
I wrap my legs around his waist. One of his hands move to my hair, while the other perches under my butt to hold me up. I feel him walking, but I can’t move my lips from his. I want to soak all of him in.
I feel the couch at my back, and he pulls away, breaking the kiss. He stares down at my heated eyes when I pull my shirt over my head, taking my bra with it. Dave stands up, unbuttoning his pants and pulling off his shirt. We can’t get naked fast enough.
He settles between my legs, his mouth on mine, his dick pressed to my entrance. There won’t be any foreplay. This is our desire to be as close to each other as humanly possible, joined fully.
He slams inside, and I throw my head back, screaming. I wrap my legs around his waist. He kisses my neck as he slams in again and again. The whole couch is moving, squeaking from the power of his thrusts.
I claw at his back, my body straining at the power of the orgasm that’s ready to plow through me.
“Dave,” I moan and tilt my hips.
“I have you, baby.” He swivels his hips and hits my sweet spot. I scream as I come, the spams racking my body over and over again.
“Evelyn,” he groans over and over as I feel him fill me full of seed. His body fall on top of mine.
“I love you, darlin’,” he says against my ear and kisses the underside of my jaw.
“I love you too, so much.” I wrap my arms around his neck, hugging him.
“Marry me.”
Does he mean it?
He raises his heads so he’s looking me dead in the eye.
“Marry me, baby, and spend the rest of your life with me.”
“Yes, yes, yes,” I agree and kiss him. That sets off another round, but this time, it is soft and slow.
Chapter Nine
“Come in, Michelle!” I open the door and let her in.
“Hi, Evelyn. It’s been forever.” She smiles and pulls me into a hug. I hug her back.
“How are your kids?” I ask while I lead her into the kitchen, where I am dishing everything up. Dave is out on our padio, grilling steaks.
“Great! Claire has a boyfriend and Dane is in football now.” I catch the major eyeroll at the mention of her daughter having a boyfriend.
“How’s the boyfriend?” I ask her, smirking. I remember when Sydney had her first boyfriend. Ethan ran him off two weeks into the relationship.
“I don’t like him. He’s a douche bag. He undermines her right in front of me. It’s subtle, but she doesn’t catch it. They won’t be in a relationship long.”
I can tell she is worried about her daughter. Michelle was in an abusive relationship and left her husband right after Dane was born. He didn’t start hitting her until Claire was three years old after he lost his job, but he always made her feel bad about her appearance.
He beat her bad enough to break a couple of bones, which was when she left him. She left, got a restraining order, and he hasn’t been seen in ten years. Michelle is a nurse. She’s also five foot nothing and one hundred and twenty pounds. She is petite, and it breaks my h
eart to think of someone that small getting hit. She has long, blond hair and large, blue eyes. Her daughter looks the exact same. A heartbreaker in the making.
What Michelle doesn’t know is that Daniel is on the porch with Dave. Daniel doesn’t know Michelle is here. But the other guys do.
“So, are you dating?” I ask like it’s no big deal while I chop up some vegetables for the salad.
“Nah, no one has caught my eye in ten years, and I doubt it will happen anytime soon.” She waves her hand in the air and walks over to the glass door that leads out to the patio.
I bite my lip, waiting for her reaction.
“Holy,” she starts then ducks out of the way. I laugh slightly. Michelle has a thing for guys with that bad boy look, and Daniel has that.
“What is it?” I ask innocently.
“That guy out there,” she stutters with wide eyes, her finger pointing in the direction of the guys.
“He’s having dinner with us.” I shrug, but I feel her eyes boring into me.
“What’s on your hand?” she asks next, and I grin. I lift my left hand and show her my engagement ring.
“OH MY GOD!” she screams at the top of her lungs and runs over to me, hugging me. I laugh and hug her back. I look over her shoulder and see Dave looking in through the window, but he pulls away before Daniel looks.
“I am so happy for you!” She jumps up and down, holding me before letting go. Then she goes to the counter and grabs the dishes of food. I take the others, and we set them on the middle of the dining room table.
The glass door opens and Dave walks inside with the tray of steaks he has cooked. I spot Daniel come in behind him while Michelle is arranging things on the table.
When Daniel laughs at something Dave said, Michelle stands back up and turns around to look at them.
Daniel looks at her, and immediately, his expression changes and he stumbles slightly, his mouth popping open a bit.
I look at Dave. He is grinning from ear to ear. He saw the same thing I did.
Daniel’s hand is shaking now as he is holding himself up with the help of the counter. Michelle steps forward, and I see that she looks concenered.