"Will they let me in since I'm not family and I'm not eighteen?"
“I think the rules are sixteen, so you should be fine. I'll call ahead to make sure, but I don't think it'll be a problem. We might drag Carl and Andi with us. I think it would do her good to see Carl too."
"Okay.”
"Let me call him. I'm sure he's lying there awake in his bed, thinking about getting laid tomorrow. Wait, I'd better call Aunt Lori first; make sure it's okay with her. Or maybe I'd better call Uncle Keith. I know Aunt Lori would say yes, since she's been trying to convince Carl to go with me for a while now. But Uncle Keith is Dad's brother."
"Sure."
He dialed his uncle's number, waiting for him to pick up.
When he was done talking to his uncle, Tony shut his phone. The low battery signal was beeping so he moved to plug it into the charger.
"What did he say?" Tory leaned over and reached for a cigarette.
"He said it’s okay for Carl to go and that he'll ask Andi's parents but he thinks it will probably be okay with them too. He and Aunt Lori were planning to go visit before New Year's. He said that Mom sounded really good on the phone but really sad too, so they wanted to cheer her up. He asked me if you knew what you were getting in to marrying into our family." He gave her a weak smile. "And of course he asked me if you were pregnant again. He asked if you'd told your parents that we were engaged. When I said you hadn't, he made me promise that you'd call them first thing in the morning. He also said that Carl is already begging him to borrow money so that he can buy an engagement ring for Andi." He gave her a more convincing smile.
"Really?"
"Andi's already telling everyone that will listen that they're going to get married and have three or four kids; which I'm sure thrills her parents to no end. Your son gets blow jobs from his pierced girlfriend in the back yard. Your daughter is already planning out her future with the son of a family friend that she's met like three times. Aunt Lori is throwing a get together to celebrate our engagement tomorrow night. Uncle Keith said she's already cooking up a storm, even though they've still got leftovers from Christmas."
"Wow."
"So we've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow darlin’. We'd better get some sleep."
"We're engaged and you already don't want to have sex with me."
He laughed. "We just had sex like two hours ago."
"We weren't engaged then."
"Ah. You're right. I think we might have enough time to squeeze in a quickie before we turn in."
"A quickie on these sheets? Are you kidding me?”
"So how much convincing is it going to take you to forget about Mr. Nose Ring?"
"I don't know Tony. He was really good looking. It might take a lot to convince me to forget him completely."
"I guess that we'd better get to work huh?"
"Yep. I guess we'd better."
An hour and a half later, she was sexually satisfied, clean from a long shower and asleep in his arms.
Chapter 19
She awoke the next morning around 9 am. Since Tony wasn't in bed she wondered when she would truly wake up in his arms. She reached over and grabbed a cigarette from the night stand, admiring the way the engagement ring looked on her finger. So what if Molli had some stupid promise ring from Jude she thought? He was screwing everything that didn't have a penis and was supposedly planning on breaking up with her as soon as he could find a way to do it without hurting her feelings.
Yeah right, she thought. He was such an ass. How could she ever have been in love with him? As she was lighting her cigarette, Tony came into the room, looking sexy as usual in jeans and a t-shirt that accentuated the muscles in his arms.
"Good morning, future Mrs. Anthony Wilson. Did you sleep well?"
She gave him a grin. "Sure did. Wish I could go to sleep that way every night."
He leaned over and gave her a kiss. "Me too. Carl and Andi are going to be here a little after 10. Carl wanted to take your car but I told him no."
"Why not?"
"Your car doesn't have much of a back seat. I'm afraid that if he and Andi tried to get into a comprising position we might have some issues."
"So that's why Langston bought me a mustang."
Tony chuckled. "It might be. Are you gonna call your mom and dad?"
She sighed. "Do I have to?"
"We're having that dinner at Uncle Keith and Aunt Lori's tonight so you're going to have to call them before then. If you don't they're gonna bug you until you do."
"You just proposed and already they're telling me what to do? What's it going to be like after we get married?"
"You don't wanna know.”
"Don't tell me that or I'll give the ring back."
"I was kidding. Do it and get it over with. What are they going to say? The worst they can do is tell you that you have to wait to get married until you're of a legal age. We already kinda knew that."
"Your family is excited. My mother is probably going to tell me that you don't have enough money in your bank account to bother taking a second look at; let alone marrying. And my Dad, who knows? You got along okay with him on the phone yesterday didn't you? At least he didn't threaten to cut your penis off."
"That's always a plus. We got along okay I guess. He was too busy worrying about you hating him for us to really have much of a conversation."
"He's gonna let us come stay with him over spring break so I guess he must not think that you're totally bad for me right?"
He shrugged. "Just call them."
"Okay."
Who to call first she wondered? Might as well call Lindsey. With any luck, she'd still be passed out drunk and wouldn't answer. She dialed her mother's number, thinking that she still needed to talk to Tony about putting her on his cell plan.
The phone rang and rang and finally switched over to voicemail. She almost laughed when she heard her mother's greeting. "You've reached Lindsey, soon to be Mrs. Loomis Johnston. If this is Langston, go fuck yourself. I'm not telling you where the Jaguar is. You can have all the fun of finding it yourself. Anyone else can leave a message after the tone."
"Hey Mom. Just calling to tell you that Tony proposed. I said yes. And I'm still not pregnant. Talk to you later Mom, bye."
She hung up the phone. Tony was giving her a look. "What?"
"Couldn't you have said something else to her?"
"Like what? You witnessed firsthand how my mother and I converse. You should have heard her message. She told Langston to go fuck himself and that she's not telling him where the Jaguar is."
He sighed. "I'm sure she'll be calling you back soon. Call your dad."
She dialed her Dad's number. He picked up on the third ring. "Hello."
"Hi Dad."
"Hi, Tory. It's good to hear from you, but so soon? Nothing's wrong is it?"
"No Dad, everything's fine. Well, maybe not for Mom's soon to be ex-husband and his Jaguar, but that's not what I called to talk to you about. Tony proposed last night and I said yes."
"Wow honey. Congratulations."
"Thanks Dad.” She wondered how happy he really was about it, because his voice lacked conviction.
"So what is this you were saying about your mother's husband's Jaguar?"
"Well it was hers really. But she said she never liked it, that she had wanted a Mercedes instead. This new guy that she's living with now, I guess she's going to marry him as soon as the divorce with Langston is final. He already bought her a new Mercedes and she did something with the Jaguar. Hid it or something."
"With a car that expensive it's got to have some kind of security system. He can make a call to the company and they'll tell him where it is I'm sure. And I'm sure she wouldn't have done anything too bad to it with a divorce on the way."
"She's not getting anywhere near as much from Langston as she got from any of her other ex-husbands since he made her sign a prenup. This new guy is loaded. I'm sure he could afford to buy Langston another Jag if Mom did anyth
ing too bad to it."
"Must be nice to be rich." Corey sighed.
"Yeah, must be. This new guy is like eighty Dad."
"Eighty? You're kidding right?"
"Well he's seventy-four so that's close enough. He's got a forty year old gay son."
"Wow. Your mother certainly knows how to pick them."
That was the closest her father had ever come to being even a little insulting when it came to her mother she thought. Was he finally beginning to see the light?
But then he said "I'm sorry Tory. I shouldn't have said that. Your mother is a grown woman and is free to marry whomever she sees fit. Tell her that I'm happy for her when you talk to her."
"Sure. I'm sure she'll be calling me soon. I called to tell her that Tony had proposed but she didn't answer. She doesn't think he's good enough for me since he doesn't have a couple of rich assholes for parents."
"Honey, your mother cares about a lot more than money. I'm sure that if she knows you're happy with Tony that that will be enough for her."
"Yeah, right. I bring him home to meet her and she tells me that I should dump him and find some cute rich boy when I go to college. Does it really sound like she cares whether or not I'm happy?"
"It's your life. If you're happy does it really matter if your mother or I are happy with your choices?"
Uh oh, this didn't sound good she thought. "Daddy, are you upset that I said yes?"
"No, honey. I want you to be happy. I just wonder if maybe I'd have been a better father you wouldn't need someone to take care of you so soon. If maybe you wouldn't be rushing in to something like this when you're so young."
"You were always a better parent than Mom was. I'm not looking for a father figure. Besides, it's not like we're planning on getting married tomorrow, or even right after I turn eighteen. It might be two or three years before we get married."
"If you say so honey." But he let out another sigh.
"Didn't you get along with Tony okay on the phone yesterday? Aren't you okay with him coming with me when I come to visit you in the spring?"
"It's not that sweetheart. Tony seems like a bright young man. I'm sure he loves you. It's just that you're my only child Tory, and I've missed way too much of your growing up. You're graduating high school. You're going off to college. Now you're getting married. I can remember when you were a baby, and it seems like yesterday. It's always hard for a parent to let go. Especially when you feel like a failure as a parent."
"You're not a failure. Mom never made things easy for you."
"You can't blame it all on your mother Tory. I should have made different choices in my life. But it's too late now. The best that I can hope for is that you'll still want me to a part of your life as an adult."
"Of course I will, Dad. Mom on the other hand. . ."
"Stop it Tory. Your mother raised you virtually by herself. Of course she made mistakes, but what parent doesn't? You're her life Tory. She might not be the best as showing it, but I know that's how she feels."
"Yeah right. That's why she left me at Langston's when they had their big fight and she ran off to hang out with her new husband to be."
"Maybe she thought you'd be more comfortable there Tory. Don't shut her out of your life. She doesn't deserve that."
"I'm going to have a new stepbrother that's old enough to be my father. Why do I need to deal with that?"
"You don't have to. You don't have to deal with your mother's eighty year old husband. Meet her for lunch every once in a while. Let her take you shopping, whatever. Just spend time with her."
Tory giggled. "He's only seventy-four remember?"
"Yes dear. And I am happy for you sweetheart. It's just hard to think of my baby girl being all grown up. I'd better let you go now honey. I've got some work that needs to be done. I love you Tory, and I miss you more than you'll ever know. Let me know as soon as you can when your spring break is so I can make sure I've got the time free."
"I will Daddy. I love you and miss you too."
"Put my future son-in-law on the phone for a minute will you honey?"
"Okay." She turned to Tony, who was leaning against the headboard, smoking a cigarette. "My Dad wants to talk to you."
He raised an eyebrow. She figured that having heard her side of the conversation, he was wondering what he was in for. She shrugged, handing him the phone.
"Hello," Tony said. "Yes. Thank you. I will, I promise. Yes sir. You too. Bye."
"So." She took her phone from his hand. "What did he say?"
"Just congratulations and to take good care of you."
"Oh. I was scared for a while. He didn't seem too thrilled."
"I guess a lot of people wouldn't be thrilled with their seventeen year old daughter being engaged to a twenty-one year old."
"I guess. He's not too thrilled with the idea of Mom marrying a seventy-four year old either. He sort of insulted her for the first time ever. Then he took it back and apologized of course."
"That's more than you can say for a lot of people Tor. It's not a bad thing that he won't say anything bad about your mother."
"Yeah, I know. I just wish she was the same way."
"Well, one parent that refuses to talk shit about the other is better than nothing right? Are you gonna get dressed? Carl and Andi are gonna be here soon."
"Tony, were you serious before when you said you'd put my phone on your plan?"
"Of course. I don't know if we'll be able to change yours over or have to get you a new one, but it's not a problem either way. And we're changing your number. I don't know how Jude got your number last time, but there's no way in hell it's going to happen again."
"Yes Tony. My big strong protective fiancé."
"You're damn right I am. No one messes with my baby. Get dressed. I don't think they'd let you in to see my mom naked."
"Did you call and check with the hospital to make sure it's okay?"
"Yep. It's the holidays so they're a little more lenient. The limit on visitors at once is usually three but they're gonna let us all in."
"Cool."
There was a loud knock at the door. Tony glanced at his phone. "It's only nine thirty. I wonder why they're here so early. Probably want to get in a quickie before we go." He smiled, but it soon faded. "Unless it's that dude that called earlier looking for meth. Damn, it was so easy to forget that I'm a drug dealer for a while. You stay here Tor. I'll be right back."
"Yes Tony."
She rummaged in her bag for a clean set of clothes, pulling out a bra, panties, jeans and a t-shirt.
She could hear Tony talking to someone in the other room. "He was?" She heard him say. "Damn. I would love to kick that mother fucker's ass. My girl won't let me though."
She heard unfamiliar male laughter. "She's got you whipped huh dude?"
"Shut up Frankie. You've got what, two ex-wives and six kids?"
"Seven kids. And just one ex-wife. The last one never could convince me to marry her."
"How can you afford the child support?"
"I can't. That's why they keep trying to throw me in jail. This last girl I knocked up is forever trying to get me thrown in jail. She only had the kid for the money. And she got all fat and nasty, calling me up at three o'clock in the morning because she wants to get laid. Keeps promising me that if I give her a little dick every once in a while she'll call off the hounds for the child support. Won't let me see my baby girl."
"That sucks."
"Sure does. We missed you these last few days. A new guy’s trying to move in on your business but he's got shit drugs and charges too much. Then there’s Eduardo, running around bragging about how it was so easy to rip you off and trying to sell your shit at twice the price. I think I know a dude who will take care of him for you. You know that big guy they call Smalls right? Real loyal guy. He likes your stuff and knows that you're always fair with the prices. You took care of his cousin that one time. When her old man tried to sell her snatch for crack?"
"I never realized that Smalls was related to Annie."
"Sure as shit is. He was hella disappointed when her old man took off out of town before he could get to him. But I guess you took care of him pretty good, huh?"
"Yeah. My uncle gave that piece of shit some money to get the hell out of town."
"I remember. You hear about what happened to Annie's stepdad? Smalls did get a hold of that mother fucker."
"What happened?"
"Let's just say that he's in an unmarked grave."
"Damn. Crazy shit. Does Smalls hear anything from Annie?"
"Every now and then. She's doin’ real good. It was rough when she first took off, but this guy took her in. She ended up hooking up with his son. Good kid. They had a baby a few months ago, getting married as soon as she turns eighteen."
"That's great."
"Yeah. Smalls has all these pictures on his cell phone of the kid. Big old dude, kick anyone's ass for mistreating’ a woman or a friend, showing off pictures of a little baby."
"Doesn't he have kids of his own?"
"They're his old ladies'. All got different biological fathers too, but Smalls treats every one of ‘em like his own. Let him take care of Eduardo for you."
"I don't want him to end up in jail."
"He won't. He never does. The police chief's his Dad."
"No shit?"
"No shit. Of course it's not something that's public. Smalls’ Mama was a junkie. His Dad's old lady's some rich bitch. So there's no way in hell anyone is ever going to admit publically that Chiefy is Smalls’ old man. Is your Uncle still on the force?"
"Yeah. I just hope that he can make it to retirement without blowing his brains out."
"It's rough. Too much bullshit in this town. Well, I'd better take off. Gotta be at work in a couple hours. It's good to have you back."
Misty Reigenborn Romance Boxed Set Page 136