by Codi Gary
“You think you’re such a hero, but I’ve got you figured out. You’re one of those boy-loving pedo—”
Self-control could only take him so far. Putting all his weight behind the right hook, he wasn’t surprised when Neil crashed to the ground. His mouth hung open, and his eyes were closed, and for a second, Tyler thought he might have hit him harder than he meant to.
Security walked through the door just as Neil started snoring.
“What happened here?” asked the security guard with the shiny cue ball for a head.
“He passed out,” the nurse said swiftly.
“Yeah, he was drunk and raving and then he just fell over,” Jeremiah added.
Tyler was going to come clean, but with the little dark-haired nurse grinning at Jeremiah conspiratorially, who was he to disagree?
The security guards lifted Neil up and carried him out, Cue Ball commenting that he stunk while Tyler shook his head.
“He’s gonna wake up and start yelling about me assaulting him.”
“Please, no one will believe that idiot, nor would they blame you,” the nurse said. “Besides, it was a good thing you came in, ’cause I was just about to sing for him.”
“Huh?” Tyler and Jeremiah said at once.
“Solar plexus, instep, nose, groin. Damn, haven’t you ever seen Miss Congeniality?”
“No,” they said together.
The nurse muttered something about men and left the room. “So, I stopped by to tell you that Sergeant Sparks is in a meeting with your mom, discussing other options for you after you’re released from the hospital.”
“What kind of things?” Jeremiah asked.
“Well, for starters, if you really aren’t ready to leave Alpha Dog, you can stay and finish the remainder of your sentence. We’d be happy to have you.”
“And after?” Jeremiah asked.
“Well, you could still go home with your mom and stepdad—”
“I’d rather live on the street than go back there.” Jeremiah’s pointed chin jutted out stubbornly, as if he was afraid Tyler would make him go back.
“Relax, no need for it to come to that. If you’re open to it, there’s a couple I know who are really good people. They’re both veterinarians and have a small ranch just outside of Folsom. Their kids are grown, and they’re fostering another boy from the program but offered you their third bedroom, if you want it. Sparks is discussing them taking over temporary guardianship of you until you either turn eighteen or decide being with your mom would be safe for you again. It’s up to you.”
Jeremiah sat thoughtfully playing with the hospital blanket. “Can I still see my mom, even if they’re my guardians?”
“Absolutely, but we can get a restraining order against Neil. After the stunt he pulled today, I don’t want him showing up when you’re alone.”
“Even if I said yes, my mom is never going to go for it.”
“Which is why I think you should write a letter telling her everything you want and need and the future you see for yourself . . . and why that won’t happen if you move back in with her and Neil.”
“Do you think that will really work?” Jeremiah asked.
“I don’t know, but it’s worth a shot.”
DANI, TYLER, AND Noah stood outside her parents’ home the next day, and Dani swallowed down the nervous bile rising up in her throat. She really wanted her parents to like Tyler, but considering her dad had never liked any of her boyfriends in the past, she wasn’t holding out a lot of hope.
“Hey, it’s gonna be okay,” Tyler said, squeezing her hand.
“I know. I’m good. I’m ready.” She caught his smile, which clearly said sure you are. “I am.”
“Okay then, I’m ringing the doorbell.”
The chimes erupted inside the house, and Dani took another breath. Thanksgiving with her parents. It wouldn’t be so bad sitting around all day while her dad watched football and her mom asked Tyler if he liked every dish on the table.
“Okay, real fast, don’t talk politics and who’s your favorite football team?”
“The Raiders,” he said.
“Shit!”
Before she could tell him not to mention that to her dad, the door swung in, and her mom, dressed in a brown sweater with a giant beaded turkey on the front, said, “Finally! I told you that dinner would be ready by three!”
“Which is why we’re here at one, Mom,” Dani said.
Tyler held up the grocery sack in his other hand, a large bouquet of flowers poking out the top. “Hello, Mrs. Hill. I grabbed the crescent rolls you requested and a bottle of wine. I hope you like red.”
“Please call me Laura,” she said, reaching her arms out to Noah, who stood next to Dani, holding her other hand. “Wanna come see all the goodies Mapa is making?”
Noah launched himself into her arms, and the two sauntered off, leaving Dani and Tyler alone on the step.
Dani pulled him along behind her. “Later on, when you’re gazing at the door longingly, looking for a means of escape, I want you to remember that you chose this.”
Tyler leaned over and kissed her sweetly. “Shut up, it will be fine. I swear, I’ll make them love me.”
“YOU’RE A RAIDERS fan?” George Hill spat out, as if it was a dirty word. Tyler was a little surprised he didn’t spit on the floor in disgust. They’d been sitting in the living room watching football while Dani and Laura were in the kitchen. Noah was sitting in the middle of the living room, playing with huge Legos.
So much for getting on her dad’s good side.
“Yeah, I always have been. My dad’s a 49ers fan.”
George grunted. “I like your dad already.”
Unlike Tyler, whose unpopular football team choice had just given him a big black check.
“Hey, what are you guys talking about in here?” Dani asked as she came in. Stopping alongside Tyler’s chair, she set her hand on his shoulder and gave him an are you okay? look.
“We were just talking football. Apparently, your dad and I are mortal enemies on the field.”
“Can’t believe you’re dating a Raiders fan,” her dad grumbled, but Tyler was pretty sure his eyes twinkled. That was a good sign, right?
“Oh no, you actually told him that? I told you not to!” She shook his shoulder, and he could tell she was trying not to laugh. “Football is serious business in the Hill house.”
“Hey, I told him my dad likes the 49ers. I’m just the black sheep of the Best family.”
“Should have listened to your dad. He has some taste.”
“Okay, how about we not talk about football anymore and change the subject?” Dani suggested.
Tyler squeezed her hand and shot her a mischievous look. “So, George, are you a Democrat or a Republican?”
“Politics? Really? That’s a better subject for you?” Dani asked.
“I’m an Independent,” George said.
“Okay, on that note, I’m going to go back to the kitchen,” Dani said.
Tyler turned around and watched her leave the room. She was wearing a pretty floral dress that hit her just below the knees and swished when she walked.
He loved that dress. The minute she’d put it on this morning, he’d been dreaming of the moment later tonight when he’d be under it, listening to the sounds of her screams . . .
“Hey, now I asked you a question. Stop looking at my daughter’s ass and answer.”
Tyler chuckled, getting the feeling that George Hill enjoyed being obnoxious and making other people feel uncomfortable.
But if he thought he could get one over on Best, he didn’t know who he was messing with.
DANI BREATHED A sigh of relief as they left her parents, who had insisted on keeping Noah overnight.
“My parents loved you, even my dad. And even after you told him who your football team was.”
“Your dad has a low tolerance for bullshit, which I appreciate.”
“So, you never told me who the extra plate was for,”
she said, indicating the foil-covered plate.
“The kid at the hospital, the one who risked his life for the rest of us? Well, I’m pretty sure his mom won’t even visit him today, so I thought we’d drop it by on the way home, before the visiting hours are over.”
Dani’s heart swelled with love for this kind, generous man. “Of course, I’d love to meet him.”
Tyler held onto her hand as they drove to Sutter Memorial and didn’t release it, even as they entered Jeremiah’s room at the hospital.
And found Jeremiah’s bed surrounded by Blake and a handful of other teenaged boys. Dani glanced at Tyler, who seemed pretty surprised to see them.
“Hey, what are you all doing here?” Tyler asked.
“Having Thanksgiving with this kid,” Blake said.
“And you brought these troublemakers? I bet the nurses are thrilled,” Tyler said, setting the plate they brought down on the counter. “This is from us. We’ve even got a separate container of dessert for you.”
“Thanks, Sarge,” the boy in the bed—obviously Jeremiah—said.
Dani took a few steps forward, releasing her hand from Tyler’s and holding it out to Jeremiah with a wide smile. “It’s nice to meet you, Jeremiah. I’ve heard so much about you.”
“This is my girlfriend, Dani,” Tyler offered from behind her.
Jeremiah took her hand shyly. “Nice to meet you. Thanks for the food.”
“We already brought the goods, Sarge. Cook made us a whole meal to bring over and eat with Jeremiah, so he wouldn’t be alone,” one of the other boys said to Tyler, and Dani could see the admiration on their faces.
“Dani, you know Blake, but these pains in the asses are Dwayne Harlow, Olsen Myers, Jamie Platt, and Hank Osbourne.”
“Nice to meet you, ma’am,” they all chorused.
“So nice to finally meet you. Tyler talks about you guys a lot.”
They all shot him a look, as if wondering what he said, so she added, “All good things, I promise.”
The boys relaxed.
“She’s lying; I complain about you constantly.”
Dani rolled her eyes. “Sure, you never tell me how fast Dwayne is or how hard Jamie works with his dog. Or that Hank is really smart and Olsen is a born leader. Nope, he never says anything nice about you.”
All the boys were beaming now, and Olsen said, “I like you. If the Sarge ever breaks up with you, just wait for me.”
“I saw her first,” Jeremiah said, surprisingly, a wide grin on his face.
Dani’s cheeks burned, and Tyler came up behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. “Both of you are shit out of luck. She’s all mine.”
And as all the boys started chattering, each vying for Tyler’s attention, Dani leaned back into him and just enjoyed being his.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
THE EARLY DECEMBER air nipped at them as they climbed the steps to Eve and Oliver’s place for their holiday party, their hands interlaced as Tyler pressed the button.
Dani should have been used to Tyler’s friends after nearly six weeks together, but they still seemed to stare at her as if she was some kind of exotic creature. As if they still couldn’t believe Tyler hadn’t dumped her for a bar wench.
Eve threw open the door. “Hey, come on in, guys. Everyone is just meandering. Can I get you anything to drink? Wine? Beer? Eggnog and brandy?”
“We’ll get it ourselves, Eve, thanks,” Tyler said.
“Sure. Feel free to make yourselves at home.”
“Hey, Best.” Kline clapped him on the back, and Dani noticed he wobbled a little.
“What’s up, buddy? Started the party early, I see.” Tyler was frowning at his friend, and Dani wondered if Blake didn’t usually drink.
“I just needed a little pick-me-up. You know how it is around the holidays. They suck balls.”
Dani and Tyler laughed a little awkwardly.
“Well, looks like I need another glass of holiday cheer. What an oxymoron, right?”
As he stumbled away, Dani leaned close to ask, “Is he okay?”
“I’m not sure. He lost his wife a few years ago, and after the shooting last month, he hasn’t really been himself.”
“Poor guy.”
“Yo, Best, you’re under the mistletoe! Better give that girl a smooch,” Martinez called from across the room.
Tyler reached out to bring her close, but their new law enforcement trainer, Zack Dalton, came up behind Dani and kissed her cheek.
He backed up too quickly for Tyler to catch him, moonwalking backward as he taunted Tyler. “Oh, yeah, Best, I kissed your girl.”
“I’ll fuck you up, Dalton.”
Dani reached up and pulled him down for a real kiss, ignoring the catcalls from the room. When they pulled away slowly, Tyler whispered, “Ready to go yet?”
She laughed and took his hand, leading him over to where Megan Bryce was making a cookie that looked suspiciously as if it had a giant penis.
“Hey, guys,” she said warmly.
“That looks tasty, Bryce,” Tyler said. “Never knew you were a big balls kinda girl.”
“Well, they gotta be bigger than mine.” Her attempt at a joke fell a little flat, and she cleared her throat. “You know, I’m gonna go talk to Eve.”
Once she was out of earshot, Dani asked, “Is it just me or is everyone acting weird tonight?”
“Don’t ask me; I wanted to stay in and do it under the tree. You were the one who saw the invitation and said, ‘Oh, this sounds like fun.’ ” His high, screechy imitation of her made her scowl.
“I don’t have a tree yet.”
He pressed his lips to the side of her neck. “We could have rectified that with a trip to Home Depot.”
“Not without Noah, we couldn’t!”
“I’m teasing, babe,” he said, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind. “Wanna make a cookie together? I bet if we worked together, it would be epic.”
She laughed and leaned back against him as he took her hands in his, manipulating them to spread frosting over the sugar cookie.
Have I ever been this happy before?
The answer was definitely no.
TYLER STOOD WITH his friends several hours later, drinking beer and bullshitting. They’d decorated cookies, done an ornament exchange, and even sung Christmas carols. Tyler was definitely ready to go, but it was the first time he’d seen Dani relax around his social group, and he was loath to pull her away.
“So, Blake, any thoughts to getting back out there?” Martinez asked.
“Nah,” he said, nursing his beer.
“I still can’t get over how Best landed a woman like Dani,” Sparks said.
“You guys are a bunch of assholes, you know that, right?”
“Hell, Best has it good. He’s so fucking pretty, even when he blows women off, they still send him naked titty shots.” Blake’s words carried across the room, and everyone stiffened.
Tyler’s gaze found Dani’s, her face sheet-white.
“Dani—”
She got up from the couch with a mumbled “excuse me,” and he pushed past his friends to follow her outside.
“Dani, it’s not what you think, I swear.”
She stood at the bottom of the steps, her arms wrapped around herself.
“So, women haven’t been sending you naked pictures?”
“Yes, one girl, and I told her I had a girlfriend and to lose my number.”
She spun around, her hand held out to him. “Let me see.”
“I deleted the thread. It happened weeks ago.”
Her laughter had a bitter edge he hated. “Erased it, huh? That’s convenient.”
Tyler recoiled as if she’d slapped him. “Have I ever given you any reason not to trust me?”
“None, except your track record and the reaction of everyone who knows you. I actually started to think that I had everything, that my life was pretty fucking perfect, but that’s the problem with trying to convince yourself pe
ople can change.”
“So, that’s it? You assume I’m guilty of something because you can’t believe I want to be with you?”
“Whoa, that is not what I said. I said that you like sex and women, and I was crazy to think that would stop.”
“It did stop. It fucking stopped the minute I saw you sitting next to Noah in that hospital room. I didn’t know why, but I couldn’t get you out of my head.”
“And yet”—before he could stop her, she snatched his phone out of his hand—“Alison, Alicia, Amy, Andrea, April . . . Wow, we haven’t even made it to the Bs yet.”
He jerked his phone out of her hand, his body shaking with hurt and rage. “Stop this. I love you. I wouldn’t hurt you, and I haven’t cheated on you.”
She sniffled, and he saw the tears rolling down her cheeks. He was dying to reach out and brush them from her cheeks.
“I really want to believe that. I want to believe that you love me and you’re committed to me, but you didn’t delete them from your phone, Tyler. You kept other women’s numbers. Women you’ve slept with. And that tells me that even if it’s just on a subconscious level, you’re keeping your options open.”
He opened his mouth, wanting to tell her that he hadn’t thought about it because his mind had been taken over with thoughts of her, but what was the point? She didn’t trust him, didn’t believe him.
“I’m gonna grab my coat and see if Megan will give me a ride,” Dani said.
“I can drive you home.”
“Not right now.” She climbed up the stairs past him, closing the door behind him, and he wanted to yell. Scream and rail at his idiot friend, call out to Dani that he hadn’t thought about the numbers or how she might interpret it.
The door opened again, and Sparks came out with a drunken Blake hanging on him.
“Best, hey, I’m sorry for what I said. I hope Dani isn’t mad at you, bro.”
Tyler wanted to hit him, and it took everything he had not to knock Blake off his feet and pound him.
“You need to get some help, man,” was all Tyler said, turning his back on his two friends and heading for his car.
Chapter Thirty
DANI CHECKED ON Noah again the next afternoon, and when she saw he was still out, she went into the living room to find something to watch. Preferably nothing romantic or funny. She wasn’t in the mood to laugh.