Page 26 of The Ones We Fight For

“Tal, you know how I said I wasn’t looking for any sort of romantic relationship?” Walker asked, grinning from ear to ear, the spices in his mouth still burning his tongue and clearing out his nostrils.

“Uh… yeah?” Talia drew out her words cautiously. Walker figured it either had to be because she was genuinely worried about the direction of the conversation or because of the impromptu nickname that slipped out of his mouth like they’d already been friends for years. Nice one, genius.

“I changed my mind. I want to date this jambalaya. Actually,” Walker swung out his chair, got down on one knee dramatically, and mimicked holding out a ring. “I’m prepared to propose marriage. Tal, you can be my best man. Roscoe, you’ll be the maid of honor. Fuck gender roles.”

The second he said it, Walker cringed. He was such an idiot. Why the hell did he always do such stupid shit around Talia?

“Excuse me, I don’t have a role in this wedding? I literally made the love of your life,” Amala feigned offense, coming in to save Walker’s ass from embarrassing himself further. “The disrespect!”

“I would never forget you! You’re officiating, obviously.” Walker sat back down in his seat, glancing at Talia to see if any part of his ridiculous routine had made her smile.

“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today, yada yada, youmay now kiss the… rice concoction.” Amala gestured wildly to Walker’s bowl, and he shoved a large spoonful of jambalaya into his mouth on command, closing his eyes for effect. Why not go full send on this terrible rendition of a Whose Line Is It Anyway? episode?

“It’s time for my toast as the best man!” Talia tapped her fork against her aluminum soda can, the picture of class, and stood up from her seat, drawing everyone’s attention to her.

Oh my God, she’s actually rolling with this.

“From the time I met the two of you, I knew you were fated to be together. It’s been wonderful to watch the jambalaya really delve into their relationship and into Walker’s stomach. Here’s to a really… spicy wedding night.” Talia winked at Walker, and a piece of his new bride lodged in his throat, sending him into an unhinged coughing fit.

Despite the rough start to the night, Colin and Piper seemed to be enjoying themselves, laughing hysterically at Talia’s speech and Walker’s subsequent hay fever episode. Carter, on the other hand, sat silently in his chair, eating and ignoring everyone. Walker had attempted to rope him into a conversation a few times throughout dinner, but his nephew was completely uninterested. Other than the great T-shirt change fiasco, Walker wasn’t sure what had Carter in such a sour mood. Crisis with the jambalaya averted and his breathing finally under control, Walker eyed Carter with concern. Usually Carter would be chomping at the bit to poke fun at his witless uncle.

“So, Carter, how’s school going?” Talia asked, giving Walker aknowing look. Her telepathy skills were always a shock to his system.He’d never had the kind of connection with someone where he could communicate without words. And God, he wanted to show her how much he could communicate with body language alone. But that was not on the roster.Friendships didn’t involve tangling in the sheets and… doing other things that Walker chided himself for even thinking about.

“It’s fine.” Carter’s blunt and direct reply was enough to pull Walker out of his daydream.

“Mind telling me why you’re being so rude?” Walker asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Mind telling me why you’re flirting with someone whose father murdered Mom and Dad?” Carter shoved back his seat, and Walker shoved back his own, shooting a worried look over to Talia as Carter took off through the house, leaving the sliding glass door open like he was born in a damn barn.

“It’s okay,” Talia murmured.

“No, it’s not. I apologize. He’s just looking for someone to blame.” Walker sighed, carding his hands through his hair in frustration. “I’ll be right back.”

They made it through the house and out to the street before Walker caught up. Carter was aiming to take off down the road, but Walker had no intention to allow him to get away with his behavior. He knew the kid’s thought process because it had been his own when he had first met Talia. He had been wrong. Seeing his nephew hold the same grudge was a slap in the face and the payback he no doubt deserved.

“Carter!” Walker shouted to get him to stop, voice coming out harsh and flat.

“What? What do you want? Her to be my new mommy?” Carter wrinkled his nose furiously.

“I want you to go back in there and apologize. That was wildly inappropriate, rude, and not at all the kid that I know!” Walker glared.

“How can you possibly like her?”

“I am friends with her because she has been nothing but helpful. She is not a damned thing like her father. She didn’t even know him, Carter!” His voice escalated, unable to hold it together.

“Well, she’s related to him, so she must have some of his blood,” Carter said coldly.

“Oh, is that how it works? By your account, both your dad and I should’ve had some kind of substance use disorder.”

“That’s not the same—”

“It is the exact same. Should I atone for all of my father’s misdeeds? If she’s responsible, then we all are.”

Carter’s gaze fell to the ground, and his voice grew more pained. “Do you think I’ll end up like them?”

It took Walker a second to make the connection to what Carter was asking. When he did, he shook his head somberly.

“We make our own choices. If you don’t want to be like your bio parents, you don’t have to be. But your bio mom, she was brave for what she did. And I see a lot of that in you.”

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