Page 71 of Old-Fashioned

What the heck?

As far as I knew, and believe me, Priscilla, Isla, and I had talked many times during our girl’s night that we had at least once a week. And not once, yes, I was sure, not once did Priscilla ever talk about Baker.

How this man of mine knew that I needed him… I didn’t know.

But in that moment, I was grateful.

His arm wrapped around my waist, fitting his front to my back, his head went into my neck, and there, ensuring little goosebumps formed along my skin, he whispered, “I know something is on your mind, and you can tell me whatever it is, but I have to ask a question first.”

I tilted my head into his, and smiled, “And that is?”

“How is it that with every minute, you get even more beautiful to me?”

“It’s because I’ve injected a blinding serum into your coke bottles.” I quipped.

He chuckled, “Well, whatever it is, don’t stop doing it.”

“Why do I get the feeling, that if I started to poison you, that would be your answer?”

He shrugged, “As long as it’s to keep me pliant and by your side for the rest of my days, you can poison me with whatever the fuck you want.”

“So, the blind serum is really a serum of love. I guess it’s been working.”

He nodded, “I’ll say it has. I fall even more in love with you with every breath I take.”

And in that moment, I really wished we didn’t have people over.

Because what I wanted to do was to climb him like a spider monkey, and never let go.

I also knew that he would have no problem carting me around in his arms, or on his back, whatever made my little heart happy.

Instead, I whispered, “I love you, Abel Black.”

“Love you too, Birdie Vergano.” I felt his smile on my skin. And then with a soft feather light kiss, he asked, “Now, what is on your mind?”

Not wanting to cause him head trauma, I tapped his arm, which loosened enough for me to move my head, and then I turned in his arms.

Staring up into his eyes that held so much love, devotion, promise, and whispered that he would always protect me until his dying breath, I asked, “Is there something going on with Priscilla and Baker?”

Abel sighed.

Okay.

That wasn’t good.

He looked over my head, and then back down at me, “Priscilla and Baker were high school sweethearts. Up until that point I’ve only ever seen a love like theirs, once. Our parents.”

I would get back to the high school sweethearts in a moment, but something else had my attention, “Up until that point.?”

He winked, “Yeah, Birdie. I said up until that point, and I hadn’t met you yet.”

I grinned, “That’s a good answer.”

He grinned, “It’s the God’s honest truth.”

I nodded, “Continue.”

“You know about my past before I was adopted, and you know a little bit about Caelan. Baker… well… he never went through what the two of us went through. He had good parents. They were killed in a car accident. And since they had no other family, or so anyone thought, he ended up in the foster care.”

---