Page 50 of Van

“Yeah, baby. I think so. The guys are gonna help us move shit next week.”

“That soon?” Nicole whines. I know she doesn’t want us to go anywhere, and honestly, I don’t want to leave her, but I know this is good for me and Nate. It’s stability for him.

“Yeah, that soon. I want it all taken care of and us moved in,” Van tells her.

“What about Derrick?” Nicole asks, and I hear the soft growl that leaves Van’s throat. He doesn’t like talking about him, but the fact is, he’s still out there.

“He won’t know where we live for one. And for two, if he happens to find out, I’ll shoot him in the face,” he replies casually.

“You better take good care of them,” Nicole tells him.

“You think I haven’t been already?”

“I know you have. I just want her to be safe,” she tells him. Van walks around and sits at the table next to me, resting his elbows there.

“You think I’d let anything happen to her?” he asks her seriously. I can see there’s a little anger in his eyes.

“I think Derrick is dangerous,” she says.

“I think I’m dangerous,” he retorts. Nic nods her head.

“I think you’re right. I’d just hate to have my ass kicked by the club for shooting you in the head if anything happened to my best friend,” she tells him.

“Nic,” I say, trying to diffuse the situation between the two. I’ve never seen them like this, but I know Nicole is protective.

“Then you’re in luck, Nicole. Nothin’ is gonna happen to them, so neither of us needs to worry about it.”

“Fine. Then I agree with this. She deserves that,” she declares, nodding toward me.

“I think so too. Glad we’re on the same page. Now, how’s my boy doin’?” Van asks as he turns his head to look at me now.

“He’s good. I think he likes being held too much though.”

“There’s no such thing as holdin’ them too much. I asked my mom,” he informs me, causing me to laugh.

“You asked her?”

“Yeah. I thought I was holdin’ him too much, and I didn’t want that to hurt him.”

“And she said what?”

“That I was crazy as hell and to hold him now because once he grows up, he isn’t gonna want that anymore.” Now, I smile at him. She’s probably right.

“I think she’s right. He loves it when you hold him anyway.”

“I know. And I love holdin’ him.” He smiles at me and everything seems to settle around us. Nicole and I fall into an easy conversation as Van talks to Free.

It’s strange still. Knowing I’m going to have this for a long time. I never pictured myself in a place like this. I never pictured myself with a man like Van, either, but here we are. He’s perfect.

“Where’d you go?” he asks as I jerk my head around to look at him.

“Just thinking.”

“About what?”

“You. All of this.”

“I just have one question,” he says as he watches me intently.

---