Page 147 of One Big Little Secret

“See? Archer will love you.”

I laugh and burrow into his arms. He wraps his robe around me, too, and I wish I could linger here all night.

“But in all seriousness, my family kinda imploded. We’ve never had a holiday or visit since they walked out of my life. Mom dances around trying to make amends, and so do I,” Isay, and although he doesn’t move, I can feel the mood change. “That’s the choice they made when they left.”

“Probably better I don’t know their names,” he says sharply. “Otherwise, I might be tempted to pay them a little visit and talk some sense into them.”

I wince.

“Er, yeah, let’s not. Maybe stick to romantic gestures like flowers?” I wiggle around so I’m facing the hard look in his eyes. “I mean it, Patton. I’m okay without getting them involved. We’ll cross that bridge if and when we ever need to.”

“You’re okaynow,” he agrees. “And not because of them.”

“Flowers, Patton. Don’t forget.”

He releases the tension in his shoulders with a sigh. “Fine. But you’ve got to admit it’s tempting.”

“Almost as tempting as never seeing them again.”

He gives me a reluctant smile and kisses me again.

“If you want a family, mine will be there in a heartbeat,” he says. “They’ll love you to death. And when we tell my mother—which doesn’t have to be right away—she’ll be stoked to have another grandkid. Dex will be pissed I got there before him.”

I smile. “She must love your nephew. Archer’s? Is there a wife too?”

“The mother left a long time ago now. That’s a fucked up story for another time. I can’t even remember her name some days.” His nose wrinkles. “Besides, he’s too old for her to play around with the same way. Arlo, he’s perfect.”

Just hearing Patton say that sends warmth shooting through my veins.

“We’re going to have to ease him into this, you know,” I say carefully.

“That’s fine. It’ll take me some adjusting too.”

“And me three. But in a good way.”

“Only good ways,” he echoes.

I close my eyes and listen to the sound of his heart, which has slowed over the course of this conversation.

Can life really be this simple? Can I really escape the dark cloud that’s always been hanging over me?

It doesn’t feel real, knowing Patton Rory is accepting Arlo with open arms. Much less me as his—

Whatever.

Whatever we are.

I don’t dare define it yet.

But maybe, in the future, if it ever gets that far, maybe we can be a family.

Maybe the day will come when I won’t have to always temper my hopes and dread the next disaster.

And maybe I won’t scare him off in the next five minutes by squealing with joy and kissing his face off.

18

JOKERS ARE WILD (PATTON)

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