Page 200 of Smooth Sailing

“Works for me. You want popcorn?”

He asked his question as my phone vibrated on the coffee table.

He reached a long arm to it, and we both saw Nic Calling on the screen.

He handed it to me, went in to kiss my neck, muttered, “I’ll get on the popcorn,” and then he got off me.

I sat up and took the call.

“Hey, Nic.”

“Oh, hon,” she said with feeling. “Your dad phoned me.”

Wow.

He did?

“Really?” I asked.

“He wanted me to know what happened between you and your mom.”

Holy crap.

“How did Larry take Dad calling?” I asked carefully.

Larry wasn’t the jealous possessive type, and still, Larry was kind of the jealous possessive type.

I mean, it didn’t work between Dad and Nicole, but she’d been really in love with him. No doubt Larry knew that, and any man who knew that wouldn’t be real hip on her ex calling out of the blue.

“At first, he wasn’t a fan, but as he heard what we were talking about, he got over it,” Nic said.

“Well, that’s good.”

“Do you need me to come over?” she offered.

She was so awesome.

“No, Nic. Thanks. Um…” I glanced to the kitchen to see Hugger plugging in my popcorn popper. “I kinda hooked up in a serious way with one of the bikers.”

Hugger’s head turned my way and he grinned.

I grinned back.

“Please tell me it was the big, bearded, teddy bear one,” she replied.

It was indeed, though I’d never in a million years refer to Hugger as a teddy bear.

Sure, if you didn’t know him, maybe.

But I’d seen him naked.

And I’d also seen the look on his face when Mom showed early on a Saturday morning.

He was more like a grizzly bear. He looked cute and you wanted to pet him, but if you messed with him, someone he cared about or who was under his protection, he’d maul you to a bloody pulp.

“Yes, Harlan. Hugger. It’s…”

Should I go out to the balcony?

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