Page 43 of The Pursuit of Her Happiness

“No,” she whispers. “He told me I got a good one. If he had to handpick a brother in the club for me, he would be hard pressed to find anyone better suited for me.”

I grin so big; it’s a good thing she can’t see or she’d smack me. “Is there anything in our history that would lead you to believe I’m not in this 1000%?” She shakes her head, tears welling inher eyes again. “I’ll tell you as many times as you need to hear it, darlin’, but you’re it for me. You, the boys, and the club. That’s all I need to survive in this world. Fuck that, all I need tothrive.”

“You forgot your parents.” I roll my head back and laugh.

“I did. Don’t tell them, or mom won’t make me the Christmas cookies I love.” I inhale the scent of her shampoo. “I ain’t leaving, Quinn. You’re stuck with me. Facial paralysis, blindness, an oral fixation that requires daily blowjobs to sate…so long as I’ve got you, I’m golden.”

She inhales deeply, her shoulders rising with the effort. “I’m sorry. For my behavior, my cowardice…I’m sorry for causing you to repeat yourself. I know deep in my soul that you and I are it. But my brain…love is illogical.”

“It is.”

“I feel like I keep going through the stages of grief. Daily.”

“Some days you will. Some you’ll have a handle on everything and feel invincible. And yet others, you’ll be working to free a child from a toilet.”

“I’ve always taken each day as it comes…but this whole thing has thrown me.”

“Understandable.”

Shaking her hands at her side, she steps back and cracks her neck. “I’ve got this.We’vegot this. One day at a time. Side by side.”

“Always.” I lead her into the vehicle again and buckle her in. I purposely graze her tit when I’m done, then shove my tongue in her mouth when she gasps. She moans and I swallow down the sounds greedily. “God, I’ve missed you.”

“Never again.” She vows, her hands coming up to grip my shirt, pulling me closer.

“Alright, pretty girl, we have to go, or we’ll be late.”

She sighs in disappointment, pouting when I pull back. I run around to the driver’s side. I’m pleasantly surprised when she reaches across the console and grabs my hand to hold.

We talk about Sal’s competition and the girl in the group he can’t stop staring at instead of practicing. After I park in the garage for the medical complex, I shift in my seat to face her and bring her hand to my lips to kiss her knuckles.

“I know this all sucks, and I can’t even begin to imagine what you’re experiencing. And I know that vulnerability makes you feel icky.” She laughs, nodding her head. “But I can’t tell you how amazing it feels to know that you can beweakwith me. That the strong veneer you present to the world comes off when it’s just the two of us.” I reach out and caress her midsection, tickling her when she squirms. “You give me your soft underbelly, and I need you to know I’ll protect it with my life.”

Her hands reach out and I oblige moving closer until her fingers find my jaw. She slides her hands along my face until she’s cupping my cheeks. “I trust you.”

I exhale shakily, closing the distance between us to rest my forehead against hers. “Thank you.” My voice breaks but I don’t care. Her trust means so much. It’s an honor.

“I’m, I’m,” she stutters, licks her lips and tries again. “I’m scared, Bently.”

“I know.” I don’t offer any useless platitudes. She knows that no matter what, we’ll figure it out together, but the fear is overwhelming common sense right now. I’m sure I’ll catch some heat later for calling her a coward, but I needed her to snapout of her funk. She doesn’t realize it, but she’s scared the boys. Fuck, she scared Joe and me.

We walk into the office building, hand in hand. I smile politely at a few people we pass and press the button in the elevator for our floor. It’s awkward like most elevator rides are, with 5 strangers packed into an enclosed space with shitty music playing.

“Babe,” Quinn sidles up to me, releasing my hand to wrap her arm around my waist, “did you finish calling the girls on the list? They should know that the syphilis you gave us can cause blindness.”

I bite the inside of my cheek as my face flushes and my body grows uncomfortably hot. The older woman next to me puts distance between us as she gasps. The man behind me snorts and can’t hide his laughter at my expense. And the young woman in front of us spins around so fast I’m surprised she doesn’t fall over.

“What the fuck?” the woman snaps. “Girl, why are you hanging on him? He’s diseased and a fucking pig!”

Quinn looks up at me with a sappy smile, “Dunno. I guess I’m just acoward.”

So, I’ll pay for that far sooner than I thought.

The elevator opens and everyone else exits. The doors close and I lean against the wall and start laughing so hard I can barely stand up. Quinn is proud of herself. As she should be, I deserved that. I reach out for the panel and start laughing harder. “There are two other floors selected! You scared them away!”

She gives me a patronizing smile, and tells me in a slow measured voice, “Polk, syphilis is highly contagious.” Quinn steps cautiously toward me. When her shoes touch my boots, she leans close enough that I can feel her warm breath across myskin. “Call me a coward again, and I will do far more than tarnish your character in front of strangers.”

“Welcome back, darlin’.”

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