Page 18 of Last Fall

Karma, man.Karma.

I knew what I wanted from my sister’s dates when I was busy scaring the piss out of them, so I was pretty sure I knew what Wes wanted to hearrightnow.

Respect, reassurance, andinsurance.

“We kissed last week and I’m interested in pursuing a relationship with her. You know me, you know when I’m serious, I’m serious. But if you ever feel like I’ve stepped out of line, you have my full permission to put me where Ibelong.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “I better not have to entertainthatidea.”

“You won’t. But that being said I have aquestion.”

His jaw ticked and even though he was being a pain in my ass, I appreciated that he cared so much about Zoe. “You get one question, but don’t make this ahabit.”

“Whohurther?”

Wes turned white as a ghost. “I don’t know. How doyouknowthat?”

“I can tell. Why don’tyouknow?”

He studied me carefully, probably weighing whether it would be better to kick my ass now instead of later. Then he sighed. “Look, Zoe is a demon one minute and a firecracker the next. She’s fun to be around, but there is one thing she does not do foranyone.”

“What’sthat?”

He cocked his head to the side. “Talk about life before Tampa.” Then he stepped into me, jabbing his finger into my chest. “I’ve been watching for a long fucking time, Cassidy. I know you like her and I appreciate that you haven’t pushed your way into her life. Keep itthatway.”

I stepped back and held up my hands. “I just wanted to help. I careabouther.”

“You can care all you want,” he said, grabbing his duffle bag again, “just don’thurther.”

* * *

If there isone thing about having a Cuban mother I could count on, it was that her mom-senses would always somehow know when my mind was on a girl. I was on my way from the stadium in St. Pete to Eve’s house on Davis Islands for Max’s fifth birthday party when my phone started ringing through the speakers of my pickuptruck.

“HeyMama.”

“Hello baby boy.” She always called usbaby boyorbaby girlwhen she was in full-onmommamode.

Probably where I got my tendency to papa bear myteammates.

Funny how that hadn’t occurred to me untiljustnow.

“How can I help you on thisfineday?”

I heard shuffling and banging. She was probably in the kitchen cooking—her favorite place to be. “I watched your game. Don’t you dare hurt poorChris.”

Even my mother was worried about my throw into home plate. “Chris is fine. It’s his job to duck. Howareyou?”

“Fine, fine. I was just watching the game and had you onmymind.”

Meaning her senses were tingling. “And what about me has you worriedtoday?”

“Oh stop. I’m your mother. I worry about you all the time. Allofyou.”

We were quite the herd to worry about. That was why I was glad she decided to move to the Keys and enjoy her well-deservedretirement.

“I’m on my way to the Spencer’s for their daughter’s birthday party.” Maybe if I babbled she’d eventually get to whatever it was she really wanted to talkabout.

“Please tell me you haveagift.”

---