Page 37 of Devil's Own: Roughneck

And as part of my family.

Jesus.

12

He couldn’t possibly know how much it meant for him to want to spend time with my son. Now, with my day freed up, I have time on my hands to call Dusty and ask her over for lunch. It’d be nice if she and Aja could join me. Since I’ve been living here with Rough, just a street over from Cutter and Aja and only a couple of streets over from Reaper and Dusty, I’ve grown closer to those women than I have the other wives simply because of proximity.

“What’s up, Gee?” Dusty answers. She has this way of making me feel like we’ve known each other forever.

“Rough took Waite for a ride.”

“That’s big.”

“I know.He wants to get to know my son better.” I kind of want to shout to the world that he plans to marry me, which is practically a proposal. But I don’t have a ring and don’t know if he wants that information put out there for God and everybody to give their opinions on. It’s fast, but we don’t live in anyone else’s timeframe. This is what feels right for us. At the same time, I don’t want that news getting back to my brother. The last thing Rough needs is Daniel to pressure him to marry me. It has to happen when he’s ready. Okay. Decision made. I’m keeping that newsworthy bit to myself for now.

“He was always the brother whowantedan old lady,” she says, “but he never met the right one until you.”

Dusty has said that many times since I’ve moved up here. She’s not the only old lady to do so. I’m still not sure what to think about it, but he and I are good, so I’m not letting it bother me for now.

“Anyway,” I say. “I thought you and Aja could come over for lunch if she's available.”

“I can do lunch. What are you having? Can I bring anything?”

“You don’t have to bring anything if you don’t want to. I’m making enchiladas with tomatillo sauce. I picked up quarts of the rice and beans from the Mexican restaurant yesterday because I knew I’d be making this today, and I’m a good cook, but my rice doesn’t taste like theirs.”

“Right. I’ll call Aja and make sure she gets her butt down there.”

“Thanks. See you when you get here, then.”

I made the sauce yesterday before Rough got home from work because I knew I’d be impatient to eat today. This is one of my favorite dishes. Thanks to prep work, it takes almost no time to dip the corn tortillas in the sauce, fill them with the chicken and cheese mixture, and roll them. I pour the remaining sauce on top, sprinkle a little more cheese—I don’t know if that’s traditional, but I’m a cheese whore; my belly, butt, and thighs can attest to that—and I slide them into the oven to bake.

Perfect timing. I just finish getting the last of the dishes in the dishwasher when I hear the knock. Wiping my hands off on a paper towel, I toss it in the trash as I pass by on my way down to answer the door.

Both Dusty and Reaper stand on the stoop. “Reaper, you’re joining us too?” I ask, smiling. “I’m so happy.”

He smiles his rugged, killer smile back. “Staying downstairs. Rough let us know he took Waite out.”

“He did?”

Reaper pins me with his ‘Do you even know your man?’look. I’ve seen it a time or two since living here, usually not aimed at me but at Dusty. It rarely works on her. Or, if it does, she needs to take up poker because she’d clean up.

“Well, you still need to eat, and this shit is good. So you can take your plate downstairs if you must.” I step out of the way to let them in. As they pass, it registers that he’s holding a plastic grocery bag. I point at it. “Did you bring something?” I ask.

“Girl,” Dusty says, “if we’re eating Mexican, then we’re drinking margs.”

“Uh…?” She’s pregnant and I think Aja is nursing.

“Virgin margs. They won’t be exactly the same, but we’ll enjoy them.”

“I have no doubt,” I reply as I walk up the carpeted steps.

“Place looks good now,” Reaper says, setting the bag on the counter. “Needed something more.”

“I just added some kitchen towels, a tablecloth on the table, a throw and throw pillows to the sofa and chairs.”

“You gave it a woman’s touch. He needed this.”

That feels good, knowing the brothers appreciate what the women bring to their relationships, what I bring to mine with Rough.

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