Page 105 of Fire Island
That’s me. I’m that man.
“Cal,” she whispers as she pulls away. “Turn the lamp back on.”
I chuckle, knowing what she means. Remembering the last time we were up here, tangled in each other. I flick the lever up and the Fresnel bursts to life. Like my heart just did when Evie agreed to be mine, and me hers.
I rock back on my heels, and she climbs onto my lap. I reach past her and flip the velvet box open, sliding the ring onto her elegant finger, and her face breaks. Her other hand covers her mouth as I lace my fingers through hers. Her bejeweled ring finger sparkles insanely every time the light swings around.
Ring forgotten, her fingers tug at my beard, her mouth parting.
She rocks on my lap, eyes darkening by the second.
Her mouth finds mine again . . .
My little woman is fucking starving.
“That’s new.” Reese shovels a mouthful of cereal into his face.
The look on my face ought to be warning enough.
Evie simply smiles and says, “It is.”
“Congrats?” Reese drawls.
“I have work to do.” Evie plucks up her half-finished bowl and takes it to the sink.
When she’s safely upstairs, I glower at him.
“What?” The most innocent look washes over his face.
I would ask him if his mother didn’t love him enough, but we both know the answer to that one. “One more syllable, bud, and you’re out.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know.”
He leans back, running his hands through his hair. In a T-shirt and sweats, his frame is so similar to mine. Stretching out on the chair, he looks around. “How much do they pay you for living like a hermit?”
“Enough.”
His gaze drops. “I didn’t mean any?—”
“I mean they pay me enough.”
“Oh, okay. How’d you land this gig?”
“It was my father’s before me.”
“Oh shit, then I guess then it’s mine in, what, twenty years?”
That pulls a chuckle from me. He’s a smart ass, but he’s witty, I’ll give him that. “Maybe, but I would recommend just about anything else if you want a life.”
“Nah, people are overrated.”
“Sometimes they are.” I take my bowl to the sink and rinse it out. “Why aren’t you at college?”
“Not my thing.”
“Not your thing, or you didn’t get in?”
He snaps his focus to me now, his face hard.
