Page 58 of Wild and Unruly
Irrationally, rage bubbled in my chest at the thought, and I turned to glare at my friend. “Absolutely not.”
“Sounds like someone’s scared.” She turned her head back to Bonnie, tilting her head.
“Annmarie, you’re fucking gorgeous and funny and witty, you deserve an amazing partner.” I paused, taking a breath to calm myself, but then I said, “But if you touch my woman, we’ll have issues.”
At my words, Annmarie let out a startled laugh, turningfully to me. Her eyes took in my defensive posture. “I’m fucking with you, Stetson. I don’t want your girlfriend.”
“Well.” I shrugged off my insecurities and looked back over to Bonnie, who had her hand resting on the toddler’s, helping him throw the bean bag. “I wouldn’t blame you, she’s fucking amazing.”
She shook her head. “Yeah, she’s pretty great. But you know what?” She gave me a look. “So are you. And I think you two are pretty damn perfect for each other.”
“You think?” It was good to hear, especially coming from someone who I used to have a major thing for, who knew me to my core, who was a badass who also would never hold back her opinion on anything, no matter how it rubbed people.
“Yeah, I do.” She nodded, holding out her beer.
I tapped it with mine. “Thanks.”
“Don’t fuck it up, okay?”
I have had those words running through my head the rest of the day. Don’t fuck it up.
Shit, I didn’t want to. Idon’twant to. I want to do everything I can to prove to Bonnie that our relationship is worth the struggle, the long distance, the family drama, the wanting to wake up with her every morning…we’d make it work.
My mom chooses that moment to finally come over. She worked at her salon today, helping out with a wedding in town. “How’s my handsome youngest?”
I pull her into a hug and smile. “I’m doing good, Mama. How was your wedding?”
“Oh, just beautiful.” She sighs, taking in the scene around us and stopping when she sees Bonnie. “Oh, honey, introduce us!”
I look at the eager expression on my mom’s face andimmediately want to say no. Even though that’s not rational. Bonnie is standing right there chatting with the other girls, not doing anything of necessary importance.
“Um, okay.”
“Oh, don’t act like that.” She whacks my arm. “I just want to meet the woman who’s got that doe-eyed look on my son’s face.”
Oh. Great. Doe-eyed.
I follow the tiny marching woman with quick steps, trying to get ahead of her. She gets right in Bonnie’s eyeline and says, “Hey there, I’m little Stetsy’s mom. You must be Bonnie.”
My eyes widen in horror, the beer I’m holding in one hand nearly falling to the ground at the use of the name she used to call me.
Used to.
As in, doesn’t anymore because I’m a fucking adult.
As in, she was trying to embarrass me on purpose.
Bonnie looks at me, and I can tell just from the way she briefly purses her lips that she’s holding back a bark of laughter. Her eyes glitter as she holds out her hand for my mom to shake. “Oh wow, it’s an absolute pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Cash.”
“Oh please, I don’t go by that formality anymore. Call me Didi, everyone does.” She pulls Bonnie into a bone crunching hug, capturing Bonnie’s hand between them, and I watch in admiration as Bonnie accepts the hug lovingly, like none of this was fazing her whatsoever.
If Bonnie could handle Didi Cash like this, she was in. Plain and simple.
“Stetson has talked a lot about you,” Bonnie comments, giving me a look out of the corner of her eye. Given the way sheruns her mouth without a filter, I wait on bated breath to hear the next words out of her mouth. “He thinks very highly of you and talks about what a wonderful mom you were growing up.”
Mom looks at me, her hand on her chest like she’s touched by the words and maybe doesn’t believe them. I lift up my hands in defense. “What? I said that.” I wave at Bonnie, confirming what she said.
“Hm.” She turns back to Bonnie and pats her hand that’s still in my mom’s. “Well, he’s told me so much about you. He sent me a link to that article you wrote about that family who saved their farm after it was hit by tornadoes but went back to the way things used to be done. Honestly, I nearly cried it was so touching.” She releases Bonnie’s hand, and I take the moment to step to her side, sliding an arm around her waist.
