Page 113 of Win Some Love Some
“What’s going on? What’s all the shouting?” Will was coming down the stairs, a look of confusion on his face given the fact thatI’d been in this house a hundred million times before and I’d never once held Nora’s hands like I was holding them now.
“Nick and Nora are secretly boyfriend and girlfriend.” Bethany explained to Will. “And he’s here to make a fucking point.”
“Bethany, please. Language,” Vanessa insisted. “I blame your father for this.”
“Nick? Is that true?” Will asked me with all the disgust a thirteen-year-old boy could muster. “Do you like…kiss and stuff?”
“Oh my gosh,” Nora moaned. “This is impossible.”
“What’s impossible?” The front door slammed and all of us jumped. Roy was home. Nora tried to pull her hands away, but I held on tight. “Nick, what are you doing here? Didn’t I take enough of your money tonight?”
“Yes, sir,” I muttered. Because I was pretty sure when you were about to tell a longtime friend and mentor that you were screwing his daughter, the use of sir was appropriate.
“Sir? The Fuck?”
“See, Mom. Dad says fuck all the time,” Bethany said.
“Don’t say fuck.” Roy scowled at Bethany. “It’s not nice. Nick, why the fuck are you holding Nora’s hands like that?”
Nora’s eyes got wide and she shook her head tightly. “Don’t do it,” she whispered. “Once you say it, you can’t take it back.”
“I know why you wanted us to be a secret,” I said to her. “But I shouldn’t have agreed. Because nothing about you should be hidden. You are the best thing in the world, Nora. And I love you. I’ve always loved you. You’re my person. I know it took me a long time to figure it out, and I know I hurt you in the process and I’m so sorry. But you were right six years ago, we are special. I have been waiting for you all this time and I didn’t even see it. You were always just there right in front of me, but I didn’t see you. Just like Madame Za said.” I turned to face Roy, moving Nora,so she was now behind me. If anyone was going to face the wrath of Roy Barnes, it was going to be me. “I love your daughter. Sir.”
“What?”
“You heard me. I know you said if I broke her heart again you’d kill me, but I’ll never break her heart again. I love her.”
“Are you hearing this?” Roy asked Vanessa.
“Yes,” she grumbled.
All at once, Roy dropped the disapproving father face and started laughing. He rubbed his hands together. “I think you owe me something.” He held out his hand and wiggled his fingers at her.
“Am I having a stroke?” I whispered to Nora.
Vanessa rolled her eyes. “Fine. You’re right. I’m wrong.”
“I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you,” Roy said, cupping his hand over his ear.
“You were right,” Vanessa yelled. “I was wrong.”
“Did you hear that, kids?” Roy said with a sigh. “Remember this day. It will probably never happen again.”
“Hold on a second,” Vanessa said, smiling again. “You owe me something, too.”
“That’s fair. A man always pays his debts.” Roy nodded and pulled his wallet out. He took out fifty bucks of poker money and slapped it in her hands.
“Thank you very much,” Vanessa said, folding the money and tucking it in her bra.
“What is happening here?” Nora asked.
“Your father and I made a little bet when you started working at the garage and Nick agreed to take you to the weddings.”
“A bet?” Nora squeaked.
“I said this was it,” Roy said. “You were finally going to get your shit together and realize what we’ve known – and most of this town has known – since you two first locked eyes on each other.”
“And what’s that?” Nora asked. I put my arm around her stiff shoulders.
