Page 81 of A Kingpin's Weakness
“And you?” She floated closer, settling herself in front of me. Her arms found their way around my neck, and I instantly felt her warmth. She didn’t just touch my body, she touched everything under my skin.
“I’m good,” I said, brushing my lips against hers.
“You sure?” she asked, eyes studying my face like she could see all the things I wasn’t saying.
“Yeah why?”
“I talked to your mom while I was in the tub.” She paused. “She told me today’s your dad’s birthday.”
I nodded. “Yeah.”
“You want to talk about it?”
“No.” I kissed her again, quick this time, before turning to grab my burger. It was easier to chew food than to chew through grief.
“Tell me about him,” she said.
“Who?”
“Your dad. After Sweetie died, I started journaling, writing down memories I had of her. It helped. I think talking might help you.”
“Sweetie?” I asked, looking over at her.
“My grandmother. Jo’s mama.”
“Tell me about her,” I said between bites.
“This isn’t about me.”
“It can be.”
She smiled, that real smile, the one that starts in her chest and works its way to her cheeks.
“Okay,” she said. “I’ll go first, then you.”
I nodded, letting her in.
“My favorite memory with Sweetie was when she took me to get my hair washed and blown out for my twelfth birthday. It was a whole girls’ day… nails, shopping, lunch. I felt like a damn princess. I was obsessed with how long my hair looked blown out.”
“I’ve only seen it curly,” I said, reaching to tug at a soft curl that had fallen free.
“I like it curly now too,” she said, laughing. “I finally learned how to take care of it since I can afford the right products.”
“I like it curly too,” I said, smiling. “It suits you.”
She leaned her head to the side. “Okay, now you. Favorite memory.”
I swallowed, setting my drink down. I didn’t need time to think I just needed to decide if I was willing to feel it.
“My pops used to pick me up from school every day. No matter what he had going on, he made sure he was there. We’d hit a movie, get ice cream, the park, whatever. Some days we didn’t even talk much, just rode around the city with the windows down and the music loud. That’s why I do it with S3. Trying to keep the little things alive.”
She reached up and brushed her fingers across my jawline, slow and soft.
“Yeah, he missed you while you were gone.”
“Did you?”
“I did,” she whispered, her lips brushing against mine. “Even after you made me mace you.”
