Page 13 of Straight, No Chaser
This time she kisses the top of his head, and he doesn't shy away. Soaking in her gentle affection. He closes the album and shoves the book off his legs. Can't blame the kid for being bitter.
"Look at this one." Molly points to another frame poking out of the box. "That's when my sister won Miss Sweet Corn Festival."
Mercifully, the tension passes with her redirection, and Eli holds his belly as he laughs hysterically. "Sweet Corn Festival? What's that?"
Her giggle matches his. "I know it sounds weird, but it's a summer celebration. They have food booths and rides, and bands play so you can dance outside on the square. All kinds of different stuff. It's really fun."
"Wow! Can we go sometime?"
Uncertain blue eyes meet mine. Checking before she answers. But I can tell by the anticipation on her face she wants to take him. Hopes I say yes.
Now Eli's staring at me too. Fuck me. How can I say no to both of them? Even though I don't have time for a trip to some backwoods town in the middle of nowhere. "When is this thing?"
He starts clapping from my question. Little butt already assumes I'm going to say yes. He knows me too damn well.
"It's always the weekend closest to the fourth of July."
Less than two weeks away. Perfect. She can introduce her parents to her new fiancé rather than her boss. And we can enjoy a nice little vacation. Like real families do. I wink at her before exaggerating a shrug of my shoulders. "I don't know Eli. I've got to work and you guys have summer school..."
"Please? Please? Pretty please?"
He grips my pants leg, shaking the fabric with enough force to make the change in my pocket clank against my switchblade. "Well, I guess so."
"Yay! Yay! Yay!"
Dancing around in celebration, he jostles the neat piles they've made. Novels and notebooks tumbling to the floor. Ever calm, Molly just laughs and helps him scoop them up and stack them on the small bookcase in the corner.
"Can we ride horses to the festival?"
"No, but we should have plenty of time to go horseback ridingandgo to the festival."
"Can we sleep in the barn?"
"Will we get to see the ocean?"
Her patience never wanes from his deluge of questions. Following her around as she empties her suitcase, moving back and forth from the bathroom, putting away her belongings. Each hair brush and bottle of lotion solidifying her commitment to remaining here. So fucking perfect.
I let out a deep breath and swipe the collage square off the carpet, flipping it around. Water skiing at some lake, wedding reception, dying Easter eggs. All the special events families share. Memories that need fill the rest of the pages of his almost empty baby book.
My head lifts from her exuberant praise of Eli, lining up her shoes in a surprisingly straight line on the bottom of her walk in closet. He deserves so much more than I ever had. A real mom and dad. Who are there for you. Mentally and physically.
And I'm going to be damn sure she and I give it to him.
The phone buzzing in my jacket pocket pulls me out of my thoughts. The first time in months that I'd rather be at home than work. In this boring unpacking session that brings me more peace than my lame ass ever thought possible. Rather than confronting the motherfucking bastard stupid enough to try and encroach on my territory. "Sorry, but I've got to go out for a while."
Eli doesn't look over from his goal, jumping up to try and reach the hangers just beyond his fingertips. But, a contented smile lifts her cheeks and she gives me a small wave from under the stack of dresses loaded in her arms. "Go ahead. We'll be fine."
Yeah, we definitely will be. Now that she's here.
6
Chapter Six
Isuckthe last drops from the rim. Not wanting to waste even a single taste because I need to be so fucking drunk. Maybe I already am. Who the fuck knows.
Looking through the bottom of theempty cup for the sixth time tonight. Maybe seventh. I lost count after the heavybottle slid from my limp hand. The prismed glass too thick to break after slamming onto the ground. Yet,unable to prevent the amber liquid from splashing like a tidal wave and pouring out of the neck. Pooling on the beige carpet. Contrasting as sharp asa basalt basin nestled deep in the arid desert.
Nothing left for me to drink. Nothing left for me to do. Even revenge againstthe Russians doesn't ease the guilt. Killing four of Annikov's lieutenants doesn't bring back my guys. Runners. Twobrothers trying to make a name for themselves. Damn them for being so young and dumb and arrogant. So fucking stupid not to realize the ambush before it was too late. Too foolish to understand how much their loss hurts. Which their mother made abundantly clear, her palm burning across my captain's cheek before she crumpled to the floor. Our promise to always take care of her and make the murderers pay meaning nothing to her without her sons.
