Page 59 of Always You
Mrs. Lee greets me, “Nice to see you, Mr. Delgado, on this fine Saturday morning. What can I get you?”
“Hello, Mrs. Lee. I’ll have a dozen doughnuts, two pumpkin spices, and a chocolate milk.”
She nods. “I will prepare the order.”
I wait patiently as she busies herself behind the counter.
“Here you go, Dominic, have a good day.”
“You too, Mrs. Lee.”
Just as I walk out, I spot my mom a couple of blocks down the street. She’s talking to someone in a red pickup truck. The person hands her an envelope. Not sure if it’s a man or a woman I can’t see as they’re sitting in the driver’s seat. They drive off. She shoves the envelope into her purse. It aggravates me she went to Mila’s. Why in the hell does she have to make it her business?
“Mom,” I shout.
She whips her head up. “Dominic, what are you doing?” She traipses toward me.
“Came to get doughnuts and drinks. What are you doing? Who was that you were talking to?”
“Just a client. They asked if I could take these papers into the office for them.” She smiles. Reaching for a coffee.
“This is for Mila. I can buy you one if you’d like, and by the way, what business do you have, Mom, stepping foot at my girl’s place.”
She huffs, crossing her arms. “Dominic, when in the hell are you going to wake up from this? She’s not good enough for you.”
I interject. I’m tired of this shit. Her always talking down about Mila. To arm’s length, she’s kept me away from her. “Mom, I will not tell you again. Mila is more than enough for me. I don’t want to hear you talk down about her. I’m the one who is not good enough.”
“You’re a fool. That boy is not yours,” she hisses.
My heart aches for how she treats them, and only if she would give in.
“He’s my son, Mom!” I shout. Some onlookers’ peer at us.
“What about Samantha? How dare you leave her. Her father is disappointed.”
I roll my eyes. You can never win an argument with her. Sometimes I wonder if she drove my dad away.
“I gotta go.” I don’t spare a glance at her. I know she’s pissed. It’s all about control with her.
* * *
I’m a ball of nerves, standing in front of Mila’s door like a teen knocking on his date’s door for the first time. She drives me mad, only she has the power to make me feel. Five, long, mislaid years without her.
“Hey, so are you planning on coming in, or are you just going to stand there because I would love a doughnut, and oh, is this pumpkin spice I smell? Mmm.”
Fucking hell,she stands there staring at me, leaning on the door, wearing short shorts and a low-cut shirt showing her belly button. I drink her in, scanning her body with pure adoration. My eyes trailed up and down, biting my lip. All I can think about is slamming her against the wall and having my way with her. I let out a loud groan that sounds like a damn bear wanting to mate. She gives me a bright smile. That little devil knows what she’s doing to me.
“Later tonight, grizzly bear,” she whispers. “Now get your ass inside.”
A smile tugs on the corner of my mouth. God, I love her so damn much. “Is Dante still asleep?”
“No, he’s in his room playing with the spider shooter thing you got him.” She takes a sip of her coffee. “He was looking for you this morning.”
She grabs the box of doughnuts from my hand. The idea of my son asking for me makes me want to burst. Iwantthis. Iwant a family. Iwantto come home to her and Dante every night. Fuck. I want to marry her.Why waste any more time? I know it’s too soon. She barely trusts me.
“What did you tell him?” I ask.
“I told him you went home and would be back later.” She shrugs. “He asks if we are going to live together.”
