Page 69 of Bullet
“What date are you basing it off of, the very first one, the one we went on after you ghosted me, the one we went on after you ghosted me the second time, or the one we went on after you told all your friends we were just fuck buddies?” I asked.
She glared at me. “Are you done?”
“No, I’m legitimately curious.”
She scoffed. “For your information, I’m not basing it off of any of that.”
“No? What are you basing it off of then?” I asked.
A small grin brushed across her face. “I’m basing it off of the first time you told me you were falling for me. The night we had dinner with Laura.”
“Ah. “So, the date we had after the fuck buddy incident.”
“I’m gonna walk away from you,” she snapped.
I laughed and pulled her a little closer to me. “Nope, I won’t be letting go of you ever again.”
The pastor declared Cameron and Marisha married after they exchanged their vows, and we congratulated them, signing their wedding certificate as witnesses, and then took a few pictures together to celebrate the moment. Cameron looked the happiest I’d ever seen him in his life, and I was glad after everything he’d given up that he was finally getting his happy ending.
“You guys gotta head to the airport soon, right?” Marisha asked. “What time does Ruby get here?”
“Three PM,” Celia and I replied in unison.
“Are you nervous?” Cameron asked.
“Yes,” we said in unison again.
“Oh, you guys are going to be great,” Marisha said. “Ruby is going to have two wonderful new role models, and the happy life that every ten-year-old deserves.”
“I helped Harry and now he’s gonna help his younger sister, that makes me so happy,” Cameron said.
“You know, she’s my sister, but I’ll kind of be raising her like my kid, which means you two are the youngest, hottest grandparents around.”
Marisha rubbed Cameron’s chest. “Ooh, sexy grandpa.”
Celia nodded. “And with that, I think it’s time for us to go.”
We gave the newlyweds a final round of hugs and kisses before heading off to the airport. We were taking Celia’s car to be able to fit Ruby and her luggage, but I was hopeful I’d be able to get Ruby out for a safe ride on the bike once she got settled and comfortable.
“I didn’t lie,” Celia said. “I’msupernervous. I have to be a good influence on this kid. I don’t even think I knowhowto be a good influence.”
I laughed. “You’re gonna be fine, it’s me I’m worried about. I don’t know anything about little girls. Do ten-year-olds already have their periods? What do I do when that happens?”
“You call me, and never, ever, ever, try and talk about it with her,” Celia said, “or tell her to calm down, because if she bites your head off, I will applaud her.”
“It’s gonna change things for us, too, you know?” I said. “I’m a dad now, kind of.”
“Yeah, well, it’ll be good practice.” Celia quickly threw up her finger. “For way down the road, I’m talkingwaydown the road, and besides, we’re good. I’m not going anywhere. You know that. We talked about moving in together around a year, and I’m… still okay with that plan.”
“Good,” I said. “What about Darrien?”
Celia shook her head with a little shrug. “I’m officially cutting him out of my life. I tried making peace with him after I moved back in with Laura, but he’s committed to staying in that damn wheelchair like he’s actually paralyzed and blaming you and the Steel Knights for his issues. Last time I saw him, he said it’s a choice between him or you, so I chose you. It wasn’t a tough choice.”
But I knew that was a lie. Despite what he’d done to her, Darrien was Celia’s only remaining family and memory of her dad. She’d tried her hardest to make amends with the man after things calmed down, because deep down, I knew she didn’t want to lose him.
“Well, obviously we can’t have him around Ruby, but I’m okay continuing to try,” I said. “I know you love him.”
Celia smiled at me. “Your kindness is so much more than he deserves, but yeah. I’d like to try at least a little more before I give up entirely. Thanks.”
