Page 47 of Freedom Ride

“I wish I could be as calm as you are about this.”

He shoved the last of his pizza into his mouth and washed it down with his beer. “I’m calm about you quitting your job because I’ve been through some shit in my life, Lennox. Even when it doesn’t seem like things will work out, you’ll make it through. Maybe not always in your favor, but in the end, things should work out.”

“You mean like how they found you guilty of voluntary manslaughter even though Aaron was dead before you hit him?” I had read all the newspaper articles and dug deep into what had happened. Layla’s death had pretty much been buried, and instead, people were upset about a supposed upstanding doctor dying at the hands of a motorcycle club member.

“Well, it wasn’t that he was dead before I laid hands on him, it was the fact he would have died from his injuries whether or not I touched him. The judge and prosecutor didn’t really seem to care about that.” He spread his arms wide. “But look at me now. I paid my debt to society, and now I’m a free man.” He finished his beer and tossed the empty bottle in the garbage. “And I got you.”

“You earned me.”

He tipped his head to the side. “Did I?”

I nodded and jumped off the counter. I closed the distance between us and wrapped my arms around his shoulders.

He looped his arms around my waist and pressed a kiss to my head. “How did I earn you, babe?” he whispered. “What did I do to deserve you?”

“Well,” I drawled. “You’re a good man, Jonas, who deserves good things to happen to him. You fight for and protect your family without even thinking about it. I think after twenty-seven years of heartache and pain, you’re going to get a little sunshine.”

“And you’re the sunshine I finally deserve?”

I nodded and pressed a kiss to his lips. “Yes. I am your delightful ray of sunshine and sass.”

He grabbed my ass and smiled. “I think you mean sass and ass.”

I tipped my head to the side. “How about sass, ass, and sunshine?”

A low chuckle rumbled from his chest. “Did I tell you Mama Meg and Cyn are thinking of starting a T-shirt business?”

“Um, no?” I smiled. “And since when are you calling her Mama Meg?”

“Since I remembered I used to call her that all the time, and I think she misses it.” He brushed a strand of hair from my cheek. “And I am her chosen favorite, so it seems right to call her Mama Meg.”

“Jonas,” I laughed, “I don’t understand half of what you just said, but it sounds like you and Meg are reconnecting.”

“Yeah, we are. I got kind of lost for a while, and then going to prison made me sort of open my eyes to realize even though I’ve been through some shit, I still have a whole lot of life left to live.”

“Very wise,” I whispered.

“You know what I’m going to do with that life I have left?” he asked.

“Tell me.”

He threaded his fingers through my hair and tipped my head back. “Spend it with you.”

“Even though I’m jobless and on my way to being homeless?”

“Lenny,” he laughed.

“Lenny?” I giggled. “I don’t think anyone has called me that since my grandpa passed away when I was seven.”

“Well, that’s what I’m going to call you when you’re being ridiculous. I don’t know why you’re stressing about your job.”

“Because I need money to survive, Jonas. I have two mouths that need to be fed twice daily.” I looked over Jonas’s shoulder by the couch. “Doc and Marty like to eat.”

“Yeah, I suppose.”

I slapped his shoulder and pulled out of his arms. “Let’s clean this up and go to bed. I’m exhausted from stressing out about meeting you.”

“And that’s my fault?” Jonas laughed. “I told you and told you to stop worrying. You’re fine as hell and everything I wanted and more.”

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