“Well, Diesel and I…” I faltered. I couldn’t lie to this man, so after a quick look at the doorway to make sure Diesel couldn’t hear, I told the truth. “I fell for Diesel the minute I saw him. It was just—” I snapped my fingers. “There’s just something about him, Uncle Beau. You’ll see it if you get to know him.” I smiled, just a little. “He’s not just good-looking, he’s smart and funny and so kind. He’s good to me.” I cleared my throat. “Anyway, a little while after that”—as in, minutes—“I learned that Diesel’s sister had passed away and left him her daughter to raise, but the baby’s grandparents are contesting it. So Diesel’s fighting for custody.”
Beau’s eyes widened in concern. “Oh, no. Oh, Parrish, not again—”
“No, no! I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not like with Payne,” I said in a low voice. “Really! Diesel hasn’t asked me to do anything.” Except marry him. I hurried on. “I mean, Diesel won’t let me spend a dime on him, except for the rocking chairs out on the porch.” I couldn’t help but smile down at Marigold. “And some chicken pacifiers for this princess. And I can see now that when I was with Payne, he wanted me to be home taking care of the boys like a glorified babysitter while he went out and spent my money. Diesel’s… different.”
Unlike Payne, Diesel had never lied to me or led me to believe we were more than we were. He genuinely liked me, I knew he did. And he wanted me too, at least for right now. The engagement was a lie, but not everything was. I believed that. I did.
Diesel came in carrying a tray of coffee in mismatched mugs, looking nearly as nervous as he’d been when Terry was here. “I realized too late, I don’t really have decent mugs,” he apologized. “My aunts like to buy me these for Christmas and birthday presents, but I’m not totally sure they’re appropriate.”
I looked down at the mug Diesel handed me, which had a picture of two chickens that looked an awful lot like Brenda and Henry, and read “I’m Just A Guy Who Loves Peckers.” Meanwhile, Beau looked down at his and burst out laughing.
“Rise and shine, Mother Clucker?” he wheezed, turning a concerning shade of red. “Oh my God.”
He laughed so hard, even Marigold got excited and started laughing, which only made Beau laugh harder.
When he finally subsided with a sigh, he turned to Diesel and looked much more friendly. “So, Diesel, Parrish was starting to tell me about your custody troubles.”
Diesel cut a look at me, and I gave him a reassuring smile. “Yes, sir,” he replied.
“And you and Parrish are tackling them… together?”
“We are.” I nodded firmly. “We’re together.”
“We’re engaged,” Diesel blurted.
Shit.
“Engaged?” Beau goggled. “Parrish? And you haven’t told us?”
My mouth opened and closed like a fish. Marigold fussed and reached out her arms for me, so I took her out of the exercise dish to buy myself time to formulate a response, but in the end I didn’t have to.
“Don’t be mad at Parrish,” Diesel said, sitting on the edge of the sofa closest to Beau. “The engagement only happened recently, and it was my idea to keep it quiet for a bit.” He pushed a hand through his hair. “Let me be honest with you, sir, my life is a hot mess right now. I’m nobody’s idea of a good bet. Every bit of my money and time are going to taking care of this little girl and fighting for the right to keep doing it. Meeting Parrish—heck, meeting any man who’d want to take all this on with me, but especially someone as loving and nurturing and encouraging and smart as your nephew—was the furthest thing from my mind, ’cause I’d sorta figured I’d start dating when she was eighteen or so. But then… there he was. Like a rainbow after a storm. Like finding the promised land after wandering around alone in the desert.”
He gave me a sheepish grin, like he knew he was being overly sentimental but couldn’t help it. I’d never wanted anything more than to believe his words were real.
“I couldn’t let a miracle like Parrish pass me by, just because the timing was terrible. I’m no kinda man for your nephew, sir, and that’s the truth. I don’t deserve him, and I haven’t done a thing to earn him. But somehow, I got him. So, I’m gonna try my hardest to keep him.” He looked over at me and Marigold, and his gaze softened. “To keep both of them.”
“Well, now.” Beau pulled a ginormous hankie from his pocket and sniffled into it. He mopped his eyes and cleared his throat. “Well, now,” he repeated. “Then I guess I should welcome you to the family, Diesel Church.”