I ponder that for a second, “Nope, not right now at least.”
“Love you, Little One.”
“Love you too.”
“Talk to you later.”
“Hey, Knox?”
“Yeah,” he hesitates.
“I’m glad you found someone.” I hang up before he can respond because he’ll just deny it.
I left Tanner to take care of things at the club on Thursday while I ran around and got the house ready and bought some food for the weekend. For some reason I was nervous about their visit and that was just silly. It was almost as if I was the mom meeting my son’s girlfriend for the first time. What the hell has gotten into me?
Come Friday morning I’m a bundle of nerves and excited at the same time. Tanner decides he’s going to try and help me relax by taking me out to the beach for the day until they arrive. Only problem is we fell asleep and my little Irish ass is now burnt to a crisp.
Tanner and I step out of the shower and he helps rub aloe over my whole body. “Damn it, Tanner, that shit is freezing.”
He rolls his eyes, “I don’t want to hear it, and I told you to put sunscreen on.”
I grab the bottle out of his hand, “I’ll do it.” I squeeze some into my hand and start with my legs cringing as the cold aloe hits my flaming skin. “Do you think they’re here yet?
Tanner sits on the bed and ties his sneakers, “Probably.”
I quickly finish up, get dressed, put a little make-up on and we make our way downstairs. A super cute, short girl is walking up the stairs looking completely uncomfortable. She has beautiful chocolate hair, bright green eyes and her olive skin complexion is sheer perfection and everything I wish for with my own pasty, yet now the color of a lobster skin. I should despise her from looks alone, but I can’t. I’m sure she doesn’t ever have to worry about frying in the sun.
“Hi,” Tanner and I say at the same time.
“Hey,” she says with a smile continuing upstairs.
As soon as my feet hit the bottom step I run full force into Knox’s open arms. “Oh my Lord, I’ve missed you!” This hug can’t be close enough or tight enough when it comes to Knox right now. In this moment, this one defining moment of having him here with us, in this place, I start to see the vague shadow of lights forming at the end of this very long tunnel, a way out, not for just me but for all of us. A sense of normalcy that none of us have had in a very long time. A tear escapes out of the corners of my eyes as I try to contain the overwhelming emotions that are just begging to be set free.
He laughs, “I missed you too, Little One.”
“Get your hands off my girl.” Tanner says with a smile on his face.
They clap each other on the back, “Nice to see you back in town.”
Knox shrugs, “I thought it was about time.”
My stomach growls and they both laugh at me. “What? I’m starving.”
Knox nods and rubs his stomach, “Let me go settle things upstairs and then I’ll cook everyone dinner.”
I hug Tanner’s arm, “Sounds good.”
Knox turns to leave the kitchen but stops and turns around, “Have you seen Jasmine yet?”
I look up to Tanner and then over to Knox, “Yeah. She’s beautiful, Knox.”
“She’s the devil.” He says with a chuckle.
I laugh, “You wouldn’t have it any other way.”
He nods, “You’re right.”
The rest of the night goes on and Kno