“Yeah,” Meadow whispers. I look down at her. Her face has gone serious.
“What?”
She shrugs. “If it’s a boy, you’re dealing with potty training,” she mutters.
“Oh, that’s no problem.”
“It’s not?”
“Hell, no. Who do you think taught River?”
“Petal?”
“Hah! She wishes. I taught him. Well, I taught him the fun of peeing, but that’s really the same thing.”
“I don’t think I understand.”
“Well, you wouldn’t. You don’t know the joy of holding a dick in your hand—”
“I beg to differ—”
“Saucy. There’s the woman I remember who stole my heart,” I murmur, watching as she blushes a deep pink. “What I was saying is holding it and making sure your pee stream goes out the farthest. It’s a great sense of accomplishment if you win.”
“Oh, God.”
“Of course, it takes some effort to rein in that joy to just peeing in the boring commode, but that’s where you will come in.”
“I just bet. I’m thinking Petal just loved your help, too.”
“She was a little bit happier about it than Maggie,” I admit, which just makes Meadow laugh again.
“You’re crazy,” she mutters.
“About you,” I admit. She pulls back a little and I let her. I’m not about to push her.
“Tonight was good, Blue, but I’d be lying if I said I was positive about us being…”
“Married?”
Her eyes go wide, and I hear her gasp as her face pales. “Is that what you want?”
“It is, but if it’s just you, me, your babies and your mother under one roof, then I’m good with that. I told you, Doe. I’m here. I’m not even blinking this time around. You’re everything I want.”
“You’re going to need to let me go slow,” she murmurs.
“You go at whatever pace you want, baby. I’ll respect it.” She scrunches up her face as she looks at me. “What?” I ask, confused.
“Nothing, I’m just trying to get used to this new Blue.”
“New Blue?” I laugh. “I’m the same old man.”
“I don’t think you are,” she says. There’s some sadness in her eyes that hits me wrong. Before I can ask her about it, though, she brings her lips to mine, and I lose myself in our kiss.
Chapter 33
Meadow
“One thing that hasn’t changed,” I breathe as we break apart from a slow kiss of goodbye that Blue just gave me. He drove me home, but neither one of us really wanted me to leave. Now I’m standing at my door wishing I was at Blue’s.
“What’s that?”
“You still know how to kiss, Moonie.”
“I really do hate that nickname, Doe.”
“It’s why I use it,” I murmur as he laughs.
“Will I see you tomorrow?”
“Do you want to?”
“Oh yeah, baby. I definitely want to.”
“Come by for dinner.”
“Shit…”
“What?”
“I can’t. I’m supposed to go by Mom’s for some kind of family dinner thing. Mom says she has an announcement for all of us.”
“Oh. Well, then we can do it another night.”
“Why don’t you come with me?”
“Blue, it’s a family thing—”
“And you’re family. We could even bring Adam and Leddie. They’d enjoy it.”
“Blue—”
“I want you there, Doe. I need you there.”
“Why would you need me?”
“If you have to ask that, then we still have a lot to learn about one another. Will you go with me tomorrow, please?”
I blink. “There you go again.”
“What?”
“Nothing…”
“Doe?”
I shake my head. “We’ll go to your mom’s if you think she won’t mind.” I know he wants me to explain my remark, but my head is a mess. I don’t know how to explain it. It’s just better if I don’t try.
“Now, that’s what I want to hear. I’ll pick you around four. Is that okay?”
“Yeah, it’s fine.”
“I don’t suppose I can press my luck?”
“About what?”
I’m really trying not to be annoyed because Blue keeps asking for permission about everything. I mean, he’s trying to make me happy, and he’s check with me about things. That would make any woman ecstatic, right?
So, why is it making me miserable?
“Pack an overnight bag. You can all stay at my place, and we’ll have a bonfire. Adam will love it.”
“Blue, I would need to get Adam ready for school the next morning, and then Mom will need oxygen. I—”
“She has a portable oxygen machine. She’ll have her own room, and she’ll have her chair. C’mon, Doe. Let me prove that we will be good together—that this thing we have between us can work.”
“Okay.”
“Fuck, yea—”
“But only if Mom and Adam agree,” I mutter.
“Adam will agree,” Blue reasons and I know he’s right.
“He might, but I’m not so sure about Mom.”
“She will. I have faith,” he says, backing down the steps, his hand on the railing. “I’ll see you tomorrow, baby.”
“Tomorrow.”
He gives me a smile and turns around to head to his truck. I start to unlock the door but pause when I get the key in because Blue yells out my name.
“Doe?”
“Yeah?” I look over my shoulder at him, almost afraid of what he has in his head now.