“I see that, considering,” he whispered back.
“It was hard, seeing him that way,” I told him.
“I see that too.”
“But I’m okay.”
He studied me and he took his time doing that.
When he saw what he wanted to see, he spoke.
“Great, then how ’bout you be okay over here where you can be okay in my arms.”
That gave me a delightful tingle.
However.
“You could come over here and take me in your arms,” I suggested.
“Babe,” he replied.
Yes.
Buck was Buck.
Me and my margarita went over there.
He took my drink from me, set it and his beer aside, and pulled me in his arms.
And I was even more okay.
“Think you should call your girl and cancel enchiladas,” he declared.
“I can’t, she’s going to want to know I’m all right after our first scene this morning. And when she finds out about Rogan and that I had to go see him, she’s going to want to know I’m all right after that. And she’d be angry if I didn’t tell her that happened and let her be around to be there for me after it did.”
“Clara, she was vapor for two months and you worried those two months. She can wait a day for you and enchiladas.”
“She had reason to be vapor.”
“Not enough reason.”
Was he serious?
“West, she was shot,” I reminded him.
“You think I’d get shot, knowin’ you knew my vehicle filled with my blood was abandoned on the side of the road states away and leave you hangin’ on that?”
No, I did not think that.
I thought, if that happened—and Lord forbid it did, and please God, don’t let it—he’d move Heaven and Earth to make sure I didn’t worry.
Therefore, I abandoned that line of argument.
“She tried to find me.”
Buck was over this conversation and he shared that by ordering, “Cancel enchiladas.”
“West—”
“Just family tonight,” he declared.
I liked that.
Just family.
With me being a part of that family.
And that family being a wonderful one.
However.
“Tia is family.”
“Fuck,” he gave in.
I beat back my grin.
Though I didn’t beat back melting into him.
“And Mrs. Jimenez is family,” I added. “We should ask her too. She’ll want to see Tia is okay.”
“Baby, love you and want you to have what you need always, definitely right now, but don’t push it.”
Since he loved me and had demonstrated repeatedly he would do everything he could to give me what I needed, I gave in.
“Okay,” I mumbled.
“Right, the kids are gonna be here in about an hour. And your girl is gonna be here about an hour after that. You wanna fuck again real quick, or you wanna sit out on the deck and drink your margarita?”
Like he had to ask that question.
I shot him a look.
He grinned.
Then he let me go but only to take my hand and lead me to the bedroom.
We fucked “real quick.”
It was real awesome.
After that, we cleaned up, got dressed, rescued our drinks and Buck got started on the enchiladas.
31
All Good
“Okay, I wasn’t sure about him, with the whole carry-you-down-the-stairs thing, but…babe.”
It was after enchiladas, copious margaritas (the girls, Buck even allowed Tatie to sip at one, and not a virgin one), beers for the boys (even Gear) and getting-to-know-you chitchat.
And it was the end of the night.
We were standing outside by Damian’s truck.
I was with Tia.
Buck and Damian were giving us space, talking a few feet away.
And I knew what her babe meant.
She approved of Buck.
“I’ll share the whole story one day, when it’s just us,” I told her. “It started crazy and I wasn’t paying attention. He loves me, though, Tia. And this time, it’s the real thing.”
“It’s not just the real thing. It’s that house. It’s those kids who think you walk on water. It’s the way his face changes every time you laugh. No.” She shook her head as that sparkle started again in my belly. “It’s everything.”
“Yes,” I whispered.
And it so was.
“I’m so glad you have that,” she decreed.
I glanced at Damian.
“And I have what I have too. We’ve both scored,” she stated. “Who woulda thunk?”
I smiled at her, even if I wasn’t sure about Damian.
Yes, his face changed when she laughed too.
Yes, he seemed super into her.
But no, I remembered her words about his rootless life and that they’d made no promises to each other.
I had future marriage and babies and all things Buck, Gear and Tatiana to look forward to.
Tia?
Not so much.
“Ready, honey?” Damian called.
“Ready!” she chirped on a cute jump.
Then again, at least she had what she had now.
And her future…
Well, I’d be around whatever that might bring.
We said our good-byes and Buck and I watched them drive away, Tia waving, me waving back, Buck not waving, but holding me against his side with his arm around my neck.
When their brake lights could no longer be seen, Buck turned me to the steps and led me into the house.
Gear was in the den, playing some computer game.