Chapter 18
CHAPTER
EIGHTEEN
HARLOW
Cleaning up my station, Felt Tip comes over to check in with me for the next supply order, I let him know I am good with the usual.
FT is a great owner, I really like working at this shop, it is stocked well, the artists are great and my clients like seeing me here.
I especially like that no one is pushing me to open my own place.
Definitely not my dream, my dream is to do exactly what I’m doing, working at a great shop, just like this one.
Luckily, FT is only around forty, so he won’t be going anywhere anytime soon.
The chime of the front door sounds and I hear his voice when he greets John at the front followed by FT.
Doing the last wipe down, I can feel the excitement bubbling up in me as his footsteps get closer.
My phone starts ringing, Roxy flashes over the screen, clicking answer just as arms slide around my waist and lips press to the side of my throat. “Hey Rox.”
Frankie’s teeth nip lightly at the shell of my ear as I lean back into him.
“Baby girl, I get why your man went to your daddy, but why have I not heard from you?” her words sharp and laced with hurt.
Twisting in Carbon’s arms looking up at him, I know he heard her. He mouths ‘sorry’. “Rox, you were at work this morning and I worked the latter part, I planned to call you tonight.” I hope I am soothing her hurt.
“Reasonable. I accept your choice. Now, tell me everything.” My heart feels lighter because she sounds happy now. “I of course would prefer to be sitting on a couch eating cake together for this, but if a phone call is what it has to be, then so be it. This is big news.”
I dip my forehead against Frankie’s chest, his hand cups at the back of my neck and the other my low back. “Rox…”
“Love, do you want to pick up cake and go see Roxy?” his words are so quiet and next to my ear. I nod my head. “Okay then.”
“Baby girl? Talk to me, why are you sad?” worry threads her voice now.
“No. I’m not. I’m so happy, but… I really want to come over with cake. Can I?” I plead a little, hoping I am not interrupting whatever her plans were.
A happy squeal bursts through the line and she calls out, clearly to my dad, “Stud, our baby girl is coming over, okay?” I hear Dad’s distant chuckle, and I assume he says yes because Rox gleefully fills in for my sake, “Come right on over, and tell that man of yours it’s a red velvet kind of night, so take you somewhere with that to bring over. ”
“Got it. See you soon. Love you.”
“Love you so damn much, my baby girl.”
We hang up and I tilt my head, resting it back in the support of Frankie’s hand. “You talked to Dad.”
“I did. I can tell you on the way to that diner you guys like. The one with those giant cake slices is on the way, want me to check that they have red velvet before we go?” He pulls his phone out.
“No, just take me. They always have it, being out of that would be like being out of vanilla cake for them.” I smile up at this man who is so unbothered by all of the pieces of me.
No. Not unbothered, enthusiastically embraces and enjoys all the pieces of me.
It’s the weirdest and most liberating feeling to have someone actually like all the little things like he does.
We get out to the car, and I look over at him as he steers out onto the roadway. “Ron Ron was okay when you left him?”
He smirks, fuck I love his smirky little looks. “Yeah, I saw him for a good chunk of the day, I brought over that dark green cushion and the reddish blanket from your place. He now enjoys sitting on his throne as he watches his programs.”
I laugh. “Programs, I like that. You went to my apartment for Ron Ron?”
He shrugs.
“For more of my things?” I prod a little to see what he will say.
I am hoping he did. I really liked him saying he was keeping us and it seems like he means in his house.
I mean, that is the context and kind of what he said, but I want to be sure he really means it.
If Frankie wants to be all in with me, then I am going to meet him there.
I really like how he makes me feel. Yes, yes, the sex is fucking mind blowing, but that’s not what I mean.
I have never been valued for exactly who I am by anyone but Roxy.
My dad and brother, sure, but that’s a different kind of acceptance.
Frankie chooses to accept me.
“Yeah, I brought the rest of your clothes and shoes over. I think I got most of your jewelry too. We can get the rest later and put in your notice.” He pulls into the lot at the diner.
My heart feels like it is so damn full right now.
“Stay in the car, this will be fast. I’ll get a quarter cake, that way you can eat what you like tonight and you two can split what is left over.
I know you like cake for breakfast too.”
He hops out as my chest flutters at how fucking thoughtful he is.
I bite my lip. I need to show him how much I appreciate him, but I am not sure how.
Watching him through the windows, he stands at the side counter they have for their baked goods.
A quarter cake is more than a typical half cake.
These things are seven layers and massive.
Massively good. I pull out my phone calling his mom.
Trish answers right away. “Harry, sweetie, this is such a happy surprise.”
“Hi Trish, I don’t have a lot of time, but is there anything you can think of that I can do for Frankie, to show him how much I appreciate him?” I ask, my eyes glued on him.
A soft happy sigh comes through the line. “Oh sweetie, you giving a shit like this is enough. I promise. He knows. He feels it. So don’t you do anything else. But you have just made my day.”
“But—”
“Nope. Sweetie, you are exactly who I choose for my son. You see him and embrace it. He doesn’t scare you—he lights you up.
I promise you, he can feel your appreciation of him in the fact that you accept him as is.
” Her words are kind and lovely and make me feel like maybe I am just as good for him as he is for me.
“Would you guys want to have dinner with my family sometime?”
“Oh sweetie, Jimmy and I would love that so much. I’ll call your Roxy and we’ll sort it all out. I am so darn happy,” she bubbles.
Frankie takes the box from the woman. “Hey Trish, I gotta go, thank you. I mean it. Thank you.”
I can hear the smile, “I know you do sweetie, and thank you for loving my son. See you soon. Call anytime.”
We hang up and Frankie’s eyes meet mine as he moves toward the car, a smile curving up his lips as Trish’s words sink in. Loving my son.
Autopilot kicks in, I pop open my door holding my hands out in a gimme motion as he comes around. His brow crooks up as I stare at him. “Sexy girl?”
I shake my head. “Later. I want to hear about talking to my dad. I’ll protect the cake.”
He nods and pushes a smile back up his face.
“Very important work.” He winks at me, closing the door then walking around.
He gets in and carefully backs us out as he tells me about going to see my dad.
I am surprised at how easy Dad was about it, but when Frankie explains it, I realize for the first time that Dad doesn’t have to love me, he doesn’t have to accept me just because he is my dad—he chooses to.
He sees me and damn if my world doesn’t just suddenly feel a whole lot brighter.
We pull up in front of Dad and Roxy’s, I look over at him, trying to decide how much to tell him. “I called your mom.”
“I saw you were on the phone. Figured that was what you would talk to me about later. Everything good?” he is being so gentle, and it makes my heart squeeze.
“Yeah, she is going to call Roxy about dinner, I floated the idea. I hope it’s okay.”
“I love that. I know it must have made Mom so damn happy.” He reaches over, brushing his fingers along the side of my throat. “There more?”
I nod.
“Is that the later part?”
I nod.
“Alright. Ready for some cake and time with Roxy?” He gives me that fucking adorable boyish grin, minus the devious devil.
I nod.
“Want me to ask your dad out for a beer?”
I shake my head.
“How about I suggest he and I head to the backyard with beers?”
I nod, letting the happiness I feel push up my face.
He comes around, takes the cake box and helps me out.
He walks me toward the front, leaning to the side he kisses the side of my head, and smiles at me.
My dad pulls the door open before we fully reach it.
His eyes move between us, and I can feel my insides tighten a fraction, worrying that Frankie was wrong.
Dad’s face splits into a big grin and everything inside me relaxes.
“Rox is on the phone with Trish. She’ll be just a minute. Sounds like we’re all going to be getting together on Saturday—before your brother gets home.” Dad winks at me. “Come on, let’s get that cake on plates. Carbon, you want a beer?”
We follow Dad in and I just hang back a tad, watching Dad and Carbon plate cake and open beers, talking about club stuff.
Dad bumps his chin at my guy, who gives me a wink, then heads toward the back.
Dad comes around the counter to me, pulling me into his arms, he drops a kiss to the top of my head.
“Baby girl, the only things I want in life are my kids happy, my woman happy, and to have some time to ride. Beyond that, not much else really matters. I finally feel like both my kids are happy.”
“I love you.”
“Awe, baby girl, I love the shit out of you. Best damn surprise of my life.” He presses another kiss to the top of my head.
“When Mint is back—” I huff out a breath, clutching Dad’s back as he keeps holding me, “I think I’m ready to tell you it all.”
Dad releases a long slow sigh. “Good. Good. You know between that man of yours and us, we can take care of anything. And Harlow, remember, your brother will come around. He has two people that he can’t walk away from that will knock some sense into him.”