Chapter 67 Derrick
DERRICK
We are on our way to Australia after arriving at the private airport to board the Dirty Texas jet. Sienna, Ness, Isla, Charlotte, Jackson, me, and Charlie, plus all the Dirty Texas kids and, of course, Oscar and Christian’s family. Sienna’s and Vanessa’s parents will be meeting us in Australia.
“Are you ready? It’s one long ass flight, but I know ways we can pass the time.” I wink at him as we settle into our seats.
“You’re thinking of the Mile High Club with all these people around?” Charlie says, watching the gang walk on with their screaming kids. “Think of the children.” He smirks.
“Their parents will be in those toilets screwing like rabbits. How do you think they were all conceived? One trip, we heard Vanessa and Christian going at it, and when they came out, we all started mimicking Nessa’s screams.”
Charlie laughs. “No way.”
“You have no idea the number of times I’ve walked in on Sienna and Evan. His dick is pierced.”
“Derrick!” Charlie gasps and then leans in. “Really?” I wiggle my brows at him. “Wouldn’t that hurt?”
“Probably, but Sienna seems to like it.”
“Is that something you would like?” Charlie asks me.
My head whips around, and my eyes widen. “You would do that for me?” Because I’m not sure if I would pierce my dick for him. Ouch.
“If you wanted me to, of course.” He grins.
I’m gobsmacked. “You would? It would hurt.” He shrugs. “Let’s circle back to this idea, but I am not opposed unless you would want me to do the same, and then I’m not so sure,” I tell him honestly.
Charlie leans over and whispers in my ear. “Your dick is perfect.”
“So is yours,” I tell him as I lean forward and kiss him.
“Aw, you two are adorable.” Christian sighs, looking at us.
“He’s my man,” I tell him, which makes his smile widen.
“I know, and I’m disappointed you haven’t double-dated with your bestie, yet.” Christian pouts.
“Sorry, I’ve been monopolizing his time, but I can’t get enough of him,” Charlie answers.
Christian smirks. “Life has been quieter.”
“Hey,” I argue.
“At least he has a permanent smile on his face now,” Christian teases.
“When I’ve settled in LA, it would be nice to get together,” Charlie tells him.
Christian’s eyes widen. “You’re moving to LA?” Charlie nods. “Guys, guys, guess what!” Christian hollers to the plane. “Charlie’s moving to LA.” The entire plane erupts in congratulations for us, before they all settle back down into their seats.
“Wow. Your friends are super excited for us.”
“They are, they are the best. Your friends probably hate me for taking you away from Midnight Falls.”
Charlie shakes his head. “No. They understand that I’m not moving just for a guy, I’m moving for my sister, too.
But I’ll go back and see them, maybe the holidays and things, unless you are spending them with your friends.
” Oh. The holidays, I hadn’t even thought about all that.
I’ve never had my time split before. Charlie must see my freak out and puts a reassuring hand on my thigh.
“We have plenty of time to work it out. My parents may go overseas, or my sister might be working and can’t head back to Montana, but we can sort it out when the time comes. ”
“Thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me, D, we’re partners.” He smiles at me.
I am the luckiest guy in the world to have met such a brilliantly emotionally intelligent man like him.
“I guess sometimes I’m waiting for the other shoe to fall because I’ve never been this happy before.
You make me so happy. No one has ever made me feel this way, and I’m so scared it could all disappear. ”
Charlie takes my hands in his and kisses them lightly. “I understand. But I’m not your parents. I choose you. You’re stuck with me because I love fiercely and maybe a little possessively, but I will never for one moment make you second-guess my feelings toward you.”
He’s right. He’s been honest with me. Yes, we had a small blip, but in the long term, that was nothing. From the moment we got together he laid out his intentions for me, it’s my own insecurities that keep getting in the way. Maybe I should go to a therapist and work out my family trauma.
“I’m the luckiest guy.” I lean over and kiss him. I’m not letting my insecurity get the best of me anymore. Life is short, grab love by the reins and enjoy.
“That was a long ass flight,” Charlie grumbles as he stretches out his large frame from the chair as we land in Mudgee after changing in Sydney.
He was very excited to see the Opera House and Harbour Bridge as we came into land.
Now we are landing out west in the bush, and I’ve warned him to be careful where he puts his feet because of the critters.
I think the whole town has come out to greet us at the airport.
There are Dirty Texas signs welcoming them to town.
Not that there is much to the airport, it’s not much bigger than a tin shed.
“That’s so cute.” Charlie smiles, noticing the fans.
“The boys are well-loved everywhere they go,” I say, grabbing all my things to get off the plane.
“I can see. My sister was or is a huge Dirty Texas fan. I hadn’t told her Jackson’s brother was Finn.
I was waiting to surprise her when I got home from deployment and bring her to LA one weekend, where she could meet them, but well, that didn’t happen.
” His brows pull together, remembering the reason why.
“She got a shock at the hospital when he walked in to see me after seeing Jackson, that was worth being blown up for.”
“Charlie,” I gasp, hitting him, which makes him laugh.
He grabs my hand and pulls me to him, his hand cupping my face. “I make jokes about that day because I won’t let it define me.” He kisses me softly.
“Fine, but I’ll cut a bitch if they joke about it,” I tell him.
“It’s hot when you get all protective over me.” He kisses me again.
“Would you two stop it?” Jackson moans.
“I’ll kiss my man any damn time I like,” Charlie warns his bestie. Jackson raises a brow as a huge smile beams across his face.
“That turn you on, D?” Jackson smirks.
“Damn right it does.”
Jackson shakes his head and walks off the plane as we follow, leaving the families to round up their kids. We head straight to our blackout vans and into the air conditioning. Even though we are heading into winter, it’s still hot, and then we head off toward Stacey’s family’s farm.
“It looks dry,” Charlie remarks as we drive along the highway through the bush to the farm.
“Yeah, we are in a drought right now. They say it should break at the end of the year, they are predicting a wet summer. The farmers are doing it tough,” I explain to him.
“It’s so different from home,” he muses, looking out the window.
“Oh my god, there are kangaroos,” Jackson yells, pointing them out.
“They are everywhere here, you’ll see heaps,” I advise them, which makes them happy.
It’s not long till we are turning into the long driveway of Stacey’s family’s farm.
“Oscar’s been living out here this entire time?” Jackson asks, staring at the starkness of the area.
“From what Stacey has said, he loves it. He’s turned into a true farmer, looking after his bees and chickens.”
Jackson looks at me as if I’m talking Japanese. “Oscar?”
“He’s in full-on dad mode with those kids Stacey said.
” Which I think is the cutest and noblest thing the man could do for his lady love.
Oscar’s really stepped up to the plate when it comes to Stacey and those kids.
He may be the one who was the most commitment-phobic of all the guys, but he’s torn up that playbook and is one hundred percent delving into his new life.
And there he is with little Lockie on his hip with his arm around Stacey and the kids, waving at us as we arrive along the dusty path to them.
“Whose kid is that?” Jackson asks.
“That’s little Lockie, Stacey’s nephew.”
“He’s so young, that poor thing. Does he understand?” Jackson looks over at me, his heartstrings being pulled.
“Enough for that age. The funeral helped, and anytime he sees the kangaroos he thinks it’s them checking in on him.”
“And they want to leave all this?” Jackson continues to ask.
“The older kids do. They’ve been getting bullied by their friends because of Oscar. That things have changed for them, that their once safe space no longer feels safe.”
“That’s sad,” Charlie adds.
“It is, but maybe the change will help them thrive.” I shrug.
“It will let them be whomever they want to be. That might be the best gift for them,” Jackson says quietly as the car comes to a complete stop.
Stepping out of the car, I stretch my body.
“We made it, thank fuck.” Stacey and Oscar’s eyes widen, and I hear the kids giggle.
“Oh, sorry, little ears, forget what Uncle Derrick said.” Then my attention turns to Stacey as I rush over and pull her into my arms. “Oh my god, look at you. You look radiant.”
“I’ve missed you.” Stacey tearily hugs me back.
“I know, my sugar plum. I’ve missed you, too. I hope Ragnar has been looking after you?”
“Ragnar?” Amelia looks at me with a confused look.
“It’s Derrick’s nickname for me. He’s a famous Viking god,” Oscar explains to her.
Amelia frowns. “You’re a Viking?” I think I’ve just opened a can of worms. “I was born in Germany, my parents are Swedish,” he explains.
“So, you speak other languages?” she continues to pepper him with questions.
“Yes. German, Swedish, and English. I know a little Norwegian and Danish, as it’s close to Swedish.”
“I never hear you speak them,” she tells him.
“You will when my family arrives. Sometimes when we get excited, we slip back into Swedish instead of English,” Oscar explains to her.
“Will you teach me how to speak your languages?” she asks Oscar.
“You want to learn them?” He seems genuinely surprised by her question. She nods enthusiastically. Oscar’s face lights up. “Okay. Maybe we can find a language school in LA, and we can start teaching you.”