Chapter 28
Eagle
After my last client was done and I cleaned my booth, I grabbed Lacy and we headed toward Dad’s. All the roads were back roads and I was so annoyed that my truck was a manual that, for the first time, I thought of selling it. She couldn’t be with me all the time, so when she was, I wanted to hold her, even if it was just her hand.
Her face was almost angelic as she took in the view of the drive. She seemed more relaxed than normal and her smile seemed different. She smiled a lot before, but seeing this new smile, I realized before it had been forced. Another pang pierced my chest at the hurt I had caused her. But never again.
When we finally hit a short stretch of road that I didn’t have to shift gears on, I reached over and grabbed her hand, pulling it to my lips before resting it between us. She squeezed over and over and I noticed her foot was wiggling.
“You okay, doll?” I asked.
Her head whipped over and a nervous smile met me. “Yeah. Just never met a man’s parent before.”
My brows pinched. A man, not her man. “I find it hard to believe nobody ever took you home to show you off.” Men usually treated women like an object, a prize, so of course they wanted to flaunt their beautiful lady to everyone. She wasn’t just an object to me, but she did feel like a prize and I intended to not only show her off to everyone, but make damn sure they knew she was mine.
She shrugged. “Nobody ever cared enough, I guess. Plus…well, nevermind.”
I tugged on her hand. “What? You can tell me anything.”
Her big blue eyes scrunched at the corners. “I don’t want to talk about past relationships with you.”
“Fair.” I probably didn’t need to listen, anyway. I knew she had others before me and I didn’t care about them, but if I got any kind of details, I’d probably lose my shit. “That’s best anyway. But don’t worry. Dad’s the best and he’ll love you.” I nearly let it slip that he would because I did, but I managed to bite my tongue.
Getting closer to the house, I had to release her hand again to shift gears and turn a few times before pulling in. The detached garage door was closed, but Dad had texted me earlier in the day that he got the car up and running and even gave it a good cleaning. It had been sitting for a while and wasn’t filthy, but definitely needed a wash and a good dusting inside. I made a mental note that I owed him, even though he was currently refusing anything in return.
I hopped out and walked around to Lacy’s door, helping her from the truck. She drew in a deep breath. “Smells amazing.”
The smell of charcoal wafted to the yard. “Yeah, he was excited to have some dinner company. He’s a great cook.”
She started to walk toward the house, but I jerked her back to me and crushed her mouth with mine. Her hands went to my chest, then down to my sides as she melted against me.
“Hey!” Dad yelled across the yard. I looked up to see him on the porch. “Is that man bothering you, miss?”
Lacy grinned and turned, shielding the sun from her eyes with her hand. “I think I can handle him, sir.”
Dad waved us up, so I grabbed her hand and led her over. “Hey, Dad,” I said as we made it closer. We walked up the steps and I beamed as I looked over. “This is Lacy.”
Lacy stuck her hand out and Dad grabbed it with both hands. “You sure you don’t need me to set this boy straight?” Dad winked at me then smiled back at her.
She cut her eyes at me. “I’ll be sure to let you know if he gets out of line. It’s so nice to meet you.”
“Call me Jimmy. Let’s go out back. I need to check the grill.”
We followed Dad through the house and out onto the back porch. Part of it was covered and there was a fan on the ceiling. A rectangle patio table was surrounded by four chairs with cushions. I motioned to one for Lacy then asked, “You want something to drink?”
Dad lifted the grill lid and said, “I’d love a cold one, son.”
Lacy asked, “Is there anything I can do to help?”
“No honey, you take a load off,” Dad answered.
“Any diet soda?” she asked as she took her seat.
“Got regular in there, Lacy. Sorry. I don’t tend to watch my calories,” Dad said as he turned the skewers on the grill.
“Just ice water is fine.”
I went inside and made her a glass of ice water, grabbed a soda for me, and a beer for Dad. When I went back outside, Dad had taken a seat at the table with Lacy and they were already chatting.
“I haven’t talked to them in a while,” she said as she reached for the water.
Dad nodded. “That’s a shame. Their loss, I’m sure.”
I asked, “Your folks?” I spent so much time keeping her at arm’s length, I had never asked her about her family. I asked if there was anyone she wanted to call when we first brought them to Georgia, but when she said no, I figured she didn’t want to talk about it and left it at that.
She nodded then sipped her water. “I have an old friend back home but I haven’t talked to her in a long time.”
Dad continued with the questions. “You working anywhere?”
“Destiny’s Desires. Haven’t been there long, though.”
“Probably pulling in more than Eddie,” Dad said with a chuckle.
My jaw clenched. It was wrong for me to care that she worked there, but it bothered me. I didn’t tell her to quit or anything, but I didn’t like it. It wasn’t about her, it was about the men seeing and touching what’s mine. Especially my club brothers.
“I wouldn’t know,” she replied as she glanced at me. “But it’s quick money for sure. I stumbled into it after I left home when I found myself needing cash.”
“You don’t need money now,” I shot out.
Dad raised his brows. “Ain’t nothing wrong with a woman making her own living, son. I admire that, Lacy. Do you enjoy it?”
She shrugged. “I did a lot of pageants and danced when I was younger. It sort of reminds me of that, I suppose. Just a typical girl, I guess. I like to play with makeup and dress up.”
Dad nodded, continuing, “I doubt there’s much typical about you, Lacy. You staying at the clubhouse?”
I answered for her. “No. But she should be.”
“You’ll have to excuse my son, Lacy,” Dad said as he shot me a dirty look. “He isn’t used to a real woman.”
She laughed as I thrummed my fingers on the table. She definitely brought out a different side of me. Before, I never cared if any woman was coming or going. Now, I wanted her with me at all times, or I wanted to know where she was when she wasn’t. Not in a possessive way, but a protective way. Too much shit was happening and up in the air. And I couldn’t tell her about it, at least not without raising questions I wouldn’t be able to answer.
I had my own questions, though. Pageants and dance weren’t cheap or something you did on a whim. I knew nothing about her upbringing or why she left home. The way she talked, it wasn’t on good terms. She just met Dad, so I didn’t want to press her for answers now, but I wanted to circle back to that soon.
We hadn’t talked at all about my upbringing either, but she was sitting across from my Dad, so that was a start. Hopefully that would help her open up. Whatever happened may not matter anymore, and she needed to know that she had a place now…with me. I just hoped it wasn’t anything that would set me off. Did they hurt her? Kick her out?
“You alright, son?” Dad asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.
I was tucking my hair behind my ears when he broke my internal line of questioning. “Yeah. So what’s on the grill?” I needed a distraction.
Dad stood and went to the uncovered part of the deck, opening the lid to the grill. “Kabobs and taters.”
“Smells great,” Lacy said.
I reached over the table and stuck my hand out. She slid hers into mine, and my heart began to slow. Amazing how just touching her could calm the storm inside of me. Like she knew, her cheeks pinked and her eyes fluttered.
God, I love this woman.
Her blue eyes sparkled as she squeezed my hand. I leaned over to kiss her cheek and she blushed again. She smiled at me like she felt as I did. The constant reminder that her reluctance to go all in was my own fucking fault drove me mad. All I could do was show her and wait. Hopefully.