Chapter 25
Danny
“Drizella!” I wiped my forehead so the drips didn’t go into my eyes.
“Gracie!” Still felt weird, but whatever.
“Trouble!” For good measure.
And still the rain came down.
You should go home. Call…animal control? Law enforcement? Arthur? Arthur felt vaguely logical. If any animal was found, they’d usually be taken to his home. Oh, or the Pam woman he’d complained about. Well, complain was a strong word. Had he said…indecisive. What the fuck, dude? This is what you’re focused on? Well, anything was better than admitting I lost the dog. Hallie’s dog, really. Thomas and Rob might love Trouble, but she really belonged to Hallie.
And the name Drizella just had to go. Of all the options I’d been shouting—that was the most painful. Hallie loving it swayed me ever so close to acceptance. Maybe I could call the mutt Trouble while everyone else?—
“Danny!”
Even over the howl of the wind, there was no mistaking my name. I spun from the beach where I stood uselessly and gazed up toward the boardwalk. I’d first tried Druscilla’s house. Then the three parks Trouble loved. Finally, I’d come to where I’d always had the sense she was happiest—the beach. I’d checked all along the boardwalk from almost the lighthouse to Riverside with no luck. I’d stupidly left my phone at home?—
No, I’d left my phone at Rob’s, and?—
“Danny!”
Yeah, that was Rob’s voice.
I waved and started to jog. The sand was heavy under my sneakers, but I finally managed to get some traction. Rain continued to lash my face. It hadn’t been so bad when I’d first headed out. I didn’t have a coat at Rob’s and I’d been in a hurry, so I’d just headed out as was—sweatshirt and jeans. Both were, of course, completely soaked through.
Rob left the boardwalk and met me halfway. He gazed up at me, shielding his eyes from the pounding rain. “We need to get you inside.”
“I have to find Trouble.”
He managed a grin, although the strain on his face was clear. Only Rob could smile and still furrow his brow. “Drizella came home.”
I crossed my arms.
“Trouble came home.” Rob grinned. “Okay, but you have to convince Hallie. It’s really her dog.”
Lightning streaked the sky, followed by a crash of thunder.
I wrapped my arm around Rob’s shoulder—as if I could somehow protect him from the storm. “Let’s get you home. I don’t suppose you brought a car.”
“Uh, no.” His teeth chattered.
Damn. “Should we call a cab?”
“Quicker just to run. And we’d soak the upholstery of a cab.”
I loved how, even in the middle of a massive storm, he was worried about someone else. “Hey, who’s watching the kids?”
“James.”
I nearly tripped. “Great.” Because I wasn’t going to make a big deal of the fact Rob called my brother. I should’ve told him more before I bolted, but I figured I’d nab the dog and we’d be back home before Rob had time to panic. “How are the kids?”
He stopped and looked up at me. “They’re fine, Danny. Hallie did great explaining.”
“But she shouldn’t have had to.” I wiped my face. “I can’t even look after a dog and two kids. I…” Worry poured out of me. “I keep waiting to make a mistake. I say it’s easy, but it’s not. I was constantly worried with my nieces and nephews. But I never…” I swallowed. “I lost the damn dog, Rob. If I can’t even watch over a dog, how can I keep your kids safe?”
He blinked. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Of course you can take care of my kids. There’s no one I trust them with more. I mean, James is great…but he’s not you. And yeah, Trouble got out. So you know she’s a little escape artist. She’s almost made it past me a few times. We’ll have to train the kids to be super careful and not to let her out. But…” He pressed a hand to my chest. “None of that detracts from your ability to care for my kids. They love you. Clearly you love them. I…” He wiped his eyes. “I can’t do this without you, Danny. I thought I could…but I can’t. And it’s not the babysitting thing. That’s great…but it’s so much more. I can count on you. You get it. And you don’t judge. You just help me be a better person. I…”
Say it. Please say it. Because I don’t want to go first.
Yet he continued to flounder.
Okay, here goes nothing. Please don’t let me be wrong. “I love you, Rob. I love everything about you.”
A gust of wind nearly knocked me sideways, but I braced myself. At least I’d positioned myself so I took the brunt of that vicious wind. “And we should probably go inside. But not before I tell you how much I love you. Because when we go back inside, then it’s about the kids. In your world, they come first. That’s the way it should be. And I don’t have a problem with that. If I’ve fucked up here—and you don’t love me—then we’ll forget we ever had this conversation. But…I hope we won’t lose what we had. And I don’t mean the epic kissing sessions…although those were pretty sweet.” I managed another smile. “I mean the times when we just sit and talk. Or when we hang out with the kids and Trouble.”
Another flash of lightning and another crash of thunder that reverberated through my chest. I knew we needed to get out of the storm—but he also needed to know just how damn important he was to me.
Then, to my absolute surprise, he threw his arms around me and pressed himself to me. He fit perfectly, of course. I wound my arms around him and pulled him close.
“I love you too.” He whispered the words just before he crashed his lips to mine.
And then another lightning strike followed by a burst of thunder.
He laughed as he pulled back. “I think Mother Nature approves.”
“Well, sure…” I pulled him close for one more hug, then shielded him with my body as we headed home. For once, I didn’t mind my bulk. I could keep him protected. Several times, in fact, he’d said he liked me the way I was. He used the word sturdy—but not in a bad way. Apparently his soon-to-be ex-husband had been a runner. All slender and obsessed with weight. That had driven Rob nuts. He just wanted people around him to eat food and not be constantly complaining.
I never complained. And as long as I stayed healthy, I was good. Maybe a few pounds might come off. Because if I was living with Rob, then I could walk—and train—Trouble more. I tripped on a board on the boardwalk.
“Hey, are you okay?” Rob met my gaze with concern. “You’re probably freezing. Maybe we should call?—”
“I want us to be together. Like, all the time. And that’s crazy, right? Because we barely know each other, and?—”
“Danny.”
“Yes.”
“You know me better than anyone in the world ever has. Even my aunt Lizzie, who loves me dearly, doesn’t know all my dark secrets. The stuff I keep buried. The stuff I shared with you, night after night, while I mopped and cleaned and you listened so wonderfully.”
I blinked. Because of the rain. Just because of the rain. “I can’t ask you to move in with me. But I hate going home every night.”
“So don’t.” He smiled. “Come home with me now and just…stay.”
“That simple?”
“Yeah…pretty much…” He blinked rain out of those fathomless gray eyes that haunted my dreams.
I had to try. “I’m twenty-one. That’s…”
Rob laughed. “I was twenty when I got Hallie. You think I haven’t been fucking terrified every day since? But…” He sighed. “We’re a package deal. I told the judge I had help with the kids. And even if you walk away, you’ll have helped me through what I hope will be the worst?—”
“Shush.” I hissed the word. “That was the worst. It only gets better from here.” I shook my head—as if I could somehow dislodge the falling water from my hair. “I love you. Nothing else matters. Well, that you love me too is sort of important. Now, let’s go.”
And we did, darting up to the road and practically running to our home. Not actually running…because neither of us was in that good of shape. We needed do better, though. We needed to be around and healthy so we could take care of the kids, grandkids and, God willing, great-grandkids. We were certainly young enough. The rest was up to Hallie, Thomas, and any children they might have.
Plus any more children Rob and I might have. Two was great, and if they were all we were blessed with, that was just fine. But if another child in need came along…we’d find room in our hearts and in our home.
We burst through the front door and I slammed it shut, wincing at how loud the sound was. I didn’t think Thomas would be down for a nap…then realized if he was sleeping through the insane storm, then a little slamming of a door wouldn’t be an issue.
He wasn’t sleeping, though. He was sitting on James’s lap and they were playing patty-cake.
I grinned. Then toed off my shoes.
Hallie handed me the towel I was pretty sure we used for Trouble. And as I wiped myself down, the pungent wet-dog smell confirmed my suspicion. Still, her kindness touched me. “Thank you for this.”
“I noticed there’s a lot of stew.” James glanced over at me for just a moment before resuming his game.
“Yeah.” I peeled off my socks.
“Way more than Mama ever gives me.” A smile curled his lips.
“I have a family.”
Rob stilled.
James’s grin grew. “Yeah, that’s what I chalked it up to. I’m going to heat up some lunch while you two warm up in the shower. You could always share the shower in the main bathroom. To conserve hot water, of course.” In one smooth move, he was off the couch with Thomas securely in his arms. “You hungry, little man?”
Thomas gurgled.
James bent to my favorite small girl. “Are you hungry, my little friend?”
Hallie beamed. “Yes, please. Stew.”
“Yeah, Mama makes the best stew.” He held out his hand and, to my infinite joy, Hallie took it.
Rob and I exchanged a look as James took the two kids into the kitchen. He swallowed. “She just?—”
“Yeah.”
“You know what that means.”
“That she sees my brother as trustworthy?” I wanted to make a joke about how she’d soon learn the truth, but I couldn’t. Not only because Rob might not see it as a joke but also because of the solemnity of the moment. Hallie trusted someone other than us. Someone who would take care of her. Who would love her.
That meant everything.
Still… “We don’t have to share a shower. If we each shower quickly, there’ll still be lots in the hot water tank.”
“And if…” He met my gaze. “I want to?”
My heart sped up. “Conservation is critically important.”
“Yeah.” He grinned wickedly. “You tell yourself that…if it makes you happy.”
“You make me happy.” I crashed our lips together as he grabbed the back of my head and held on tight. I could’ve told him how he only needed to say stop and I would. But he knew that. I could’ve told him we could slow down. But he knew how to speak up. A few weeks ago, I would’ve worried. Since the wedding, though, things had been different. Not just physically. He was more open. More honest. More trusting.
“Last one there…” He flushed.
“Yeah, that…”
And we were off.