Kesha’s facade finally shattered. With tears rolling down her cheeks, she shoved back from the table and headed down the hall, slamming the guest bathroom door shut behind her.
Elvin was still trying to catch his breath when his phone went off, startling him and sending his pulse racing.
Meri’s custom tone.
Smiling, he slipped it out of his pocket and stood. “I’ll be right back. I need to take this.” He stepped outside onto the front porch, closing the door firmly behind him before he answered. “Hello, baby girl.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Ron was still giggling as he retrieved the pizza boxes from where Meri had set them on the dining room table so she could dig her phone out and call Elvin. She closed her eyes and inhaled the flowers’ sweet aroma.
“Hello, Sir.”
“I love you, baby girl.”
“I love you, too, Sir. I’m sorry.”
“S’okay, baby girl. Even Momma yelled at Keisha when I told her what she did.”
“You told Momma?”
“Yeah. You don’t think I’d keep that secret, do you?”
More shame filled her as she stared at the vase of flowers, two dozen gorgeous pink and red and white roses. “I just didn’t think you’d tell them. Not cause trouble.”
“I think Momma would rather have you here tonight than Keisha. We just got Keisha to admit she’s broke-ass. Well, by her standards. Her prenup and the will left most everything to the guy’s adult children. Momma also informed Keisha she’s cut out of her will.”
“Oh, no!” She giggled.
“Oh, yes. So?”
It was like he was waiting for…something. “So?”
“My question.”
“Question?”
“Follow the trail,” Ron yelled at her from the kitchen.
“What?” She turned and realized there was a trail of rose petals on the floor just outside the entryway.
“You didn’t make it into your room yet, did you?” Elvin asked, a smile in his voice.
“No, Sir. Sorry. The flowers in the dining room distracted me.”
“Go on. I’ll wait.”
She walked down the hall and opened the door to her bedroom to find the petals along the floor, up the end of her bed and to the pillows, where an adorable stuffed bear in a pink dress sat, holding a card.
“Press her left paw.”
Trembling, she did, finding the voice box there.
Elvin’s voice rolled from it. “Love you, baby girl.”
She could barely see from the tears in her eyes. “It’s adorable. Thank you.” She carefully opened the envelope, not wanting to rip it. It was a really beautiful card, one of those expensive ones, with textured hearts and lace on the front in shades of red and pink and white, but blank inside.
Inside, he’d written a poem.
I love you beyond thought, beyond words.
I love you with my heart and soul,
I love you with my spirit whole.
I know the shadows and the shade
the dark and cold, the raw and lean.
I know the fear, the sorrow, the shame—
Familiar companions.
With all I am I lift you up,
Will carry you always
Will protect you truly.
Above all, I am not perfect
and wish you could feel
the way my heart only beats for you.
Always.
Forever.
Then, he’d added below that:
May I come over tonight to talk?
“Yes,” she whispered. “Please, Sir.”
“You eat yet?”
“Not yet, but we picked up pizza on the way home. And I need a shower. I’m…gross.”
“You have plenty of time for all that. Save room for cake, too, baby girl. And tell Ron I’ll bring him a piece.”
“Yes, Sir.” The words on the card blurred with tears pricking at her eyes. “I’m so sorry I blew up.”
“Nah, you don’t owe me an apology,” he gently said. “We’ll talk it out later. I know you’re hurting. I hurt, too. Other people hurt us. We didn’t do this to each other, and we’ll figure out how to get through it without hurting each other again.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“I’m gonna go back inside now. We were eating, but I wanted to talk to you. I’ll text you when I leave, okay?”
“Yes, Sir.”
* * * *
The shaky, relieved breath escaped Elvin. He’d saved this, saved them.
And yes, he believed every damn word, that they would get through this.
“Love you, baby girl.”
“Love you, too, Sir.”
“I’ll see you soon.”
He wore an unbreakable smile when he returned inside and retook his seat. Keisha had returned and eyed him suspiciously.
“What you smiling for?” she snapped.
“You wouldn’t understand even if I explained it.” He picked up his fork. “That’s okay. You’re right that you did me a favor, leaving the way you did.” He took a bite of pot roast and savored it. “Let me find a better life and happiness I’da never known before.” He flashed her a pleased grin.
Momma reached over and patted his arm. “I’m lookin’ forward to meeting Meri, son,” she said after casting a sharp glare at Keisha. “She sounds like a wonderful woman.”
“I don’t want her around me,” Keisha said.
“Well, nobody asked you,” Momma shot back. “We just won’t invite you to things.”
Keisha’s jaw dropped. “You can’t be serious!”
“I most certainly am. And considering you live in Atlanta, what is there to invite you to, unless I was right and you thought you were gonna move down here and in with me? And you are not. You’d do well to scale back your spending and figure out how to make what you got last you, instead of thinkin’ you’re gonna skate back in here and latch on to me, or to Elvin. He moved on years ago, girl. He is not your sugar daddy, and he damn sure isn’t ever gonna be!”
A dismissive sniff wrinkled Keisha’s nose. “Who said I even want him?”
“Oh, please,” Momma scoffed. “You weren’t in my house thirty seconds yesterday before you were askin’ about him!”
Keisha stood. “I don’t have to listen to this!”
“Nah, you don’t,” Albert said. “Bye.”
Sondra smiled and gave her a little wave.
On that note, Keisha snatched up her purse and stormed out, slamming the door behind her.
“Well now,” Momma said. “Now we can actually enjoy our dinner.” But then she turned on Elvin with an arched eyebrow. “Why didn’t you tell me all this when I called you yesterday? I woulda told you I’d uninvite Keisha so I could meet Meri.”
“It’s okay, Momma. It had literally just happened, and I was trying to work it out with Meri. This is actually a good thing. I’m going over to her place after we’re done here. In fact, I need to take her and Ron cake.”
“We can do that,” Sondra said with a smile. “There’s plenty.”
At least having contact with Meri reestablished, and with Keisha’s departure, now he could relax and enjoy the rest of his time there. It didn’t shock him in the least to have Keisha’s true motives exposed. It totally fit her, that she was still the same greedy woman she’d always been.
Maybe it was better he hadn’t known that about her back then. Despite the heartache he suffered, had he not endured, maybe he’d still be…
He was a different and better man now, tempered by fire and hardened like steel in ways that might never have happened without what he’d survived. He might not have had the fight in him to make it through his recovery from his accident.
He wouldn’t have retired from the county when he did, gone to work at Sorrellson, and therefore met Meri, and Ron.
It was past six thirty after cake was enjoyed, dishes were done, and Momma had unwrapped Keisha’s presents.
Of course they were ostentati
ons, expensive things made to impress, like a huge, fancy designer purse Momma could barely lift, much less would never use.
“I’ll send her a thank-you card,” Momma said as she set the things aside and picked up the book Elvin had given her. “I can’t wait to start on this. I always love reading other takes on his works.”
Sondra blew Elvin a playful raspberry. “Here I thought our DVD set on Shakespeare was going to be the winner this time.”
“Sorry, sis.”
“Nah, don’t be like that,” Momma said. “I’m looking forward to watching that, too. You guys all know me so well.” She sighed, the unsaid plainly hanging in the air.
Unlike Keisha.
Sondra was an accountant, but had minored in English Lit in college. All three of them knew Momma was trying to downsize and declutter, and wasn’t interested in something that didn’t have a personal value to her, a connection. She didn’t want trinkets or knick-knacks.
Much less designer purses.
“Well, I’m going to head on out.” Elvin stood, wincing a little at his various aches and pains. The stress no doubt was kicking him into a pain cycle, but he wanted to tough it out, if possible. He’d raced around today to get everything done in time to make it to Albert’s early.
Sondra packed him two pieces of cake, each neatly tucked into its own plastic storage container. “I hope they enjoy it.”
“Thanks. I’m sure they will. I’ll get these back to you next week.”
“No rush.”
He walked out to the car and once he had it started and the A/C running, he texted Meri.
On my way. ETA 20.
He didn’t wait for a reply. After setting his phone facedown on the passenger seat, he headed for Ron’s.
Honestly? Seeing Keisha finally taken down by her family was well worth the twenty-four hours of angst he’d suffered through. It sucked that the little bit of suspicion he’d had about Keisha’s motives had been proven completely correct, though. He’d hoped that she’d grown and matured over the years.
Nope.
I really dodged a bullet by her leaving me.
He parked behind Meri’s car and had only made it as far as the front step when the door opened and Meri practically knocked him over when she flew out, wrapping her arms around him.
“I love you, Sir,” she mumbled against his shirt.
Peace filled him. He held her with one arm, his other hand wrapped around the handle of the plastic grocery bag holding the cake. He rubbed his face against her damp hair, savoring the sweet scent of berries from her shampoo.
“Love you, too, baby girl.” His hand slid down to her ass, which was barely concealed by the long T-shirt she wore. One of his she’d snagged from him after a sleepover at his place. “Can we take this inside? I don’t like showing you off like this to the neighbors. And I come bearing cake.”
Ron appeared in the doorway. “Did someone say cake? Nom!” He took the bag from Elvin, which allowed Elvin to wrap his other arm around Meri. “Thank you!” He disappeared inside.
“Inside, baby girl,” Elvin said.
She tipped her head back and stared up into his eyes. “I’m sorry, Sir.”
“I’m sorry, too, sweetheart. Let’s go inside, please.”
She finally let him guide her into the house and he closed the door behind them. He wanted to talk in private first, so they headed to her bedroom. She’d gathered the petals into a pretty crystal bowl which sat on her dresser.
He sat on the end of her bed, pulling her into his lap, his arms around her so he could properly kiss her. She tasted like mead and pizza and heaven.
“You’re the only woman for me, baby. The only woman I want. I know you’re hurting, but I also want you to know how proud I am of you.”
“Proud?” He almost laughed at her frown and disbelieving tone.
“Because as much as you were hurting, you did trust me. Sure, you acted out, but you didn’t come out and say no, don’t go. Passive-aggressive or not, you could have safeworded at any time and laid down the law to me.”
She played with the buttons on his shirt. “I don’t want to have that kind of relationship with you, Sir.” Her soft tone tugged at his soul. “I don’t think that’s the kind of relationship you want with me, either.”
He tipped her chin up so he could look her in the eyes. “You’re right. I want you to stand up to me, but I also need you to trust me. Because I trust you. You trusted me today. I hope I lived up to it.”
“You did, Sir.” Tears welled in her eyes. “I just…” She sniffled. “I know I shouldn’t have let her get under my skin, but she looked at my chest with the exact same look Peter gave me when he broke up with me, and I snapped.”
He brushed her tears away with his thumbs. “I think you’re beautiful. Any woman can have boobs. Hell, there’s a few men have them when they damn sure don’t need them.” That finally coaxed a little smile from her. “But what’s even more beautiful to me is your heart and soul and spirit. What’s that they say about beauty fading?”
“But sarcasm, that shit lasts forever.” She smiled, a real one this time.
He chuckled and hugged her, rocking her in his arms. “That’s right. I’ve laughed more with you over the time we’ve spent together than I did in the years I was with Keisha. I can be silly with you and you laugh with me. I can be me. And you don’t expect me to be physically perfect, either. I can be vulnerable to you, too, show you when I’m in pain, and you don’t make me feel less-than for it.”
“The only thing that really bothers me about you being in pain is I can’t make it better for you, Sir. I feel helpless when you’re hurting.”
He rested his forehead against hers. “That goes for me, too, baby. Are you really happy with me, and with this? What we have?”
“Yes, Sir.” She snuggled closer. “I’m sorry. But, hey, our first fight. Sort of.”
“Probably not our last, but if we trust each other, we can get through it, right?”
She nodded. “Yes, Sir.”
“Good.” He’d palmed the ring on the walk to the bedroom and now slid it onto her left ring finger. “That’s why I want to know if you’ll please marry me. I want to spend the rest of our lives together being imperfectly perfect together.”
Her eyes widened as she processed what he’d said, her jaw dropping open as she stared at the ring. It wasn’t a huge ring, but it was a real diamond, and he now had a credit card he could shred because it would take him a while to pay it off.
She let out a scream, startling him when she jumped off his lap. He stood, then turned when the bedroom door flew open. Ron stood there, a large axe in his hands and ready to swing.
“Meri? What’s wrong?”
She turned, still screaming, now bouncing up and down and holding her left hand out to him, shaking it at him…
And Ron started screaming, bouncing up and down with her, letting go of the axe with one hand and pulling her in for a one-armed hug.
Elvin started laughing and wished he’d known the two of them as kids—pulled up short when he realized he had known them as kids, and reframed it, meaning he wondered if when they were little kids if they’d shared joy together like this.
“Is that a yes, baby girl?” Elvin asked. “I hope.”
“Yes!” Ron yelled, pulling him in with the hand not holding the axe and still bouncing up and down with Meri.
She turned and grabbed Elvin, kissing him, this time jumping up and he caught her, her legs wrapping around him as they kissed and she mumbled, “Yes, yes yes!” against his lips.
Ron slapped him on the back. “You realize you get me as part of the deal, right?”
“You realize you get Momma, Albert, and Sondra, right?”
“Hey!” Ron grinned at Meri. “We can finally have a big, family Thanksgiving dinner!”
Chapter Twenty-Two
After Ron put the axe away, Elvin let Ron pour him a mug of mead because he knew he wasn’t going home tonight. He had n
o reason to.
All he needed was Meri, and she was here.
Truth be told, he wasn’t in a mood to play tonight, so noise wouldn’t be much of an issue. Snuggling? Yes, definitely.
And more than snuggling, but he could keep her quiet for that. Especially if he was choking her on his cock at the same time.
Ron held up his mug. “To my future brother-in-law! I make no apologies for how much of an up-in-your-business brother I am, but I will have your back, too, as long as you keep her happy. And if you don’t, please remember that I not only own swords and battle axes, I am skilled in their use. Skål.”
The three of them gently clinked mugs. “Skål,” Elvin and Meri echoed.
Ron kissed her forehead, then leaned over and kissed the top of Elvin’s head. “And with that, I’m out of your hair for the evening. Enjoy. I’ll use my noise-cancelling headphones, so feel free to get loud. But keep in mind if you use the, eh, common areas, that I might be wandering back and forth to the kitchen.” He took his plate of cake and mug of mead and headed down the hallway to his bedroom, gently shutting the door behind him.
“Finish your cake, baby,” he said. “I’ll be right back.”
“Where are you going?”
“Need to get something from my car.”
He’d stowed the bag in the trunk. Not just his stuff for staying overnight—because he’d wanted options depending on how events played out—but also a few items from the contents of his rapidly growing toybag. He carried it inside and set it in her bedroom before returning to the kitchen and retrieving his mug of mead.
“I’m not sure a Scooby-Doo mug is the proper mead-drinking vessel, is it?” he asked.
She giggled. “I have Hello Kitty, so I’m not judging. Ron’s right that they’re harder to spill, though.”
“Ah. That’s a very good point.”
Once she’d finished her cake, he caught her free hand and led her down the hall and to her bedroom, where he shut the door behind them.
He released her hand, took the mug of mead from her, and snapped his fingers, pointing at the floor at the end of her bed.