She doesn’t glance my way and continues to pet my dogs as they both smear themselves across the asphalt for her.
I can’t help but grin at that image.
“Girls,” she dramatically calls them, “Did you hear a bee… buzz… buzz.” Her hands rub and scratch their bellies while their ears perk up.
“At least I sting.”
“But you die right after.”
“Tragic. Así es la vida.” I comment, making a dramatic voice. “You woke up salty today.”
“You woke up without your helmet. Are you going for the full-face look?” Her mischievous smirk makes an appearance.
She’s good.
I take the last pull before I stab it out and discard it into my finished pack of cigarettes. “Wishful thinking.” I crack my knuckles. “You’re dying to know if I look like those men you read in your books.”
The corner of her mouth tugs up higher as her eyelids slowly blink up at me and reveal those brown wishful eyes and the thick eyelashes that are fanning them. “Which ones?”That little crinkle she makes with her nose when she is proving a point is kind of adorable. “You have to be more specific.”
Damn, this is going to be a challenging summer. I laugh to myself.
“Those erotic ones you read while you’re using your toys,” I remember every word she says.
Not denying my words, she stands back up, making her way toThe Garageon the other side of the road. It is lunchtime and the delicious smell of barbecue wafts in the air and waters my mouth. Blakely stops in her tracks, turning an inch but regrets it as she shakes her head and strides away.
My attention goes back to my dogs when they sit squarely and bark at me.
I arch a brow at them, “You smell that too,” I cross my hands over my chest and they bark again.
My phone pings with a message as I extract it out of my jeans.
Dean
Get your pretty ass down here!
Meadow
Coming.
I send him a person-running emoji.
I watch my cousin and his wife park their van and exit cheerfully like the perfect little family while their black cat,Scar, skips toward my dogs and rubs himself against them.
“Look at the fucker,” Dean says with a smile as he waves his hand in their direction and walks toward me.
Briskly, I descend the stairs. “Dean Walker, the man of the hour.” My dogs run to Lennon and jump on her, soaked in excitement. “Girls, behave.”
Lennon doesn’t seem to mind at all since she’s crazy about them too. “I missed you too.” She pets their heads.
“Mama needed some fresh air. She was getting bored at home.” Dean’s six-foot-three levels mine. Our palms clap once before we embrace each other in a hug. “Lenny wanted to come here since we can’t do much traveling with the baby coming out soon.”
I love these two so much. Dean has always been like an older brother to me. “Congratulations to both of you. I still can’t believe you’re going to be a dad.”
“Me neither.” His glossy, bright blue eyes reflect his emotions. “But I can’t wait to meet our baby girl and spend my time teaching her everything.” His candid grin crosses his entire face.
Ever since he met Lennon everything aligned for him like it was meant to be and I couldn’t be happier for him.
“It’s your forty-second birthday maybe you’d celebrate it with your daughter,” It might be the best summer yet, meeting our new family member.
