“Got it. Nice job with Violet. She deserves a good man, which I know you are, and congratulations on the kids. What aChristmas season it’s been for you,” Ry said, handing him the drinks. He pulled out his wallet.
“Nope. On the house. You lifting Halligan up and then tackling him will be gold to tease him with. Thank you,” Ry said, grinning.
Speedy made his way back, handing Violet her hot cocoa and sitting down.
Stone was beside him and had been quiet. He was always quiet, but it seemed a little different.
“You doing okay?” Speedy asked.
Stone nodded. “Yeah, just thinking. I’m glad we came here. The girls are thriving.”
Speedy guessed Stone was talking about Emerson, Frankie, and Harry, who weren’t girls anymore, but Speedy could understand being gone for twenty years, Stone probably still saw them as the young girls he’d left. He’d come home to adult women. It would be a tough transition.
“You have any time soon to do some ink for me? I’m thinking I’d like something with the kids’ names, Violet’s, and maybe the time of year. Not sure yet what,” Speedy said.
Stone nodded. “Let me check the schedule and I’ll also think about some ideas.”
Speedy didn’t say anything else. Stone had spoken more in the last couple of days than Speedy had heard him in the months since he’d come to Bluff Creek.
Stone wasn’t the only one who had found a home at Bluff Creek. Speedy was thankful for the friends he’d made and the woman he’d found. He thought this would be his saddest Christmas after losing his parents. It would be different without them, but he had a family to make this their best Christmas ever.
Chapter Seventeen
Violet held Deacon’s hand as they walked to the clubhouse for lunch. The sun was warm on her face, with a slight chill in the air. Deacon was in a good mood, though he was a little sleepy.
He’d talked a mile a minute since they picked him up about all the fun things they’d done. One thing he kept repeating was about how cool it was that so many kids had pets here. She and Speedy had hidden their smiles at his way of asking for an animal without really asking.
Violet woke up this morning with her head on Speedy’s shoulder and her leg thrown over his thigh. She would have been ecstatic, but she wasn’t naked and neither was Speedy.
She remembered riding back with Speedy last night, hoping he’d be willing to move their physical relationship forward. They’d pulled into the compound and gone to the house. Speedy had left her inside and said he was putting his bike away. She’d sat down on the couch, then nothing. She guessed she’d fallenasleep and Speedy must have carried her to bed. She wished she remembered that.
She’d woken this morning to pounding at the front door. She and Speedy had been cuddled together when Deacon had woken them up. She adored having Speedy’s arms around her, but he’d given her a quick peck on the lips before letting Deacon in.
Now that he’d said he was interested, she wanted it all, but she also wasn’t going to begrudge Deacon a minute of time with his dad. He’d missed the first five years.
Deacon slowed down as they passed the barn. The doors were open and some of the animals were in the corral. Sourdough, the donkey, came over to see if they had any treats.
“A donkey is probably too big to be indoors, but a small dog or cat would probably love our house. It could even sleep in my room,” Deacon said.
“An animal is a big addition to a house. It will probably require multiple conversations,” Violet said, though she secretly wanted a cat or kitten. She’d always wanted animals growing up but her mother was against them.
“David and Grant said if you or Daddy said maybe, it meant no. Conversations don’t mean no, right?” Deacon asked.
His pleading eyes had her wanting to go get an animal right now, but she had to be strong. This kid was going to be a heartbreaker. Of course, it had nothing to do with how much he resembled his daddy. Nope, not at all.
“It doesn’t mean no, but it doesn’t mean yes,” Violet said.
Deacon stared at her for a minute, then turned and pulled her toward the clubhouse. Well, she survived this, but she was positive raising kids wasn’t easy.
As soon as they entered the doorway of the clubhouse, Deacon let go of her hand, running toward his friends. Grant, David, and Hank were standing around Dex, staring at him intently.
Violet walked into the kitchen.
“Anything I can help take in?” she asked.
“If you could grab that tray of toppings, I’d appreciate it. The diner delivered all the items for a taco bar. I wanted easy today,” Regina said.
“I bet. You were brave having all the kids last night,” Violet said.
