I bit my lip as I continued to throw fabric around the closet. “I should probably look for a car as well.”
“Do you know what you want?”
“Probably a Volvo,” I said distractedly.
“I’m good with that. I’ll start looking for one.”
I faced him. “I want a new one, though. Bells and whistles, Doom. I like bells and whistles.”
“You just totaled a 1992 VW Jetta, and you’re telling me you like bells and whistles?”
“It’s the only thing in my life that didn’t have bells and whistles,” I pointed out. “It was my grandma’s and she gave it to me before she died.”
“Ah,” he said. “Now I get it.”
I nodded.
“That’s why you held onto it for so long.”
“Yes.”
He smiled. “Okay, baby, we’ll get you a Volvo with bells and whistles. But I’m still gonna get you a deal.”
“I can live with that.”
“Wear the blue,” he said, pointing to the shirt in my right hand. “It matches your eyes.”
I nodded. “Okay.”
He stepped inside and kissed me gently. “He’s gonna love you. Trust me.”
I nodded. “I’ve never met parents before.”
“Never?”
I shook my head. “It’s never gotten this far before.”
“You love me, right?”
I smiled. “So much.”
“He raised me. Mom died when I was sixteen.”
“Oh, god, honey, I’m so sorry.”
“It wasn’t fun. He still wears his ring. Well, he did. I had to cut it off his finger today because the dumbass didn’t cap a live wire off before touching it.”
I grimaced. “Ouch.”
“Exactly. He still loves my mom, but he didn’t do what I did. He didn’t go into a dark hole and fester. I wish I’d taken a page out of his book a little sooner.”
I slid my hands up his chest. “If Ezra had lived, honey, you would have. I’m sure of it. If your dad had lost youandyour mom, he might not have fared as well as you did. I mean, I couldn’t imagine losing you now, but I bet you were an amazing child.”
He chuckled. “I was hell on wheels.”
“Oh, I have no doubt about that.” I smiled. “But beautiful, nonetheless. I wonder how many girls had pregnancy scares after a night with you.”
“None. No glove, no love, baby.”
