Archangel rolls his eyes, and the firemen fight laughter.
“I got her.”
“Can you get down with her?” Archangel asks.
“Guess we’ll see.” I edge closer to Terror, speaking to her nice and coaxing like.
“If you hurt yourself, Coach will never forgive me.”
“Fuck off. I can climb a tree.” I get her in my arms, and while she’s not happy, she’s keeping it nice. I glance down, looking for an easy way to get back down one-handed. It takes me a bit, but I manage to make it back to the ground.
“See, my grandson did more than you whole lot in a fraction of the time.” Walt takes the cat, still ranting at the poor firemen.
I give them a sympathetic look as they pack up.
“No wonder you weren’t answering mom’s calls,” Archangel mutters as we follow Walt inside.
“I didn’t have the energy to deal with her and them.” Walt goes to his fridge and gets out a Dr. Pepper and an energy drink, giving me one and Archangel the other without asking.
I smile and crack that baby open before giving Walt a one-armed hug. “Thank you.”
“No, thank you. I was starting to lose hope in your whole generation!”
I laugh. “I’d say something about being a southern boy and knowing how to fix a problem, but they are too.”
“They got all these damn rules and regulations nowadays. Not really their fault.” He waves me off, going to set Terror on her cat tree.
“How’d she get out?” Archangel asks, leaning against the island.
“Got through the screen somehow.”
Archangel sets his drink aside and springs into action. “Let me fix it.”
Walt gestures at the window. “I closed it. No need to get sweaty re-screening when I’m sure your mother is expecting us back.”
Archangel rolls his eyes. “Do you really want to be there all day?”
“No, but I have my own car to leave, and I won’t let her sending my favorite grandkid prevent that.”
I laugh into my Dr. Pepper.
Walt glances over curiously. “So are you going to be my grandson-in-law?”
I choke on the DP.
Walt waits for me to recover, smiling. Archangel is laughing behind him. I want to flip him off.
“Are we getting married?” I say more to Archangel.
“You tell me, baby.” He’s grinning.
“Are you saying I have to propose?” I blink, acting offended, then cross my arms. “We are both men. You could get down on your knee.”
“I get on my knees enough,” Archangel throws back with a grin.
I grasp near my throat like I’m clutching pearls. “In front of your grandfather?”
“Seriously, Wilder.” But Walt is laughing.
