I pulled back, bursting into loud laughter. “Oh, Lily. I’d almost forgotten about the crazy shit that would come out of your mouth. You’re not pressuring me. I just—” My eyes darkened. “I haven’t been with you in almost seven years. I haven’t been withanyonein all that time. When I finally get between your legs again, I do not want to be interrupted. I also have to keep some kind of awareness. There was someone in your back yard tonight. Understand?”
Her body melted back into mine. “I understand, and I’m sorry for acting like such a dude.”
Smiling against the flushed skin of her neck, I said, “What am I going to do with you?”
“I’ll get started on a list. And with all this build-up, the list will be long. Do you really want to sleep down here? We could just leave the couch made up, and you could wake up before Dylan, so he won’t see us in bed together. He doesn’t need to see that until we’ve at least gone on our first date,” she teased.
I laughed softly. “I would love to sleep in your bed.” Her eyes were hot on mine as she took my hand and led me upstairs.
Chapter 17
Luke
My eyes opened to sunlight from Lily’s window shining on my face. Red hair fanned out across my shoulder, tickling its way down my arm. I blinked a few times to make sure this was real.Please be real...
I’d dreamed of moments like this for so long. Even when she’d been mine, I’d had dreams like this. I’d been gone more often than I was home, so I was always missing her. I was tired of being alone, tired of being without. I groaned when I looked down and saw the tent I was making out of the quilt. Tonight would be the night. I reached for her phone and turned her alarm off. She needed rest, and I needed her to know that I was here to take care of her. Carefully, I shifted her head to the pillow and disentangled myself from her arms. I tucked the quilt around her shoulders and smiled as she sighed and snuggled under it.
I got ready for the day, grabbed the baby monitor, and headed for the kitchen, checking on the kids as I passed their rooms. Both were still asleep. Rocky perked up when I passed to follow me downstairs. After starting a pot of coffee, I sent a text to Jed asking him to stop by here to pick up Rocky andbring donuts. I poured myself a cup and headed out to the covered front porch to sit on the swing. Rocky sniffed around the front yard, hunting for a good spot.
I rocked and sipped my coffee. The peaceful street arched over with green trees and glinting with early morning sunlight was a hard contrast to the desert where I’d spent most of my adult life. I was not used to hearing the rustle of trees blowing in the breeze or the chatter of squirrels and birds bustling about. As I took a deep breath and the smell of flowers and fresh-cut grass filled my nostrils, I found that I couldn’t relax.
I stopped the swing so Rocky could hop up and put his head on my shoulder. He licked my cheek and I put my free arm around him. Rocky always knew when I needed him. I settled into the swing and allowed the gentle rocking and calm surroundings to ease my mind.
Jed pulled into the driveway. I shielded my face against the sun as he walked toward me. He limped a bit from his knee replacement earlier this year, but he still stood tall, military straight. His hair had turned white while I was gone. He carried a donut box, waving as he approached.
“Morning, Pop. How’s the knee?” I called out.
He made it to the porch and grinned. “Oh, just fine. I’m collecting scars this year. I made it through four tours with only some shrapnel and an itty-bitty bullet hole. This year, I got four new scars, just from old age.” He chuckled. “I’m glad to see you here, boy. Finally taking my advice. Getting your family back. Good for you.” He placed the box of donuts on a side table before patting my shoulder and kissing the top of my head and sitting across from me.
“There’s coffee in the kitchen. Want a cup?” I offered.
He waved it off. “Nah, already had some.”
Rocky trotted over to greet him, then lay down on his feet. Jed leaned over and patted his head. “This is a good dog. Failed all my certification tests, but still a good boy, aren’t you?” Rocky licked his hand, and Jed laughed. “He was meantto stay in the family—meant to be with you, Luke.” He was a big believer in fate and destiny and all that kind of crap.
I believed life was what you made it to be. I had seen too much, watched too many good men die, to believe in fate. Life was random and unfair. I hoped to someday understand Jed’s optimism. We both turned to look through the screen door when we heard Dylan bounding down the stairs.
He made it to the doorway, then rushed through to jump onto Jed’s lap. “Papa, you’re here! Yay! I smell donuts.” He scrambled down from Jed’s lap and opened the box. “Oooh, sprinkle ones.” Jed laughed as Dylan snatched one, then sat by me on the swing to snuggle into my side. I put my arm around him and grinned down at his upturned smiling face as donut sprinkles rained down on my leg.
“There’s my little sunshine,” Jed said, holding his arms out for Calla as Lily walked onto the porch. I held the baby monitor up with a confused smile for Lily.
“I turned it off when I got up. Thank you for letting me sleep.” She rummaged through the donut box with a smile, then took a bite of an apple fritter.
I reached for the box and got my own apple fritter.
Jed chuckled. “You two and the apple fritters. Some things never change. Not as good as my Diana’s, but they’ll do.” My mom used to make the best apple fritters. A collective hush fell over us as we remembered her.
“Who’s Diana?” Dylan asked.
“My daughter. Luke’s mom,” Jed answered.
“Oh yeah. My other grandma.”
“She sure would have loved you, Dylan. And you too, little princess,” Jed said.
“Mommy said she was an angel in heaven. I wonder if she knows my dad Will,” he mused as he ate his donut.
I leaned back into the swing. It was impossible to escape the memories. Even happy ones were bittersweet.
