I swallowed, looked down at my phone then back at him again. I wasn’t sure what I was feeling anymore, other than dizzy and as giddy as a child that had just been told they were going toDisney.
“I think Drew is hinting at marriage.”
“And you look scared shitless.”
“No,” I said, shaking my head and brushing a stray tear away. “Not scared. Just surprised. It’s not a proposal, just anit’s gonna happen one daykinda thing, and here I am freaking out. He said it in a text message.” My voice pitched up an octave. “Atext message.”
“Have you responded?” Deeks asked, his lips pressed together as though he was trying not to smile.
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Answer him.”
“With what?”
“Whatever your heart and your head decide on.”
“Okay,” I agreed and looked down at Drew’s text again, before typing my own response.
Deeks… It would be Deeks.
I love Rusty. I love Tate, of course I do, he’s my brother, but Deeks has been like a father to me. He knows more than anyone how I feel about you.
“Breathe, kid. You’ll pass out otherwise.” Deeks was openly laughing now, but my eyes were on that phone laid in the palm of my hand as though the small rectangle was filled with explosives.
When the cell vibrated in my hand, and I saw Drew’s name and face flashing up at me, I stared at Deeks before answering.
“Deeks?” Drew asked bluntly. “Really?”
I looked over at the man sitting next to me and grinned. “Yes. Do you remember when you first told me I was going to pay off the debt to the club? That first day you weren’t very kind, and I was freaking out… a lot. Then this very rough looking man almost walked into me and gave me some sound advice and a great smile. He took me under his wing after that. He steered me in the right direction and has been nothing but a father to me since. I love Tate, he means so much to me, but I want to be his best woman one day, and I don’t think it will have the same significance if I ask him to do this. And Rusty, I love him, too, but—do I really have to explain this to you? It’s hypothetical, right?”
There was a beat of silence that lingered on the other end of the phone until I heard Drew drop into a chair with a thud, his hand landing on the desk before he barked out a fit of laughter. “Ayda Hanagan? Are you… nervous?”
“Shut up,” I grumbled, covering my eyes with my free hand.
“You are,” he cried out, his laughter tickling the edge of his voice. “You’re nervous as hell. Fuck me… that was the cutest, yet most confusing, long-winded explanation I’ve ever heard you push out. Did you even breathe through that?”
“I’m changing my mind about being in love with you, jerk.”
“Let me guess,” he chuckled, carrying on despite my abuse. “Deeks is sitting next to you right now. You’re kinda pale. Hands shaking. Hold one out in front of you. Go on.” I heard the scrape of his chair, his voice moving closer to the speaker as he whispered, “Are you tremblin’, darlin’? Has Deeks had to calm you down?”
I dropped my hand from my eyes and peered over at Deeks helplessly.
“Am I that predictable?”
“Completely and utterly transparent. Put Deeks on the phone for a moment.”
I knew I was going to regret this the moment I did it, butI handed the phone to Deeks with a shrug and watched Deeks’ face light up when it was pressed to his ear. “Pres?”
The only thing I got from Deeks’ side of the conversation was grunts and agreements, his eyes moving to me and away as a smile crossed his features making his beard twitch. That was until he turned my way, his smile cheesy and his silent laughter making his chest bounce.
“A little bit,” he told Drew, breathless and happy.
I could hear Drew’s voice, but not the words he was saying. His commands, whatever they were, grew louder and louder.
“I’ve done my best, Drew, but you know how she is.” Deeks nodded once. Then again. His eyes never left mine as he struggled to stay in control. By the time he was ready to hand the phone back to me, he was practically blue from all the breath holding he’d been doing.
“Oh, yeah. No doubt about that. Consider me schooled. I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again. Yep. Of course. Uh huh.” Deeks’ cheeks were rosy by the time he held the cell out to me and let his laughter trickle out again. “He wants you now.”
