“There’s several places down here where I can transfer my online credits and go to nursing school a whole lot cheaper than in Spokane. So, I’m kicking around the idea of selling the house, moving down here, and maybe taking a part time job while I study nursing.”
What? Charlotte living close? Close enough for him to be Uncle Richie to her boys again? Close enough to visit often? Finally follow through on her life-long dream?
Oh, hell yeah!
“Besides, your fur kids might need to stay with Auntie Charlotte sometime while you’re on assignment.” Her grin brought to mind her ten-year-old self, planning mischief.
“I’m afraid they might be the only nephews you get outta me.”
“Why? Don’t you want kids? Growing up you used to say you’d never get married, but at the time I didn’t realize why. The world has changed. Nothing’s stopping you now.”
“Unless he keeps telling me no.” Of course, Lucky hadn’t gotten the words out the other night before Charlotte showed up. Maybe if he asked again…
“Give him time. Keep asking.” Charlotte squeezed Lucky’s hand. “Pour on the Lucklighter charm. And if he still says no, you can hog tie him and haul him off to the preacher.”
“I might have to.” Unless he wore Bo down.
“But it’s not like parents have to be legally married or nothing.” Charlotte swirled a fingertip around the rim of her cup. “Half the folks we went to school with ain’t married. Didn’t stop them from having a passel of young ‘uns.”
Lucky somehow managed to raise a single brow. “It’s not like me and Bo can have kids. And nobody in their right mind is about to give a child to a man with my criminal record.”
“Wasn’t your record expunged when you got a new name?”
“Yeah.” Still, the adoption people might not like giving a kid to a gay couple.
“Do you not want kids?”
No need blustering and lying. She’d see right through him. She always had. Confession time. “Yeah. So does Bo. But I’m not getting his hopes up to see ‘em crushed. He’s had enough disappointment in his life already.”
Her grin turned wicked. “You and Bo might not be able to have a kid of your own, but I know the next best thing.”
“What?”
She sighed and stared at her coffee cup. Okay, here came the part where she finally got to what was eating at her. “I’ve got two wonderful boys, but I don’t want to raise any more kids.”
“And what’s that got to do with me having any?”
She locked her determined gaze to his. “Don’t answer until you’ve had a chance to really consider my proposal and discuss the matter with Bo, but… even though I don’t want to be a mom again, all my parts still work. I’d be a pretty awesome Auntie Charlotte, don’t you think?”
If Lucky’s heart somersaulted any harder, he’d be doing cartwheels. “Do what? What the hell are you saying?” Surely she wasn’t implying…
Charlotte clasped Lucky’s hand in a death grip. “I’m saying, when the time comes and you and Bo are ready to start a family, me having Bo’s baby is the closest thing you’ll get to your own. The kid might even look like a Lucklighter.”
No. Any kids needed to look like Bo. A little girl with Bo’s dark hair and freckles, or a boy with a dimple in his cheek. And boy or girl, they’d have a Grandma and Grandpa. Uncles and an aunt. Cousins…
“But what kind of father could I possibly be?” The things he’d done…
“A good one. Who makes mistakes. Who’s human, and who loves his child dearly, is always there no matter what. And who understands when the child is human too.”
Could Lucky be a good father? “I… I don’t know what to say.”
“Give it some thought.” The weariness left her face. “Now, why don’t you take your man breakfast in bed while I haul the boys out to the nearest Shoney’s? I’ll talk to them about relocating while you have a nice little chat with my future brother-in-law.”
Those were some good drugs they’d given Lucky in the hospital. Was he still knocked out and dreaming? Or had Bristol succeeded in killing him, and all those years of his mother’s prayers gotten him into Heaven?
He sat at the table while Charlotte roused the boys and left the house, then he rose and let the fur kids out to avoid fighting them away from the stove. On autopilot, he made pancakes and heated some wish-it-was-real-bacon. He’d even eat some of the soy meat substitute without complaining this morning. Topping the meal off with a cup of decaf green tea sweetened with stevia ought to earn him some points.
Or a blowjob.
