“She was.”
“She raised you. And you’re a good guy.”
“She pushed me. So hard. I wouldn’t be where I am without her.”
Too bad Granny wasn’t here to bask in my success with me. Before she died, though, she’d begged me to open my heart to someone special, someone who wouldn’t use me for what I could give them, someone who’d love me unconditionally. As I stared into Ronnie’s eyes, feelings I’d never felt before took over and I knew that person was her.
“She would’ve liked you,” I continued.I like you. I more than liked her.
Ronnie squeezed my hand. A few minutes later, she asked, “Cold yet?”
“Been cold.” Moving closer, I nuzzled my nose against her neck. “But you’re right. I like the smell of snow…on you.”
She giggled, wrapping her arms around my shoulders. “I think I missed you.”
I squeezed her waist until she dissolved into laughter again. “You think?” Meeting her gaze, I whispered, “I know I missed you.”
Brushing my cheeks with her thumbs, she kissed me. It was cold as hell, wet, and dark, but I’d never felt so warm, so alive. So open to any and everything with her.
Chapter Seven
Hop, Skip, and Go Naked
VERONICA
Playing in the snow with Juke was my favorite part of the week. After my trip to Indianapolis, I’d needed the reprieve. And standing there, wrapped in the warm cocoon of his embrace, rocking back and forth to the music in our hearts, I felt safe.
I peered up at him. “Thanks for this.”
He rubbed my shoulders. “I think I should be the one thanking you,” he said, his voice almost a whisper.
Tonight, he’d shared more of his granny with me, which made me happy. I loved learning about his struggles and his triumphs. Because they’d made him who he was. A strong, capable, dependable, loyal, sexy man.My man.
It had taken forever for us to get out of the snow and make our way into the house. But he’d immediately turned on my fireplace, pulled my trusty blanket off of my chair and wrapped it around me, to warm me up. But the heat of the fireplace, the warmth of the blanket had nothing on him. His ability to calm me and arouse me started a flame in my gut that spread out to every part of me.
He searched my eyes and ran a finger down the side of my face. “How are you?”
“Better now.”
“Did you get to talk to your mother?”
I sighed. “Not really. I kind of just left it alone, ya know?“
My nightmare trip was one for the record books. Between question after question about husband prospects, my spiritual walk, and my teaching career, I couldn’t catch a break. The straw that had broken the camel’s back was the massive argument I had with my mother and her husband. Over my ex-fiancé of all people. Apparently, his marriage was over and he’d been inquiring about me. My mother thought I was being absolutely unreasonable for not taking his calls.
Hell nowas my answer when she’d approached me with an invitation to dinner—for a double date. I’d never cussed at my mother, not even in her presence. The words had slipped out as if I had no control over my tongue. Needless to say, that had opened an entire floodgate of accusatory statements, tears, and threats of leaving and never coming back. All of those things coming from me.
“I wanted to fix it,” I explained. “I just couldn’t get over how she’d let her husband treat me.”
The night of the big blow-out, my mother’s husband—a man who was not my father—berated me for the better part of an hour because I dared to push back against their expectations of me and my behavior while intheirhouse. That was rich, considering my mother had purchased that same house with moneySeniorhad given her. Because she’d agreed to never tell his wife—or anyone else—about me.
I plopped down on the couch, tucking my legs underneath my bottom. “The crazy part? While he was yelling at me, I stood there and let him because I was waiting for her to defend me.”
My mother… She hadn’t said a word. Not asingleword. Which led to other choice words from me to both of them right before I’d stormed out. That night, I’d stayed in a hotel room and Juke had calmed my nerves. He always helped me find my way through the clutter. Whether I was sitting at the bar telling him about a decision I made or I was telling him a deep, dark secret.
He sat next to me. “Did she apologize to you when you went back?”
I nodded. “She did. And she told me she loved me.” By then, it was too late. The damage had already been done. “But I don’t think I’ll go back there anytime soon.”
