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I smiled, glad that he hadn’t blown up like I’d expected him to. He was way protective of me, and I could understand why. I’d been a mess after moving here from Vegas. He’d helped scoop me back together and so, he was invested. He was also my bro, so he cared. Really, truly cared.
So, four beers and my bumbled story later, we sat back, sipping, eating, and staring at the ceiling because, what else was there to say?
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Yamin said after a little while. “You think you’ll marry her?”
I shrugged, but nodded.
“If she’ll have me, then yes. I don’t see it going any other way.”
He grinned at me.
“Well, then I guess congrats are in order. I’m happy for you, bro. If anybody deserves a happy ending, it’s you.”
“Thanks, man,” I told him, reaching out my hand to clasp his in solidarity.
He took mine in return and he looked me in the eye as we held just like that for a moment.
“Uncle Yamin. It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?” he teased as I brushed his hand away, grinning. “Maybe you should just name the kid after me.”
“What, Kiwi?” I barked out in a laugh, which made him do his little half laugh, half giggle thing.
Yamin put down his now empty fourth bottle and sobered. Metaphorically speaking.
“You look happy. Are you happy?”
I considered the question longer than I needed to.
“Yeah, I really am,” I admitted. “I can't understand for the fucking life of me why she’d want me, but she does. She’s home for me; she’s happiness.”
Yamin frowned.
“People can’t be our happiness, Kane. You know that.”
“You say that, but it’s true. Before her, I was fucking drowning. Now? Now there’s hope.”
“Holy shit, dude. Talk about pressure. That’s not fair at all to put that kind of responsibility on her shoulders.”
“I’m not—”
“Before her you were drowning. How is that not pressure? She can’t float for both of you.”
He was right. Of course he was. Still didn’t change anything.
I considered my thoughts earlier about doing something else with my life, about finding a new passion.
“I was thinking, once we’re settled, that I should maybe get a garage and start up a shop myself.”
His eyebrow perked up.
“Yeah? That’s nice. I think you’d thrive under the soul-crushing pressure of owning your own business.”
I grinned, agreeing.
“I like hard stuff, what can I say?”
Yamin’s eyebrow went even higher, and that was when I knew I’d fucked up.
“Really?” he drawled. “Well, it’s been long enough that I’d be willing to destroy some ass. Bend over and let’s see how you’d really take it.”
