Her voice was dripping with sarcasm when she asked, “Well, what does this grown man do?”
“Right now, he’s touring with your son-in-law.”Ha!That got her attention.
“What do you mean?As a roadie or something?That’s so like Mav to take pity on someone down on their luck, but I hope he’s careful.You never know what this… ex-con might be capable of.”She wagged her finger at me.“And that goes double for you, young lady.I certainly hope you’ve had the good sense not to sleep with this man.Why, you could wake up in the middle of the night and he could be hovering over you with a butcher’s knife, I tell you.”
I palmed my forehead.“You really need to stop watching those murder mysteries on TV.”
“Don’t get sassy with me, missy.You don’t know what someone like that could be capable of.What is he?Some kind of vagrant, who needs to travel with Mav because he doesn’t have a home of his own?”
“Quit being so dramatic, Mama.He has his own home.He’s travelling with Mav because he’s a musician.He’s opening for him.And he’s become friends with both Mav and Codie.They both like him and trust him, so if he got their stamp of approval, I’m sure he’ll get yours too eventually.”
“A musician?”she asked, looking skeptical.“Is he any good?”
I shook my head before reaching for my phone and pulling up Taz’s video.“You tell me.”
She watched the viral video of the song about his daughter, wide-eyed.“Oh my, he is good, isn’t he?And handsome too.”She clucked her tongue.“Well, maybe you should snap him up before someone else does then.These musicians, with record deals, are making millions these days.Millions, I tell you.Look at Mav.Your sister will never want for a thing with that man.”
Mama had never liked Mav, until she realized he’d struck platinum with his music.Now she was his biggest fan.
“Let me get this straight.You went from thinking Taz was an ex-con who might kill me in my sleep, to a guy I should ‘snap up’,” I said, making air quotes around the words.“Before someone else does.How does that work?”
She shook her head, before taking a bite of her sandwich.“Well, when you first told me about him, he was a homeless ex-con without a job.”
“I never said that!You just assumed he was.”
“Now,” she said, gesturing to my phone.“He’s a talented musician, with a record deal, who’s on tour with your very rich brother-in-law.So, I suppose we can look past his criminal history.I just hope he doesn’t talk about it.What would the girls think if they found out?”
Thegirlswere mama’s friends, who were all old enough to collect social security.“Taz isn’t going to keep his past a secret to please anyone.And why should he?Everything he’s been through has helped him to become the songwriter and musician fans and record labels seem to love.”
“Hmm.”She considered that for a minute before she said, “That song he wrote, was it about his daughter?”
“Yes.”I knew she wasn’t going to like this part any more than she’d liked hearing the news he was an ex-con.“He learned his girlfriend was pregnant just after he’d been incarcerated, and his daughter wants nothing to do with him, but he keeps trying.And ever since he got out of prison, he’s been working hard to make up for all the child support he missed, which I think speaks to his character.”
“Well, Lord knows that’s more than your daddy ever did.That man never even tried to give me a dime for you girls.They should have thrown his sorry behind in jail, but he moved around too much.Always stayed one step ahead of the law, so he did.”
This was an old story, but at least if she was focusing on my deadbeat dad, she wasn’t picking on my new boyfriend.
“So?”she demanded.“Where is this going?Is it serious?”
I could tell her we were in love and he’d proposed living in sin, but I’d already shocked her enough for one day.“We’re still figuring things out, Mama.But when we do, you’ll be the first to know.”
“Just see that I am.”She clucked her tongue.“I swear, you girls like to keep me in the dark about everything.”
Maybe learning she had a grandbaby on the way would give her something else to focus on, and she would forget all about me and Taz.Probably wishful thinking, but with Mama, that was often all I had to hold on to.
ChapterEighteen
Taz
I was finishing my workout in the hotel gym when Codie’s name flashed across my screen.“Hey girl, what’s up?”
“I suggest you either wrap it or keep it in your pants, Romeo.”
I held the phone away from my ear, staring at the screen.“Excuse me?”
Punching the button for the elevator, I wiped the sweat from my forehead as I tried to ignore the curious glances from well-dressed patrons in the lobby of the swanky hotel.
“You heard me.You must be out of your mind.Telling my sister you’re not sure youeverwant another kid, yet you don’t have the common sense to use a condom!What the hell, Taz?”
