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“Yeah, Hoppy. Hop to it. Hurry up.” Dane picked up his son, and they headed back toward Sophomore House.
I made my way to a ladder, climbed out, and ignored looks from a few of the guys I didn’t know. They could all see the xIx on my back. I was sure of it. Then, another voice that was familiar said, “Don’t fucking laugh or snicker at her.”
I wrapped my towel as one of the gamers from Sophomore House was bowing up. Not exactly the wise choice since he was flexing on guys a bit bigger than him. “Look at you trying to flex. You write that on her?”
“No.” He shook his head. “Tituss did. And it’s a show of respect to us she let him. Don’t be jealous the Bunnies at our house actually give fuck about their jobs. And don’t come asking for food either. You can call delivery like the juniors and seniors. Yeah. I’m going to make sure all of the sophomore brothers know that on this day, after that news, you’re trying to call out someone who takes care of us.”
“Hey, man—”
“Fucking pigs. Get into this century.” He was picking up my shirt and handing it to me. “I’m sorry about that. They let them disrespect them. I mean, I get it. Their bunnies aren’t like ours.”
I gulped, smiled at him. “Thank you.”
“Winston.” He blushed, ducked his head. “Thank you for making sure I got the non-fluoride toothpaste. I’m allergic.”
“Well, what’s a Momma Bear to do?” I wanted to take the words back immediately. He laughed but walked me back to the house.
Once inside, Dane and Rip were about to the juncture where the stairs started as Winston said, “Thanks, Momma,” and headed up those stairs.
Rip cackled and asked, “Are you his momma?”
I looked at the little one next to the big one and said to the big one, “Unfortunately, I think I fill that role around here.”
“Dad?” Rip looked up.
His dad’s expression was unreadable as he said, “Hoppy takes care of the house. Like Greta.”
The housekeeper. Rip nodded. “Oh. And they don’t have a mom. Like me.”
I closed my eyes tight, and my heart sort of broke.
The giant kneeled and turned his son toward him, “Come here. You don’t need a mom. You have Gran, you have Greta. You have me.”
He nodded. “And Hoppy.”
“This weekend. Yes. This weekend you also have Hoppy.” Dane looked at me, and I didn’t know what to say.
So, I said, “Who wants a sandwich?”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Dane
How the hell did we not know they were calling her Momma? And why the fuck…well, in the bedroom sense, it was a totally different connotation and use of the term. I pulled my phone out and sighed. I knew we would be called for a team meeting. This was huge, and it had an impact on everything. Everything. Dougie’s role at Senior House was dropped onto Boston. My older brother, Gordie, who had done a lot to stay out of the position, was forced into the second man spot. He wasn’t asked. With Apollo on site, he was simply told.
I couldn’t help remember that conversation at the coffee shop and how Apollo knew things were about to change. Did he know…no. That was…too much. I looked at the little man chowing down on that pickle spear and then to the woman I didn’t trust as far as I could throw her and again was about to entrust the only thing that mattered in my life to her care. “I have to—”
“I have the schedule.” She smiled at me, at him. “We’re going to have a lot of fun while Dad goes to practice, right?”
“Okay.” Rip shrugged. Being raised by my mom and Greta meant he was perfectly fine being left with the help, Greta. In this case, Harpy, since I had said that is who she was. In some ways, it was true. Greta ran the household there. Kept everyone in line, organized, fed, clothed. Harpy had help, but then so did Greta because she had…shit. She had me and my brothers to contend with.
Before I could get my head too far down that psychology rabbit hole, I got up, leaned over and kissed the top of Rip’s head, and tugged at her hand as I passed so she would follow me out of the kitchen.
I was going to say something to her. Truly, I had words. Instead, I tugged until she was facing me, leaned down, and kissed her lips. She was stunned. I could see that in her big brown eyes as they went wide. Her hand came up to my neck, and she pulled back and asked, “You okay?”
“Of course, I am.” I wasn’t sure that was true.
“Okay.” She nodded and stepped back. “I’ll text you pictures, okay?”
