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“What youthoughtwas the back of the head. If it had been the back of his head, he wouldn’t have latched onto your finger so hard,” Homer chastises.
“How was I supposed to know the damn thing could turn his head in a circle like that possessed chick in that movie that gave me the shits for a month.”
“Henry—”
“Well, it did. That movie scared the shit out of me for a month,” Henry says, when Brenda tried to censor him.
“What happened to poor Dangles,” Brenda—ever the cat lover—asks.
“Poor Dangles? He didn’t lose a finger,” Henry asks, obviously offended.
“No. He just lost his balls,” Tucker answers and I look up at him and he’s watching me closely. His gaze travels to mine and Tillie’s joined hands before coming back to my face. He gives me a nod and tight smile, and something lifts off my shoulders. I nod at him.
“Dangles was fine. He was even somehow pleasing his women.”
“How?” Tillie asks. “I mean you said you popped umm… you know…”
“He still had one, girly,” Homer says.” It hung down awful low—”
“Hence the name Dangles,” Henry adds.
“Yeah, but he got all the women he could want and from the sounds of it at night, there was not one of them complaining.”
“That’s sure the truth,” Henry agrees with his brother. “Besides, we didn’t have the heart to finish the job. If a man will defend his remaining ball by biting off a finger, he deserves to keep it.”
“Jesus,” I mutter. “Buttons, after we’ve had all the kids you want, you’re getting your tubes tied or I’m never coming home so I don’t have to worry about being close to Homer and Henry.”
Tillie’s hand jerks in mine, her eyes go round as she looks at me. She studies me and I smile. She swallows nervously. “Two kids,” she whispers. “A boy and a girl in that order. A girl should always have a big brother to look out for her.”
My heart flips in my chest.Fuck, yes.“Us Monroe men have a long history of just having boys,” Dakota speaks up. “What if you guys have two boys instead?”
“Then we’ll keep trying until we have a girl, too.” I reply. “And on that note, I’m going to get Tillie out of here.” I stand up and put money on the table. “Keep the change, Brenda.”
“Thank ya’, Ryder.”
I nod at her and reach out my hand to my woman. She stares at it for a second before bringing her gaze back to me. She gives me another smile—this one nervous, but still there. Then, she puts her hand in mine. I give Tucker a tight smile and he returns it and we walk out.
Together.
Tillie
Maybe I’m a fool. I don’t really know. What I do know is that Ryder put his career on hold, demanding another week off and he did it…for me.He’s been by my side that entire week. We’ve talked about the future, about having kids, and most of all about building our lives together. I’m not stupid. You can’t plot your whole life in a couple of weeks. That’d be insane. Still, all signs are pointing toward the fact that Ryder wants his future to be with me and honestly, I’ve always wanted Ryder. After all this time, I don’t see that changing. So, this is where we’re at, Ryder spending his time showing me he cares and me, trying to fight through my own insecurities to be present with him and help navigate toward that future.
It has been really good, though. I can’t lie. We’ve had dinner with his family a couple of times and although Tucker was a little restrained, the tension between him and Ryder has lessened, so I’m not as worried about that now. Our last family dinner, Tucker even hugged me goodbye and told me he loved that I finally looked happy. That stopped me for a minute. I wasn’t aware that I ever looked unhappy, but after thinking about Tucker’s words, I was okay, but I didn’t have the joy inside of me that I have since being with Ryder.
Tonight is our biggest test yet, however. We’re having dinner with my mom and dad. They’ve been back in town for two days. They know about Ryder, but we haven’t talked about it. They know he’s staying the night in my apartment so I’m sure that’s not making them super happy, but it’s not like Ryder is my first relationship.
He’s just the only man I’ve ever loved.
And I do love him.
“You okay, Buttons?”
“I’m a little nervous,” I admit as I turn to look at him. Ryder looks really good today in dark jeans, his boots, and an olive-green shirt that buttons up the middle. He has his sleeves rolled up past his wrists and looks relaxed—whereas I’m a mess.
“Are you afraid your parents won’t approve of you dating me, considering our past?” he asks, adjusting his worn brown Stetson.
“It’s possible. Mom can hold grudges, but it’s not that,” I respond, wishing I could calm myself down.
