Page 117

DEKE

“Ready for this?” I ask Kelsey as we make our way into my parents’ backyard. No one is inside their house, not that I expected them to be. In true Floridian fashion, outside is where you usually find everyone unless an unexpected storm pops up.

“I was born ready.” This woman is an enigma, coming on my cock one minute, sliding off my lap the next, and then having no expectations. She’d be perfect as a fuck buddy, but even then Kels would probably grow feelings, or truth be told, I’d become addicted to her and screw it all up.

“Alright, sunshine.” I pat her ass lightly.

She’s wearing an outfit today that she could clearly wear a bra with.

Believe me, I tried freezing her out on the car ride to the grocery store where she bought a bouquet of wildflowers and cookies.

Then I felt the clasp of her bra when we walked out of the store, my hand guiding her towards the vehicle. So much for getting a show today.

“Oh good, you’re finally here.” Mom is standing before we step out onto the back patio. Dad isn’t cooking. Apparently, today is a low-key kind of day, which I can appreciate after yesterday’s fiasco.

“I’m sorry we’re late. I wanted to stop and pick a couple of things up,” Kelsey tells her.

“You didn’t have to do that. Thank you, though.” Mom pulls Kels into a hug then does the same to me. Of course, she whispers, “This one is a keeper. Don’t screw it up.”

“I’ll work on that.” We all take our seats. I notice that they’ve had to purchase a bigger patio table along with a smaller one off to the side to hold our family that seems to get bigger and bigger each month.

“How’s Alabama treating you?” Tanner stands up. I shake his hand, pulling him into a hug.

“Never better, busier than I expected we’d be, but for the most part it’s all smooth sailing.

“Thinking about coming back home?” Keller asks, after Tanner and I say hello.

“And have to look at your ugly mug every day? No, thanks.” He pats my back. And then there’s Asa, sitting beside Montana. I fucked up when it came to him, letting my mouth run because I was the one with a past and issues.

“I hear you; it sucks not having you around, but the profit you’re pulling in, that’s fine, too.” Keller takes a seat, and I know it’s time for me to put this shit to bed.

“Asa.” I hold my hand out. He takes it without a problem, and I’m pulling him out of his chair, hugging him, relaying my apologies with my body instead of words. I’m a dickhead like that; we all know it.

“Freaking finally,” Montana mumbles, not quietly enough because you could hear a pin drop right about now. “What? You were all thinking it. I just said it, and if Leena were here, she’d be dancing on the table.”

“I tend to agree with her,” Alana replies. Marlie just laughs, and I’m once again being a dick because I’ve left my fake girlfriend in the lurch. She has no idea what went down between the family and me or the reason why I moved to Alabama.

“Good to have you home, brother, even if it’s only for the weekend.” I nod, then go back to where Kelsey is standing, her head volleying back and forth as she’s trying to decipher what just went down.

“Appreciate that.” We take our seats, me holding out the chair for Kels and pushing it in once she’s taken her seat before I sit right beside her.

“Don’t worry about the brothers. This is nothing new. One week, it’s who didn’t pick up the contracts for their construction company, and the next it’s because someone made a dumbass remark,” Montana adds once we’re all sitting.

“She’s right. Sorry to put you through that,” I make a half-hearted attempt to clear things up. Not like Asa will take that as an apology either. Nope, I’ll have to do something to fix that fuck-up.

“No worries. I have a sister. That was cordial. Hair pulling always happened, maybe some slapping. Dad wouldn’t say a word, Mom would wring her fingers, and when it got too bad and we were in firing range of water, well, that’s how she’d cool us off.

” Son of a bitch. Kelsey turned that situation around.

“Do you have any other siblings besides your sister?” Mom asks.

Her hand is propped up holding her chin, and she’s got stars in eyes.

I bet she’s already thinking of wedding bells, pregnancies, and us moving to Florida.

Fuck, hopefully Mom doesn’t give me too much shit when I have to break it to her that Kelsey and I aren’t together anymore.

“Nope, two girls, and Dad said that was enough for him. We’re also only eleven months a part, so they never caught a break.

Once we hit our toddler years, they both agreed to no more children, and we gave them hell every chance we got.

” My hand slides behind Kelsey as I wrap my arm around her shoulders, pulling her close, letting my family eat this shit up.

Maybe then they’ll get off my back about moving home.

“Not sure that I blame them. If there were two Leenas, we might be in the same shoes,” Dad says from his place at the head of the table, sitting back, hands on his stomach, soaking it all in.

“Yeah, right. I tried for us to stop after each boy. It was you who was begging for a girl. It’s why we have so many boys.

After number five, I was going to be done, no matter what.

Thankfully, we got Leena, and to be doubly sure, I had my tubes tied and Bob got the snip-snip.

” Mom makes the gesture of cutting scissors with her fingers.

All of us brothers wince. Dad just smiles, enjoying our misery.

That’s how the afternoon goes, everyone shooting the shit, with the obligatory question about how we met, if we’re serious.

Thanks for that, Marlie. Kelsey answered that for me, letting them know we’re taking things slow, letting the cards lay where the land and enjoying our time for now.

Did I mention Kels has saved my ass several times this weekend?

Too bad I’m not looking for a woman to tie me down.

She’ll make someone a great wife one day.

The only problem with that thought is, it doesn’t sit well in my stomach even though I’m only thinking it to myself.