Page 38 of Just This Once (Stone Family #2)

Dante

I spent a week in the hospital, and I’ve never been so grouchy in my life. It was as if Taryn and I traded places. She was smiling and bringing in cookies for the medical staff. Meanwhile, I cursed them for making me stay. I just wanted to go home. To Taryn’s.

Between all the visitors and my mood, I’m sure they were finally glad to be rid of me by the time the doctor signed my discharge papers.

Then I got to settle in Taryn’s bedroom to convalesce.

It was embarrassing to be waited on hand and foot, asking for help to go to the bathroom and wash, but Taryn never let me be alone for one second.

If she wasn’t hovering over me, it was Marianne or Clara, or one of her brothers, or Jake and Maddie. Even my mother showed up.

Apparently, she and Taryn had become friends, trauma-bonded forever. They made plans for us to attend Christmas Eve at my parents’ house in two weeks. Like I wanted, but it was weird not to be involved in any discussions about anything. While I was recovering, a lot had happened.

Besides my woman becoming friends with my mother, Taryn had also gotten the paperwork going for full custody.

Craig tried to apologize, but she was standing her ground, and I couldn’t have been prouder.

Especially after Maddie and Jake both told me how they felt about him and the situation.

That Jake got into the argument with his father defending me.

Even with a bunch of broken bones, I threw my arms around that boy, hugging him so tight he complained.

But then I told him I loved him, and when he said it back, I actually cried.

I know loving Taryn and those two kids is what I was put on this earth for, and I will do my damnedest to show it to them every day.

Which is why I worked hard to convince Taryn to let me have the run of the house after a week of being cordoned off upstairs.

It’s nice to look at a different four walls, have the chance to get my muscles moving with the help of crutches as I completed a few daily laps around the first floor.

I started physical therapy, and I was ordered to keep moving to make sure I didn’t atrophy in the twelve weeks I’d have my cast on.

So, I follow directions, but my breathing is still off.

I was given a plastic thing to breathe into with a ball that rises and falls with my inhales and exhales, so I can exercise my lungs.

And fuck, it’s harder than I thought it would be.

But Taryn forces me to do it multiple times a day…though she always makes out with me after as my reward, so it’s all right.

I guess.

Now, I’m in the living room while Taryn makes us popcorn for our I Love Lucy marathon, and I take advantage of the rare opportunity that she’s out of sight to speak with Maddie and Jake.

I set my arm on the back of the couch behind Maddie, who lounges next to me, and glance to Jake in the chair in the corner.

“I wanted to talk to you two while your mom is out of the room. ”

“Okay,” Maddie says, already giggling. The girl loves her gossip.

Jake, on the other hand, narrows his gaze, cautious. “What’s up?”

“I love your mom,” I say, straightforward. No use beating around the bush. “And I want to date her.”

Maddie tilts her head, nose scrunching. “I thought you were already dating.”

“Yeah, I guess we are, but…” I scratch at the week’s worth of stubble on my jaw. “I want to make it official. With your blessing.”

“Our blessing?” Jake’s expression softens, almost confused.

“Yeah. I’m not gonna do anything that will hurt either of you.

I don’t plan on hurting your mom either, but I want everyone to be on the same page.

No secrets, all right? I know things are up in the air with…

” I hesitate to bring up their father when we’re having a nice night together, so I avoid it.

“Things are stressful right now, so I want to make this as easy and clear as possible.”

I slant my gaze to Maddie and then Jake, making sure to meet their eyes in turn. “I want to be in your lives for a long time. For as long as you’ll let me. I want you to know my intentions from the start. I love your mom, and I love you both.”

Maddie squeals and throws her arms around my neck, immediately pulling back when I suck in a sharp, painful breath. “Oh my gosh! I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!”

“It’s okay.” I rub my palm over the top of her head as she settles back beside me. “No harm done.”

“I’m just really excited,” she says with a grin. “I love you, and I love Mom, and I love you and Mom together. She smiles a lot more when you’re around, and you’re, like, so cool and fun and really nice to us.”

I tug on a strand of her long hair. “So, that’s a yes vote? ”

“Yes!”

I turn my attention to Jake, who sits forward on the recliner like he’s in a business meeting, hands folded. “If I say yes, what exactly does that mean?”

I shrug. “It means we’ll do stuff together more, the four of us. I’ll be around more to help if you two need anything. I’ll take your mom out, just me and her.”

“Are you going to be moving in?”

“Honest answer? I don’t want to rush into anything, but, yes, that would be my goal.

To live here with the three of you. Make our own little unit.

I know your mom needs time to process things, and if you can keep a secret—” I whip my head to Maddie, who covers her giggle with her hand “—I’ve been coming up with designs to eventually approach your mom about renovating my apartment into a third floor.

You and Maddie would be able to have it to yourself.

Bigger bedrooms and a whole bathroom up there. ”

Maddie leaps up and dances in a circle. Frankie follows, hopping on his hind legs. “Yeeeeeeessssssssss.”

Jake wags his head side to side, considering my proposal like he’s Brando in The Godfather . “You drive a hard bargain.”

I toss a pillow at him, laughing, and Jake catches it, stuffing it behind his head when he sits back on the chair. “Yeah, of course, you can date Mom. Just don’t be all gross in front of us.”

“Got it. No being gross.” I make an imaginary checkmark in the air. “What about butt pats?”

“Dante,” Maddie whines, and I knock the back of my hand into her knee with a chuckle.

“Kissing only?”

She gags and flops to the side in time for Taryn to stride back into the living room with a big bowl of popcorn. She hands it to me, but before she can get away from me, I grasp her wrist to pull her down for a wet, smacking kiss. The kids both groan audibly, and I laugh against Taryn’s mouth.

“I feel like I missed something,” she says when I let her go, coasting her gaze around at us as she wipes at her mouth.

“Maddie and Jake have both given me permission to date you,” I say, and Taryn arches one of her brows.

“That is awfully old-fashioned.”

“That’s me. An old-fashioned guy.”

She snorts and pats her leg to get Frankie to follow her to the other recliner, where he jumps up into her lap. The boxer who thinks he’s a lap dog. “I’ll believe that when I see it.”

I waggle my brows at her. “You wait and?—”

“See?” Jake points an accusing finger at me. “That is exactly what I mean!”

I raise my hands in innocence. “I’m not even touching her. How can I be gross right now?”

“Bruh,” he grunts, and I wave off his worry with a flick of my hand.

“No being gross. Promise.”

He obviously doesn’t believe me, but I’ll do my best not to hit on his mother in front of him.

I last all of one episode before I text her.

you look so hot right now

She picks her cell phone up when it buzzes, shooting a scowl my way after reading my text. Then her fingers fly across her screen.

Duchess

Don’t try to be cute. I haven’t showered today, and I’m not wearing a bra.

yes my favorite.

your sweatshirt looks so old I think it would take one good rip for it to fall to pieces

Duchess

How dare you. This is Ocean City couture.

I’ll buy you a new one

as many as you want

just let me see your tits

Duchess

The kids are in the room!

not now you weirdo

send them to bed then show me your tits

Duchess

They’re in 7th and 10th grade. I don’t send them to bed. They go on their own.

well chop chop

what do we do to get this started?

Duchess

It’s only seven.

I’m dying here

I’ve been such a good boy

I think I deserve some pets

Taryn rolls her eyes so hard, I fear they might never go back in place, and then how would she watch Lucy get trapped by a gigantic loaf of bread in her kitchen? This is a funny show.

After a minute, she texts her one word reply to me.

Duchess

No.

come on

Duchess

No pets while you’re recovering.

I’m fine

healthy as a horse

Duchess

So that wasn’t you this morning complaining how everything hurt.

It’s my turn to roll my eyes.

I need you to kiss it better

Duchess

No. Not until you’re healed.

I huff.

spoilsport

see how old-fashioned I am?

That makes her mouth twitch. More motivation.

even with a bum leg I can make you see God

Duchess

Please. You can’t go up the steps without getting winded.

my tongue works fine

I’ll lick your pussy until you scream my name

Duchess

I’m about to start screaming if you don’t stop texting me during one of my favorite episodes.

tell me you love me

Duchess

I love you.

I screenshot that and save it to my photos. Then I look up to find her staring at me, that mean arch to her brow, mouth pinched like she might put me in my place with only a few words. It’s my favorite.

The same order to her features from the night I first spotted her.

I love you , I mouth, earning a twitch of her lips, a losing battle with her smile.

A fight I want to have every day.