He wanted to believe me; I could see it written all over his face. He just couldn’t. At least not yet. But that was all right. There was plenty of time.
The screen door suddenly swung open and Becky’s bright, cheery “Yoo-hoo” came a second later.
“In here, Becky,” I called out.
She and Bill appeared at the entrance of the living room right past the entryway a second later, and she shot me and Zach a beaming grin. As usual, Becky Hightower was class personified, from her silver-streaked black hair styled to perfection, to her done-up face, all the way down to the cream-colored pumps on her feet that matched her casual slacks and stylish blouse.
Looking at her now was like glimpsing into a future to see what Rory would look like twenty-some years down the line, and the future looked very bright.
I stood and made my way to her, placing a kiss on her cheek before turning to give Bill a handshake.
“Well, don’t you just look handsome,” Becky stated, her beam turning almost blinding as she took in my black pressed slacks and gray button-down shirt.
“Thanks, Becky. And you’re lookin’ just as beautiful as always.”
“Oh, you.” Her bright blue eyes twinkled as her cheeks turned pink.
“Oh for the love of god,” Bill grumped, rolling his eyes to the ceiling. “The man’s takin’ your daughter out on a date. You mind not droolin’ over him beforehand?”
Becky shot her husband a look that could peel paint off the walls as Zach’s snort of laughter sounded throughout the room.
Ignoring his wife’s death glare, Bill made his way into the living room and joined Zach on the opposite side of the couch. “We brought board games, Becky’s idea. But I’m tellin’ you right now, son, I’m not playin’ Monopoly, so don’t pick it. Shit takes too damn long to play, and she’s a cheat, so there’s no winnin’ anyway.”
“Bill!” she snapped as Zach snorted again. “I do not cheat.”
He looked at his wife, then back to Zach. “She cheats. But that’s all right. You don’t feel like playin’ games, you just say the word, and I’ll get her to back off so I can teach you how to tie flies. My baby girl was a whiz at it by the time she reached your age.”
Zach’s gaze bounced between the two of them, and there was no doubt which way he wanted to go. The kid would be a fly-tying expert by the time Rory and I got back from dinner.
On that thought, the click of heels suddenly sounded on the wood floors, and I turned just in time to see Rory step through the mouth of the hallway. All the blood in my head rushed south at the sight of her. Her red-painted toes peeked out from a pair of sky-high heels with a ton of complicated straps that wound all the way up to her ankle. There was a huge expanse of smooth, creamy skin from the shoes all the way to midthigh where the hem of her dress hit. And what a fucking dress it was. Formfitting black lace that hugged her all the way up to her breasts, where the neckline dipped into a V that showed off a hint of cleavage. Thin lace straps looped over her shoulders, putting her delicate neck and collarbone on display. Her shiny black hair hung down her back in long, loose curls that were just begging to be wrapped around my fingers. Her makeup was a little heavier than usual, her crystal blue eyes standing out against the smoky shadow.
“Sorry, sorry, sorry!” she cried as she scurried toward the living room, a black beaded clutch tucked under one arm while her neck was cocked at an awkward angle so she could slip a thin gold loop in her ear. “I didn’t mean to take so long. I hope we don’t miss our reservation.”
My arms shot out just as soon as she was in reach, and she let out a startled yelp as I pulled her to me.
“Jesus, dollface. You look gorgeous.” I caught the flush on her cheeks just before I bent my head and pressed my lips to hers. I wanted to take the kiss deeper, to ruin her perfectly applied lipstick, but I managed a small amount of self-control, mindful that her parents and Zach were currently watching with avid interest.
When I pulled back, the blue in her eyes had darkened and her lids had gone half-mast as she did a scan of me. “You don’t look so bad yourself either, stud.”
I smiled down at her and was just about to go in for another kiss when the sound of retching killed the moment. “Oh, gag!” Zach cried. “I don’t wanna see that!”
My arm around Rory’s waist squeezed as she let out a little giggle while we turned toward the living room.
“Oh, shush, you,” Becky chided. “One of these days in the not-so-distant future, you’ll be wantin’ to kiss a girl just like that.”
“It’s not about wantin’ to kiss a girl or not!” he cried. “It’s about watchin’ them do it.” Then he did a full-body shiver.
“I’m with the kid on this one,” Bill groused, his face looking a little pale. “I don’t wanna see that shit either.”
“Enough out of you two.” Becky scowled at them before wiping the look away and grinning at her daughter. “You look beautiful, honey bunch. Absolutely beautiful.”
“Thanks, Mama.” Rory stepped out of my hold to head over to her parents and kiss their cheeks. “And thanks again for watching Zach.”
“Not a problem, dumplin’,” Bill replied. “We’ve got it covered. It’s two shots of whiskey, then straight to bed.”
She let out another giggle.
Becky smacked his arm.
And Zach looked at him with wide, excited eyes. “For real?”
“Not on your life,” Bill rumbled, hooking his arm around the boy’s neck and putting him in a fake headlock.
“All right. Well, call us if you need anything. And I left the number for Cord’s cell and the restaurant just in case you try calling me and can’t get through. Oh, and bedtime’s nine thirty. He’ll try and tell you it’s ten, but—”
“Baby,” I cut her off. “You forget, they’ve done this before. They got it.”
Her nervous gaze bounced down to Zach, and before I could take her hand and pull her out the door, she grabbed hold of him and gave him a tight hug, nearly squeezing the life out of the poor kid. “Be good, honey,” she said softly before placing a kiss on his head. “And remember, even if my dad suggests something that sounds like a really cool idea, it isn’t. What did I teach you?”
Zach allowed his mouth to twist into a full-blown smirk as he stated, “The wrath of Becky Hightower lasts longer than any fun Bill Hightower could think up.”
Becky hooted.
Bill scowled at his daughter.
And Rory looked down at Zach proudly. “That’s my boy.”
I got close and took her hand, pulling her toward the door as she called out over her shoulder, “We’ll see you guys later!”
Then I finally had Rory alone.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Rory
Cord kept his hand at the small of my back as we followed the hostess through the restaurant to our table. The warmth of his palm bled through the fabric of my dress and heated my skin, but when he leaned in close, whispering, “Have I mentioned yet how incredible you look in that dress?” a shiver shot up my back and my arms broke out in goose bumps.
“Maybe once or twice,” I murmured, glancing over my shoulder, “but I haven’t gotten tired of hearing it yet.”
His green eyes flashed with heat that made my breasts heavy. “You look incredible, dollface.”
The date had only just begun, and needless to say, it was already going brilliantly.
The hostess waved us to an empty four-seater table covered in a crisp white tablecloth with candles flickering in squat crystal holders placed in the very center. I loved The Groves. The ambiance was romantic, the setting gorgeous, and the food was out-of-this-world good. But it also cost a small fortune, so as much as I loved it, my visits had been rare and centered around special occasions.
And this felt like one of the most special of occasions I’d ever experienced.
Cord stood behind my chair and tucked it up to the table once I was seated, then took the chair right beside me instead of across.
The hostess handed us each a menu before heading back to the front of the restaurant.
My gaze lifted over the top of the menu and drifted to Cord. Never, in all the time I’d known him, had I seen him wear something even close to resembling a suit. The man rocked a pair of jeans and a faded tee to perfection. But the way he looked dressed up was just… I had no words other than yum.
“Question,” I spoke up, gaining his attention. “If I were to order the steak and the lobster, does that mean I’ll have to put out later tonight?”
His raspy chuckle made my skin tingle. “Think it goes without sayin’ that you’ll be putting out later tonight even if all you order is a side salad.”
I shot a mock glare his way, even though he was totally right. “Someone’s feeling cocky.”
Cord leaned in, his voice low and sexy as he said, “Only because I know you love my cock so damn much.”
“You’re lucky you’re so hot,” I returned, speaking just as quietly, “or this date would have a very different ending.”
I expected a witty rebuttal, but what he said next stole my breath and left me reeling. “And you’re lucky I walked into a bar one night more than four years ago and instantly fell for the gorgeous woman behind the counter. Means I’m more than willing to put in the work it takes to get you sweet just so I can reap the benefits of all that beauty, because I know it’ll more than be worth the effort.”
I pulled in a soft gasp and stared, unable to do anything else. The moment was eventually broken when the waiter showed up to take our drink orders.
Cord ordered a Budweiser, and I got a vodka martini with a twist.
The young waiter took off, and I turned back to Cord. “I thought you were a Guinness man. When did you start drinking Budweiser?”
He spoke as he scanned the menu. “As I’m sure you’re well aware, considering where you work, there’s an art to pouring a proper Guinness. A lot of bartenders haven’t perfected that art, so I gave up tryin’ a long time ago.”
I propped my elbow on the table, holding my chin in my hand as I leaned in. “But you ordered one from me the first time we met.”
He smirked and finally gave me his eyes. “I did.”
My mouth pulled to the side in a playful scowl. “Oh my god. That was a test, wasn’t it?”
He grinned shamelessly. “Sure was. One you passed with flying colors, baby.”
I let out a laugh and shook my head. “So if I failed, does that mean you’d have stopped liking me?”
“Not a chance, Rory. You could pour the worst Guinness in the history of man and that wouldn’t have changed. But knowing you have the touch is icing on top of an already delicious cake.”
Our drinks arrived a few minutes later, and the waiter took our dinner order. I didn’t get the lobster, but I did get an eight-ounce fillet with a red wine reduction and truffle risotto, all of which was absolutely divine.
The conversation was light throughout dinner, surprisingly easy as we discussed us, but I guess that was to be expected now that we were finally on the same page, more than four years later. As we ate and talked, we did it leaned in close to each other, speaking softly. There was an intimacy to it that I positively loved. I was pleasantly full and working my way through my second martini when Cord’s demeanor grew serious.
“There’s somethin’ I need to talk to you about. Somethin’ Zach asked me about earlier tonight.”
My back shot straight and my senses went on alert. “Is everything all right?”
“Yeah, sweetheart. It’s okay, but seeing as you’re in charge of him, I wanted to run it by you before I do any digging.”
“Okay.”
“He wants to know about the other kids that were in that house with him before he came to live with you.”
I inhaled slowly through my nose, pain slicing through my chest at the thought of those other kids. It had taken some pushing on my part, but Cord finally told me everything about that place. Every disgusting, heartbreaking, repulsive detail, and it killed a little piece of me. I’d gotten Zach out. I’d been able to provide him with a better life, but for every young child who ended up like Zach, there were so many more who weren’t nearly as lucky.
“You know as well as I do that those other kids might not have ended up any better off. We can hope, but there’s no guarantee. I’ll do some digging, find out, and come to you. Way I see it, we can play it one of two ways, depending on what we find. If it’s not too bad and you think he can handle it, we’ll give him the truth. If it is bad, I can tell him my search came up empty and I don’t know where those kids are. But that choice is yours to make.”
“God.” My gaze drifted to the side. “I hate this.”
“I know you do, baby. I hate it too.”
“I guess….” I pulled in another deep breath and looked back to him. “I guess you tell me and we can decide together?”
“Then that’s what we’ll do.”
“I can’t stand the thought that those innocent kids could’ve possibly ended up somewhere just as bad. Something needs to be done.”
“I know from my time in the system that there are a lot of charities out there, foundations that have opened homes much better than the state-run places. Unfortunately, there aren’t any places like that around here.”
I felt my shoulders straighten and my eyes go wide. “Then we should do it!”
His chin jerked back at my passionate exclamation. “What?”
“We should do it. We should start a foundation! I honestly don’t know what all goes into starting something like that up, but I’m sure I can do some research and figure it out. It might be hard, but it’ll be worth it. And we can put on special events at the bar! Things to raise money, trivia nights, concerts, stuff like that. I know my mom would be all over helping me with that. And I bet the girls would want to pitch in. Cord,” I said, leaning farther in and grabbing his hand in both of mine. “Honey, we should totally do this.”
His eyes grew bright, something glinting deep inside them that I couldn’t quite put my finger on as he asked in a gruff whisper, “You’d really be willing to do something like that?”
“Are you kidding? Of course I am!” I answered instantly. “These kids, they’re helpless. I’m lucky that I could give Zach a better life, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t do more. If it’s in my power to help as many kids as I can and I choose not to, what kind of person does that make me?”
His free hand shot out and wrapped around the back of my neck, pulling me closer until his forehead pressed against mine. “Fuck,” he hissed through clenched teeth. His reaction was so powerful that I wasn’t sure what it meant.
“Cord?” I asked, my voice shaky with concern.
“You’re magnificent, you know that?” My concern instantly disappeared and my chest grew tight. “Most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. And not just on the outside.”
“Cord.”
“Through and through, baby. Inside and out is nothing but pure beauty.”
“Honey, you need to stop,” I whispered, bringing a hand up to trace his jaw. “If you don’t, I’m liable to start crying, and I really don’t want to cry in the middle of The Groves during the best date I’ve ever had. It would ruin my makeup, therefore ruining a perfect night.”
“And just when I think she can’t possibly get any better, she gives me even more.”
Man, he was killing me. “Seriously. Knock it off, or I’m gonna start sobbing right here. And it’ll be just as embarrassing for you as it is for me. Believe me, I am not a pretty crier.”
His body shook with silent laughter. “I highly doubt that. But I’ll stop anyway.”
“I’d appreciate that,” I teased.
“You good?”
I inhaled and blinked just to make sure no tears lingered in my eyes. “I’m good, honey.”
“Excellent. Now kiss me. I want a taste of you before we order dessert. Then again after.”
I could have argued. I could have snapped that he didn’t need to be so damn bossy. But I didn’t see the point when what he was ordering me to do was exactly what I wanted as well. So instead of saying anything, I leaned in closer and brushed my lips against his. Then we ordered dessert, which was just as divine as our dinner, and after, I gave him another kiss.
And it was heaven.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Rory
As I stood at the island in my kitchen, wrapped in a satin knee-length robe that matches my satin and lace nightgown, I took in the sight before me, feeling like everything in my world was bright and perfect and absolutely wonderful.
Zach and Cord were sitting across the island on my awesome barstools, both tucked into their plates, shoveling in the pancakes I’d just made for breakfast—chocolate chip this time.
The breakfast was great, the sun was shining, I had my coffee in hand and both my guys under the same roof. Yep, all was wonderful in my world.
“Why are you starin’ at us like that? It’s creepy.”
At Zach’s comment, Cord lifted his head, his strong jaw working as he chewed, and caught me staring, just as Zach had so lovingly pointed out. Instead of giving me crap for it, he shot me a wink.
The dreamy smile fell from my face, and I turned my scowl back to Zach. “It’s not creepy.”
“It’s totally creepy,” he replied through another huge bite of pancakes, his cheeks stuffed full. “You’re watchin’ us eat. That’s creepy.”
Cupping my coffee mug in both my hands, I lifted it to my lips and took a sip. “You know what? You aren’t gonna burst my bubble, kid. My two guys are sitting in front of me right now, eating the breakfast I made for them. So if I wanna stand here and watch my guys eat, I’m damn well gonna do it, and there’s nothing you can say to ruin my happy glow.”
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