by Rie Warren
“Cady!” Gregory bore down on us, bellowing.
And I jumped back . . . guiltily?
“Where’s Luke? Is he all right?” Stationing himself in front of me, my ex looked frantic.
“He’s fine. He’s going to be fine.” I laid a hand on his arm.
“How do you know?” He shrugged me off. “Did you talk to the doctor yet?”
“No. But Jude said—”
“Jude said? Jude said? I don’t give a flying fuck what Jude said.” Except for a derisive glance, Gregory refused to acknowledge the other man. “Luke’s got a chance to be a star athlete, and goddammit, Cady, you let him get a broken arm?”
I blanched at his accusation.
Jude’s eyes flashed dangerously as his jaw tightened. “What would you know about professional football?”
Gregory cast a seething look at the younger and much more physically fit man. “I’ll have you know I’m president of the Wando Warriors boosters.”
Suddenly Jude appeared on the verge of snickering, and I wouldn’t blame him one bit.
But then Gregory puffed up even more, pointing at Jude. “And what the hell would you know about parenting?” Then he fired at me. “And you were at work, weren’t you? Just like always. Dammit, Cady!” He paced back and forth. “Working all the damn time, that’s how you ruined our marriage, you know that?”
Jude bristled beside me, anger rolling off him in waves.
I marched up to Greg.
“Me? I ruined it? It wasn’t because you couldn’t keep your cheating cock out of just about every woman who ever worked for you?” I accused in a low hiss.
“What about you? Are you sleeping with this boy?”
Jude stepped between my wasband and me.
He physically pushed Gregory back until he came up against the wall. “You listen up, old man. I’m not gonna lay you out like I want to because your sons are around here. But if you say one more word to disrespect Cady—if you ever talk to her that way again—I will drop you so fast and so hard you’ll forget your own goddamn name.”
I stepped around Jude in time to see Gregory’s stark face in front of Jude’s fierce one.
When Jude backed off, Gregory straightened his tie then his cuffs.
He glared at me. “I don’t want him around the boys anymore.”
“Well, that’s tough shit. Because he’s staying.” I defended Jude just like he’d defended me.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Jude
GREGORY, THAT GIGANTIC PIECE of shit. He had no right bossing Cady around and accusing her of being a bad mother when she was already worried as fuck about Luke. I was gonna teach him to pick on someone his own size, but oh yeah, I was bigger than him.
I wanted to pound his face until he woke up with amnesia, but I kept it as civilized as possible. And I almost couldn’t believe my ears when Cady stuck up for me. I mean, I was fully capable of fighting my own battles, but it felt good having her make a stand for me.
Now if only she’d do the same regarding our personal relationship she continued to maintain she didn’t want.
“What did I miss?” The woman I recognized as Joelle joined us with Dane and Aiden in tow, both boys sipping sodas Cady deemed strictly off-limits and gobbling down bags of Doritos.
“Joelle.” Gregory’s smile was less than charming then he turned his attention on Aiden and Dane.
Joelle turned her attention on me, holding out her hand. “We haven’t really met yet, Jude.”
“Pleasure.” I shook her hand, and she cut sparkling eyes toward Cady.
She kept a firm grip on me when I started to pull away. “I was hoping to get your autograph sometime, but Cady here’s been keeping you to herself.”
Gregory scowled at the stylishly dressed lady.
“I’m happy to sign anything you like, Miss Joelle.”
“Miss Joelle. And I swoon.” She released my hand only to fan hers in front of her face. “Oh, but aren’t you just fiiiiiine.”
I sure was happy to have Joelle in my corner. I knew she had Cady’s ear all day at work, and I could definitely use someone else on my side for a change.
Dr. Evans appeared through the swinging doors, giving me the thumbs-up.
“Cady”—I clasped her elbow in my hand—“this is the doctor I mentioned. Doc Evans.”
What the brunette lacked in stature she made up for in no-nonsense know-how. She’d been the one to really bring it home to me my NFL days were over, and she didn’t mince words.
“Ms. Dalton. Mr. Dalton?” she peered at Gregory, who nodded. “Good. So, I’ve set Luke’s arm. An easy repair, no pins or surgery needed. He’s a brave boy—”
“Daredevil,” Dane, who popped in front of Cady and me, muttered.
“He didn’t even shed a single tear. Now, he’ll need a prescription for the pain, but given his age and ability to bounce back, the cast can probably come off in six weeks.”
“Thank goodness.” Cady reached for me and squeezed my hand.
“Do Mom and Dad want to come see him, and we’ll get him all ready for discharge?”
I watched Cady disappear with Gregory beyond the swinging doors and wished I was the one who could be with her at a time like this.
“I never trusted that man,” Joelle whispered, Dane and Aiden distracted by snarfing up the rest of their contraband vending machine goodies and disposing of the wrappers before Mom-Mom-Mom returned.
In response to Joelle, all I said was, “Mmmm.”
It wasn’t my place to bad talk the ex-husband no matter how much I wanted to.
When Cady reappeared it was with Luke by her side, boasting a neon green cast. Gregory said his goodbyes while I watched from a little plastic chair, more jealous of the warm little family scene than I had any right to be. As soon as he left, I joined the rest.
Luke wore a goofy smile, and his eyes were more than a little pinwheely from the painkillers.
He tried to poke me in the ribs with a hard plastered elbow, but he missed by about a mile and nearly fell flat on his ass when he stumbled off-kilter. Catching him by his uninjured side, I righted him then kept a hand on his shoulder because he wavered like a football on a bad course to the endzone.
With those nonlucid eyes staring at me, he slurred, “I wan’ you to sign my cast firs’. Nummer 10!” He popped a fist up, nearly clobbering his own chin in the process.
“All right, slugger.” I eased his hand down.
He wobbled again. So did his speech. “Imma get allllll the sinnatures after that.”
“Let’s go home.” Cady peered up at me, gathering her troops around her.
Joelle murmured, “Mmm hmmm.”
Cady dropped Joelle at her car back at the office—keeping Luke with her like a watchful broody hen—and Dane, Aiden, and I reached the house first.
It was way past dinnertime, but I’d seen Cady pull a frozen dish of something from the freezer that morning to thaw. Locating the pan in the fridge, I took off the cover.
Looked like lasagna.
Smelled like lasagna.
I probably couldn’t fuck something up by throwing it in the oven to warm it up, right?
By the time Cady arrived, the pasta was bubbling nicely, and I’d gotten Dane and Aiden to help make a salad.
Cady tossed a prescription bag on the counter, took a sniff, opened the oven, closed it then wobbled on her feet just like Luke had at the hospital.
“Hey, guys. Give your mom and me a minute?” I ushered Aiden and Dane out of the kitchen.
They skedaddled up the stairs, whispering between themselves.
Cady looked at me with gleaming hazel eyes. “You’re going to make me cry.”
I gave a wet chuckle, determined to keep her spirits up. “I’m not that bad of a cook.”
She laughed, swiping beneath her eyes. “You didn’t cook it. I did.”
“I know. So if it’s anyone’s fault, it’s yours, lady.” I waved toward the island. “Poured you a glass of wine.
But not if you’re gonna mix it with the pills.”
“Those are Luke’s!” She huffed indignantly, no more threat of tears.
“Where is he, by the way?”
“He fell asleep on the way home. I can’t carry him in. Can you . . .”
I was out the front door before she even finished talking. Of course Cady hovered at my back like I was in danger of dropping the conked-out kid. Hefting him in my arms, I maneuvered him carefully from the car.
Cady hurried in front of me into the house and up the stairs.
In his room, she pulled down his blankets, fluffed his pillows then sat next to him after I gently lowered him to the bed.
She sifted her fingers through his hair. “Do you think I should wake him up or undress him or anything?”
“Nah. Knowing Luke, he’ll find a way to strip out of his clothes just like always, right?”
“Are you sure?”
“Dude’s knocked out good. He needs sleep.”
Mealtime was a lot quieter than normal, and Cady only picked at her salad. Dane managed to shovel two helpings of lasagna down his gullet and Aiden ate a third.
When he cleaned his plate, he said, “Dane and I will do the dishes.”
“We will?” Dane gave him the you so crazy look.
“Yeah, genius. Don’t be a douche all your life.”
Seemed Cady didn’t even have the energy to pull out the language penalty. After they cleaned up with minimal bickering and splashing, they found Cady on the sofa where she’d almost slipped into sleep.
“’Night, Mom.” Aiden kissed her forehead.
“’Night, Mommy.” Dane hugged her.
And her beautiful eyes glistened with more unshed tears as she watched them head upstairs to bed.
I took a seat next to her, drawing her bare feet into my lap. “Joelle’s a funny one.”
“She has a crush on you.” Cady jerked from my touch as I began to massage her calves then let herself relax back onto a cushion.
“No way.” My fingers moved to the backs of her knees.
“Don’t be smug.”
“It totally suits me though.” I smirked.
She gave me a tired smile before shutting her eyes. “I’m sorry about what Gregory said earlier about you.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t knock his block off.”
“I might’ve paid good money to see that.” Her hands found mine, and she linked our fingers together. “He’s the reason I’ll never get attached again. So there’s no chance of getting hurt like that. Not a second time.”
Her voice turned hard-edged at the end.
And my heart grew cold at the thought I had absolutely no chance with her.
But I rubbed my thumb across her knuckles, awed at how strong she was even when she thought she was weak.
“About the kiss this morning, Cady . . .”
She scrambled upright, unlatching our hands to purse hers between her knees. “Not now, Jude.”
“How long are you gonna pretend nothing’s happening between us?”
She wilted right in front of my eyes. “Not tonight. I’m so tired. I just want to make sure Luke’s comfortable then go to bed.”
“When are you gonna let me help you?” Moving closer, I took her hand and pressed it to my chest.
Cady kissed me softly on the cheek. “You already do. More than you can possibly imagine. Thank you for today.”
****
Pumpkins had been carved, the guts of course used for a food fight. The pumpkins rotted quickly in the South Carolina heat, so a second batch of Jack-o’-lanterns now sat on Cady’s front porch, which meant another orange pulpy slop fight had ensued.
Dane had carved his to look like Einstein.
Luke’s had a macabre grin.
Aiden made do with drawing a zombie in black Sharpie.
Cady’s attic turned out to be a treasure trove of decorations for all the holidays, but the boys told me they hadn’t done much to celebrate last year. So we decked out the Dalton house in sticky spider webs, ghoulish skeletons, and creepy talking witches.
Candy was purchased by the sugar-load, and we were ready, but I had a surprise or two of my own up my sleeve for Halloween.
When the night arrived, Aiden decided he was too cool for trick-or-treating—big surprise. He angled to go down the road to a friend’s house for a chaperoned party instead.
Yeah, I just bet it was chaperoned.
Luke, with Dane’s help since he was still in a cast and working one-handed, had gotten ready in the privacy of their bedrooms. Now the duo clomped down the stairs while Cady and I waited in the living room for the big costume reveal.
Luke appeared first. His hair had been flattened to his head with what looked like black shoe polish, his face tinted chalky white and ghostly green, and he had two painted bottle caps stuck to the sides of his neck to look like bolts. He held his arms out from his body, one aided by the green cast. Tattered black clothes completed his costume.
“Frankenstein!” Cady snapped a photo. “I love it.”
Stomping to the side of the hall, he made way for Dane. The youngest swished into the room, and I drew an immediate blank about who he was supposed to be. He’d tamed his hair as much as he could, but otherwise the only other thing he’d done to his head was perch wire-framed glasses on his nose. He wore a black turtleneck paired with faded jeans.
“John Lennon?” I hazarded a guess.
He made a buzzer-like sound.
“A beatnik?” Cady scrunched up her nose adorably.
Another buzzer noise accompanied massive eye rolling.
“Wait. Wait!” I held up a hand. “It’s on the tip of my tongue.” I lied.
“I don’t know who he’s supposed to be,” Cady whispered.
I had nothing either.
Dane curled his upper lip in disgust. “Steve Jobs, duh. Just one of the greatest minds of the twentieth century. Where’s the love?”
We both clapped heartily to make up for our stupidity, and Cady grabbed a photo of him as well.
The two boys were allowed to go around the neighborhood with their friends as long as they checked in periodically, which meant every fifteen minutes on the dot, Cady’s rules.
But first, I needed their help, and I’d prepped them in advance.
I presented Cady with an opaque garment bag. “For you.”
“What?” Her nose wrinkled . . . adorably.
“Your costume for Halloween.”
She hit me with an immediately suspicious look. “I am not dressing up.”
“I will if you do.”
“Why am I not surprised?”
“You have to, Mom! We did.” Dane tugged on her hand, pleading.
“And me with my broken arm and all.” Luke pulled off a baby-faced pout, which was seriously creepy in the Frankenstein makeup.
The two continued to gang up on her while I observed my master plan at work until Cady folded under the pressure.
“Fine.” She snatched the garment bag and grumbled her way upstairs to her bedroom.
I retreated to the downstairs bathroom to get into my own gear.
I could guaran-fucking-tee Cady had no idea what I’d chosen for her, and I wondered if she’d really follow through.
As soon as I stepped out of the bathroom, Luke and Dane fell all over themselves laughing.
I shushed them when Cady entered the living room, her cheeks glowing and a grin growing.
“This is not what I expected,” she said, arms held wide.
Then she took one look at me and cracked up.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Cady
WHEN I’D UNZIPPED THE garment bag, I figured Jude had mixed up the costumes. But when I entered the living room I realized he’d done it on purpose.
There he stood, larger than life, dressed as . . . Little Red Riding Hood.
He wore a hooded red cape over a stretchy red dress he somehow managed to fit into. I was surprised the thing hadn’t popp
ed at the seams already. With the dark shadow of stubble on his jaw, his big hairy muscled legs, and huge clunky black boots . . . the entire effect was absolutely comical.
I burst into uncontrollable laughter. Luke and Dane rolled around on the sofa, pointing and snickering like we were sideshow attractions.
And Jude—completely at ease in his get-up—eyed me up and down.
Per his choice, I wore a full, head-to-toe, gray furry outfit.
The Big Bad Wolf costume was the most unsexy thing I’d ever put on, and I could hardly stop giggling long enough to mention, “This is not what I expected.”
Jude minced up to me—in his dress and giant boots—and lowered his voice. “Oh, you thought I’d talk you into dressing as a naughty nurse or a pirate wench?”
“Well . . .” Obviously given our history.
“In front of your children?” He winked, and somehow he still managed to pull off powerful male sex appeal, dressed as Little Red Riding Hood. “We’ll save that for private.”
“Mom! You look ridunkulous.” Luke stopped chuckling just long enough to point out my predicament.
Dane righted the wire-rimmed glasses he’d knocked askew during the hilarity, and poked Luke in the shoulder. “That’s not even a word. But I agree.”
I peered at them both. “I look ridiculous? What about him?”
“Jude? There are no words to describe that blight to the human eye,” Dane said while Jude posed, one hand on a cocked hip and his ruddy lips pursed in a sexdunkulous pout.
“Nailed it.” Luke held out his cast for a tap from his brother. Then he snatched up my phone and jumped from the couch. “Picture time. This one’s going on my Snapchat.”
Dane got up, too, and pushed me closer to Jude, who immediately slid an arm around my very bulky furry waist.
“You can take a photo, but it is most definitely not ending up online or anywhere else, Luke.” I pointed my finger at him, and he snapped a picture.
“Nice one!” he shouted.
“Send it to me,” Jude said, still holding me around the waist.
Escaping from his grasp, I retrieved my phone.
Luke and Dane grabbed giant pillowcases for their candy haul then scooted out the door with promises to check back every quarter hour. This was the first year I let them go without me, and I tried not to fret.
