by Marie Harte
“Kind of.” He waited for her to add more, and when she didn’t, he had to pry details out of her. “So is she alone or what?”
Ivy laughed. “Sam was right. You’re not so smooth about Joey. She’s alone. She told me her son was at a soccer game, then going to stay with friends while she moved them in. She wants to surprise him with it all being done. And she doesn’t have much furniture, so it’ll probably be a quick move.”
“No furniture?” He frowned.
“Well, I saw sleeping bags, bags with clothes, and a few boxes. But that’s it. She said something about her furniture coming later. I don’t know.”
Lou didn’t like that. At all. But with her son gone, it wouldn’t hurt to pop in and see if she was okay. “Thanks, Ivy. I’ve gotta go.”
“Sure thing. Sam said not to be a slacker and—Sam, I can’t tell him that. Bye, Lou.” She disconnected, and Lou grinned, imagining what Sam might have said.
He jumped in his car, pleased to hear it purr, and drove over to Ivy’s, or rather, Joey’s place. A cute rancher converted into four apartments, the place had a surprising view of Lake Washington. He’d used Ivy to help Joey get the place, but he hadn’t realized how nice it was. Wow, she’d lucked out. A cute park across the street, close to a high school—hmm, maybe not so lucky after all.
He parked in front of the fourplex and walked to the unit right next to Ivy’s. He knocked and was surprised when the door opened right away.
Joey looked like crap. A stuffy nose, watery eyes, and frazzled hair. She wore sweats that looked a size too large for her. Then she sneezed. “Lou?”
“Oh man. You look awful.” He picked her up, holding her at a distance, and stepped inside. After putting her down and ignoring her sputtering, he closed the door behind him. He’d been to Ivy’s once, when Sam had been busting at the seams, proud of having a girlfriend who could cook. The pair had invited him to dinner, but it had been dark, and he hadn’t seen much of the outside. The unit was tiny but homey, and he’d had more fun teasing Sam and watching Ivy blush than should have been allowed.
“I like the place.” Mostly empty, with a few small boxes, plastic trash bags overflowing with clothing, and not much else. He walked around her into the small hallway, saw a single bathroom, a small bedroom for her, and a smaller one for the boy, he’d imagine. He thought she could maybe get a queen-size bed in her room if she had no other furniture but a nightstand. And no way more than a single bed would fit in the kid’s room.
Tight but cozy. Knowing Joey, she’d make it a home. But a neat home?
He turned and nearly tripped over her. “Oh, hey.”
“What are you doing here?” came out nasally due to her stuffed-up nose. He tried, he really tried, not to smile, but she was adorable, even sick and tired.
“I came to welcome you to the neighborhood.”
She frowned. “You don’t live here.”
“But Ivy does.”
“You know Ivy?” She didn’t look pleased.
He wanted to smile with glee. “Don’t be jealous, baby. That’s Sam’s girl.”
She coughed. “I knew that.” Then she scowled. “Stop smiling.”
“Uh-huh.” He looked around, seeing no furniture. “So. Where you going to sleep, princesa?”
“I have a sleeping bag. Brandon thinks it’s awesome. We’re camping in our new home.” She smiled, her joy apparent. “This is my first place away from my parents, Lou. I feel so grown up.” She laughed, hoarse but happy.
He hugged her tight, unable to stay away. “I’m glad for you. But you need furniture.”
“I’ll get it. I just need to go shopping for it.” She started coughing again.
“Yeah. No.”
“What?”
“I hear Brandon has plans today. Yes?”
“He’s staying with Del this weekend, actually. She’s doing me a favor while I get my place together.”
“Sure thing. You and that death rattle of a cough sound really busy.”
“What?”
“Exactly. What kind of friend would I be if I left you sick and hacking, all alone, in this place?”
“Wait. Lou. Where are we going?” she asked as he dragged her by the hand toward the front door.
“Keys?”
She reached in her pocket and showed them to him, then took them back. “Speak, señor.”
“Muy bien, mi corazón.”
She frowned. “Isn’t that the word for heart?”
“Yep. You’ve stolen my heart with those baggy sweats and red-rimmed eyes. Your beauty knows no bounds.”
She flushed. “Ass.”
He laughed and wrestled the keys out of her hands. “Come on. Let me help you get better. You don’t want to get Brandon sick, do you?”
Sneaky, because she caved without much prodding after that. He drove her back to his house, then ran her a bath. And he found he liked caring for her.
“I don’t have any clothes to change into but my dirty sweats,” she complained. Which he’d thought about while hustling her out of her place.
“You can wear something of mine.” Yes, that’s perfect. My woman, my house, my clothing on her hot little body.
Hours later, he realized he hadn’t been exaggerating about her hot little body. Poor Joey had a fever.
“I should go home,” she muttered, then sneezed. “I don’t want to get you sick too.”
He stared at her, all bundled up in his bed, and wondered how he’d manage to let her go. Because eventually, he’d have to.
Lou brushed her hair back from her sweaty forehead. “Just sleep. I’ll take care of you, amor.”
She blinked up at him and smiled. “You are so hot when you speak Spanish. Have I ever told you that?”
“No. Tell me again.”
She laughed. “Did you know Brandon’s learning Spanish in school? I told him my friend speaks it, so he’s going to teach me a few words.”
Lou didn’t know how he felt about her talking to her son about him. Bridging them all closer while Lou stubbornly resisted the idea of more kids. Yet Joey’s son was already a part of her. Her son had made her who she was today: a sweet, responsible, beautiful woman, inside and out.
“Come on, Lou. Say something else in Spanish,” she murmured, half-asleep.
So he did. “What am I going to do with you, sweetheart? You have my heart, my body, and I’m afraid my soul. So how do we make this work? Maybe I start bending a little, not so stiff to break when you have so much love to give, eh?”
“So pretty. I love how you talk.”
“Y te amo mucho.” He sighed. And I love you.
Chapter 21
Sunday afternoon, Joey’s phone rang. Since she’d been sleeping most of the weekend thanks to illness and sleep-inducing medicine, Lou answered for her, half hoping her parents called. He knew he shouldn’t butt in, but he couldn’t help it. No one fucked with his girl and got away with it.
“Yeah?” he growled.
“Um, Joey?”
He frowned. “Is this Del?”
“Yo. Hey, sorry to interrupt. Is Joey coming to get the kid or what? We’re happy to keep him longer, but at some point, she’ll probably want him back.”
“Shit. Sorry. I meant to call you for her. She’s been sick all weekend. She thinks it’s flu, but I think it’s just a really bad cold.” On top of the stress she’d been dealing with.
“Bummer. Hey, I’ll have Mike swing him back later if you want. We can keep him for dinner.”
He frowned. Joey would need to go home. With Brandon. But they had no beds. Nothing to eat, and she was still in a bad way. He could call her friend Becky for help. Or hell, he could ask Del. She’d step in for the kid. But a real friend, a true friend, would help no matter how uncomfortable it made him. A man who loved her would want to take care of h
er.
“If you can keep him for dinner, I can swing by and pick him up. But his mom is staying here with me. So maybe if you make the introductions, he won’t be screaming stranger danger the whole way to my place.”
She chuckled. “No problem. So I’ll tell him his mom’s… Fill in the blank, Lou. His mom’s boyfriend, lover, wall-banger, what?”
“Del.” He gave an exasperated sigh. “Friend.”
“Friend is helping out while she’s sick. Sure thing. Come get him at seven, okay?”
He thanked her before hanging up. Now to get things situated…
Hours later, he arrived at Del’s at seven on the dot. Mike opened the door, sized him up, grunted, and turned around.
“Thanks for the warm welcome, McCauley,” Lou said loudly.
“Mike.” Del glared at her husband. “Be nice.”
Mike gave him the evil eye. “He flirts too much.”
Lou acted wounded. “I can’t help it she wants me. I try to tone it down, man. But I’m only human.”
“So not funny, Lou,” Mike grumbled, then stalked down the hallway yelling for Brandon.
Jekyll appeared out of nowhere, and Lou caught the dog as it made a jump for his face.
“Nice discipline, Del.”
She flushed. “Sorry.” She grabbed Jekyll by the collar, and the dog turned a loving tongue her way. He’d licked her throat and cheek and nearly had her eyeball before Colin raced in to grab his dog.
“Oh, hi, Lou.” Colin left the dog to run up and high-five Lou, while Del wrestled with the overlarge canine.
Then a small boy with a shock of spiky blond hair and Joey’s features cautiously entered the living area.
Lou’s heart rocked, seeing that tentative smile, the same dark-brown eyes tilting in pleasure. Oh man, Joey’s kid was so cute. A chip off her block.
He cleared his throat, oddly nervous to meet Joey Jr. “Hi. I’m—”
“This is Lou,” Colin interrupted. “He’s the best drawer in all Seattle. He works with Mom at the garage. Lou, this is Brandon. He’s on my soccer team. And he’s almost nine. And his mom is Joey. She sells flowers. And he’s on a vacation, and he just moved, and—”
“Great intro, Colin.” Del grabbed him by the collar and tugged him away from Lou. Kid in one hand, dog in the other. “Brandon, your mom isn’t feeling too good so her friend Lou here has been helping her. It’s okay if you go home with Lou. He’ll take you to your mom.”
Colin nodded. “Yeah, he’s nice. And Jekyll likes him. Watch.” Colin wrangled out of Del’s hold and grabbed the dog. Then he pointed at Lou. “Lick ’em, Jekyll. Go!” The dog leapt for Lou again.
“Jesus. Colin, cut it out,” Lou said, laughing as the dog tried to lick him over and over again. “Great trick.”
Mike watched smugly from the hallway.
Del shook her head. “Please tell me you didn’t teach him that.”
“Well, it sure wasn’t Brody. He can’t even control his own dog.” Mike turned to Jekyll. “Jekyll, heel. Sit.”
In a snap, the dog stopped jumping, then sat.
Brandon whistled. Or at least he tried to. “That was awesome, Mr. Mike.”
Mike shot Lou a look, as if daring him to make something of the name. Lou pursed his lips, turned to Brandon, and said, “Hey, Brandon. I’m Lou. Not Mr. Lou. Just Lou.” He saw Del try to hide a smile as she gave Mike a teasing look. “Your mom is pretty sick and coughing all over. It’s pretty gross, but I’m holding up okay. She’s at my house recovering since you guys don’t have towels or beds yet. She needs a good place to sleep to get better.”
Brandon listened, was quiet for a moment, then nodded and stuck out his hand. “Hi, Lou. I’m Brandon Reeves. Nice to meet you.”
Lou shook the tiny guy’s hand, realizing how much bigger he was than the kid, understanding how intimidating it might be to leave with a big, male stranger. “I was going to take you to your mama. She’s a good friend of mine. But you don’t know me that well, so if you want, we can call her friend Becky to—”
“Are you my mom’s friend who speaks Spanish?” Brandon studied him, then smiled. “You have big muscles and big brown eyes. And Colin said you’re a drawer.”
Lou blinked, surprised at the all-over warmth he felt from Brandon’s acceptance. “Yep. That’s me.”
“Hola. My llama es Brandon.” My llama is Brandon?
Lou chuckled. “Me llamo Brandon, I think you mean. Because a llama is a pack animal.”
“Oh, yeah.” Brandon, Del, and Colin chuckled. Even Mike cracked a smile. “Well, let’s go get Mom, Lou.” Then the little guy put his hand in Lou’s and tugged him toward the door. “Bye, Del, Mr. Mike. See you, Colin. Thanks for having me.” He dragged his backpack until Lou picked it up.
As they left, he heard Del saying to Mike, “Most polite kid I’ve ever met. See that, Colin? Take a note.”
“Aw, Mom.” Then he laughed.
Lou walked with Brandon toward his car, pleased when the kid’s eyes lit up. “Wow. Is this your car?”
“Yep.”
He held the door open for Brandon and waited for him to scurry into the back, where he tossed the boy’s bag. “Buckle up.”
“I will. It’s the law.” Oh man, totally a mini-Joey.
Lou laughed to himself and got in.
“I like your car a lot. I like the snake too!”
“Thanks. I painted him myself.”
“Wow.” Brandon’s eyes were huge, Lou saw as he checked the rearview mirror.
The ride back to his house proved enjoyable. Brandon had a terrific personality. A little boy but mature enough to converse with an adult and not cross too many boundaries. The boy was far from the smart-ass Lou had been growing up. He used please and thank you when appropriate and seemed super impressed with Lou.
“I like snakes too. And purple.” The boy’s reflection in the rearview showed a smile.
“Yeah? What grade are you in, Brandon?”
“Third. I’m a year and ten months older than Colin, but he’s my friend. He’s a really good soccer player. Do you like soccer, Lou?”
“As a matter of fact, I do.”
The discussion turned to FIFA and world fútbol clubs. The real word for soccer. Pleased to have a rational discussion about his favorite sport without having to explain his love for the real and true game of fútbol, Lou expressed his love for Guadalajara, better known as Chivas. His favorite team.
“I like the Sounders,” Brandon said.
They were nothing compared to Chivas, but no way would Lou crush the kid. “They’re a fun team to watch.”
Brandon leaned forward in the car just as Lou parked. “You’ve been to a game? For real?”
Lou laughed and left the car, waiting with the door open for Brandon. “Yep. You should see one.”
“Oh. I’ll have to ask Mom.”
Before he could think the better of it, Lou said, “It would be fun. I could take you and your mom sometime if she likes soccer.”
“No, she thinks it’s boring unless I’m playing. But you could take me.” Brandon beamed.
And this is why a child and a woman don’t mix with you, moron. Because now Lou was making suggestions he had no right making, and if he didn’t follow through, the kid would be disappointed. Like Lou had been by so many of his mother’s boyfriends.
He forced a smile. “That sounds like fun.” Surely one game would be okay. “But let’s go see if your mom’s better now.”
“I hope she’s not too sick.” Brandon started to sound worried. “My dad got sick and left me.”
Lou started. “What?”
Brandon nodded. “Mom told me dad was sick in the head and the heart and had to go away. So I don’t have a dad now. But I have Grandpa.” Brandon bit his lip, so like Joey that he melted Lou’s reserve. “
Grandpa’s kind of mean sometimes.”
Lou treaded on unstable ground. “He hits you?”
“Oh, no. Never hit me. But he’s not so nice about Mom. Sometimes he says things I don’t like.”
Lou nodded, escorting the boy inside his home.
“Wow. This place is neat.” Brandon immediately went to the drawings on the wall. The many cars and fantastical beasts. “I bet you did those.”
Lou nodded, impressed with the boy’s eye for detail. “I did.” He showed Brandon around before asking, “So what does your grandpa say about your mom?”
“That she’s too smart for what she’s doing. That she’s so pretty and nice and ruining her life.” Brandon frowned. “I think she’s smart and nice too. But she’s happy, not ruined.”
“I agree.” Lou wanted to knock some sense into Andrew Reeves. “Want to see if your mom’s up?”
Brandon nodded. They walked down the hallway before the boy grabbed him by the hand. Lou looked down, only to see Brandon worried.
The boy bit his lip before asking, “She never even gets a cough. You sure she’s not too sick? She won’t go away or die, right?”
“Ah, no.” Lou felt for the boy. He grabbed Brandon’s hand. “Buddy, your mama, she’s beautiful. Sweet, kind. And she loves you more than anything in the world. You are her corazón. Her heart.” He put a hand over Brandon’s chest. “She can’t live without you.”
The boy gave a tremulous smile. “Her corazón. Okay.”
They pushed open Lou’s bedroom door to see Joey sleeping like an angel. Brandon made an exaggerated tiptoe Lou did his best not to laugh at. Then the boy kissed his mother on the forehead and patted her on the shoulder.
“Come on,” Lou whispered and motioned to the door.
Once out in the hallway, they stared at each other, Lou wondering what to do with the kid now and the boy just staring up at him.
“When are we going to my new home?” he asked.
Lou nodded for the boy to follow him. Once in the kitchen, he grabbed a box of ice-cream sandwiches from the freezer he kept on hand for Rosie.
