The Gritty Truth

by Melissa Foster

  “Roni, baby, I don’t owe him a thing, and he won’t come after me.” He took her hands, holding them reassuringly tight, and said, “He knows I’m her sponsor. He’s probably had eyes on me since I started helping her, but that’s his only beef with me. I have no connections or debts to him or anyone else in that world. When I was in rehab, Tru was worried the guy would come after my family, so he went to Biggs and borrowed money to pay off my debt. Biggs had Bullet take care of it, and I’ve since paid Biggs back every cent. Nothing is going to happen to me. I would never put myself in his line of fire, much less put you or anyone else in danger.”

  “Okay, thank goodness.” She let out a breath of relief.

  “You don’t have to worry, babe.”

  “That’s never stopped me before.” She climbed into his lap and put her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder. “I was really scared tonight.”

  He kissed her forehead, stroking her back, and said, “I know. I’m sorry.”

  “I’m glad you’re both okay.”

  She held him tighter, and it broke his heart knowing what he had to say next, but there was no way around it. “Roni, I know you said you’re all in, but if this ever gets to be too much for you—”

  She covered his lips with her finger and lifted her loving eyes to his. “What am I, lazy?” she said, throwing his own words back at him. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily, Quincy. You’re stuck with me.”

  As she lowered her lips to his, he said, “There’s no place else I’d rather be.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  THE HELMS TREE Farm was everything Roni remembered and so much more. It had snowed on and off all weekend, and by late Sunday afternoon, Peaceful Harbor was blanketed with several inches. The Helmses’ two dogs, each with a big red bow on its collar, greeted guests with wagging tails and sloppy kisses. Festive music blared from speakers, and colorful holiday lights twinkled against the flurries falling from the sky. People of all ages were bundled up in hats and scarves, meandering in and out of the gift shop and milling around the walk-up window of the weathered snack shack, drinking hot chocolate and warm cider. Children were running around playing, and families were sledding behind the gift shop. Others headed out to the fields, trekking between rows of lush trees with tufts of white gathered on their branches, while lucky tree hunters returned pulling their prized six- or seven-footers. There were horse-drawn wagon rides, the horses decked out with bells and bows, and a make-your-own wreath station under a pavilion. Roni snuggled closer to Quincy. He was smiling as he took it all in, flurries glistening on his gray beanie and black winter jacket.

  This was exactly what they needed after a few stressful days. Since it was one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year, Quincy had worked all day Friday and Saturday, and today he’d worked until three. But Roni didn’t mind. It had given her time to shop with Angela for Christmas decorations and a gift for Josie’s party. She’d also picked up a few stocking stuffers for Quincy, which she was excited to give him. They’d stayed at his place the last two nights since she had the weekend off, and Quincy had surprised her with a key to his apartment Friday night so she could come and go while he was working. She loved being there. It was starting to feel more like home than her own apartment. Their evenings had been intimate and wonderful, but Simone had called a few times late at night, and it had taken Quincy a while to settle down afterward. There was a code of anonymity that went along with sponsorship, and while Quincy didn’t share details of their conversations, he’d explained that with substance abuse, when drugs are held out like carrots to a horse, even if the person in recovery is strong at the moment and turns away, the urges don’t stop there. Roni didn’t mind Simone’s calls. It had given her another level of perspective, and she liked how invested Quincy was in Simone’s recovery. He worked so hard; he needed today even more than she did. When he set those clear blue eyes on her and pressed his lips to hers, she could already see the good it was doing.

  “Ready to get our tree, beautiful?”

  “What do you think?” She tugged him toward the table where they were handing out tags to put on the tree they selected. The staff would cut down their tree as they enjoyed everything else the farm had to offer. She’d been anxiously awaiting this moment ever since Quincy had said they were going there, and she was too excited to walk.

  “Come on!” She ran down a row, swiping her hand along the branches of the trees, sending the snow on them raining down. “Do you want a big tree or a small one? Fat or skinny? I think the sign said they had different types, too. Do you know anything about trees? Should we get one for your place and one for mine?”

  He laughed and swept her into his arms, grinning from ear to ear. “I want this, baby—you, this happy and by my side, every single day.”

  He kissed her hard and possessive, which turned slow and spine-tinglingly sensual, and just when she was sure they’d melt the snow beneath their feet, he pulled away, leaving her heart full and her knees weak.

  “I’ll buy you as many trees as you want,” he said. “Where do you want to wake up Christmas morning?”

  Her head was still swimming in his declaration, but she managed, “In your arms.”

  “God, woman.” He touched his forehead to hers and said, “You’re killing me. I want that, too. Do you want trees at both of our places?”

  “Not necessarily. We spend more time at yours, and I like being there. It feels more like home.”

  “One tree it is.”

  They sealed their decision with another kiss, and as they walked hand in hand, she told herself not to get carried away by this new level of togetherness, but it was hard not to when she wanted him by her side every day, too.

  They took their time going up and down the rows, trying to pick out a tree, but none felt perfect.

  “This one’s nice,” Quincy said, pointing to a massive tree that was at least a foot taller than him.

  She wrinkled her nose and said, “It feels overdone, like that one guy in every high school who’s the star of everything, his hair is too perfect, and his teeth are too straight.”

  Quincy chuckled. “It doesn’t sound like I missed much.”

  “Actually, I wish you’d had a chance to go through high school because you like learning so much. But if you had gone, you’d probably have had a zillion girlfriends, and one of them would have wrangled you into marriage by the time you were twenty-one. You’d have two kids by now, and I’d see you down the aisle in the grocery store where I’d stopped on my way home after a solo dance performance, and our eyes would meet. My heart would go absolutely crazy for the blue-eyed guy who looked like he had a heart of gold. But you, Mr. Loyal Gritt, would have given me a friendly, but not flirty, smile and gone on your way, buying puppy chow—because you’d definitely have a puppy—kid-friendly foods, and probably something special for your wife—who, by the way, would be smart, and loving, and everything you’ve ever dreamed of.”

  He frowned. “And what would happen to you in that fantasy of yours?”

  “I’d go home and think about the dreamy guy who had stolen my heart, and I’d compare every other man to him for the rest of my life.”

  He pulled her into his arms and said, “That’s the saddest story I’ve ever heard.”

  “You didn’t hear the end yet.”

  He cocked a brow.

  “When day turned to night, I’d crawl into bed and rest my head on my husband’s shoulder. Just as he’d turn to kiss me, our two little ones would run into the bedroom and climb between us. The puppy would paw at the edge of the bed because she’s too small to jump, and my husband would scoop her up and let her lick his entire face. I’d look over our kids’ heads into his clear blue eyes and say something like, I love our life, and he’d lean over the two most adorable children in the world and say, I love my wife. And then he’d kiss me, and our kids would yell, ‘Ew, Dad!’ and he’d kiss me again, because my kisses have always done him in.”


  “Hell yeah, they have, and I’m ready to be done in again.” He kissed her ravenously, parting only at the sound of giggles. He eyed the three kids running past them and said, “Two, huh?”

  She loved that he was playing along. “Too many?”

  “I’m thinking three.” He hooked his arm around her shoulders and walked in the direction the kids went. “Maybe four.”

  “Let me just scratch dance off my future to-do list.”

  “Nonono. Two’s good.”

  They both laughed, and then they checked out more trees, passing by so many, Quincy finally said, “We’re running out of options,” at the same moment she saw their tree and exclaimed, “That one!”

  She pulled him over to it. “Isn’t it perfect for us?”

  “It’s a little crooked.”

  “That’s part of its charm, and that’s why it’s meant to be ours. Neither of us have followed straight paths to get where we are, but we’re perfect together. This tree is taller than you, but I think it’ll fit in your apartment, and it has a long pointy branch for the star, or whatever we want to put there.”

  “It’s missing a branch.” He put his hand in the hole where the branch was missing and said, “I guess that means it’s been through a rough time, like us.”

  “Exactly,” she said proudly.

  “You’re right. It’s perfect. Let’s make it ours.”

  As he tied the tag on the tree, Roni scooped up a handful of snow and packed it into a snowball. When he turned around, she threw it, nailing him in the chest. His jaw dropped, and he swiped at the snow stuck to his jacket, laughing as he scooped up a handful of snow.

  “We’re doing this, huh?” he said, his eyes narrowing as she packed another snowball.

  “Oh yeah.” She threw another snowball.

  He ran toward her, and she squealed, sprinting ahead. A snowball hit her back and she cracked up. Grabbing more snow and packing it on the run, she hurled it behind her. She missed him, but in his hand was another one. She squealed again, running in a zigzag pattern and scooping up more snow, dodging his snowball. Their laughter filled the air as they chased each other through the rows. When she turned to throw another one, he was right there, and he tackled her to the ground in fits of laughter. She rolled away and tried to get up, but he yanked her down on top of him, her back to his chest, her legs flailing.

  “I’ll get you!” she said through her laughter.

  He spun her in his arms, so they were face-to-face, crushing her to him. His warm, smiling lips brushed hers, and he said, “What’d you say, beautiful?”

  She wiggled and squirmed, trying to break free. Realizing it was a futile effort, she said, “I almost got you!”

  He rolled her beneath him, looking devastatingly happy as he said, “Almost my ass. You’ve already got me, baby. With your crooked tree and sweet apple pies, I never stood a chance.”

  And neither did she, as the man who’d claimed every last piece of her smothered her laughter with steamy kisses until there was no room for anything else.

  QUINCY HAD HEARD about the joys of Christmas and the magic of the holidays, but until today, he’d never fully experienced them. The last couple of hours had been a whirlwind of fun, and Roni’s enthusiasm for absolutely everything was contagious. They’d made two wreaths, one for her house and one for his. That was something Quincy had never imagined himself doing, but with Roni he’d enjoyed every freaking second of it. They’d also gone sledding. After every sled ride, Roni’s face had lit up, and she’d exclaimed, Again! until they’d gone so many times, her hip had ached from trudging up the hill. They’d taken a hot-cider break beneath the sparkling lights, people watching and playing with the dogs. He hadn’t realized Roni was a dog lover, but she’d gotten right down on the ground with him to love them up. Now, as they walked around the gift shop filling their basket with ornaments of dancing snow women, a snow couple sharing a sled, Santa Claus reading, a round-faced boy and girl with red hats and green pajamas kissing in front of a Christmas tree, and many others, the magnitude of his emotions hit him head-on.

  “We have to get this one.” Roni held up a wreath ornament that looked a lot like the wreaths they’d made with gold pinecones and red ribbons, but the ornament had a round-faced couple hanging on it with their arms and smiling faces sticking out the front of the wreath and their bodies and legs out the back. They wore red-and-white Santa hats and green mittens, and they were holding up a white banner with OUR FIRST CHRISTMAS printed in red and the year printed in black beneath it. “They’ll put our names on the white part of the hats. And next year we can come back and get this one and have them put the year in the heart.” She held up a snow-couple ornament with fuzzy Santa hats, rosy cheeks, and green scarves, holding a white heart with red-and-white striped edges like a candy cane.

  That organ that had been tripping him up so often lately around Roni stumbled once again as he realized they weren’t just decorating a tree. They were paving the way for tradition, making room for plans of tomorrows and holidays to come.

  “I love them both.” And I love you.

  “Yay!” She set down the snow couple and kept the wreath ornament. “Come on.” She took his hand, hurrying toward the craft table, and said, “Let’s get our names put on the banner.”

  Two bags of ornaments later, they headed out of the gift shop. The sun was starting to set, and people were loading trees onto their cars.

  “Wow, the sunset is gorgeous.” Roni pointed to the fiery sky in the distance as they walked by the loading area. She nudged Quincy and said, “Hey, isn’t that the guy who won second place at the scavenger hunt?”

  He followed her gaze to Jon Butterscotch. He was standing a few feet away talking with a tall blonde who looked annoyed as she sent trees through a tree baler. “Yeah, that’s Jon.”

  Jon waved them over as they walked past and said, “Hey, Quincy. Great to see you.”

  “You too, Jon. This is my girlfriend, Roni. Roni, this is Jon Butterscotch.”

  Jon lifted his brows and grinned. “Ah yes, the hundred-point kisser.”

  Roni blushed. “That’s me. I saw you at the bachelor auction a few months ago.”

  “That figures,” the blonde uttered as she shoved a tree through the baler.

  “Aw, don’t get jealous, Tater Tot,” Jon said flirtatiously. “Next year you can try to win fifty shades of sweetness.”

  The blonde rolled her eyes and moved a netted tree to the side with the others.

  “Quincy, do you know Tater?” Jon asked. “We go way back to when she was just a sweet young thing.”

  The blonde narrowed her eyes and said, “Call me that again, and you’re next in the baler.” She turned a warm smile to Quincy and Roni and said, “I’m Tatum Helms. Nice to meet you both.”

  “Hi. I’m Quincy, and this is Roni.”

  “Do you own the tree farm?” Roni asked, eyes dancing with excitement.

  “My family does,” Tatum said. “I’m in town helping out for a little while.”

  “I was just arranging for her to deliver my tree to me Friday night.” Jon winked at Quincy.

  Tatum put another tree through the baler and said, “Not happening, Butterscotch.”

  Quincy chuckled.

  “I’ve been dying to come here for years,” Roni said. “Your family makes it so special. We’ve done almost everything and bought nearly every ornament you have.” She waved to the bags in Quincy’s hand. “It must have been amazing growing up around all these festivities every year.”

  “Not for this Scrooge,” Jon said. “Tater hates Christmas.”

  Jon had big ones to keep calling her that with the visual daggers she was sending his way.

  “Really? Why?” Roni said empathetically.

  “I don’t hate Christmas.” Tatum glanced at Jon with narrow eyes and said, “Let’s just say some bad memories have soured it for me.”

  “Aw, come on. You love me,” Jon said jovially.

  Tatum scoffed. “
As much as I love stepping in a steaming pile of—”

  “Got it,” Quincy interrupted. “Good luck, Butterscotch. Nice to meet you, Tatum.”

  As they walked away, Roni said, “He’s pushy.”

  “That’s Jon. He’s a good guy. He’s just full of himself.” He hugged her against him and said, “If I ever act like that, smack me, will you?”

  “You bet I will. It’s getting dark. Maybe we should get going.”

  “Not quite yet, beautiful. I haven’t had a chance to kiss you beneath the stars while we ride in a horse-drawn wagon.”

  “And here I was thinking today couldn’t get any better.”

  Chapter Twenty

  AFTER LEAVING THE tree farm, they stopped for pizza and then headed to Quincy’s apartment to set up the tree. They moved the orange chair to the other side of the room and set up the tree stand they’d bought at the farm in front of the balcony doors. Quincy thought Roni was going to jump out of her skin the way she was bouncing on her toes as he finished putting up the tree.

  The second he was done, she said, “It’s perfect!”

  “You’ve got a good eye, babe. I think it’ll just fit once we put the star we bought on top.”

  She slid her arm around his waist, snuggling against him, and said, “I can’t wait to decorate it.”

  “Aw, hell. We forgot to buy lights for the tree.” He chided himself for the stupid mistake and said, “I’ll run out and get some.”

  She stepped in front of him, grinning up at him, and said, “Stay right here. I have a little surprise for you.” She went to the bedroom and came out a minute later carrying four enormous shopping bags. “I picked up a few things while you were working this weekend. Lights for the tree and some to go around the headboard of our bed.”

  Our bed. He loved that.

  She put the bags on the couch and said, “I got decorations for the walls, garland for the bookshelves, stockings, and there’s another bag in the bedroom with Christmas throw pillows for the couch. I even got Christmas cookie cutters so we could bake cookies together.”