He smiles. “I know, but it gives us something to look forward to.” Slowly, he lifts his hand and places it on my cheek. “Good night, sweetheart.” His kiss is soft and slow, and it leaves me wanting more. “Lock up behind me.”
His kiss has stolen the breath from my lungs. I take a minute to regroup before saying, “Thank you for tonight.”
His eyes soften. “You’re welcome. Go in and lock up.”
“Will you… will you call me when you get home? Or just text me? I-I want to make sure you make it home okay.”
“I’ll call you,” he agrees. “Night, Rams.”
“Night, Deacon.” I step behind the door and quickly close it, clicking the lock into place. My fingers touch my lips, and I can still feel his pressed to mine. I don’t have to look in the mirror to know that goofy, happy smile that only Deacon can pull from me is lighting up my face.
fourteen
Deacon
“Is everything okay?” Palmer answers.
“Yes. Why wouldn’t it be?”
“Because you’re calling me when you’re supposed to be working.”
“I left early.”
“What? What happened? Are you sick? Is it Mom and Dad? Piper?” I can hear the panic in her voice.
“Palmer, calm down. Everyone is fine. I’m fine.” I’m quick to reassure her.
“Then what are you doing off work at,” I imagine her looking for a clock, “four in the afternoon?”
“Ramsey is coming to my place tonight for our second date. I want to make sure my house is on point. I need a shower, and I need to figure out what we’re going to eat.”
“And you left work early? For that?” she asks for clarification.
“I did.” I know what she’s thinking. I never leave work early. Never. Unless it’s a family emergency. There was also the one time I had the flu and was forced to go home, not that I was getting much done at the office anyway. Otherwise, I’m there past normal quitting time on most days.
“I knew the two of you would hit it off,” she boasts.
“We are. We went out last night and decided tonight we would stay in. That’s why I need your help. What should I make or order for dinner?”
“Aw, you’re nervous.”
She’s right. I am nervous. I want tonight to be a good night for Ramsey. For both of us. I want her to see that staying in can be just as fun and that I don’t need to show her off. Sure, I’d love to do just that, but I’m also good to keep her all to myself. Her ex used her as arm candy, and I’m not that guy.
“Are you going to help me or not?”
“Just be you, Deacon. What do you want to make?”
“Well, we had burgers on the grill Saturday afternoon, and we had burgers last night. I don’t want to order pizza again like we did Saturday night.”
“What’s something that you enjoy making that won’t stress you out?”
“I know how to cook lots of things. I have lived on my own for years now.”
“Old man,” she teases.
“Palmer,” I growl.
“Fine. I was just kidding. You know that, right? Ten years isn’t the end of the world, and you make her happy, Deac. That’s all that matters. She needs and deserves all the happiness after the life she’s lived.”
“How about lasagna? Does she eat lasagna?” I ask my sister.
“Why don’t you ask her?” she inquires.
“I-I don’t know. You’re right. I’ll call her now.”
“Deacon…” She rushes to get my name out before I hang up. “Just be you. She really likes you. And you don’t have to tell me that you really like her. Your actions speak volumes. Be happy, big brother.”
“Thanks, kid,” I say, getting my own dig in about her age. However, it’s a little creepy now that I think about it since she and Ramsey are the same age. I shake out of my thoughts and focus on her laughter.
“Love you, big brother.”
“Love you too, little sister. Hey, when do I get copies of those pictures?”
“Is there one in particular you want?”
“All of them.”
“Do you want any prints?”
“Yes. Can you make that happen?”
“Sure. I’ll email you the link. I’ll get 4x6 copies of all of them, but if you want one blown up or on a canvas or something, let me know.”
“Thanks, Palmer.” I end the call and start typing out a text to Ramsey, but a text won’t do. While I get to see her in a few hours, the thought of hearing her voice wins over, and I back out of the message and hit Call instead.
“Hello.”
I exhale a heavy breath at the sound of her voice. “Ramsey,” I murmur.
“Is everything all right?”
I guess me acting out of character is stumping everyone in my life these days. “I just needed to ask you something, and I wanted to hear your voice, so I called instead of texting you.”
“You wanted to hear my voice?”
“Yes.”
“What did you want to ask me?”
Right. Get to the point, Setty. “Do you like lasagna?”
“Oh, um, yeah.”
“Ramsey.” It’s not meant to be, but it comes out as part growl. “I need your words, sweetheart.”
“I like lasagna. I’m not really a fan of ricotta cheese or cottage cheese.”
“Me either. I make it with meat, sauce, noodles, parmesan, and mozzarella. Does that sound good? Maybe some garlic bread to go with it?”
“That sounds perfect, Deacon. What can I do?”
“I’m sitting outside the grocery store now. I’m going to run in and grab what I need and then head home. You can come over anytime.” I need a shower and to straighten up the house, but I’m a pretty tidy guy, so I’m not too worried about that. Besides, she needs to know the real me, just like I want to know the real her.
“Okay. I’ll grab something for dessert.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell her that she’s dessert, but I refrain. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to. It’s just after four now. How about I come over around five or so? I can help you cook.”
“I’d like that. I’ll see you soon.”
“See you soon.” Grabbing my keys from the ignition, I climb out of my truck and head to the grocery store. Grocery shopping is usually a task I hate, but I don’t mind it since it’s because Ramsey is coming over to make dinner with me. She’s quickly becoming a bright spot in my life
As soon as I walk through the door, I dump the grocery bags on the counter, not bothering to put any of them away, and sprint off to the shower. Ten minutes later, I’m in a pair of gym shorts and a Kincaid’s Body Shop T-shirt that I stole from Orrin when he was fixing a small dent in the door of my truck.
Rushing through the house, I check the half bath that guests use to find it’s sparkling clean. I never use it. I always go to my bedroom. I purposely don’t do anything to straighten my room or my bathroom. I’m hoping that will keep me from taking her up there.