“Can you believe those kids actually think Bane is some kind of hero?” he said, dropping onto Lucia’s love seat.
She chuckled as she sat down on the sofa across from him. “Yes, I can believe that. Bane was bold enough to do some of the horrific things they would probably love to try but know that they can’t get away with doing. Tell me, who in their right mind would take off in the sheriff’s car while he’s giving someone a ticket other than Bane? He became something of a legend if you were to read some of the stuff the girls wrote all over the walls in the bathroom at the local high school. He and the twins.”
He glanced over at her. “How do you know about those walls? That was after your time.”
She smiled as she settled back against the cushions, wrapping her arms across the back. “I have a young cousin who used to have a crush on Aidan and he’s all she used to talk about then, in addition to all the trouble Aidan, Adrian and Bane would get into.”
Derringer shook his head and chuckled, remembering those times. “And let’s not forget Bailey—she was just as bad. At one time we considered sending all four of them to military school, but that would be like giving up on our own, and we knew we couldn’t do that.”
A serious expression touched his features before he said, “I don’t tell Ramsey and Dillon enough how much I appreciate them keeping our family together. Losing my parents and my aunt and uncle at the same time was hard on everyone, but they helped us get through it.” Derringer inwardly struggled with what he’d just told her, realizing he had never shared those emotions and feelings with anyone, certainly not any of his women.
“I’m sure they know you appreciate what they did, Derringer. The proof is in the successful, law-abiding men and women you all became. That’s a testimony in itself. The Westmorelands are getting something now the townspeople figured they wouldn’t ever get after your parents and aunt and uncle passed away.”
He lifted a brow. “And what’s that?”
“Respect.” A smile touched her lips when she added, “And admiration. I wish you would have noticed the look on that kid’s face tonight when he realized you were a Westmoreland.”
Derringer snorted. “Yes, but he was admiring me for all the wrong reasons.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
He knew deep down that Lucia was right—it didn’t matter, because in the end what Dillon and Ramsey had done was indeed a success story in his book. He stretched his legs out in front of him thinking how throughout the evening he had enjoyed the time he was spending with Lucia. It had been the first time he’d spent with a woman when he’d had honest-to-goodness fun. She had been herself and hadn’t gone out of her way to impress him and draw all the attention on her.
Even on the drive to and from the skating arena he had enjoyed their conversation, and although it was hard to believe, they had a lot in common and shared the same interests. They both enjoyed watching Westerns, they enjoyed a good comedy every once in a while and were huge fans of the Wayans brothers, Bill Cosby and Sandra Bullock. She also rode horses and enjoyed going hunting.
But more than anything, he had enjoyed being with her, sharing her space and breathing the same air that she did. And he smiled, thinking she wasn’t too bad on roller skates either. He had enjoyed going around the rink with her, often hearing her throaty laugh, looking over at her and seeing the huge smile on her face; and he especially liked wrapping his arms around her waist when they skated together.