“Don’t wanna sound like a dick but also don’t wanna be assurin’ you constantly about where I’m at.” His voice dipped. “You need to believe in this, Cher.”
It was hard for me to believe. For years, along with the rest of the ’burg, I’d lived the whole Mia-and-Merry-need-to-get-back-together thing.
But he was right.
I’d made a decision to give us a shot. I’d promised him I’d give it the best one I had. And I’d promised myself I was not going to fuck this up.
And it had just been days and I was falling down on that job.
“Roger that, boss,” I replied.
“I’m spoutin’ important shit, she gives me the smartass.”
“It’s me.”
“It is.”
He didn’t make it sound like it was a bad thing.
“Are we gonna talk for the next hour so you’re only gonna be here for fifteen minutes before I get to go home to my kid and my guy? Or are we gonna hang up so you can get your shit done and come see me?”
Merry didn’t reply.
He hung up on me.
Which was too bad since he couldn’t hear me laughing.
Chapter Fifteen
Don’t Let Go
Cher
Ethan nearly knocked me off the couch when he shot off it to get to the door.
A second earlier, he’d looked through the break in the curtains.
I looked to the cable box.
It was Thursday night, ten to six, and Merry was there.
I turned my head left and saw Ethan throw open the front door and unlock the storm.
He waited a beat…two…three…all while I suspected Merry was walking up the walk.
Then he shouted, “Hey, Merry!”
I studied my son, wondering if Merry read the situation with him right.
Ethan had totally been down with Merry hanging with us and watching TV the night before.
And he was totally down with Merry walking up our walk and going to his gramma’s for a family dinner.
It didn’t appear Ethan needed space.
It appeared Ethan was like me and just needed Merry.
“Hey, man.” I heard Merry’s voice, and that was when I pushed out of the couch, grabbing the remote.
I was turning their way at the same time switching off the TV when Merry walked in and gave Ethan a man-to-man handshake.
They’d let go when Ethan informed him, “Gram’s makin’ her meatloaf.” He lifted a hand and shook it in a don’t-be-disappointed gesture. “I know it sounds like it sucks. But it doesn’t. Gram’s meatloaf is the freaking bomb. It’s like a huge hamburger baked with ketchup on top. She usually puts onions in it, though she won’t do that tonight.”
“Sounds good,” Merry told him.
“Then she makes this tater tot casserole to go with it. It’s crazy good.”
Merry grinned. “Sounds like it’s a good thing I’m hungry.”
Merry’s comments did not deter Ethan from his information sharing. “And fried corn.”
“Can’t call yourself a Hoosier unless you got fried corn stuck in your teeth at least once a week,” Merry replied.
Ethan burst out laughing.
“Okay, kid, now that you’ve broken down the menu,” I said, moving toward them. “Maybe we can get to your gramma’s and eat it.”
Ethan quit laughing and looked at me. “You just want me to shut up so you can be gooey with Merry.”
“That and I’m hungry,” I returned.
“Whatever,” he muttered to me and looked to Merry. “While you get gooey with Mom, can I go out and start your truck?”
As an answer, Merry tossed Ethan his keys.
“Right on!” Ethan shouted after he caught them.
He wasted no time rushing to the bucket chair to grab his jacket and then he raced out of the house.
The storm door whispered and banged.
I looked to Merry.
“Get over here and give me gooey,” he ordered.
The essence of hotness: a badass capable of uttering the word “gooey,” doing that shit and making my clit tingle.
I wasted no time either.
Merry met me halfway probably with a dual purpose, the second part of that being we were not in the door where Ethan could see when Merry took me in his arms, bent and laid a wet one on me.
Hold On
Kristen Ashley's books
- Holding the Dream
- Dance Upon the Air
- High Noon
- Moon Island(Vampire Destiny Book 7)
- Illusion(The Vampire Destiny Book 2)
- Upon A Midnight Clear
- Son Of The Morning
- MacKenzie's mission(MacKenzie Family Saga #2)
- Loving Evangeline(Patterson-Cannon Family series #1)
- A Billionaire's Redemption
- A Convenient Proposal
- A Dishonorable Knight
- A Headstrong Woman
- A Passion for Pleasure
- Atonement
- Beyond a Doubt
- Beyond Control
- Cavanaugh on Duty
- Colton's Dilemma (Shadow Breeds)
- Conceal, Protect
- Conflict of Interest
- Confessing to the Cowboy
- Dreams Don't Wait
- Explosive Attraction
- Find Wonder in All Things
- Forbidden Fires (Bondage & Breakfast)
- Galveston Between Wind and Water
- Game On
- Gone with the Wolf
- Honor's Players
- Illusions of Love
- Intaglio Dragons All The Way Down
- Just One Song
- Living London
- Lone Wolf (Shifters Unbound)
- Love Resolution
- Lyon's Crew
- Mountain Moonlight
- Need A Want Companion Novel
- Of One Heart
- Once a Bad Girl
- Once a Thief
- Once Again a Bride
- Once and Again
- Once Touched, Never Forgotten
- Once Upon a Kiss
- Once Upon a Prince
- One Desert Night
- One More Kiss
- One More Sleepless Night
- One Night of Misbehavior
- One Night Standoff
- One Texas Night
- Only Love (The Atonement Series)
- Operation Endurance
- Primal Bonds
- Questions of Trust A Medical Romance
- Reflection Point
- Retribution
- Savage Redemption
- Second Chance
- Secure Location
- Someone I Used to Know
- Son of a Preacher Man
- Soul Bonded
- Sunset Seduction
- Sweet as Honey (The Seven Sisters)
- Sweet On You
- Tempting Cameron
- That Carrington Magic
- The Bridgertons Happily Ever After
- The Demon's Song
- The Dragon and the Pearl
- The Lone Rancher
- The Millionaire Cowboy's Secret
- Translation of Love
- Twisted Perfection
- Vision In White
- When Love's Gone Country
- The Lost Tycoon
- Down on Her Knees
- Love, Your Concierge
- A Demon Made Me Do It
- Campbell_Book One
- The Lady of Bolton Hill
- Born to Ride_A Clubhouse Collection
- A Question of Honor
- Blood on Copperhead Trail
- Passion and the Prince
- Top Secret Twenty-One
- Dungeon Royale
- Make Me Bad(Private Lessons)
- My Fair Billionaire
- Writing Our Song:A Billionaire Romance
- Kissed by Moonlight
- Redemption in Love
- The Masterful Mr. Montague
- Diamonds are Forever
- Every Second with You
- If You Only Knew