Instantly, don’t ask me why, I launched in.
“Your hair. Your eyes. Your body on the whole, incidentally. Though, if pressed, I could pinpoint a top ten of your anatomy. The way you wear a suit. Actually, the way you dress in its entirety. The way you cook. The way you make sure to cook enough for me. You having tater tots for breakfast. Your voice normally, but more when it gets sweet. The things you do to me in bed. The fact my nighties are appreciated. The fact you’re a maximum contact sleeper. Your ability to give perfect presents. You’ve only given me one, but it was the most perfect present I ever received. You’re taller than me. You think I’m funny. You admire me being unshakable. You love your family. You say I love tough and stubborn, and I like that you think that of me. You pay attention. And you never gave up on me.” I took in a deep breath and asked, “Did I mention the suits?”
Ren said nothing.
“Zano?”
More nothing.
Just in case I hadn’t given him enough, I informed him, “That wasn’t exhaustive list. You said you had to go. Those were just the highlights.”
“Shut up, baby.”
My entire body went still at his tone. It was one I’d never heard. One that slid through me, and if I thought he’d made me feel warm with his sweet, that tone, even using it to say those words, gave me a new kind of warm. The kind of warm that settled in and made you feel found and safe and loved in a way you knew you would never lose any of those things.
Not ever.
For the rest of your life.
“Ren,” I whispered.
“I don’t know what I did to deserve a whispered Ren, honey, but you can explain that to me later, too. Call me when you’re headin’ home and I’ll do what I can to wrap shit up and get there when you do.”
“’Kay,” I replied just as a shadow blocked out the sun, and I looked up to see Hank standing there, scowling at me.
Another unhappy member of the Hot Bunch, but one that was in my space.
Shit.
“I have to go,” I said to Ren.
“Later, babe.’
“’Bye, Zano.”
I did not take it as a good sign that Hank’s jaw got tight when I said Ren’s name.
I shoved my phone in my pocket and held my brother’s eyes.
“What?” I asked when he said nothing.
“You think it’s a good idea, you standin’ out here on the sidewalk?”
I pointed across the street where Santo had eyes on me and a hand to his mouth, working his teeth with a toothpick.
“Fuck, Zano put his goon squad on you?” Hank asked, studying Santo with a look on his face that stated what I’d previously thought of Santo and Lucky, and that was that he wasn’t quite certain if they were idiots or brilliant at playing them.
“Apparently,” I answered.
Hank’s eyes tipped down to me. “How ‘bout you do your brother a favor and get your ass inside?”
“I’ll do you that favor, but only because you asked,” I answered magnanimously.
Hank looked to the sky.
I sashayed to the door.
I was caught just inside when Hank’s fingers curled around my bicep to stop me. But before I stopped, I saw that not only had Vance and Luke joined the party, Hector and Marcus were there as well.
No one looked happy.
Except Tod and Shirleen. And it appeared Roxie was fighting a smile. And I couldn’t tell because I had her profile, but it looked like Ava was giggling behind her hand.
I wondered what they’d think if they knew they were “coming soon.”
This thought exited my head when my brother said into my ear. “Dad wants a family meeting.”
This was not a surprise. When Ren and I made it official, I didn’t figure Dad would delay.
I pulled away, but not too far, and told Hank, “I’ll call him. Set it up.”
“He won’t want Zano there,” Hank told me.
“That might not be his choice,” I stated.
“Ally, you want this, you gotta play it smart,” he warned.
“Hank,” I leaned in and said quietly, “I want this and I don’t have to play at anything. You would no sooner ask for approval of the woman you chose to be in your bed than Lee would. Or Dad would. And I will not be happy if that’s expected of me. I get your concerns. Totally. What I will not get is if you make a decision before you give Ren a chance.”
“We know this guy, Ally, we know his family,” Hank replied.
“You don’t know how he is with me,” I returned. “And you all knew Darius and Shirleen. And when they turned to the dark side, not one of you turned your back on them. Deep down, you got exactly who they were and you accepted how they had to be. You didn’t like it. I know it, Hank. Especially you. But you didn’t wash your hands of people who mattered because you cast judgment on them. You may know Ren, but you don’t know him, and all I’ll ask of you and everyone is to give him the chance to get to know him. If that doesn’t swing my way, so be it. It’ll be then I’ll ask you to trust in the fact that I know him better than you and I know he matters.”