An hour later, when they were let in in shifts to see Krys was all right and have their time with Breanne, Jussy returned the favor.
While she was holding Bubba and Krys’s tiny baby, smiling her big, happy, open smile, she dipped her face close, gently rocking Breanne like she’d given birth to a dozen baby girls, and in her sweet, low voice, quietly she sang Croce’s “Time in a Bottle.”
Deke couldn’t tear his eyes away. But as she sang, he saw Tate get close, his phone up, videoing Jussy’s gift to two new parents, something priceless, a baby’s first lullaby delivered by Justice Lonesome.
When she was done singing, not only was Breanne asleep.
So was Krys.
The song ended and Justice kept humming and rocking, her attention riveted on the little, scrunched-up face which was all you could see through cap and swaddling. And as she hummed, Deke noticed that his gypsy’s features were dominant.
Dark hair, brown eyes.
He had not lied, his ma would have loved Jussy.
Dark-haired, brown-eyed babies?
She’d have loved them a whole lot more.
He watched his gypsy humming to baby girl Breanne.
He did it with the realization he was sinking deep in all that was Justice Lonesome.
But for the life of him, he didn’t care he was getting caught in that mire.
*
“Uh, I’m not liking that,” Jussy proclaimed.
They were in his truck after leaving the hospital and they were on the way to the mall.
Deke had just told her their plans for that night and he knew her proclamation was not about the fact they were going to the electronics store to buy her a TV for her bedroom that they could watch while they ate pizza in her bed that night.
It was about the fact they were spending the night in that bed that night.
“It’s safe, Jussy,” he said gently. “And you gotta get back there.”
“Tonight?”
That came out as a squeak.
Deke grabbed her hand and for the first time she resisted.
This didn’t last long because he didn’t give up. When she did, he held her as he kept talking.
“Your security system is tight and Chace is sending a cruiser. Men with badges, guns, radios and presence to keep watch all night. And I’ll be there.” He gave her hand a squeeze. “You gotta get back home, baby.”
He felt more resistance at her hand. It surprised him, she’d never resisted. Not a single touch. But just as quick as she started it, she again gave in, letting her hand rest in his but she did all that without reply.
“He’s not gonna get to you,” he told her.
She didn’t say anything and he glanced at her to see her looking out the side window.
“Jussy?” he called.
“I know,” she said, her voice flat, something he’d gotten from her once, the morning they had their conversation after she performed at Bubba’s. “I’m good. Cal’s system. The cops. You. It’ll be okay.”
He didn’t like her voice like that.
“Not gonna let anything harm you,” he promised.
“Okay, Deke,” she replied immediately, a verbal giving in he didn’t like either.
She was unusually in her head and not giving him what was in it.
So he went for it.
“What’s on your mind?” he asked.
“Oh, nothing, except that guy promising to come back and the first night I’m back in the bed he strangled me on and beat me unconscious on is the night he promised to come back,” she answered, flat gone, sarcasm in its place.
“He slips by the cops, gets close to a single window, even the boarded one, babe, the whole forest lights up for ten yards and the cops’ll be all over him. He keeps goin’ and actually breaks in, that siren Callahan put in will be heard for a mile.”
She again switched tactics. “You’re right. All good. It’ll be fine.”
“Jussy—”
He knew she’d looked to him when she said, “If you want me out of the trailer, then tonight, at least, I’d feel better being at Carnal Hotel with Mr. T. Maybe they have adjoining rooms. We’ll keep the doors open in between. He’s not exactly young but he used to be a Marine.”
Through this, getting what was on her mind, Deke’s fingers around hers tightened.
“I don’t want you out of the trailer,” he shared that truth but did it carefully.
“You’re being cool and I get it, Deke, that’s how cool you’ve been. Way cool. Super cool. Amazingly cool. But you’re right. I need to get on with it, take charge, get back to whatever is normal. But not tonight. Tonight I’m staying at the hotel with Mr. T.”
Now he was losing that cool she said he was.
“You are not stayin’ at a goddamn hotel with a man old enough to be your grandfather the only one lookin’ out for you.”
“We can tell Chace to park the cruiser outside my hotel door.”
“We’re not doin’ that either seein’ as you’re gonna be at your place with me and that’s also where the cruiser is gonna be.”
“What I’m saying is, you’ve been cool. I appreciate it. You’ve done a lot. It’s time to get on with things and I get that’s what you’re saying to me. So I’m getting on with things. You’re off duty.”