While the two of them might not always get along or agree on things, his mother was all he had. And Nick would skin alive anyone who harmed her or hurt her feelings.
“Okay. If you’re sure. Like I said, I don’t want either of you in trouble with your parents. And I definitely don’t want your parents worrying about you. There’s nothing more terrifying than not knowing where your child is.”
“No fears, Ms. Gautier.” Kody smiled. “We’ll see Nick home and make sure he’s taken care of. You two go and have a great dinner. Don’t worry about anything.”
“Not a puppy, people. I can walk and tie my own shoes and everything.”
“I wouldn’t take that bet,” Caleb mumbled under his breath. “Your shoes have been untied all day.”
“That’s called a fashion choice.”
“It’s called a broken leg waiting to happen, but far be it from me to correct your delinquent behavior. I can use the laughter when you trip and fall, and bust your…” Caleb glanced at Cherise as he barely caught himself before he spoke profanity, “rump.”
Bubba laughed at them.
His mom just shook her head at Caleb before she spoke to Bubba. “Give me an hour and pick me up?”
“We can go now, if you want.”
She smiled sweetly. “Michael, I’d like to take a shower and get the smell of fried grease off my hair and change out of my work clothes.”
“Why? I think you smell real good, and look even better.”
Nick groaned. “Hello! Do you mind? Son is present and choking on my own bile! Gah! Old people. Y’all are so gross!”
His mother glared at him. “Eat your pudding and shush.… And I’m not old! I’m barely over thirty. You’ll be here before you know it!” She turned back to Bubba. “See you in an hour.” When she went to kiss him, Bubba pulled away.
She gave him a stricken look.
He jerked his chin toward Nick. “Trying not to antagonize the most important man in your life.”
“I’m not looking,” Nick groused. “I already threw up in my mouth. And Ma, I don’t want no grief from you the next time you come into a room and I’m innocently leaning too close to Kody. ’Cause I know we’re not doing anything, and I don’t want to know what you two do or don’t do, and you better not be doing nothing. That’s all I’m saying.”
She shook her head and sighed. “I have raised a rotten child.”
Bubba grinned. “Nah, he’s a good one. It’s why I’ve let him live this long. Though drowning is still an option if he ever gets too lippy. I do know how to dump a body in the swamp where no one will ever find it.… gators got to eat, and all that.”
Laughing, she paused at the door. “You want to come on home with me, Boo?”
“Can I finish my food?”
“I thought you were sick?”
“I am sick. You know the saying—starve a fever. Feed a cold. So I’m feeding it this bread pudding while it’s still warm.”
She pressed her hand to her forehead. “Thank goodness I work for a restaurant and a kindhearted boss who doesn’t mind it when I take food home, otherwise I’d never be able to afford groceries for that boy. I swear his legs are hollow.”
“My mama always said the same thing about me. That and that I was a reincarnated tapeworm. But it’s all the football drills your boy runs, Cherise. You’ve gotta feed that metabolism.”
“Just don’t let me forget to bring home leftovers for him after dinner.”
Nick groaned at her. “Again, not a puppy, Ma. I don’t need a doggie bag.”
“Says the boy who will be starving by the time we get back tonight.” She gave Bubba a quick peck on the cheek. “I’ll see you shortly.… Nick, behave!”
“You, too.”
As soon as she was gone, Bubba scratched uncomfortably at his jaw. “You sure you’re okay with this?”
Nick hesitated. Honestly? He was a lot of confused about it. His mother was a sacred entity where he was concerned, and he didn’t like sharing her with other people. Ever. He never had. Even as a kid, it’d bothered him to see her holding another baby, even at church.
But he was getting old enough to appreciate the fact that his mother had never dated, and that he’d selfishly taken up her entire life since the moment he’d been born. Like she said, she wasn’t old. But he’d hogged every day of her youth.
She deserved to be happy and to find a decent guy who would treat her like the queen she was.
When all was said and done, he couldn’t think of anyone better than Bubba, except Kyrian. But Nick knew from Ambrose that Kyrian had another destiny waiting.
Another woman he was meant for.
And Bubba deserved another chance to find a woman who could love him. Since the day he’d lost his wife and son, he hadn’t dated, either. He’d been locked up in this business and zombie hunting with Mark. A lost, lonely soul.
Yet whenever Bubba was around his mom, a light came on in his eyes. His cocksure friend lost a lot of his composure. It did Nick’s fragile ego good to see that he wasn’t the only oversized male his tiny mom cowed and unsettled. Besides, he really did admire Bubba.