Holding Her Hand (Reed Brothers Book 15)(24)

He stares at me. “Well, what?” he asks. He cocks his head to the side and studies me.

“I’m glad I could help,” I say. “I’ll finish the tattoo today.”

“Good boy,” he says. “She said she has a date this weekend, with some man she has a big crush on.”

My heart stops beating. “She does?”

“She’s pretty damn excited about it. Went and bought a new dress and everything.”

I told her our cookout was casual, so this can’t be for my mom’s party. I didn’t realize she was dating anyone else. I say nothing, because there’s nothing to say. I feel like he just stabbed me in the throat.

Lark comes out of the bathroom and walks in my direction. “You ready to get started?” she asks.

I nod and start to set up my table.

She watches me for a moment, her brow furrowing. She holds up one finger. “Give me just a minute.”

I nod and she steps outside the curtain, jerking her dad with her.





Lark

“What the hell did you just do?” I bark at Emilio.

He points a wavering, innocent finger at the curtain. “I was talking with the young man until you so rudely interrupted.”

“What did you say to him?” I demand to know.

He scratches his belly. “I don’t remember.”

“You don’t remember,” I say slowly.

“Nope. They say your memory is the first thing to go when you start to get older. I can’t remember what you lose after that.” He grins at me.

“Did you threaten him?”

He grins at me again. “Why would I do that?”

I point toward the door. “Get out,” I say.

He puts on a mock-wounded look. “Why? Whatever did I do?”

“I don’t know what you did!” I shout. “But now I have to find out.” I shake my finger at him. “I swear to God, Melio, if you ruin this for me, I’m never going to talk to you again.”

“That’s okay.” He smirks. “I have four other daughters who like me. That’s the beauty of adopting so many of you at one time.”

I growl at him and he laughs out loud. “I didn’t do anything,” he insists. “Just tested the boy a little.”

Suddenly, the curtain jerks behind me and Ryan stalks out. He takes my elbow and pulls me behind the curtain. I’m startled. Really startled. I can hear Emilio laughing on the other side of the curtain.

“Do you have a date this weekend?” he asks, his fingers flying.

“Yes,” I say tentatively. “Don’t I?”

“How the hell should I know?”

“My date’s with you, you idiot.” I shove his chest, just because I’m irked and he’s there, and he’s standing still as a statue.

I can see the dawning realization on his face. He got played by the best player ever. “Your dad just f*cked with me, didn’t he?” He shakes his head, and I can see the muscle tic in his jaw.

“I have no idea what he said to you, but if it looks like f*cking and it smells like f*cking and it tastes like f*cking, it’s probably f*cking.”

He grins. “Tastes like f*cking?”

“Ohhhh!” I growl, stomping my foot. Then I grab his shirt and ball my fists in it. He widens his stance to support us both. “I like you,” I say, and I make him read my lips.

He smiles and brushes a lock of hair back behind my ear. “I like you too.”

Emilio jerks the curtain back and sticks his head in. “He turned green with envy when he thought you were going out with someone else. Just saying.” Then he disappears again.

“What did he say?” Ryan asks.

I free my hands from his shirt. “He said you were jealous.”

Ryan nods. “I was. Shockingly. Stupidly. Irrationally. Jealous. Like, stop my heart jealous. Like, someone just stole all the air from the room jealous. Like curl up in a ball on the floor and suck my thumb jealous.”

“You were?” My belly clenches in the best way possible.

“Yes.”

“So this thing we’re doing, it’s more than just playing with your cap?”

“I thought I made it clear that this was going to get serious when I invited you to meet my parents. Sorry if I didn’t.”

“Be really clear, will you?”

“I want to date you, and only you. I want to kiss you, and only you. I want to make love to you, and only you. But even more than that, I want to be the one who makes you smile, and laugh, and be happy. When you’re sad, I want to wipe your tears, and when you need a break from your responsibilities, I want to provide it. And I want you to meet my mother.”

“Wow.” I can’t even speak. “What if she hates me?”

“She won’t hate you, but she won’t approve of us either.”

“Do you care?”

“She’ll come around.” He stares at me. “I already told her all about you.”

Be still my galloping heart. “You did?”

“Yes.” He still doesn’t break eye contact.

“Are you getting a tattoo today or what?” Emilio calls from the other side of the curtain. “Or are you just going to keep up the lovey-dovey bullshit?”