At Peace (The 'Burg #2)(220)

He was right which was annoying.

“It’s annoying when you’re right,” I muttered.

“Better learn to get over that, you’ll need to get used to it.”

I rolled my eyes and settled in, head to his chest, ear to his heartbeat.

We were silent for awhile, me listening to the pounding of Joe’s heart, I didn’t know what Joe was doing.

“Today, I thought for a coupla hours you were dead,” I whispered.

“Vi –”

“Tomorrow, I glue a camera to my hand.”

“Violet –”

“I won’t need them. This is over and it’s just us now. But I want memories. Millions of them.”

He was silent.

Then he said, “Whatever you want, buddy.”

I would have lifted my head but I didn’t want to lose his heartbeat.

“Whatever I want?” I asked.

“Whatever you want.”

“Careful what you promise me, baby, even in your state.”

His body shook gently with his chuckle and his hand at my hip gave me a squeeze.

We were silent again then I called, “Joe?”

“Yeah, buddy.”

“I never said thank you.”

“Honey, for what?”

“For handin’ me the world.”

“Yeah you did,” he replied.

“I did?”

“You do it all the time,” he said, “f*ck, baby, you’re doin’ it now.”

God I loved him. I more than loved him.

“What’s beyond love?” I asked and felt Joe’s body give a slight jolt.

“What?”

“What’s beyond love?” I repeated.

“Don’t understand the question, Vi.”

I didn’t explain. Instead I said, “Whatever it is, that’s what I feel for you.”

He was silent and still for a second. Then he rolled into me.

“Joe –” I whispered when his hands went into my tee.

“Shut it, buddy.”

“Joe –”

“Shut it.”

I shut it.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Crash

“Momalicious!” Keira shouted. “I’m gonna go to the beach and lay out.”

“Big surprise,” Joe muttered and pressed deeper into me as I looked at the nightstand and saw it was barely nine o’clock.

I lifted up from the pillow as far as I could go with Joe’s weight against my back holding me down and shouted, “You had breakfast, baby?”

“Toast!” Keira shouted back.

“Where’s Kate?” I yelled. “She still sleepin’?”

“Um…” Keira muttered loud enough for me to hear and at her hesitation I felt Joe’s head come up and his body move and I twisted my neck to look at him. “That boy from next door is out on the beach. She’s out there talkin’ to him.”

I wondered when Taylor had become “that boy next door” since I was under the impression, considering the amount of time Keira spent talking about him, that she had a crush on him. Not to mention the amount of time Taylor spent out on the beach which I reckoned meant he had a crush on Keira. Perhaps I was wrong and he had a crush on Kate.

This was not good.

“Bummer for Dane,” Joe murmured and even with my misgivings about the Kate/Keira/Taylor teenaged triangle, I grinned.

It had been months but Dane had not fully made it back into my good books yet, nor Joe’s. Kate had forgiven him and they were as tight as ever so Joe and I should give it up, it was just that we couldn’t. If you hurt someone’s child that forgiveness takes awhile but Dane was determined and I figure he’d get there one day. As long as he didn’t act like an ass.

“All right, honey,” I yelled.

“See you on the beach,” Keira called then we heard the door close.

Joe settled back in and I did too.

It was Christmas break and we were at his beach house in Florida for two weeks. The house was up on stilts and painted a faded blue with white woodwork. It had a deep deck all around and a big locked garage which held Joe’s Land Rover, a beach buggy and a huge barbeque grill which was the first thing Joe (with Keira’s help) rolled out onto the deck. The house had wood floors all through, even the kitchen. It was rustic but cute with two bedrooms; open plan living room and kitchen; a small utility with a deep sink, a washer and dryer and a bunch of hooks for beach towels; and one bath. But the bedrooms and living room were huge and airy and all the furniture was way comfy. There were so many windows that there was barely any wall space and all you could see was ocean or trees. It was fantastic.

Even as fantastic as it was, my first order of business was to make Joe take us to town where we bought a Christmas tree and all the decorations. We also bought bright, braided throw rugs, new linen and bathroom and kitchen towels to perk up the place. Further, I bought a huge windsock which Joe installed on a flagpole out on the corner of the deck. Lastly, I bought some wind chimes because nothing said “Florida” (or “beach” for that matter) better than wind chimes. Joe put those up on the overhang of the deck.

We’d been there three days and the girls were already golden tan from playing Frisbee, laying out and travelling the beach in the buggy Joe taught us all how to drive.