Hold on Tight (Sea Breeze #8)(28)
Cam grinned and held out his phone. “Why don’t you put your number in here for me, and then I’ll text you so you’ll have my number. You can call me when you’ve spoken to your son.”
He wasn’t spooked by the idea of Micah at all. This was a first.
I took his phone and punched in my number, then handed it back to him. “Here you go,” I said after texting myself. “I’ve already sent a message to my phone. I’ll let you know about Friday no later than tomorrow.”
He gave me a crooked grin that was really very cute, then nodded toward the next aisle. “Guess I better go get some peanut butter to go with this bread. I’ll be looking forward to hearing from you, Sienna Roy,” he said, then turned and walked away.
I actually might have a date, I thought. A real date.
DEWAYNE
Micah had visited my parents’ house both afternoons this week, Monday and Tuesday. Momma had called to tell me everything he said and everything he did while he was there. She was fascinated by the kid. I was pretty damn thankful for him myself. I hadn’t seen my mother this happy in a long time.
Momma had called me this morning to let me know that she had to take Dad in for his routine exam at his cardiologist and wouldn’t be home this afternoon. She was worried about Micah not getting to come visit. I had assured her he would understand, but she hadn’t seemed too convinced. So I’d told her I would take dinner over to Sienna’s and eat with them. That had pacified her.
I was eventually going to have to talk to Momma about this. She’d smother Sienna if she kept this up. Sienna had been great about letting Micah go visit for a couple of hours every afternoon, but I was expecting her to limit this soon. It had been just her and Micah for five years. She wasn’t going to let my momma take her boy away all the time. I expected Momma to convince her to let Micah start coming to her house after school. It would help Sienna save money and I was sure she’d like the idea of him not having to go to after-school care. I just didn’t know if Sienna was ready for that yet.
Pulling my truck into Sienna’s driveway, I winced at the sight of her beat-up car. We were going to have to talk about that. I didn’t like Micah riding around in that piece of shit. It was dangerous. Sienna’s pride would be a hurdle. It was the only reason I hadn’t brought her a new car home already. I knew she wouldn’t accept it. I had to find a way to make her accept it.
The front door swung open, and Micah came running out onto the porch, waving at me with a big grin.
When I had called Sienna and asked her if I could bring dinner and visit with Micah, she had seemed reluctant at first. She was keeping her distance from me, and I understood that. I was okay with it. Hell, I needed it. Getting close to her would be a huge mistake. I was going to take care of her and the kid, but I wasn’t going to get too close to her in the process.
I reached over and grabbed the two large pizzas in my passenger seat. Micah would be coming after me if I didn’t hurry, and I didn’t want him to see the six-pack on the floor. I stepped out of the truck and made my way to the porch.
“You brought pizza! I love pizza! I love mac ’ n’ cheese better, but I love real pizza. It’s better than the bread kind,” Micah said, grinning. Then his smile fell, and he glanced back at the house with a concerned frown.
I started to ask him what was wrong, when he swung his big eyes back to me. He looked upset. “Don’t tell Momma I said that ’bout the bread pizzas. It’ll hurt her feelings. She makes ’em ’cause they’re cheap.”
The boy was protecting his momma again. Made my chest fill with pride and an ache at the same time. He was just a baby, but he acted like the man of the house. He shouldn’t have that kind of responsibility on his little shoulders.
“It’ll be our secret,” I assured him, lowering my voice.
He looked relieved, and a smile replaced his frown. “Momma said you were getting me one with lots of cheese,” he said, excited again.
I realized that pizza like this was a luxury for these two. Which pissed me off all over again. Why the hell had Sienna’s parents done this to her and Micah? Sienna and Micah shouldn’t have had to suffer so much. My parents would have made sure they had everything they needed, and a f**king pizzeria pizza wouldn’t be a treat.
“Momma made some sweet tea, and Mama T brought over a whole basket of cookies this morning. But Momma said we gotta wait until dessert to eat ’em.”
I started to respond, but then Sienna filled the doorway and my tongue suddenly stuck to the roof of my mouth. She was dressed in a pair of cutoff jean shorts and a fitted George Strait T-shirt from a tour nine years ago. She had only been thirteen then, and I knew the Roys hadn’t let her go to the George Strait concert at the Wharf that year.
“Nice shirt,” I said, needing an excuse for looking at her curves. Perfectly delicious curves. Ones I wanted to run my hands over and brand with a trail of bites. Marking my path . . . Stop! No. I couldn’t do that.
“Dustin got it for me. I used it as a sleep shirt for years because it was too big. He went with friends, and you took them, I believe,” she said with a small smile.
I had taken them, but I’d forgotten. Dustin hadn’t wised up yet and made sure everyone knew Sienna was his, and she was changing back then. Guys were noticing her. He’d bought her a shirt, though, when I’d pointed out to him that she’d probably hear he had taken Victoria Harris to the concert. Victoria hadn’t been as pretty as Sienna back then, and she wasn’t anywhere near the looker Sienna was now. My brother had been obsessed with Victoria’s tits. That had been it.