Roots and Wings (City Limits #1)(61)

My woman.

Hannah.

She’d just pulled away, heading back down her road to get caught up on some flies for orders she always said she was behind on. So it was just us three, sitting on my porch eating the sandwiches and drinking the tea she brought us.

“You know what’s funny?” Aaron asked, then kept talking, not waiting for an answer. “I always saw Mutt getting with you, Dean. Sorry, I know that’s f*cked up to say, but, Vaughn, you guys look like things are going good. She seems happy. I think that’s cool.”

Yeah, it was awkward and I still hated hearing her called Mutt.

Dean didn’t say anything, filling his mouth with the ham and cheese with mustard she knew he’d like.

That had to be the most challenging part for me. She cared for him, just like she cared for her dad. From the sandwiches he liked, to his whole life story, they had shared holidays with each other, and even though I knew deep down she felt one way and he might have felt another, I couldn’t deny they had a lot of history. Somewhat of a shared past. One I wasn’t a part of or could ever change.

Hopefully, I was her future. As long as he didn’t try to change that, and as long as she wanted to be with me, I would respect their friendship.

Plus, I respected her dad and Dean’s relationship, too. I knew what it was like to be a surrogate family member. I got it.

So, I was the first to speak up.

“I care a lot about her.” Then I wadded up my napkin and baggie, and went around back. That was all I needed to say that mattered anyway. It was the truth and it wasn’t debatable.

How he felt about it wasn’t my business, and if he wanted to talk to Aaron about that, I didn’t need to hear.

Hannah didn’t want to be with him, otherwise she would have been. The fact was, she was with me and that was all I needed to know.





I’d promised myself that I wasn’t going to go over there bothering them while they worked. Besides, I really did have a shitload of lures I was behind on, so I only let myself drive to Vaughn’s on new roof day twice.

The first time was that morning to make sure there wasn’t anything he and Dean needed before they started. Dean and Vaughn hadn’t really ever spent any time together, especially alone. I didn’t want them to be uncomfortable around one another.

I knew Vaughn wanted to get to know him, he’d told me as much, but every time I invited Dean to do something with us, go out on the boat, or cook out, it was always maybe next time.

It kind of shocked me, when I was telling him about Aaron helping Vaughn with the roof, how Dean was the one who chimed in that he’d be willing to help.

Things at the shop had been good, but a little tense. My dad was still slacking on office things, and Dean and I were picking up extra duties we’d never been responsible for in the past.

It was like my dad was kind of silently handing things over, but he never came out and said why. We didn’t know if it was intentional or by accident, and it was getting to a point where I needed to talk to him. I simply didn’t know how. The time was never right.

Dean even agreed that something was up. Things were changing all over the place.

When I dropped off some food and tea around lunchtime, everything seemed like it was going okay. Like they were getting along.

The old roof was stripped off and they were already putting the paper down. Undeniably, they, too, worked well together.

I didn’t kiss Vaughn in front of them, even though I really wanted to. Instead I asked him to look at something in his kitchen and pushed him up against the refrigerator for a quick kiss before I left.

“What is wrong with me that I can’t go without kissing for too long?” I asked as he grabbed my ass and pulled me harder to him. He was sweaty and dirty and so f*cking hot I wanted to strip his clothes off and lick him clean myself.

A full-on Vaughn smile pierced my heart as he said, “I don’t know, but I think I’ve got a little bit of that too?” Then he playfully bit my bottom lip.

“Stop,” I demanded, but wanted no such thing. “I need to go. I just wanted a quick kiss.”

“Hannah, there’s no such thing as a quick kiss when you walk in here with those shorts on, slinging roast beef on rye at me.” His spoke into my neck before attacking me with his mouth. The delicious scratch of his stubble made me declare those jean shorts my most prized possession.

It went on a little longer than it should and we had to stop before it got wickedly out of hand.

Seeing them getting along made me happy. Dean was my family, and I didn’t like wondering if it would ever get to a point where they would spend time together.

My dad, Dean, and Vaughn.

My dad. My friend. And my boyfriend.

I thought about a lot as I blew through the lures and flies on the order sheets that were coming almost every day at my dad’s shop. I didn’t even have time to make more to display there, always trying to get through the ones people wanted special for themselves.

Later that evening, I was surprised when Vaughn hadn’t come over or called when I thought they’d be finished, but I just kept working, happy with my progress.

Then it happened, and I knew the second that I’d done it.

Just like Vaughn told me a hundred times. I was going to break my tooth. And I did.

I broke the shit out of it.

Trying to get this one stubborn band tight around this specific piece, my tooth gave out and I bit down hard as it cracked.