Page 57 of Take Two

“I’m okay, darlin’,” I whisper. “I promise. Remember what you said the first night you brought me here?”

She doesn’t respond, but her big brown eyes bore into mine. “You said the NBA wasn’t my path. It wasn’t meant to be, and I think I’m finally at peace with that because I’ve found my path. I’ve found my way, and do you know where it’s led me?” When she shakes her head, I say, “It’s led me right to you. It’s led me here, and that makes everything I’ve been through worth it. It’s shaped me and made me the man I am today. I used to think about what I lost every day until recently. Now, instead of focusing on what could have been, I think about what will become of the two of us. Being with you has freed me from that man.”

“I love that man,” she whispers, and my heart starts to beat erratically. I close my eyes and rest my forehead on hers. “I love that man, Charlie,” she says again.

I pull away and cup her face. “And this man loves you too.” She lets out a sigh and cries into my chest again.

“But I still hate what you went through.”

“But I’m here, Lettie. And I love you,” I say again. “I want you to know I take those words seriously. The only other woman I’ve ever said them to is Mama.”

She lets out a string of giggles in my chest. “Vickie would love that,” she says, still giggling.

“We won’t tell her then,” I say. “Shh.”

“Well, don’t tell her this part, but the only other man I’ve ever loved is my dad,” she says.

“You know everything now, darlin’. I wanted you to hear it. The man you love has done terrible thangs. I’ve—”

“Thank you for telling me, but nothing I heard today changes anything about how I feel about you. Nothing. You’re human, and you made mistakes. You’ve learned from those mistakes, and you’ve turned your life around. That’s all that matters to me. I still love you, and I’m always going to love you.” She jumps into my arms and wraps her legs around me.

“I take those words seriously,” I warn her.

“You’d better or I’ll kick your ass,” she threatens.

“You can’t kick my ass on your best day, but one day I’ll let you try.”

“How about you make love to me now?”

I take her to the bedroom, strip her naked, and lay her down. It takes me seconds to remove my shoes and undress. She already has her legs spread when I lie on top of her, but I want to take my time and kiss every inch of her. I want to worship her body and show her all the ways I love her.

“Do you know how many times I’ve checked out your ass before we got together?” The words take her by surprise. She giggles, but I silence her laughter with my mouth. I kiss her until we’re both dizzy.

“I checked yours out too,” she admits. “And your chest. And every time you smiled those dimples were dimpling,” she says, so I smile and she swoons. “Make love to me now.”

And I slide insideof her.

“Come with me to Birmingham when I go in a few weeks.”

She sits up and looks down at me. The cover dips and reveals her perky nipples. I take one between my fingers and squeeze.

“Forever?” she asks, eyes wide.

“I meant for a few days, but forever works too.” I grin up at her. I’d love that, but she has a successful business here that she’s worked hard for, so I know that’s not possible. There’s no way she’ll be able to get the clientele in Birmingham that she has here.

“Oh, okay. I’d love to,” she says.

“I want you to see my house. It’s a dump now, but—”

“I bet it’s perfect,” she says. “But I’ll help you decorate.” Then she looks at me and grins. “Unless you’ve already enlisted your mama to help you.” She snorts and starts to giggle.

“Sort of,” I admit, and Violet laughs harder. “What?” I ask. “She’s the only girl I’ve ever lived with.”

“You’re such a mama’s boy.”

I shrug because I have no defense. “The job’s yours if you want it.”

“I want it,” she says.

---