Page 47 of Full Throttled

“You made us all proud,” Drake says from behind her. She looks up at him and smiles.

Drake’s words remind me of my earlier conversation with Zayde and how much those little words will mean to Aubree. “Thanks, Daddy,” Aubree tells him, before turning back to me. “I’m starving.”

I can’t help the laugh that bubbles up out of my mouth. Aubree laughs along with me which causes Drake to join in. After Aubree’s declaration of hunger the entire James family and the guys from Sons of Sin all decide to go out to eat. We go to a home owned Mexican restaurant that was willing to take such a large group of us. The food was great but the company made it better. All of the kids that had danced were exhausted. Most of them passed out after eating at the table.

Aubree was scratching at her nose in her sleep, smearing the face paint everywhere. Drake and I smiled over her head while he grabbed a napkin before dipping it into the water glass sitting in front of him. He cleaned off the face paint and my heart beat a little faster watching him take such care of Aubree. I already knew I was in love with him, but this falling was a new experience and a scary one at that, but I couldn’t run. I wouldn’t allow myself to. I was making myself a promise because I had faith and trust in Drake and that’s not something I normally have in anyone or anything.

Once everyone is finished, we collect the sleeping kids and head back out to the cars. As Drake and I say goodbye and head to his truck with Aubree snoring lightly in his arms, I notice Zayde standing outside his truck talking to the girl that works at Tip Toes in the reception area, Kennedy I think is her name. Zayde kept watching her during dinner too, and I make a mental note to ask him aboutherlater.

As we make our way back to Drake’s place, I feel this settled calm wash over me. Drake reaches over and takes my hand in his, bringing the back of it to graze his lips before resting my hand on his thigh. Aubree is still sleeping in the back and some country song is playing on the radio. I crack my window to breathe in the fresh air.

We’re sitting at a red light when one of my favorite songs comes on. I sigh and reach forward to turn it up just a bit because I don’t want to wake Aubree. Drake looks over at me, a mischievous grin on his face. “Do you like that song?” he asks, with a raise of his eyebrows.

I smile with a shrug. “Yeah, there is something about it that I just love. Every time I hear it, I have to listen to it. The idea of it is sweet.”

Drake smiles at me and eases away from the stop light once it turns green. He surprises me when he turns on the blinker and pulls into a nearly empty parking lot. I look around in confusion. “What are you doing?”

He throws the car in park and hops out before rushing around to the passenger side of the car. He opens the door and leans over to turn the music up then he grabs my hand and pulls me down. I look up at him. “I’m slow dancing in the parking lot with my two favorite girls,” he tells me, as he steps around and grabs Aubree who is still half asleep, but awake enough to know her daddy wants her. She rubs at her eyes. “Will you dance with me, Love Bug?” She nods and holds her arms up so he’ll pick her up.

Once he’s got Aubree situated, he makes his way over to me and wraps an arm around my waist. We sway to the song. Aubree and I both rest our heads on his shoulders and I just let myself be in the moment. I forget about my past and stop worrying about the future. I’m here now. I’m where I’m meant to be. I’m happy, in love and have two incredibly important people in my life. It’s so much more than I could have ever hoped for. We dance until the song ends. Drake places Aubree back in her toddler seat and presses a kiss to her cheek before helping me back into the truck. He goes to kiss me on the cheek, but I grab onto his face and claim his mouth like he has to my heart.

Thirty-Eight

Drake

I don’t know what caused me to pull into the parking lot and have an impromptu dance with my girls. All I knew when I looked over at Zoey with Aubree’s soft snores in the background, was that I had to seize this moment. I’m usually the one that tries to plan everything, but after having Aubree and being a single father I realized I couldn’t plan it all out. After getting thrown that curve ball, I thought maybe I could control the rest of my life. I could plan it out until the last minute but Aubree was always testing that theory and now Zoey is too and for the first time in a long time, I’m okay with that.

Aubree quickly falls back asleep in her toddler seat once we’re back on the road and heading towards home. Zoey’s hand is back in mine and everything in the world is right. We hit a small bit of traffic but luckily it wasn’t too time consuming. Once I’m parked, I jump out of the truck and start collecting all of Aubree’s things. It’s amazing how many luggage bags can be needed for dance. I shake my head as I start trying to organize them all on my arms. Zoey comes around to my side of the truck. “You know I can help with that,” she says, and I can hear the laughter hiding in her voice.

I grunt. “I know you can, but you also know me.” She used to give me grief all the time for my southern gentleman ways. I never let her open a door or carry something if I could keep her from it. It’s just the way I was raised and I kept those values with me.

Zoey places a hand on my arm and the heat races through my core. “I do know you and I love you for it. I always have, but I would like to think that we’re a team and I can’t be a part of the teamwork if you don’t let me. Let me get these bags while you grab Aubree. I feel like you’ve had a lot more experience with carrying her sleeping body than I have.”

“Zo…” I groan, because I want to give her whatever she asks for but at the same time I don’t want to give her this. It just doesn’t feel right to me. I sigh and place the bags in my hands back onto the seat and turn to Zoey. I cup her face with my hands and stare into those tawny coloredeyes. “I know you just want to help and I’m not trying to keep you from being part of the team. It just doesn’t feel right to let you carry this stuff. It’s just how I was raised.”

Zoey sighs. “I understand, but I’m begging you to let me help you, just this once at least.”

I drop my head back and look at the night sky above us. I feel her move and when I look back down, she’s gathering the bags. “You sneaky little thing.”

She smiles and winks at me. “Now, go get the sleepy head over there.”

I shake my head and step away because I know I’m not going to win this particular battle tonight, and I’d really rather just get my sleeping love bug into her bed and Zoey into mine. I smile to myself while I get Aubree situated. When I turn around, I find Zoey standing in front of my truck waiting for us. I smile at the vision of her and my heart swells at how right this all feels. I finally feel like my life is going to fall into place, it’s going to make sense.

“Come on, darling’,” I tell Zoey, as I reach for one of the bags in her hands as we head upstairs to the apartment. Zoey puts the bags down and opens the door for us. I head straight for Aubree’s bedroom. I lay her on the bed then rush back out to grab the bags that Zoey is currently trying to tote into the apartment. I help her get everything inside before pulling her into me and kissing her. When I pull back, I smile at the stunned look in her eyes. “I’m going to get Aubree changed and then I’ll be back out. Make yourself at home,” I tell her, as I press a kiss to her forehead before heading back to Aubree’s room. She’s still sound asleep so I grab a nightgown and change her. The whole time she sleeps away as if nothing is going on. I laugh to myself. Once she’s tucked in, I press a kiss to her cheek. “Good night, Love Bug. Daddy loves you,” I whisper before standing up. When I turn around, I’m shocked to find Zoey standing in the doorway with her eyes locked on me.

“I love how good you are with her. You know I never understood the whole hot single father thing my coworkers would talk about but I get it now. Seeing you with Aubree, it makes so much sense now.” Zoey inches her way closer and closer to me. I smile at her as she runs her hands up my chest then around my neck. “Not that you ever needed help being hot, Drake James.”

I chuckle and lean down to whisper in her ear. “Is that so, Zoey Hechler?”

She pulls back and smiles at me before glancing in Aubree’s direction. A frown causes her eyebrows to pull together. “Where’s Jack?”

I look over at my daughter’s bed and notice that Jack is missing. “He must be out in the truck.”

“I’ll go grab him,” Zoey offers. I start to shake my head but she stops me. “You go start with the stuff in the living room because I don’t have a clue where to start with all that. I’ll go grab Jack then meet you back up here.”

“Zoey, I don’t like you going out there this time of night.”

Zoey laughs quietly before running her fingernails through my hair. “Drake, I’m a big girl. Besides, it’s not even that late and this isn’t even a bad neighborhood. I’ve been in much worse situations.” I hesitate and Zoey sighs. “Look, give me three minutes if I’m not back up here in that time, you can call the Calvary.”

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