Page 106 of Starting Over with You
Flint snorts. “He fucked up the first time. Now, men have to go through us.”
I scoff. “Oh, my boy, there will be no other men.” Even though I’m pissed as fuck that Stratford is here, my smile is unstoppable. “Let me tell you a story.”
I pull over even though I want to close the distance between Stratford and me. The need to chase him off is real, but my need for the sons of the woman I love to know how much their mom means to me is greater. I don’t even recognize my voice; it’s rough from the emotion suffocating me. I want these boys to know how much I love their mom. So, I tell them. I explain about the first time I saw Kenni, in a bright-yellow one-piece that had a huge turtle on the front. We were at the creek for a family day the forest rangers put on, and Sadie had begged to bring Missy, which meant Kenni was there too. When she couldn’t reach the rope, I convinced her to catch crawdads with me instead.
I tell them about the times she got me arrested, and how I didn’t care how bad it made me look, I wouldn’t have been anywhere else. I expose myself and admit that I sobbed when she gotpregnant with them. That I begged the Lord to make it untrue, and it’s one of my regrets because of how much I love them now. They don’t say much. They listen and laugh when I crack a joke about how wild their mom was. Hell, is. My eyes burn with tears, and I let my head fall back against the headrest as I say, “She was my first kiss, and I hope and pray every night that she’ll be my last.”
I have to check to see if they’ve hung up, because the silence I’m met with is louder than ever. I squeeze my eyes shut and sigh deeply, hoping I didn’t say too much. It isn’t until Ash speaks that I can draw in a breath. “Cool. So, you’re in love with our mom.”
It’s not a question, but I answer just the same. “I have been and always will be.”
I can hear the smile in Flint’s voice. “Good. Make her happy.”
“Done,” I promise, and warmth burns through me, knowing they trust me. “It’s not weird for you two, is it?”
“Nope,” Ash says with a pop of the P. “Skyye is the only one I was thinking of, but she’s all for it.”
I grin. “Yeah, she told me too.”
“If you two hadn’t gotten together, we were going to intervene,” Flint admits and I laugh.
“No shit?”
“Yeah.” I grin widely at the sureness in his voice. “My mom has never smiled the way she does now, and we know it’s you.”
Once more, emotion chokes me. I hadn’t expected this conversation to go so well. “She does the same for me, guys.”
“Duh, Mom is the best,” Ash says. “Now, do me a favor. Get rid of my dad so she doesn’t stress.”
“On it,” I say as I throw my SUV into drive and get back on the road. “Is he still where he was?” After Ash confirms, we say our goodbyes, and I drive toward where Stratford apparently is parked. I see a sleek black Lexus that doesn’t belong in Thistlebrook, Tennessee, and I know it’s him.
Showy bastard.
I pull up behind the Lexus with Wisconsin tags and put the SUV in park. My heart kicks up in speed, but I ignore it to get out. I needto make sure my girl is safe. I truly don’t think Stratford would hurt her, but that doesn’t mean I want him near her. He’s emotionally abused her enough, and I won’t allow him to hurt her ever again.
I’m almost to the window of the Lexus when the door opens, and Stratford slowly gets out. He’s in chinos with a light gray shirt. He looks older than I remember, wrinkles marring his face along his cheeks, his eyes, and mouth. I take pride in knowing that my hair isn’t receding like his. I want to punch him in the face for cheating on her, but I want to pummel him for making Kenni think she doesn’t have the perfect pussy. Instead, I cross my arms over my chest. Stratford looks me up and down, then says, “Dean.”
“Stratford,” I say back, and the passenger door opens. Stratford cuts his gaze to the itty-bitty blonde who gets out. She can’t be more than five feet, and while she’s pretty, she’s not at the level Kenni is. Where Kenni is dark and gorgeous, this chick is light and plain.
“Jackie, get back in the car.”
“Who’s this?” she asks and then cuts her brown eyes to me. “We’re not doing anything wrong.”
“I’m Kenni’s man,” I answer her, but my eyes are on Stratford’s. I can see the anger burning in his gaze as I go on. “And you are doing something wrong. You’re not welcome here.”
Stratford chuckles. “You don’t own Thistlebrook.”
“No, but you don’t belong here, and you need to go.”
“We will. After I talk to Kenleigh.”
“Not happening,” I say simply. “You can talk to her lawyer.”
Stratford rolls his eyes. “I always knew you had a thing for her.”
“Always,” I answer with a grin. “And now she’s mine.”
“Yeah, enjoy my leftovers.”
