Page 49 of Mine To Break
Chapter Nineteen
The first few days “off” had been great, especially after a few days in the hospital. Colby had mostly slept in Mal’s bed, waking long enough to eat and talk with her awhile. They usually watched television together until he dozed off. She teased him for loving daytime judge shows, while her guilty pleasure was British baking contests. She entertained him with stories about the new show she was putting together for VCONN. She even cooked a bit, just eggs and soup, grilled cheese sandwiches, easy things, but important and special because he knew she didn’t like to cook at all.
But she never said another word about getting married. He’d started to think maybe he’d dreamed it while drugged up in the hospital.
He couldn’t wait to get out and shop for her ring. But he couldn’t drive yet, not on painkillers. He could get around better and had started doing a few easy things around the house while she was at work. Laundry. Dishes. He even called Alli and asked her how to make her famous creamy chicken enchiladas, one of his favorite dishes. Elias came by at least every other day and updated him on the cartel situation. Which he didn’t care about in the slightest, though it gave him the opportunity to break his decision to Elias. His partner didn’t seem surprised and agreed to start the discussion with the lieutenant for him.
Which was great. Exactly what he wanted. But he wanted to be doing these things himself.
If he didn’t get out of the house soon, he was going to lose his mind.
The doorbell rang, a welcome distraction. Though the woman waiting at the door was a shock. Holding a fluffy little dog that had to be Pumpkin, Mal’s Mama looked him up and down.
“Well, well, well, who are you, young man?”
“Colby Wade, ma’am.” He saw the waiting car, the driver popping the trunk. “Let me get your bags.”
The driver set her bags out, thankfully, because he wasn’t supposed to lift anything yet. He gave the man a tip and rolled the two bags back up to the porch. She took one handle from him, leaving the larger bag for him, but luckily there was only one step up. He tugged it up, unobtrusively holding his side.
“You hurt?”
He flashed her a smile and she humphed under her breath. Mal got that from her. “I was shot off duty a little over a week ago, but I’m fine, ma’am.”
Before he could protest, she took the handle from him and shoved the fluffy dog into his arms. “Pumpkin needs to potty. Do you think you can manage that much?”
“Sure thing, ma’am. Let’s go, Pumpkin.”
He carried the dog through the back gate and set him down in the yard. The dog danced around his feet, begging to be picked back up, but he finally did his business and Colby took him back inside. He’d noticed a small box of treats on top of the fridge, so he gave the dog one.
“Ma’am, can I get you a cup of coffee?”
“Absolutely.” She sat down at the bar, watching him move around the kitchen. “So you’re seeing my daughter.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He set the cup in front of her. “Cream or sugar?”
She shook her head and held the cup, warming her hands but only watching him. It unnerved him. This was the most important person in Mal’s life. If her mother ended up hating him…
“You serious?”
“Yes, ma’am. I’d do anything for her.”
“Well, you’re certainly polite enough. Tell me about yourself.”
He told her about Afghanistan and the years on the force. Enough about his PTSD so that she’d understand how much her daughter had helped him. Then about the shooting and his plans to leave the force. “I still haven’t told her yet. I want it to be a surprise.”
“Darned fool,” Mama muttered, shaking her head. “Don’t you think she’d rather have a serious talk about your life, especially if you want to make a life with her?”
She had a point. “We already talked about it indirectly. She told me I had to give up my monstrous sense of responsibility. Her words.”
“And so you decided to quit your job entirely?”
“It’s more than that. I don’t need it anymore. I don’t need that constant war, the threat of danger to keep me engaged.”Not when I know I can battle the Mistress of Dallas in her bed as soon as I get home.
“I see.” She sipped her coffee a few moments. “What are your intentions with respect to my daughter?”
“I want to marry her, ma’am. If she’ll have me.”
“Does she know that?”
