Page 92 of Exile & Lula
“Is that how you felt with Tricky?”
“He wanted me to be like his mom,” she said with her eyes closed. “But I’m like my mom. I could have pretended to be more like Amanda to make him happy. Or I could be myself and make myself happy. I wasn’t willing to sacrifice for Tricky, so it was over. What are you willing to give up for Exile?”
“I want to keep him, but I’m afraid to trust in the magic I feel with him. If I’m wrong, he’ll have given up so much. His sister and nieces are giving up a lot, too. I just don’t want to fail.”
“Not everyone is as lucky as I am with having an out-of-body experience. You should take advantage of my good fortune and learn from me. Dream big. Take what you want. Don’t let people steal your sunshine. Basically, be a greedy dickhead to ensure your happiness.”
Smiling at her wording, I stroked her fingers and imagined Exile. He was the perfect guy for me. I couldn’t imagine anyone better. The only sticking point was where we called home. He said Nova and the girls were excited to come back. Exile also mentioned selling his home and finding a place to fit us all. I wanted to believe we could be happy together, but my rational side kept putting up guilt-ridden what-if roadblocks.
Cher’s breathing shifted as she dozed off. I stayed at her bedside while coming to terms with how my life couldn’t stay the same if I wanted to keep Exile. For him, I had to be audacious.
Rowdy and I arrived at our parents’ house to find Dillon waiting for me on the front steps. I assumed she wasn’t inside with everyone else because of some tiff, especially after she came running at me.
“What’s wrong?”
“I got scared.”
“Of what?” I asked as we walked to our house.
“Exile is gone. Everything feels too quiet. I worried you wouldn’t come home from the hospital.”
Holding Dillon against me on the couch, I reassured her about how careful I was being and promised Exile would be back in Little Memphis soon.
“It feels safer when he’s here.”
“Are you going to be okay to visit your dad?”
“Yeah, but I want Exile to be here when I’m gone. He will protect you.”
Rather than focus on Dillon’s fears, I shifted the conversation to a Baton Rouge house. We both loved making lists, so we worked on one for the realtor. We tried to stay realistic, but we had come up with nearly two dozen “must-haves” before we received a text about Exile and Nova entering the community.
Heading outside, my daughter and I excitedly awaited the arrival of the rest of our new family. As soon as they pulled up, Dillon rushed forward. She only said hello to Exile, but her gaze held such affection already.
Like me, Dillon would never forget how this man swept into our lives and wrapped us up in his protection.
EXILE
Lula couldn’t contain her excitement to have us back in Little Memphis. She was normally such a cool customer, but she came running out from the house as soon as we turned the corner. I grinned at how she waved wildly. Dillon came outside, too, smiling as much as her mom.
Nova met Lula’s excitement by bouncing as soon as she exited the SUV. They hurried to free the giddy girls and Ramen. As I turned off my motorcycle, I chuckled at the sight of them all bouncing together.
As Nova went to the trunk, I walked over to Lula and dropped a kiss on her waiting lips. We’d been apart for less than twenty-four hours, yet I felt like I was falling apart without her nearby.
“I promise we won’t ignore your life back in Baton Rouge,” Lula said when our lips parted. “I might love my life, but I wouldn’t be here if your club hadn’t saved me. We’ll get a house in Baton Rouge that’ll make all six of us happy.”
We spent the next week in Little Memphis before Lula came to visit Baton Rouge while Dillon was in Little Rock with her dad. Nova startled me by saying she worried the house would seem too small or low-class for Lula.
“What the hell are you talking about?” I asked my sister before we drove to Baton Rouge. “We spent a fortune turning that house into a palace.”
“It’s not fancy like this place,” Nova mumbled while wearing a stubborn pout. “This place is swanky, Dan.”
“Sure, but our place is a quality house. Stop talking shit about our home.”
“Why talk up a house we’re leaving?”
“We’re moving because of space issues, not because our house isn’t a good place to call home.”
Nova smiled at me like she understood what I was truly saying. Our years together in that house were life-changing and made me the man capable of loving Lula.
