Page 127 of Duke
Wecan swing it. Still getting used to us being, well, anus.
My face hurts. Not sure I’ve stopped smiling since Wheeler enthusiastically agreed to be exclusive.
Thank fuck.
“I did!” Mollie says. “We spoke for a while last night. She knows a woman who’s looking for a full-time nannying position—”
“Amazing news.”
“I’m not sure the timing will work out, but it’s a start.”
“I’m relieved to hear there are options available at all.”
“You know it’s not a crime to get what you want, right?” Mollie’s voice is soft. “And it doesn’t make you stupid to hope for the best.”
Wheeler chuckles. “As long as I can still expect the worst too.”
“Now, that’s something we gotta work on.” I step onto the porch. The late afternoon light streams through the new leaves on the trees overhead, dappling the ground with gold. The air is warm but not humid.
Gonna be another gorgeous evening.
Mollie and Wheeler look up. They’re bent over the picnic table Ryder and I recently built out of leftover lumber. Wheeler is holding a boot in her hand.
It’s square-toed, the shaft—heh—made of smooth brown leather, but the toe box is covered in this cool ostrich-type leather that’s the same shade of brown.
A little Texas flag is stitched onto the side of the heel.
Pressure, hot and sudden, appears behind my eyes.
Wheeler smiles. “Hey, baby.”
“Oooh, I like the way that sounds,” Mollie says. “And she’s working on her optimism, Duke. I’m doing my best to convert her.”
I’m choking on my heart, but I still manage to gruffly reply, “Thank you kindly. We’ll make a believer of her yet.”
“So.” Wheeler turns the boot in her hands one way, then the other. “What do you think of your creation?”
I try to clear my throat. “Ourcreation.”
“Y’all are making beautiful babiesandbeautiful boots together.” Mollie beams at us. “It’s so perfect I almost hate you for it.” Then she goes up on her toes to press a kiss to my cheek. “Thanks for the ideas. You get a ten out of ten from me, no notes. Wheeler did say you were willing to go naked in the advertising campaign. That true?”
“I’m always willing to get naked.”
Mollie laughs. “For once in your life, that’s a good thing.”
“There’s been other times that it’s a good thing,” Wheeler shoots back, giving me a saucy look.
But Mollie just waves us away. “Y’all can go bone in a minute. First, we need to get your approval on these masterpieces. And then we need to ask you something.”
Wheeler holds out the boot, and I take it. Thing’s got heft. Leather really is soft. Proportions look right. Bet it’s comfortable.
She puts her hand on my shoulder. “It’s your size. Wanna try it on?”
“My size?” Shit, I’m really gonna cry. “How’d you—”
“I snooped through your closet, of course.”
“Did you find the oldPlayboys?”
