Page 147 of Duke
Tim waves his hand and mutters something.
“Did you hear me?” I ask.
He gives me a nasty look. “Yes.”
“Good.” I put my hand on Wheeler’s leg. “You were saying?”
Her eyes are full. For a second, I panic. But then she’s putting her hand on my leg too. She’s smiling—it’s a small one, but it’s still there—and it hits me that the tears in her eyes are happy ones.
Grateful ones.
Relievedones.
Wheeler doesn’t need a protector. She’s strong enough to fend for herself.
But I’ll always come to her defense anyway. I’m her man now, and it’s just what I do.
It’s what I’ll do for the rest of my life.
“Thank you,” she says.
“Don’t need to thank me for making sure you get respect when respect is due, Blue.”
“Blue?” Haines’s lips twitch. “That’s cute.”
Everyone listens as Wheeler explains our decision to be together and to keep the baby. Frannie continues to cry, but Haines wraps her in a side hug and rubs her back. Preston keeps drinking, but really, who cares? He’s a lost cause. We’re never going to be close to him. Like father, like son.
To Tim’s credit, he sits until Wheeler is done talking.
“Good for you,” Haines says quietly. He raises his class. “Congrats, y’all. Duke, I gotta tell you, my sister—she’s different since she’s been with you. I mean that in a good way. She’s truly come into her own. You let her be herself, and she’s finally stepping into who she was always meant to be.”
“Oh yeah?” Wheeler laughs, even as she dabs at her eyes with her napkin. “Who’s that?”
“A badass, bighearted human who works hard and loves harder and isn’t afraid to go after what she loves.” He tilts his glass toward her. “You inspire me every day, Wheeler.”
Frannie nods. “You inspire all of us, honey.”
I wonder if she means Wheeler inspired her to leave a miserable man. Whatever the case, I couldn’t agree more.
I give Wheeler a nudge. “You inspired me too. And now look. We’re living the dream. Multiple dreams, all at once.”
“You’ve made so many of my dreams come true, baby.” Her voice is barely above a whisper. “Thank you.”
I’m crying.
Wheeler is crying.
Tim appears to be blinking back tears. I’m honestly shocked that I may have finally gotten through to him.
Whatever the case, everyone gives Wheeler a hug as they’re leaving a little while later.
Preston and Tim refrain from givingmehugs, but Preston does shake my hand.
“She seems happy,” he says. Then he trots down the stairs.
Tim keeps his hands in his pockets. “Don’t forget us back in Dallas.”
“We won’t,” Wheeler replies.
