“Not exactly.” I look away, embarrassed about my heavy handed behavior in front of Ray. Here, I’m not Skull.
“What did you do, Tritt?”
The use of my given name turns me back into a boy. “I told her I didn’t want her living alone anymore and I’d be moving my stuff in today.”
“Lord, you are a clueless fool. You can’t treat her like those prospects of yours.” He scowls.
“I’m not—”
“It’s exactly what you’re doing.”
“You want me to sit on my thumb and twirl instead?” I ask.
“Fast isn’t better. You might make into her home, but will she resent you more for it?”
“Maybe at first?” I answer.
“Resentment is a slow moving poison hard to get rid of,” Ray says.
“So eat my words?” I ask already hating the taste of crow.
“How about you change a demand into a question and a request, instead?”
I sigh and crack my neck. “This is damn stressful.”
“Get used to it. You’re about to enter the world of parenthood. Ain’t nothing harder or more rewarding than that.”
“You’re all heart, Ray.”
“Honestly son, I’m glad this happened. Otherwise, you’d spend the rest of your life keeping everyone at a distance. I know why. We all got our reasons for doing the things we do. I never judged you. But somewh
ere inside of you, I think a part of you always wanted more. It’s why you let Ruthie see the real you under that biker persona you wear like a second skin. You can’t go back now. You have to keep moving forward. That’s going to make for some pain. But you’re no stranger to that.”
“No, sir, I’m not,” I agree.
“Go make me proud and get to work on making an honest woman of her.”
“Thanks for this, Ray. You need anything?”
“I have more than enough now between you and those two young’uns who just left.”
“Next time I come, I’ll bring you some of the good stuff.” I wink.
“Good, my flask will be tapped by then.”
I chuckle. “I’ll bring you some fresh Scotch and mags.”
“Bless you, son.”
I pat his shoulder as I push to my feet. “I’ll keep you posted between now and then. I get the feeling I’m going to need your expertise.”
“I told your Pa I’d be here when you needed me. That means saving you from yourself when you’re being a dumbass.”
I laugh. “Always a way with words.” I can’t help but feel like a thousand tons were lifted off my shoulders. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some negotiating to do.” The minute I leave, I make a call to our tech guy and ask him to find everything he can on the grankids. No one’s going to fuck over Ray on my watch.
Chapter Four
Ruthie