A cough pulls us apart.
“Sir?”
Micah chuckles against my mouth, but he presses one more kiss to my lips before pulling completely away.
The driver is standing there beside all our luggage. Micah pulls his wallet out and hands the man some cash. “Thanks, Brandon.”
“Anytime, Mr. Cobreski.”
The guy walks to the car and drives off.
“I know you didn’t want me to stay the night at your house, but I’m inviting you two to stay the night at mine.”
“I’m guessing Robbie wasn’t lying about the duplex being rented?”
“Your half of the duplex was rented. Robbie still has the other half. He’s about three miles away.”
“And you two set this up together?”
“He was told what was going to happen.” He gives me a small smile. “He didn’t put up much of a fight. I’m not going to stir shit up with your ex, baby, but I can tell you that we’re going to have to keep a close eye on him. I hope for Harley’s sake that the man is on the right path, but I’m not so sure he is.”
I nod my head because I’ve had my own doubts.
I walk toward him, my arms going around his waist. “I can’t even begin to tell you how happy I am that you’re here, but what about your life back in New Mexico?”
“I couldn’t live without the two of you, Lucy. Once I realized that, the decision was easy.”
“And Cerberus?”
“Kincaid would’ve kicked my ass if I let you walk away.”
“Really?” I look up at him as he presses a kiss to my forehead.
“He literally used those very words. I have friends all over the world. I’ve got something lined up at a bike shop here in town.”
“So my assumption about bikers in the beginning wasn’t too far off, huh?”
His rumbled laughter against my chest makes me smile.
“We better get out back before that boy chooses today as the day he’s going to start misbehaving.”
I wrap my arm around his waist and let him guide me to the backyard. Harley is nothing but smiles and happiness as he pumps his legs, the swing he’s sitting on going back and forth.
“Do you like it?” Micah asks.
“Love it,” Harley says. “Is all of my stuff here?”
“It’s at your dad’s place,” Micah answers.
I’m glad I don’t have to repurchase everything.
The swing slows as Harley’s face starts to fall.
“What’s wrong? Tired already?”
“Hey, kiddo?” Micah prompts when he doesn’t answer me. “Your momma asked a question.”
He hasn’t been around to see the shift in his attitude the last couple of weeks, and I hate that he’s witnessing it now. It makes me feel even more like a failure. I’ve always been so proud of how well behaved he’s been.
“We’re not going to live here?” Harley kicks at the sand under his feet.
Micah puts me on the spot, turning to look at me, his head cocked a little to the side.
“I live here,” Micah says, his words directed at Harley, but his eyes turned to me.
I narrow mine at him, noticing the smile he’s trying to hide.
“There are only two bedrooms,” the man adds.
“Okay,” Harley says slowly.
I wait for the kid to offer to sleep on the couch, but then he surprises me completely.
“I’ll take the smaller one, and you two can have the bigger one. Problem solved.”
“Problem solved,” Micah says, walking over to Harley and giving him a high-five.
When leaving the airport, I was sure that Harley and I were on a team. Looking at the two of them, I know a team has been formed, I just didn’t know I was going to be on the outside of it.
“Is that right?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.
They look at each other, comic smiles on their faces before looking back at me and nodding.
“Well, maybe the boys need to share a room, and the girl gets her own room.”
Harley’s eyes go wide. Micah’s narrow.
“We could get bunk beds,” Harley whispers, like it’s the best idea in the world.
“We need to discuss this,” Micah tells my son. “You go back to swinging.”
I feel like prey when he prowls toward me, but I hold my ground.
“How much is it going to break his heart when I tell him I’m sleeping in a bed with you?”
I shrug. “Not much. Just mention that you wouldn’t be comfortable in a bunk bed because you’re so big. He’s a compassionate kid. He wouldn’t want you to be in pain.”
“I’m still going to spank your ass later for putting the idea in his head.”
“Can’t wait,” I tell him with a wink.
“Micah!” Harley says, his swing soaring through the air. “Can I be a biker for Cerberus when I grow up?”
“Gotta be a Marine first, kiddo.”
“Is that all?” he asks.
“That’s it.”
“Sounds like a plan,” my son says.
Epilogue
Harley
25 years later
Growing up, my mom protected me from a lot of things.