Colson (The Henchmen MC #20) - Jessica Gadziala Page 0,4
chance as I pulled him over to my side of the porch, tossing him down into one of the chairs.
"Sit your ass down," I demanded when he tried to shoot up, his chest meeting my palm as I pushed him back down.
"Who the hell do you think you are, man?" he snapped, not trying to get up again, likely sensing his chances were slim getting past me.
"A concerned citizen," I offered, taking my seat, but keeping an eye on him in case he thought he might be able to jump over the porch railing. "We are going to sit right here until your Ma gets home.
"My mom won't be home for hours. You will fall asleep," he shot back, all bravado, his chest puffing out. "Then I will go."
"Oh, little man. I've been stubborn longer than you have been alive. We'll see who is still awake when she rolls up."
To his credit, he made it to five-thirty before his chin hit his chest, his head lolling to the side.
The day was weighing on me too, but purpose was keeping me up even as the sun started to rise.
It wasn't long after six when the white sedan pulled into the driveway. The engine cut and the driver was popping out in under a minute, making her way up the driveway.
Fuck, she was pretty, too.
And young.
Young to have a kid her son's age anyway.
Like her son, she was tall and dark-eyed. Her long curly hair was worn down, framing a soft oval face. Her frame was swallowed up by an oversize white sweatshirt with the words "Afro Latina" across the chest, worn, it seemed, over a blue-gray collared shirt.
"Jacob," her voice snapped as she stepped onto the stairs, her tired gaze steely, her voice loud enough to make the kid startle awake.
I held back a smile at the way the kid bolted out of his chair, shoulders hunching forward.
"Are you kidding me right now?" she asked. "Get in that house, take a shower, and get ready for school."
"I didn't sleep."
"Yeah, that's going to suck, huh?" the mom shot back, voice fierce. "Go," she added, pointing toward her door.
Jacob's jaw got tight, but he moved inside to follow her orders.
"He was trying to sneak out?" she asked. With her son out of sight, her shoulder slumped, exhaustion and defeat weighing on her.
"Sometime around one a.m.," I told her, nodding.
"Oh, that little shit. Sorry, are you one of those parents who doesn't call their kids little shits even when they are being little shits? Because I am one of those who does. Obviously. I'm Eva, by the way," she said, moving closer, offering me her hand. "I probably should have introduced myself before now."
"Colson. And my daughter informed me that I was supposed to be the one to introduce myself first."
"It's annoying when they are right, isn't it?" she asked, letting out a small laugh.
"Apparently, the day they turn twelve, they know everything."
"Oh, twelve. Those were the days," Eva said, sighing wistfully.
"How old is Jacob?"
"Just turned fourteen. So, obviously, he is a full-grown man who doesn't need a mother anymore," she told me, rolling her eyes. "I'm so sorry you had to sit up with him."
"Don't mention it. If Jelena was sneaking out, I would hope someone would stop her for me."
"Jelena. Pretty. I promise if I ever see her sneaking out, I will stop her. Though I'm sure she's a good kid."
"I'm sure Jacob is too," I assured her, sensing her defeat, not wanting to pile on by telling her about her son's mouth. Kids could be assholes at times. You had to give them a little slack.
"He calls me dude," she told me, brows scrunching together. "Not Mom or even Ma. Dude. Freaking dude," she repeated, reaching up to scrub a hand across her tired eyes. "I am going to go be a bad mom and force some coffee down my child's throat, so he doesn't fall asleep in math and get me a call from the principal. Thanks again, Colson. I really appreciate it. I'm sorry you lost sleep over him."
"Don't mention it," I assured her, waving a hand.
"And, you know, if you need a cup of sugar or any of that neighborly stuff, feel free to knock on my door. Though, come to think of it, I am probably out of sugar at the moment," she said, giving me a grimace. "It was nice meeting you."
"You too," I agreed, returning her smile before she ducked into her home.