I grinned at my husband then I whispered back, “Good.”
His hand gave me a squeeze. “That all you got?”
I shook my head. “Not exactly she, uh… well, Ty, no joke, after I told her we were happy and it was all good, bitch-face Misty asked if you were mad at her.”
Just like me, he blinked.
Then he asked, “No shit?”
I shook my head. “No shit.”
He kept his hand where it was but lifted his head and looked over mine, muttering, “Fuck me.”
“I’m thinking, the last five years, a bleach blonde with an unhappy home life is rethinking the deal she made and which man she left blowing in the wind,” I noted, his eyes tipped down to me and I noticed instantly he was no longer feeling in a warm and squishy mood.
His growled, “Don’t give a f**k,” confirmed it.
“Me either, except I hope every day she wakes up to a man who doesn’t want her and every night she goes to bed beside him, that bitch-face chokes on her decision until the bile she forces down grows so much it cuts off her air forever and leaves doctors stumped at her untimely but deserved demise.”
After I was done, Ty blinked again. Then his fingers at my neck got super tight as he threw back his head and roared with laughter.
I smiled but didn’t laugh since I was watching him.
Then he looked back at me but again dipped his face close, “Shit, mama, remind me not to piss you off.”
“Okay, don’t piss me off.”
He grinned and I returned it because I was pleased I’d brought back his good mood.
Then I said, “I gotta get back to work, honey.”
His hand at my neck brought me closer while he muttered, “Yeah.”
Then his mouth was on mine, he kissed me short but it was wet and it was hot. Then his mouth broke from mine and he whispered, “Later, mama.”
“Later, Ty,” I whispered back and he smiled at me, straight out, no lips turned up, no grin, a big, beautiful one and I loved that, I loved that those were coming more often, more relaxed, more natural.
I loved it.
Then he gave my neck one last squeeze, let me go and turned away.
If I’d have known what was going to happen that night, I would have taken my chance to watch him go. I would have made him kiss me longer. I would have tried to make him laugh one more time.
But I didn’t know.
And since I didn’t know, I, too, turned and walked away.
* * * * *
I was on my way home from work after popping to the store to pick up some stuff for dinner and the elaborate dessert I had planned (whipped cream and chocolate pudding parfaits with chocolate sprinkles) and just in case Julius needed snacks while we were at work.
And I was just outside of Carnal when I saw the police lights flash and heard the short, warning whir of the siren before it was shut off.
I looked to my rearview mirror, felt the adrenalin rush then my eyes instantly went to my speedometer.
After what Tate said at Bubba’s, I’d memorized the speed limits in and around Carnal. Thirty in town. Forty on the stretch I was on between town, the turn off to our condo and beyond for another half mile. Then fifty-five all the way to Chantelle.
I was careful, super careful, always.