“I didn’t say I wasn’t freaked,” I told him. “I just said nothing shakes me.”
“We’ll get into the nuances of what the f**k is the difference between those two things over Chinese,” Ren said, and although a long sentence, the whole of it sounded like it was uttered on a sigh. “Now, I gotta go.”
“Okay, but I want your promise that you’ll enumerate the other many things you love about me over Chinese,” I said.
“Only if you return the favor,” he replied.
Instantly, don’t ask me why, I launched in.
“Your hair. Your eyes. Your body on the whole, incidentally. Though, if pressed, I could pinpoint a top ten of your anatomy. The way you wear a suit. Actually, the way you dress in its entirety. The way you cook. The way you make sure to cook enough for me. You having tater tots for breakfast. Your voice normally, but more when it gets sweet. The things you do to me in bed. The fact my nighties are appreciated. The fact you’re a maximum contact sleeper. Your ability to give perfect presents. You’ve only given me one, but it was the most perfect present I ever received. You’re taller than me. You think I’m funny. You admire me being unshakable. You love your family. You say I love tough and stubborn, and I like that you think that of me. You pay attention. And you never gave up on me.” I took in a deep breath and asked, “Did I mention the suits?”
Ren said nothing.
“Zano?”
More nothing.
Just in case I hadn’t given him enough, I informed him, “That wasn’t exhaustive list. You said you had to go. Those were just the highlights.”
“Shut up, baby.”
My entire body went still at his tone. It was one I’d never heard. One that slid through me, and if I thought he’d made me feel warm with his sweet, that tone, even using it to say those words, gave me a new kind of warm. The kind of warm that settled in and made you feel found and safe and loved in a way you knew you would never lose any of those things.
Not ever.
For the rest of your life.
“Ren,” I whispered.
“I don’t know what I did to deserve a whispered Ren, honey, but you can explain that to me later, too. Call me when you’re headin’ home and I’ll do what I can to wrap shit up and get there when you do.”
“’Kay,” I replied just as a shadow blocked out the sun, and I looked up to see Hank standing there, scowling at me.
Another unhappy member of the Hot Bunch, but one that was in my space.
Shit.
“I have to go,” I said to Ren.
“Later, babe.’
“’Bye, Zano.”
I did not take it as a good sign that Hank’s jaw got tight when I said Ren’s name.
I shoved my phone in my pocket and held my brother’s eyes.
“What?” I asked when he said nothing.
“You think it’s a good idea, you standin’ out here on the sidewalk?”
I pointed across the street where Santo had eyes on me and a hand to his mouth, working his teeth with a toothpick.
“Fuck, Zano put his goon squad on you?” Hank asked, studying Santo with a look on his face that stated what I’d previously thought of Santo and Lucky, and that was that he wasn’t quite certain if they were idiots or brilliant at playing them.
“Apparently,” I answered.
Hank’s eyes tipped down to me. “How ‘bout you do your brother a favor and get your ass inside?”