a second. “I got drunk and had sex with your brother on my best friend’s back porch. Then we waited a year and did it again. That’s how we got Janis.”
“Maybe we should have just done that. Without the year in between.”
“This is going to be one hell of a story to tell your kids, isn’t it?”
“That is so true,” I agreed. “If we make it through all this, I think we’ll both be ready to just have some peace, you know?”
“I bet you’d both appreciate that, but I know I’ve enjoyed having you here and so has Hank.”
“He’s quite the protector, isn’t he? The kind of man that would do anything for someone he loves. And he doesn’t even know me.”
“He’s worried about you for all these years, Eliza. He told me he’d always wondered what happened to you. I told Poppy and he’s the one that found you.”
“I didn’t know that.”
“That’s how it happened. That’s how Hank ended up at the bookstore.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m so glad you’re a good person. I always wanted siblings, and now I’ve got three sisters.”
“I always wanted brothers and sisters too. When I have kids, I’m going to have at least three or four. Well, I hope.”
“Will Rason make cute babies?”
“Oh, yes. Just his green eyes and his dimple alone. And then there’s his height too. And his skin tone is so beautiful.”
“Wow. You practically have cartoon love birds tweeting around your head. You’re already fantasizing about a family with him. I love it. Janis will have plenty of friends to play with between the others we plan to have, your kids, and all the club kids. She’ll never be alone.”
“How did you know you really loved Hank? I mean, I know I love Rason as a person, and I think he’s sexy and funny too. He’s the whole enchilada, but how do you know when it’s forever?”
“Honey, nothing’s forever unless you work to keep it that way. I know that sounds corny, but it’s true.”
I turned back to the vine and plucked off one of the leaves that had been injured. “I’ll put in the work. I think he will too.”
DAY 1
“Tell me what you did today,” Rason suggested. “Wow me with your adventures.”
“Wow you?”
“Well, neither of us got to leave our respective prisons, so tell me what you would have done if you’d been out on the town.”
“Hmm, let me think about it a minute. You go first.”
“This evening when Jace got in, we played poker for a while and I won $83,000 off of him. It would have been more, but 17% had to go to Reba for the house fee. We left there and went down to the strip joint for a while. There was a stripper named Candy Kain and she tried to shake me down, but I only peeled off ten grand. She promised to put it toward her college education. What did you do this evening?”
I was laughing so hard at his description that I hadn’t even thought of what I wanted to say, so I had to wing it.
“I met a guy when I was walking out of the coffee shop and he said I’d be perfect for this role in his new series. I took the next flight out to California and filmed a pilot episode for a reboot of Charlie’s Angels. It was me, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu. Cameron couldn’t make it because of a scheduling conflict.”
Rason’s laugh boomed through the phone and then he quieted. “Shit, I forgot how late it was.”
“All in all, I’d say we both had a productive day.”
“You’re right. I wonder what adventures tomorrow will bring.” Rason laughed softly, but this time there wasn’t much joy in it.
“Depending on the success of the pilot, you might be dating a big Hollywood star by next week.”
“You’re right. Will you still want me when you’re rich and famous?”
“Of course! I’ll drag you to Hollywood with me and people will go crazy when they see you on the red carpet. You’ll be the next major action star.”
“Watch out, Bruce Willis. I’m coming for you.”
“You’re much hotter than Bruce Willis.”
“My mom would disagree. Actually, I don’t know. I may be old enough now that she’ll quit calling me ugly.”
“Your mom thinks you’re ugly?”
Rason laughed. “Probably not, but that’s what they do. When we have kids, my mom will say they’re ugly so the devil won’t try to steal them.”
“You’re kidding me.” I choked out, in shock that he was talking about us