of a right hook too.”
My stomach revolted. “I’m not that guy. Not usually, anyway. I don’t know what happened to me today.”
“Anniversary, right?” Saxon’s tone was gentle, but not patronizing.
I nodded. “That obvious?”
“Only to someone who’s been there before. When it’s my parents’ anniversary, I go to the cemetery and sit a spell. Clear off any snow or whatever.” Saxon shrugged again.
“You go to the cemetery?” I’d only been to my mother’s grave on the day they buried her. Thanks to Mandy and David, she’d had a proper burial with a headstone. I’d been forever grateful to them but had never been back to visit.
“I do. My brother and sister don’t.”
“I’ve never imagined what it would have been like if I’d had brothers or sisters.” They would have shared my pain and possibly been fucked over by my mother too. It was better that I was an only child.
“I was the logical one. Being the youngest meant everyone should have been taking care of me, but I ended up taking care of them. I organized the obituary, the funeral, and dealt with getting the death certificates and the insurance policies. My brother took the money and ran as far away from Massachusetts as he could get. My sister got lost in my parents’ world, and I used the money to go to school. I’d been bumming around at a local community college, taking classes on all sorts of subjects, but after the accident, I knew I wanted a job where I could help people.”
“Me too. Mandy and David helped solidify that idea in my mind, but there was nothing else I could do. The medics who showed up at my house that day were so kind. I was such a fucking dick today. All that boy is going to remember is you going Time-of-my-Life on my ass.”
Saxon snorted and started to laugh. “No one puts Dallas in the corner.” He was on his feet and pulling me into his arms as he sang the song from Dirty Dancing.
I burst out laughing, never knowing this kind of joy was possible on my mother’s anniversary.
“There, do you feel better?” Saxon’s stormy eyes glowed with happiness.
“A little.” I meant it.
“Do you still want to kill me?” Saxon was grinning, but there was a touch of seriousness in his tone.
“No, I don’t want to kill you, but I do want to apologize. I was a total jerk today.”
“No worries. Just remember this when I have a bad day.” Saxon smiled one last time before heading up the stairs.
“Well, shit.” Ozzy said from behind me.
“What?” I turned to face my brother, who was smiling at me.
“I had money on one of you needing to go to the ER, not on you two dancing like no one was watching.”
“I thought no one was watching.” I rolled my eyes dramatically at Ozzy.
“None of us are ever able to soothe you when you get in a mood like this, but some stranger was able to do it in a snap. Interesting.” Ozzy’s grin was a mile wide. “Very interesting.”
“Interesting, my ass,” I grumbled.
“Could be, if you play your cards right.” Ozzy laughed again before moving back into his office and shutting the door.
What the hell was he talking about? If I played my cards right? Saxon was cute and all, but an hour ago I punched him in the face. Not exactly the kind of story to tell our kids one day. I fell in love with your Daddy after I tried to kill him. I snorted. Okay, maybe it was a little funny.
Maybe.
12
Saxon
The next twenty-four hours of my shift passed without further incident. Ozzy made the most delicious pot roast dinner I’d ever tasted. Who knew the secret ingredient was thyme? I ate so much, I nearly burst. After dessert, which featured a heavenly chocolate cake, I got to wash the dishes with Dallas drying. We didn’t say much to each other.
Thankfully, there hadn’t been any late-night emergency calls and now I had the entire day to myself. I hardly knew where to begin. Everything was unpacked and the house was clean, thanks to Mandy. She’d been a true miracle worker while I’d been down with my concussion.
I’d thought of taking her to lunch, but I didn’t want her to see the mark on the side of my face, courtesy of Dallas. It was more that I didn’t want to explain the bruise and what led up to it.
Instead of bothering anyone, I climbed into my truck