Page 78 of Deserving Ryleigh
“Right.” Tiny squeezed her hand as they turned back to Wolf and Caroline.
“Ready?” Ryleigh asked the woman.
“Definitely. I can’t wait to see this place. I couldn’t believe it when Wolf said we were coming here. I’ve heard all sorts of wonderful things. Is the cow really named Melba?”
Tiny smiled as Caroline and Ryleigh walked toward the kitchen side-by-side. He almost forgot where he was for a minute…because he was staring at his woman’s ass, remembering how it looked as he pounded into her from behind less than an hour ago.
Wolf cleared his throat, and Tiny glanced over at him with an apologetic look.
“How long have you two been together?”
“Ryleigh and I?Together-together, not long,” Tiny admitted.
Wolf’s eyebrow rose. “Really? You two have a connection, it’s easy to see. I’m surprised it’s been that short of a time.”
“We’ve known each other for over a year now, but I had to get my head out of my ass before anything could happen.”
“Ah, yeah, I’ve seen that more than once. Well, for what it’s worth…you guys seem like a great match. She’s the computer genius that has Tex’s panties in a twist, yeah?”
Tiny laughed. “Yup. The things she can do…” He shook his head. “It’s pretty scary. She told me the other night that she used to hack the CIA firewalls just to see if she could do it—at fourteen.”
Wolf whistled.
“Right? I’m torn between not wanting to know andneedingto know,” Tiny said.
“A bit of advice? You don’t want to know,” Wolf said.
“You’re probably right.”
“I’m always right, just ask my wife,” Wolf said.
Tiny chuckled. “You want a tour too?”
“Absolutely. The reputation of this place is legendary. I’ve recommended quite a few sailors and people I know spend a few nights here. I hear your psychologist is top-notch.”
“She is. Henley’s a miracle worker. If you’d knownTonka before and after he got together with her, you’d agree with me,” Tiny said.
“I don’t have to, the reviews online say it all. Happy for you, man. I wish all our veterans had this kind of place to fall back on when they need it.”
“Me too. We’re working on a no-fee program for those who can’t afford the prices. And we’ve had enough donations to make something like that happen sooner rather than later.”
“Good news. I’ll definitely keep recommending this place on my end too,” Wolf said.
“Appreciate it. Come on, let’s get this tour started. I’m sure you and Caroline will want to freshen up or rest before dinner tonight. Warning, the next couple of days are gonna be kind of crazy.”
“Can’t be any crazier than when my crew all gets together. I can’t keep all the kids straight anymore.”
Tiny knew Wolf was full of shit. The man was sharp as a tack; there was no way he’d ever forget whose kid was whose and what their names were.
“We’ve only got two babies now, but there are two more on the way, and Cora and Pipe just had their first four foster kids move in. Plus, Jasna and the pets. So things will just get more crazy around here. We used to think having children around would be a negative thing…because some people are triggered by babies crying or screaming children. But honestly, it’s been okay, at least in the short time we’ve had to observe before Harold Lodge started messing with our reservations.”
“I’m sorry about the trouble he’s caused, but can I admit that I’m not sorry we’re here now as a result?” Wolf asked.
Tiny chuckled as they headed for the front doors. He gave Brick a chin lift as he headed out with Wolf. His friend returned it and pointed at his watch, then held up four fingers. Tiny nodded, acknowledging the reminder about when dinner would start. He didn’t need it, but he realized Brick was under some stress, wanting to make everything perfect for Alaska.
“Only if I can admit that it’s kind of nice to be able to relax a little, not worry about tiptoeing around the guests while we have a celebration for our friends. We’ve had a couple of weddings here, but since we don’t want to disrupt people’s vacations, or make it seem as if we aren’t paying the kind of attention to them that their money has bought with their stay, it’s nice to not have to worry about that kind of thing this week.”
“I understand. It’s a delicate balance…making sure your guests are doing all right mentally, but living your lives as well, since this is your home.”
