Page 108 of Bourbon Truths
Now that I had my own house near Justice, Madeline came over often to hang out or enjoy a girls’ night with Lyla. The relationship between them had grown into a real friendship, and watching them together fucking turned me into a puddle of emotion. Linda was as close to us too. Recently, Lyla and Linda had formed a real bond, and their new mission was finding Linda a man. Little did they know the lucky bastard was going to have to go through a series of tests from me and Jett first. To hell if Linda was ever going to have to suffer again.
Justice was thriving. Each and every day, someone new came along, a new soul we could touch and help. The housing was almost finished, offering a whole new branch of Justice. Linda had become more involved in the community center, designing a website for us as well as some great handouts about our programs.
We’d become a family, and I couldn’t be more grateful for the odd turn of events in my life.
Recently, Jett had cleared my name with the professional boxing league, expunging the mark on my record. I’d been approached by many trainers and media outlets, begging me for a comeback, but like the day I’d hung up my gloves, my boxing career was over. Providing a healthy athletic outlet to those in need was way more important to me than any title I could win. All it took to realize that was seeing Madeline bounce around on her toes, jabbing around her little noddle arms.
“Love the built-in grill,” Jett said as he sat down next to me, mustard and relish on his hot dog.
“Look at that.” I nudged Madeline. “Looks like we’re tied when it comes to who has taste.”
Madeline looked over at me to see what Jett had on his hot dog and she cringed. “Gross, Mr. Jett. Where’s your ketchup?”
“In the bottle,” Jett said with a smile. “Where it belongs when it comes to a hot dog.”
“Noooo,” Madeline said, dragging it out. “Mom doesn’t eat hot dogs, so that leaves Goldie. Where is Goldie?”
A couple minutes later, she waddled in, showing off her pregnant belly. Jett lit up and held out his hand. She walked into his embrace and sat on his lap. Jett protectively wrapped his arm around her stomach and kissed her shoulder.
“What’s on your hot dog, Miss Goldie?” Madeline asked, leaning over to catch a glimpse.
“Peanut butter, bacon and marshmallows. What’s on yours?”
Madeline studied Goldie for a second before saying, “All right, we were both wrong. Goldie doesn’t have taste.”
I threw my head back and laughed. “You got that right, kiddo.”
“What’s wrong with my taste?” Goldie asked, her mouth full of her foul-looking hot dog.
“Don’t worry about it, little one,” Jett replied. “Your hot dog is perfect.”
“No, yours is.” Goldie wiggled her eyebrows.
“Ewww,” Madeline said, making everyone laugh.
I went over to my grill to check on the rest of the meat. Lyla joined me. It was our first barbeque after buying the house, and we were surrounded by everyone we cared about. The Jett Girls were in the pool, catching some sun. Blane and Diego were playing cornhole in the back. Linda, Jett, Goldie, and Madeline were at the picnic table, and the love of my fucking life was sauntering toward me with a dangerous look in her eyes.
“That look will get you in trouble.”
“What look?” she asked, her bathing suit blocking my view of her delectable body.
“That heated look.”
“Don’t walk around shirtless, and you won’t have to worry about the way I look at you.”
“We’ve got company and hot dogs on the grill.”
“Come on, a quickie in the pool room. No one will notice we’re gone.”
“I will,” Goldie said, leaning in.
“Jesus.” I startled and looked at her. “You have a belly and now you can be stealth. Does that thing give you magical powers?”
“Didn’t I tell you? Jett’s mom was part unicorn. His seed is full of wonderlust kinds of things. This isn’t just some pregnant belly. No, it’s a magical orb where unicorns plant eggs and I crap them out into a special toilet where leprechauns harvest them for glitter bombs.”
“You’re so fucked up.” Lyla shook her head, and I pulled her into a hug. Her warm skin pressed against mine made me wish we didn’t have company.
“So, when are you going to propose?” Goldie asked.
