Page 34 of Just in Time
His mom looked furious. “The hell you say. I didn’t raise my kids to be that way. I made sure all of you understood equality and standing up for others.” She marched into the family room and came back with her phone. “Not my kids. I’ll call them little hussies right now. You know they’re teaching my grandbabies that same shit. I’m not having it.”
Blaze set his hand over hers, stopping her from calling anyone. “Stop. It’s okay.”
“It’s not okay!” Her anger took Blaze by surprise. She never lost her temper. Ruth lowered her voice. “It’s not okay,” she repeated. “I’ve got a son who doesn’t want to come home because of the way he’s treated. I have a daughter who acts like I don’t exist, and I don’t even know why. Then I’ve got two sons acting like complete assholes.” She covered her eyes for a second. “And I guess that explains why Denise is scared to bring her secret wife around. Fuck.” She paced away.
“You know about Sonya?” Blaze couldn’t have been more surprised if she smacked him with a flip-flop.
She kept pacing. “Of course, I do. I might be retired, but I still have friends at the courthouse. Fran called to congratulate me on my new daughter-in-law after they exchanged vows there. She obviously had no idea that I didn’t know. I don’t even know what’s happening to my life.” She stopped. A sob escaped her. “I very likely have a daughter dead somewhere, and I don’t know what to do.” She barely got the words out through her tears.
Blaze pulled her into his arms. “We’ll figure it out, Mom. I can hire some people to look for her. She has to have left some sort of trail. But I refuse to believe she’s dead. Dara is way too hardheaded for that.” God, he prayed he wasn’t lying. He no more knew what was going on than his mom did. Dara had looked so determined when she had shown up at that hotel. He didn’t know what to think now.
Blaze hugged her tighter. He spoke against her temple. “Is this a bad time to tell you German and I are getting married?”
A watery-sounding laugh burst from her. She took a step back and wiped her eyes. “I’m happy to hear it. You’d better move fast. That’s not the type of man you let get away.”
Blaze smiled. “I know. Like where did he even come from?”
Ruth laughed again. “Right? No way in hell your dad would’ve taken one of my sister’s kids. He never even stayed home with any of the kids he spawned.” Ruth waved him away. “You should go take your cute little pj pictures. I’ll handle breakfast.”
“Are you sure?” Blaze didn’t want to leave her again if she planned to cry some more.
She nodded. “Go. I need a few minutes alone.”
Blaze backed toward the door. “Okay. Just yell if you need some help and I’ll send German.” He laughed as she tossed a hand towel at him. “Brat.”
Blaze jogged out of the kitchen, laughing and dodging. He found German and Ben on the floor, putting together a racetrack. “Hey, guys. This looks great. Is it okay to hit pause and take pictures before we all fry in these outfits?”
They were on their feet in a flash. “Please. I’m sweating like crazy under this thing.”
Ben nodded, looking serious. “He said he was sweating like a jalapeno’s coochie.”
Blaze bent at the waist and fought for his life. He didn’t know if he had ever laughed harder.
German groaned. “Please don’t repeat that.”
For sure, there was no way German had expected Ben to mimic him. Blaze didn’t know why. There was obviously no one Ben loved more. Of course, he would want to be just like him in every way. But that was exactly why Blaze knew Ben would grow up to be a great man. He had the greatest example.
Chapter Thirteen
Thebalconyofftheirbedroom looked out over the pool. Blaze stared at the sky and lit up for what he knew would be the last time. He knew the moment German stepped outside. Blaze felt him. He took a drag from his laced cigar and then set it on the wide banister.
“Don’t lecture me, okay? I know I’m dumb.”
German molded against his back. “Ben is finally asleep. I didn’t think he would ever crash after all the sugar and excitement.” He picked up Blaze’s cigar and took a puff before setting it aside again.
Blaze chuckled. “Oooh. I’m telling. You’re a bad boy.”
German laughed at Blaze’s antics. The soft, deep rumble vibrated against Blaze’s nape as German kissed him. “I’m unemployed now. No random drug testing in my future.” He licked the spot he had kissed. “Mhmm. Fresh from the shower.” His hand ran up Blaze’s chest. “Nothing but pajama pants. I’m incapable of not touching you.” He kissed Blaze’s neck before resting his chin on Blaze’s shoulder. For a moment, he stared at the same view as Blaze before speaking again. “Dara told Ben he’d be living with us forever.”
Blaze released a slow breath. “Well, I guess that settles last night’s discussion. He’s ours.”
German held him a little tighter. “It’s a little sad how accepting he’s been. We’ve been waiting to hear from Dara, expecting an update any day. Meanwhile, he’s been settling into his new forever home—like he expected nothing less from life but to be passed along to the next person.”
Blaze had spent the entire day thinking about it. After learning she never went to rehab, he had figured this had been Dara’s plan all along. “I want to be even madder at her than usual, but I don’t know.”
“It kind of feels like she acted like a real mom for once.” German took the words right out of his mouth.
“Yeah. That part. My guess is this last time Ben found her unresponsive jarred something inside her. Just not what we thought. Looks like she realized she wasn’t what was best. I just pray she didn’t take herself out in the most final of ways.”
