If You Still Want Me (21 page)

Crawling into bed, I find my spot behind Saul,
tucking his back against my chest. My hand seeks out Victoria's
arm, and I find comfort in the connection between us. We've found
our balance, the three of us. We've made this unique love work, and
I believe it was worth every inch of the struggle it took to get
here.

Come Hell or high water, or disagreeing family
members, I'm prepared to fight to keep it.

"So," Saul mutters lazily into Victoria's
shoulder. "Who's ready fer round two?"

I have a feelin' the three 'a
us are gonna need to have separate bedrooms when we move in
together, or else we'll never get any sleep. Not complaining
-
Hell, no
. But, damn, am I ever
sore an' tired this mornin'!

The whole bedroom smells like peppermint, too,
and that makes me giggle. Guess we should probably wash them sheets
before handin' the keys back over to Joey.

A light smack on my rear from Vickie puts my
body back into motion to finish pulling on my jeans. It's just the
two of us right now, and it kinda feels like old times, but with a
difference I can't quite label. It's a good difference. We're
smilin' more and no longer need words to communicate.

Austin's gone with Joey to the supermarket to
beat out the Saturday shoppers and gather the supplies for dinner.
It's good those two can spend some time alone and get to know each
other better. I have a feeling they'll get along just fine.

Vickie's fingers tickle up my ribs before
fanning out across my bare chest. "Penny for your thoughts,
sweetie?"

"You know my thoughts aint worth near that
much."

She kisses my back between my shoulder blades,
producing a shiver up my spine. I intertwine our fingers, bringing
one of her hands up to my lips to kiss it. I've missed these
moments. We'd gotten so lost in our way that I hadn't even realized
they'd disappeared. I make a promise to myself to make sure I never
let that happen again.

"Just wonderin' if yer brother done drove Austin
loco yet."

"Missing Austin already?"

"I do. I miss both 'a y'all now the second yer
not there next to me. Sorry if I get a little clingy here for a
while."

Her arms squeeze me. "It's okay, sweetie. I
don't think either of us minds at all."

"Good, but I'll try not to lean too much. I
meant what I said last night. I'm sorry I didn't realize how much
I'd come to depend on you for... well, everything."

"I know, baby. I'm glad I've been able to be
there for you, and that will never change, but seeing you stand on
those two feet of yours is kinda sexy."

"Oh, really?" I quirk my eyebrow at her, turning
around in her arms. We dance bit, side to side, as she smiles
sweetly up at me. "Yer so damn beautiful."

We kiss, but she pulls away too quickly for my
liking. "We've got stuff to do."

"I agree!" My eyebrows wiggle at her. "I-" my
words are cut off by a knock at the door. I glance over my shoulder
with a quizzical look that matches Vickie's raised eyebrow. Joey
and Austin just left thirty minutes ago, and no way are they
already finished shopping for the huge Tex-Mex meal Austin's
planned in hopes of impressing Vickie's family.

Rushing to tug on a shirt as I follow Vickie
down the hallway, I glance out the bay window and my curiosity
grows. It's a short, sandy-haired guy who looks a little nervous,
with his hands stuffed down in his pants pockets and his eyes to
his shuffling feet. "Wonder if we done pissed off the neighbors
with our racket last night."

Vickie rolls her eyes at me, but I see the tiny
blush she tries to hide. I stand behind her as she opens the door.
The guy's eyes wander up Vickie's legs, switch to me and follow up
my height with a gulp. I think maybe he's havin' second thoughts
'bout knockin' on our door.

"S-sorry," he manages. "I must
have the wrong house. My... er...
friend
said to meet him here, but I'm early and not exactly from New
Orleans, so I think I must have taken a wrong turn... somewhere,
and... I'll just be going... Sorry to bother-"

"Whoa," Vickie holds up her
hand as the guy babbles on with a couple backpedaling steps.
"Your
friend
wouldn't happen to be
my brother, Joseph Harris, would it?"

The guy stops, blinks three times then exhales
as his face relaxes. "Yes, he would be."

"Well, shoot!" I grin. "You must be Alex!"

He glances up at me again, a
smile starting to tickle his lips. "I am. Sorry, I don't... Not
sure if...
Dammit."

His mouth and eyelids snap shut as Vickie and I
exchange a glance. Pretty sure we're both thinkin' the same thing.
He sounds like Ian on a bad day, when the anxiety from his OCD
takes over and has him runnin' in circles around himself.

After a quiet moment, Alex's bright blue eyes
reopen. "May I start again, please?"

"As many times as you need to, sweetie," Vickie
uses that soothing tone that can put a rabid pit bull at ease. "Why
don't you come inside. Joey's gone shopping but should be back
soon."

"Thank you," Alex enters as I step back and we
all take a seat in the living room. "Sorry about that. I'm just so
nervous about tonight."

"Understandable," I nod. "Joey's family are
great people, though. Nothin' to be scared of, really."

His hands rub down his thighs, clutching at the
fabric over his knees. "Joey said his father took the news well. Of
his homosexuality, I mean."

"He did," Vickie confirms, her hand finding mine
as we sit on the couch together. "My sister, Tabitha, made a bit of
a fuss, but that's just how she is."

His head tilts slightly. "She's the one who just
had the baby, right?"

"Right; a baby girl born yesterday. I'm
Victoria, and this is-"

"Saul," Alex finishes, his body relaxing
further. "Joey's mentioned you both many times. Oh, and last night,
he said something about another? Uhm... Austin, was it?"

"Yeup," I grin proudly. "He's our partner. Him
and Joey went out shopping 'bout a half hour ago for dinner
tonight. Hope you like Tex-Mex."

"Love it!" He's almost bouncing in the
chair.

It's kinda cute, and I can see how Joey might
have fun with someone like Alex. He's a ball of bubbly nerves, but
there's a soft kindness in his eyes. A touch vulnerable, maybe?
Yeah, I could see myself wanting to be a big brother to someone
like him.

"Wow, so, you three..." he continues with a
blush. "And it actually works? And you told your folks? What did
they-" He stops and clears his throat. "Sorry, I tend to say and
ask more than I should. Especially when I'm nervous. Or excited. Or
bored. Or... Well, you get the idea."

The grin on Vickie's face says it all. She likes
the kid. "That's okay. I have no problem answering any questions
you have about it."

"Wow," he says again with an
exhale. "Joey said you were open like that. I'm just not used to
it, I guess. Conservative family. They accept me, but they don't
exactly
talk
about it, either. They
like Joey, but I don't think they realize how serious it is. I'm
pretty sure they think it's all a phase or something, like I'll
wake up one day straight, find a nice girl, and... Er, sorry. There
I go again..."

"I hope it
is
serious," Vickie's tone switches to 'sister
mode', and I have'ta bite my tongue to keep from giggling at the
look that comes over Alex's face. "You'd better be
very
serious about this, if you're
planning to take my brother all the way up to
Minnesota."

"Yes, ma'am," he chokes out as
his eyes widen. It's a natural response to the way Vickie commands
attention, and damn, this kid is adorable as he's squirming under
her stare. "I'm serious, I swear, and if we could stay down south,
we would. I mean, we
could
, but,
there's good opportunities for us in Minnesota, and I could marry
Joey and... I
do
want to marry
Joey. Someday. Soon."

Vickie sits on that information for a second.
She's worried about Joey disappearin' from her life, and I can
understand that. Heck, I don't want him to be so far away,
neither.

"There's good opportunities 'round here," I
offer as Vickie continues to silently assess the boy who's come to
take her brother away. "Shoot, these parishes need architects and
designers to fix up these neighborhoods. Joey designed this house
we're in."

"H-he did?" Alex sits up straighter, glancing
around the place. A slow smile blooms on his lips, and I can see
the pride in his sparkly blue eyes. Yeah, this kid is deep in love
with every piece 'a Joey.

He gives a snorted laugh, pointing to the arched
doorway leading from the living room into the kitchen. "Joey's
always getting on to me for putting arches everywhere, but he
always includes at least one in his houses. It's... It's kinda this
little message between us. Let me guess - extra large master
bedroom with a king size bed?"

"You got it!" I gotta laugh at that, and even
Vickie eases up a bit.

"Alex," she leans forward to place her hand on
his arm. "If we could help you find opportunities here, would you
consider staying?"

He glances to the hand then back up. "Joey
mentioned you were in construction?"

I can tell part of him wants
so badly to say
yes
to Vickie's
encouragement to stay. He don't wanna leave his family any more
than Joey does.

"We are," Vickie nods. "Property investment,
refurbishing and reconstruction. We're based in Dallas, but I've
been talking to my boss about looking for investments in New
Orleans."

I blink at that, 'cause it's
the first time I'm hearin' it. "You have? He aint said none a word
ta' his partners." And by partners, I mean
me,
specifically.

"It was just an idea," she shrugs lightly. "We
were going to talk to you and Kyle about it once we made some more
concrete plans. Then, of course, after you hit Kyle..."

She lets that trail off, an' now I'm the one
squirming. I deserve that for my outburst. "Sorry..."

"Point is," she continues, turning back to Alex.
"Brandon and I believe there's good opportunity here to both help
New Orleans get back on it's feet and turn a profit. What we need
are more people to help us head up crews here. Plus, we only have
one architect and one interior designer right now..."

She lets that thought trail off, too, giving
Alex something to chew on for a minute. I watch his brow crease as
he thinks about her words. Vickie's damn good at settin' an idea in
yer head, but I wonder if this is something that shouldn't be said
in front of Joey.

"Joey'll be back soon," I slide my thought in,
hoping Vickie don't mind too much.

I know what she's doin'. She's tryin' to get
Alex on her side so they can team up on Joey about the idea. Her
love for Joey and not wanting to give him up is making her overstep
into his relationship with Alex.

"Right," she smiles with a side-glance to me.
She knows she's been caught, but her hand squeezes mine. Maybe
she's glad I stopped her from goin' too far. "We can all talk about
it some more when he gets here, or over dinner?"

"Yeah," Alex nods, his expression relaxing
again. "I'd rather discuss it with Joey. Having opportunities here
would be great, but it doesn't solve the other problem."

"I know," Victoria sighs with a pat on his knee.
"It would be asking you to be patient and hope the justice system
around here catches up so you can marry Joey. The three of us
aren't legal, either, and I don't think that will ever change."

"Never say never, Vickie," I argue. It's
somethin' I've been thinkin' about a lot the past two days. "Shoot,
thirty years ago, me and you would've been illegal in some states
just 'cause we aint the same color. 'Sides, the lack of a piece 'a
paper don't mean I'm any less committed to either of you. Though,
I'd love ta' get married, just so I could see you in some frilly
white gown and Austin in a tux."

"With his cowboy hat still on," she chuckles at
the visual.

Hell yeah! That would be
awesome.
Damn.
Now I really wanna
get married to them.

"It's not just about the paper, though," Alex
says, and I know it's true.

"Yer right, it's not."

We share a smile, then startle as the front door
bursts open behind him to reveal Joey loaded up with groceries. The
look on Joey's face is priceless. That there is the look of a man
in love.

"Alex!" Joey's grin is as wide as I've ever seen
it as he sets down an arm-full of grocery bags.

Vickie and I rush to help with the groceries as
Austin walks in and Joey heads past us to embrace Alex. By the
number of bags, I figure they must'a bought out the store. "That
was quick."

Austin nods towards Joey who has Alex in a tight
embrace. "Joey got a text from Alex, then the man turned into a
tornado, blowing over old ladies in the checkout before blowing
through two stop signs."

I chuckle a bit as we haul the load into the
kitchen, leaving Vickie with the boys. "Get everything you
need?"

"They didn't have a few things, but I can make
due," he shrugs while eying a can of diced tomatoes. "Can you help
me get the chicken in the marinade? I should've started this last
night, but that bed was so damn comfortable."

"It was," I grin, easin' up behind him, setting
my chin on his shoulder and runnin' my hands up his chest. Damn,
he's tense. "Don't worry, cowboy, it'll be fine."

A long breath exhales, venting his nerves. "I
hope so."