Charity's Passion (2 page)

They're loving this new chapter of their lives. As hard as it was for me to embrace it at first, I get it now and I'm happy for them. Anything that makes the two of them smile the way they have been is good with me.

"Thank you," my mother replies. "We love it, and if I knew how happy we would be here, I would have made him retire a long time ago."

Dad is coming out of their bedroom right behind her, already dressed in a pair of plaid shorts and a comfortable t-shirt. "No shit," he agrees. "I really thought it was going to be harder to let go than it was. But I guess everything really does happen for a reason." He steps closer to us. "Hell, if we had retired sooner, Charity might have moved down here with us instead of going to New York, and then none of us would have ever met Justin. Think about that," he added, patting Justin on the shoulder.

I catch Justin smiling and I'm glad to see some relief in his face. His arm slides around me easily and it makes make tingle everywhere.

"Did you two sleep okay?" Dad asks as he steps away and lowers himself into a chair.

"Perfect," I reply as Justin and I both turn away from the window. Justin agrees with his expression.

"Anyone hungry?" Mom asks. "I'm going to put coffee on. Anyone want eggs?"

"Just coffee for me," Dad says with a smile.

Justin says that he'll have the same and I move to my mother, swinging an arm around her soft, comforting body. "I'll come help," I tell her. She smiles at me and pats my arm as a thank you.

Justin sits on the couch near Dad. His nerves are not as settled as I wish they were. Something has him agitated, maybe something more than our past slowly creeping back up on us, but I don't have a damn clue what it might be. His eyes land on my father twice before my mother and I leave the room, searching for something in him. I don't understand that at all, what my father has to do with any of this, and suddenly I don’t want to leave the two of them. Mom has me though. She eagerly leads me into the kitchen and asks me to grab the coffee as she fills the pot with water.

I smile at her stubbornness. There's a Keurig on the counter right beside her, but she refuses to use it, especially when she has guests. I don’t have the energy to have the argument with her again; she’s going to win it anyway. For now I put my smile away and grab the coffee as instructed.

"Is Justin alright?" Mom suddenly asks. "He seems pretty distracted."

"He's fine," I tell her, sighing and sounding unconcerned.

"Oh please," she laughs. "You look and sound as bad as he does. The two of you are pitiful. You're on vacation here with us; you should be relaxed. Don't be like me and your father were. You guys need to learn to leave work at work and enjoy life while you're living it."

That makes me smile. She's not wrong, not at all, even though she has no idea what she's talking about. "We'll work on it," I chuckle.

"Now you're just teasing me," Mom laughs.

"Yes,” I admit, “but it's good advice, I know. We are working on it. Things are just a bit crazy right now, but it will be over soon."

Okay, I just freaked myself the fuck out saying that! It
will
be over soon—I just hope we live through it.

"I hope so," Mom says with a smile. "We wasted so much time and I don't want you two to make the same mistake. You guys are beautiful together, just enjoy that." She stuffs the filter into the pot and takes the coffee from me. "What are you guys doing today? Don’t waste it hanging around your father and I."

I push my blonde hair away from my eyes. "Nothing," I reply very fucking relieved. "Not a damn thing. I'm going to sit us on the beach with a couple drinks and stare at his mostly naked body all day."

Mom laughs at me as I hear the water heating in the coffeemaker. Any moment now the room will begin to fill with that wonderful smell. I don’t even care if I drink any at this point, I just need the smell to comfort me.

I'm curious about the boys, mostly because of the way Justin looked as we walked out of the room, so I step closer to the doorway where I can check on them.

"Your father and I just love him, honey," Mom says as she sees me trying to look in at them.

"Me too," I say with a forced smile.

Justin is not sitting where he was when I left the room so I lean out a bit further.

"We can see that too," she continues. "The way you are with him, it's adorable. It's obvious he's the one." That makes me feel warm, but she keeps going. "I can almost smell the grandbabies," she squeals.

Holy Shit!

"MOM!"

Her grin travels from one side of her head to the other. "What—like you haven't thought about it yourself?"

While I fight my own smile, I wave my hand at her to keep her voice down. "Mom, Christ! He's gonna hear you."

She laughs at me wickedly. "No he isn't."

The coffee begins to brew and grabs her attention and I use the distraction to move even further into the doorway where I can finally hear the murmur of their voices. The rolling depth of them vibrates the air as they float by. Justin had moved closer to my father and they are keeping their conversation low for some reason.

That really makes me nervous.

"Justin, at this point we consider you part of our family. So yes, of course you can be personal with me, now or any time you need. What's on your mind; what can I help with?"

What the hell did I just walk into?

Justin clears his throat and I can detect a hint of nervousness in the sound of it. "It's funny," Justin says, his voice nearly cracking, "at the office, people are terrified of me." My father chuckles politely. "Really," Justin defends, "I scare the hell out of just about everyone—except Charity, obviously. They know me as someone that doesn't mess around; crossing me is a dangerous mistake. I’m always in charge and I like it that way. I always get right to the point I want to make, and that earns me the respect I demand."

I wish you would do that now and make your point!

"But I have to admit, I'm completely off my game here," he continues.

The coffee will be done soon. I'm praying Justin gets this out fast; he has my curiosity bubbling over. I feel something big coming. Maybe I’ve been feeling it all morning.

"There's no reason to be nervous," my father tells him.

"No, I suppose not." Despite saying that, Justin clears his throat apprehensively again. "I love your daughter, Mr. Powers. I adore her and I know that this is no secret, but I have to say it. I never expected to meet someone like her, to care so much for someone besides myself, and I don't want to know a day without her for the rest of my life. I don't have any doubts. I can take care of her; I can make and keep her happy, and I want to do it right—I'm old fashioned that way."

My heart is suddenly beating too fast. This is not happening! I love it, I fucking want it,
but I’m freaking the hell out
.

"Please don't mention this to her until the time is right," he continues, "but I want to ask you for your permission to marry your daughter. I promise to give her a good life, Mr. Powers. I will take very good care of her and treat her like the angel she is—"

"Justin, son," my dad interrupts. His voice is strong but warm.

I've lost my breath. I can’t believe he's asked permission—we haven’t even talked about this. And what the fuck is my dad going to say? He must be beside himself right now.

"You don't have to plead your case, not to us,” Dad says. “I know I speak for my wife when I tell you that we would be honored to have you officially join our family. We already know and appreciate how good you are for our daughter. She’s never been so happy. The answer is yes—of course yes."

I can’t see him, but I'm sure Justin is smiling. And, holy fuck, I am holding in the tears.

"Thank you, Mr. Powers. I promise you I will keep her happy," Justin tells him, making my throat choke closed as the tears fill my eyes in spite of all my efforts.

"What's wrong?" Mom asks quickly when she reads my expression, her pretty face loaded with concern.

Shit!

I recover as quickly as I can. "Nothing," I tell her. I turn my face away so that she won’t see my tears and the flushing of my skin, the elation working to take me over. Holy fuck, I want this! "Nothing at all," I hear myself saying. "Is the coffee done?" I don't want any of them, especially Justin, to know that I heard.

"Just about," Mom answers. "Can you reach the cups for me Hon?"

While she isn't looking, I wipe my face dry. We get everything together and march back into the room with the boys, each of us carrying two cups. There is nothing quiet about my mother and this morning is no exception. They know we're coming long before we can see them, and their conversation has moved along safely.

I just want to throw my arms around Justin and start screaming yes into his ear. How the hell am I supposed to wait and pretend I don't know what he's planning? My flesh is alive, itching to press myself into him, and the damn corners of my mouth refuse to obey me—bastards!

Holy fuck! Holy fuck! Holy fuck! This isn't fair. I shouldn't have heard him; I'm not sure I have it in me to hide something this big and important.

My father is struggling to maintain his composure too. If I wasn't looking for it I wouldn't see it, but right now it’s obvious. He's thrilled. He cannot wait for us to leave so that he can tell my mother. Holy shit—I wish I could be there to see that moment.

Just ask me now. The answer is yes goddammit!

I throw some hot coffee to the back of my throat as a distraction. I can do this, or at least I keep trying to tell myself that. With everything that I've been through—hiding my excitement should be easy.

"You okay?" Justin asks quietly.

Shit!

I don't want to ruin his plans, but I'm about to blow it; I need a distraction. "I'm fine," I reply, making it obvious that I'm lying. Then I grab his hand as if I need his support. He comforts me now that he sees I'm worried, and I know that he's thinking this is about Brian Marker. I'm getting too fucking good at this.

Justin leans closer. "I love you, babe. Don't worry about a thing," he whispers too quietly for anyone else to hear. "I'll never let anything happen to you."

He means that so deeply that I can feel it. His words spread through me like a warm drink, and the smile I give him is as genuine as I could ever produce.

Not long after the coffee is gone, Justin leads me into the guest room. "Bathing suit today," I tell him. "I want you mostly naked and oiled up."

His sexy laughter rolls through the room as he scoops me into his thick arms. The hot press of his lips to the right side of my neck makes my knees quiver.

"Do you really think Marker will come back now?" I ask softly, letting my eyes fall onto the fresh scar Marker left him on his neck that my parents and most of our friends believe came from a cyst he had removed. It looks so much whiter now that the sun is darkening the rest of his skin.

"Yes," he answers, now masking his concern behind a brave tone that insists I not think about it too much. I feel safe wrapped up in him, but I won’t be in his arms every moment. "I won’t let him get near you. I'll kill him long before he does."

Enough of this, I want to enjoy the day, and I've gotten control of myself now. I kiss his scar and push him away with a wide grin. “Get ready,” I demand.

WE'RE STOPPED AT A
small shop along US1. Most of the cars passing are making their way further south destined for Key West. When they get to the end of Marathon in a few minutes, they'll hit the Seven Mile Bridge and I'm jealous. This time of the morning, on such a clear day with a sky almost as blue as the ocean; damn, it's going to be stunning for them. I’ve seen it before, but I don’t think you can see it too much.

Palm trees sway gently back and forth in the almost constant island breeze. Better than that, Justin's perfect ass is moving from side to side as he walks into the shop in front of me. Of course I'm smiling now. The only view I want is right here. I follow him into the shop with visions of my teeth sinking into him.

There's a deli in the back of the shop, which is why we stopped. We can get ice and drinks anywhere, but they make the best subs on the island right here, according to my parent's new neighbors anyway. They also tipped us off to the beach we're heading to, something just for the locals since vacationers could never find it.

"You wanna pick out our drinks?" I ask through a wide smile. "Mike's or Twisted Tea for me."

Justin grins at me and kisses my cheek before turning away. The awkward teenage boy working the deli counter takes my order and starts to work on it while I watch an older man getting coffee. He notices me and offers a polite smile as he snaps a lid onto the cup. It's a peaceful morning, quiet. Justin pulling a clinking six-pack of bottles from a refrigerator is the loudest sound over the air conditioner.

It feels like the kind of moment you have right before your day goes to shit.

A white Ford Super Duty pulls up right in front of the doors and parks, its engine revving as it stares ominously into the shop. My eyes were on it instantly and I see Justin is already watching too, his body solid and ready. One last rumble and then it softly falls asleep.