Hard Justice(44)

 

"Mom," Iris chastised, but she did so with a smile.

Realizing how that had sounded, Fallon quickly clarified. "That is, we've done a lot each day-"

Their smiles widened.

Worse and worse. "I mean-"

Mona barked a laugh and slapped her knee. "We've got her blushing, Iris. When was the last time Eugene brought around a girl who even knew how to blush?"

"He never brings around any girls," Iris pointed out. "I was never sure if that was because of the girls, or because of us."

"Oh, he's really proud of both of you," Fallon rushed to assure them. "It's easy to see how close you are whenever you've been mentioned."

"He's mentioned us?" Iris asked.

"Well, when he met my father-"

Hand to her throat, Iris said to Mona, "He's met her father!"

Fallon knew she was botching her first meeting but had no clue how to fix it.

Luckily, Justice stepped in then. Even better, he didn't stink of skunk. He took one look at how his granny and mother sat in chairs facing Fallon on the couch, and cocked a brow. "Are you two behaving?"

Mona said, "No. I was trying to get some details, but so far all I know is that you're proud of us."

He grinned, bent to kiss the top of her head and said, "Wonder if I was drunk when I gave that impression."

Iris laughed, not in the least insulted. "Got the skunk taken care of?"

"Yup. It was a young one and didn't give me too much trouble when I relocated him a good distance into the woods. I found where he was getting into the shed, too. A couple of rotted floorboards at the back behind the mower made it easy for him. I nailed down a temporary barrier, but I think the whole floor probably needs to be replaced."

"Should I call someone?" Iris asked.

"Nah. I'll get to it."

Iris's gaze shifted to Fallon. "I don't want to interrupt your romance."

"You won't," he said without a single twinge nor any denials about a romantic relationship. "I can bring Fallon along with me."

Everyone looked at her. Put on the spot, Fallon said, "That's fine by me, but I don't want to intrude-"

"You're not," said three voices at once.

Fascinated by these women who'd known Justice-or rather, Eugene-as a little boy, she grinned. "All right, Eugene. Thank you. I'd love to visit more."

Iris popped to her feet. "While you're here, mind if I show you a few other things that need work? You could fix it all on the same day."

"Sure, Mom."

Clearly wanting to get him alone, Iris said, "Fallon, you just relax. I won't keep him long, I promise."

Justice cast Fallon a look, then Mona. "No shenanigans, Granny, or you might end up in the creek yet."

Mona put her nose in the air. "I haven't skinny dipped in forever. Might be refreshing."

Making a horrified face, Justice followed his mother out.

"Now." Mona quickly moved to sit beside Fallon. "Tell me everything before he comes back in."

"Everything?" Fallon asked.

"How you met, how long you've been together, and how serious it is. Hurry. There's no way that boy will leave me alone with you for more than a few minutes."

Seeing no way around it, Fallon shrugged. "Actually, it's a pretty romantic story." She smiled. "Justice started out as my bodyguard."



THE SECOND THEY were alone, Justice took his mother by the shoulders. "Okay, Mom. First, quit calling me Eugene."

Her mouth twitched. "It's your name."

"I know, but you're doing it on purpose to tease me." Most of the time she called him son or sweetie or some other endearment. "Second, don't go grilling Fallon."

She smacked his shoulder. "I wouldn't have to if you'd told me about her."

"She's special," he said, catching her off guard. "There, now you've been told."

Her eyes widened and her smile turned huge. "Oh, sweetie, that's awesome!" She threw herself against him and squeezed him tight.         

     



 

Used to her demonstrative shows of affection, Justice hugged her right off her feet. "Thanks, Mom, but don't go getting ahead of yourself. I haven't known her that long, and just because I'm half in love already-" what an understatement "-doesn't mean Fallon is, too."

Iris pushed back to scowl into his face. "Well, of course she is. Look at you, son. You're a catch. Any smart girl can see that."

He laughed. "It's fair to say, you're a little bit biased."

"A good son makes a good husband."

"Mom," he warned. "Now you're definitely getting ahead of yourself!"

Tamping down some of her enthusiasm, she patted his chest. "I'm just saying, she'd be lucky to have you."

Justice figured she might have that wrong. Knowing his mother would see it differently, he paced away to the corner of the deck where a few screws were loose. "She's wealthy."

Iris caught up to him. "What's that?"

"She and her family. They're big bucks." Only that didn't really describe Fallon at all, so he added, "She's really sweet, though, and down-to-earth."

"Seems to be," Iris agreed. "And pretty, too."

"Yeah." Justice worked his jaw, then gave up. "She was hurt once."

"Hurt?"

Leave it to his mother to focus more on that than money. Caring for Fallon as he did now, it pained him to talk about it, so he gave her the quick version of the story.

His mother didn't need the nitty-gritty to understand the emotional damage. "Oh, honey, I'm so sorry. That poor, sweet girl."

"She's touchy about the scars."

His mom leveled a look on him. "You made it clear that they don't matter?"

"Yes, ma'am." Because physically, they didn't. "Little by little, she's starting to believe me. But now she's got this new confidence, and she wants to live a little."

"She can live a little with you."

He smiled. "Yeah, she has." The smile waned. Fallon wanted to move out on her own. He'd rather ask her to move in with him, but he couldn't steal anything from her. She deserved to have everything she wanted.

"What?" his mom asked.

Justice shook his head. There were some things he wasn't yet ready to share. "You're always my biggest cheerleader."

"It's easy to cheer for a winner."

Damn, he loved her. His granny, too. They always had his back, always... His granny. "Oh, shit."

"Language," Iris cautioned.

"Sorry." Already striding toward the house, Justice said, "Granny's in there putting Fallon through a cross-examination right now, isn't she?"

"Probably." Jogging to keep up with his long-legged gait, Iris laughed. "Slow down! Your Fallon didn't strike me as the type to let a little curiosity offend her."

"Granny's curiosity is the equivalent of a runaway Mack truck." He burst through the door, but ground to a halt when he found the two ladies sitting close together on the couch, looking through a photo album. Heat burned his face. "Damn it, Granny-"

"Language," his mom and Granny snapped at the same time.

Eyes soft and smile wide, Fallon looked up at him. "You were so stinkin' adorable."

Justice hated to look but couldn't seem to stop himself. He peered over her shoulder and saw the god-awful photo of him as a naked infant...sucking his thumb.

Fallon touched the photo, as if she touched the baby him.

"He was a big newborn," his mom said, crowding onto the couch on Fallon's other side. "And he was always a sweet baby."

Seeing that the women would be occupied for a while-which, okay, kept Fallon from looking at apartments, so ultimately worked in his favor-he grumbled, "I'm going to go over the house and see what other repairs are needed. Might even go get some supplies since I'm already here."

No one replied. They were too busy turning pages in the album.



MARCUS WALKED INTO the office where Kern and York waited on him. Smiling at the brothers, he said, "Sorry I'm late."         

     



 

"You're not," Kern told him, extending his hand. "We were a few minutes early."

Right there on the tabletop rested the check written out for the full amount.

"How've you been?" York asked. "Things going well with your lady?"

For a moment, Marcus didn't know what he meant. "Who?"

"Ms. Wade. You win her over yet?"

Bristling, Marcus took time to pour himself a drink. It was only three o'clock, but Kern and York already had drinks; no reason he shouldn't join them. After taking a fortifying sip, Marcus pulled out his chair opposite the brothers. "Ms. Wade and I are friends."

"Ms. Wade?" York repeated. "You're that formal with her still?"

He'd been trying, obviously without success, to move away from an intimate topic. "Of course not. As I said, we're friends."

Kern snorted. "Being friends is not what you want."

No, it wasn't. However, by all appearances, he had lost his opportunity. Fallon might not believe it, but what he wanted most was for her to be happy.

Damn it all, she appeared to be very happy with the bodyguard.

York hit the tabletop. "What the hell, man? Where are your balls? You've given up, and I would have put odds on you."