Hold On Tight(54)

“Explain Kimmy Bart, then. Make it make sense in your head. Because it never has in mine,” Rock said, then turned and walked away.

I watched him leave. I hated that he had brought up Kimmy Bart. I didn’t want to think about her. I didn’t want to remember what she’d done to my family. The pain she’d caused when we hadn’t needed it.

She’d been one of Dustin’s biggest mistakes. One I’d never wanted Sienna to know about. It would destroy her.

When I finally got up and went to my truck, I decided I’d drive by Sienna’s to make sure her car was parked in the driveway. I would sleep better knowing she was home safe. I should have followed her since she was upset, but I had needed space and time to think first.

My headlights illuminated a car pulled off the side of the road, and my heart stopped. It was Sienna’s. Shit! I slammed on my brakes and jumped out of the truck, but Sienna wasn’t in the car. I grabbed my phone out of my pocket and dialed her number while I jumped back in my truck and searched for her on the side of the road.

It went to voice mail.

Shit.

I’d started to dial her number again when a text lit up my screen.

Sienna: I’m in bed. I don’t feel like talking tonight.

So she was home. Who had she called?

Me: I found your car. How did you get home?

Sienna: I walked.

Shit! That was at least three miles in the dark. Anything could have happened to her.

Me: Why didn’t you call me?

She should have called me. She had my number. I’d told her if she ever needed me to call me.

Sienna: I needed space from you. I made it home okay. Thanks for checking.

I dropped the phone to the seat beside me and drove by her house just to be sure she was okay. Then I called my dad to tell him to keep an eye on her because she didn’t have a car.

After that I called Jimbo down at the wrecker service and paid him extra to get his ass out of bed and come tow that piece of shit to the junkyard. I told him I’d come get everything out of it in the morning.

Sienna was getting a new car. A safe car. Because I wasn’t giving her an option. I was buying her and Micah a decent car. She wasn’t walking home in the dark ever again.

SIENNA

Tabby had brought Micah home the next morning to see me before I had to go to work. She’d said that Dewayne had said to let me know he’d had my car hauled off to the shop last night. He would be bringing my things by later and not to worry about it. She’d also said that when I was ready to leave I should bring Micah back over and take her car. She wouldn’t be needing it.

Micah had been telling me about his time with Mama T and Grandpa Dave ever since she’d left, so I hadn’t had a chance to decide what I thought about Dewayne handling my car problem. On one hand, him having it hauled was helpful, but I didn’t have an unlimited budget. I’d planned to shop around for the cheapest rate.

“Did you know that Mama T and Grandpa Dave have pictures of you when you was little? I saw them last night, and you used to have lots of freckles. Did you get them erased?”

I laughed and pulled Micah onto my lap and cuddled with him. “They faded as I got older and I stopped running around outside all the time.”

Micah slipped his little arms around me. “You smell good, Momma. I missed you.”

I kissed the top of his head. “I missed you, too, Ace. So much.”

“Mama T said Uncle Dewayne may be coming over today. Think he’ll throw the football with me?”

I ran my hand over his silky hair. “I’m sure he will. Your Uncle Dewayne loves you.” That was something I was sure of.

“When you get off work tonight, are we gonna have a movie night?”

“Yes, we are. Is it a Jedi night, or will we be pirates?”

He tilted his head back and smiled up at me. “We can be pirates. I know you like Captain Jack.”

I laughed and tickled him while he giggled and squirmed.

“Momma. Hey, Momma,” he said when he caught his breath. “I heard Mama T tell Grandpa Dave that she wished my last name was Falco like Daddy’s.”

I froze. Once, I had wanted that too. But now I wasn’t sure. Everyone would know then. Was I ready for that?

“I like having the same last name as you. I don’t wanna change it,” he said, looking concerned.

I pulled him back into my arms in a hug. “If you want to be a Roy, then you can be,” I told him. “But even if your last name isn’t Falco, you’re a Falco, kiddo.”

He wrapped his arms around my neck. “I want to be what you are.”

I held him close and breathed him in. He didn’t have that baby smell anymore, and I missed it. But my little boy was growing up. Every day I saw more of his father in him.