Hold On Tight(63)

I moved her hair back so I could watch her mouth take me deep. “So fucking gorgeous,” I said as she looked up at me.

I knew in that moment that if this woman asked me to walk on water, I’d find a fucking way.

SIENNA

Dewayne had agreed to stay over at his parents’ while I talked to Micah this morning. He had wanted to be there with me, but for five years it had been just me and Micah. No one else got my attention. Just him. I didn’t doubt he’d love having Dewayne in our lives more than he already was, but I also wanted to make sure he felt secure in where he stood.

Micah had talked about his night the whole walk over from the Falcos’ to our house. Apparently, Dave had watched not one but two of the Star Wars movies with Micah. And they’d eaten popcorn and cookies. Mama T had said she might get a swimming pool in the backyard when Micah told her he liked to swim. She and Dave were going to look into it. Those two were going to spoil my kid, and I loved it.

The five-year-old didn’t notice the goofy smile on my face. But I knew it was there. I couldn’t stop thinking about last night and this morning. Dewayne had been everything I’d dreamed about and more. I was ready to give him everything.

“Uncle Dewayne said he would see me in a little bit. Is he coming to play with me today?” Micah asked hopefully. That was a good thing. Micah wanted his uncle around. Dewayne wouldn’t be someone Micah might worry would take me away from him. He fit perfectly into our lives.

“Yes. If he said he’s coming over, then he will be here. You can trust Uncle Dewayne to do what he says he’ll do. He loves you.”

Micah beamed. He liked feeling loved. He’d always had my love, but this extra love was something he soaked up.

“Actually, I wanted to talk to you about Uncle Dewayne before he comes over here,” I told him as we walked into the house.

“About what?”

I led him over to the sofa and pulled him into my lap. “You’re my number one. You know that, right?”

Micah nodded.

“And you love your Uncle Dewayne as much as he loves you.”

Micah nodded again.

“Well, I love your Uncle Dewayne too.” I did? I loved him. I did. Oh wow. I did.

Micah smiled. “Because he’s family.”

Uh-oh. I’d forgotten about that conversation. I had to explain this. “Well, actually, Uncle Dewayne is your dad’s family. Not exactly mine. But he’s yours, so I called him mine too.”

Micah scrunched up his nose. “So we don’t have the same family?”

This is what I get for lying to the kid. I wasn’t ever doing that again. Lesson learned.

“No, we do. . . . It’s just that you’re actually related to Uncle Dewayne. I’m not. He is the brother of your daddy, but he’s not related to me. I wasn’t married to your daddy. We never got a chance to do that. Remember? I explained that to you.”

Micah nodded, but his nose was still scrunched up. “Okay, so can Uncle Dewayne take you on dates, then?”

Sighing in relief, I nodded. “Yes. He can. And he wants to, but we want it to be okay with you.”

Micah grinned and made a whooping sound.

“I take that as a yes.”

He nodded vigorously. “Can he sleep over in my room?”

Oh my.

“Well, he will be here more often. He wants to spend more time with us. But if he sleeps over, your bed isn’t big enough for him. He’s a big guy.”

Micah’s expression got really serious. “We need to get him a big bed so he can sleep over.”

Okay, this was getting way off track. Right now we needed to focus on the topic of Dewayne being around more often. Not having sleepovers.

Micah jumped down, walked over to the door, and looked out. “When is he coming over?”

“As soon as I text him and tell him you’re ready for him.”

Micah turned and ran toward his room. “Text him. I’m getting my football.”

That was way too easy.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and quickly sent Dewayne a text that Micah and his football were waiting on him.

I hadn’t even set my phone down when the front door of the Falcos’ opened up and Dewayne stepped out. He must have been waiting anxiously for that text. He was so big and tough, but the little boy inside him that he never let others see owned me.

“Looks like he’s on his way over,” I called to Micah.

Micah came running around the corner with his football tucked under his arm. “We’re gonna play some ball,” he told me before letting the screen door slam behind him.

I walked over to the door and watched as Micah ran straight for Dewayne and held up the football. The smile on Dewayne’s face as he looked at my son made right everything that had been wrong.