Soaring (Magdalene #2)(153)
Author: Kristen Ashley

It was an outfit I bought over the Internet that Josie had never seen to cast her disapproval.

I loved it. It was perfect for wearing it in my kitchen with my boys with me.

Or, two of them.

Though, I’d never wear it to the diner for lunch with Josie. She was the fashion queen and she’d shared her wisdom with me. It wouldn’t do to fly in the face of that. She might stop sending me links to fabulous shoes (etc.) if I did.

It was the next morning and Lawr was leaning against the counter wearing track pants and a tight long-sleeved wicking shirt. He was sipping coffee. His silvered dark hair was wet around his neck and ears because he’d had his morning run, come back and done his sit ups and pushups out on the deck.

This was why he was lean and I was curvy.

My son had just gotten up and he was in pajama pants, a long-sleeved tee, his hair was a mess and his eyes were still drowsy.

He was also sipping coffee.

This was a new thing for him since I moved to Maine.

My boy was definitely growing up.

This caused me to feel a strange euphoric melancholy. It was good and it was bad.

It was also life.

I was getting breakfast orders, walking on air that I had a house full (almost) of people I loved and I got to make breakfast for them when the doorbell rang.

My eyes went to it and I saw the shadow through the glass telling me it was Mickey.

“Looks like Mickey, Mom,” Auden said, his voice still as drowsy as his face.

“Want me to get it?” Lawr offered.

“I’ll get it,” I replied, hurrying to the door because Mickey was there.

I unlocked it, opened it and looked up at my guy wearing his construction outfit.

“Hey,” I whispered.

His eyes smiled. “Hey back.”

I leaned into him and tipped my head back. He put a hand light on my waist and bent to me, brushing his lips against mine.

I kept whispering and didn’t move even as he lifted away a bit, “You need a key.”

I watched his eyes flare then soften as he replied, “Back at you.”

I grinned and stepped away, moving in but out of the way so he could come in behind me.

“Morning, Mickey,” Lawr called.

“Lawr,” Mickey said as he walked into my house, me at his side. He looked to Auden. “Mornin’, Auden.”

Auden held his gaze only a second before he muttered to his coffee. “Mornin’, Mickey.”

“You want coffee?” I asked and Mickey looked down at me.

“Yeah, babe, but can’t stay too long. Just checkin’ in to see you’re all okay.”

That was why he hadn’t called yet that morning. He decided to do it in person.

“I’m good,” I told him, gave him another grin, reached out and took his hand for a quick squeeze. Then I let him go and went to the cupboard with the coffee mugs.

I was in the process of taking one down when Auden declared, “I know you think I’m a dick.”

I turned and froze when I saw Auden looking up at Mickey who was leaning back against the counter two feet away from me.

“Don’t think you’re a dick, bud,” Mickey said low, his eyes leveled on my son.

“I don’t blame you seeing as I was a dick,” Auden replied.

“Your mom’s filled me in, Auden, so I get it,” Mickey told him.

“Okay, well, that’s cool,” Auden returned. “But just so you know I’m actually not the dick I acted like last night. And it’s not like I’m the school’s most righteous dude, but I think people know not to mess with me. And I didn’t know her before. I also didn’t know what was going down. But now that I’ve met Ash, I’ll look after her.”

Something was coming from Mickey and I continued not to move as I felt it and watched him staring at my son.

Finally, he spoke.

And when he did, his voice was gruff.

“Can’t be there to look after my girl. Would mean a lot, you do it.”

Auden held my guy’s eyes, his chest puffing up, and he nodded.

I looked to Lawrie to see him gazing at my son, the pride I felt inside shining on my brother’s handsome face.

It was in that glorious moment, with unfortunate timing, Pippa wandered out of the hall in her wrinkled PJs, her hair an attractive mussed bedhead, her eyes to her feet.

“Hey, kiddo,” I called.

She looked up, caught sight of Mickey and stopped dead.

“Come on over and take a stool,” I invited like nothing was amiss. “I’m making breakfast.”

I then turned to get Mickey his coffee, black, one sugar.

“Mornin’, Uncle Lawrie.” I heard her say timidly.

“Morning, pretty girl,” he replied.

“Yo,” she went on.

That I knew was for Auden.

“Yo,” Auden returned.

I turned to Mickey with his coffee when I heard her say, “Uh, hey, Mickey.”

“Hey, Pippa,” Mickey responded.

I looked and saw her leaning heavily against her uncle, his arm around her, but her eyes were aimed at the cupboards under the kitchen sink.

“Okay, let’s get breakfast going,” I suggested. “Who wants what?”

“You probably hate me.”

I stopped moving and looked at my girl who was looking at Mickey from under her lashes.

Shit, Mickey was getting it.

I just didn’t know how to intervene to make it easier on him or my kids.

I found out Mickey didn’t need me to.

But I should have known.

“I don’t hate you, darlin’,” Mickey said gently.

“I’d hate me,” she mumbled to his shoulder.

I looked to Mickey just as he said, “Come here, Pippa.”

She shrunk back but didn’t get far when Lawr moved his arm from around her shoulders to put his hand in the small of her back. He gave her a light push and she crept Mickey’s way.

When she got close, Mickey leaned her way, grabbed her hand and pulled her closer before he wrapped his arms around her loosely.

I held my breath as my daughter tensed in his hold.

Mickey bent his head and said quietly to the top of hers, “You got it extreme last night. You took it. You had the guts to apologize. That was big. It was appreciated. I appreciated it. My girl appreciated it. And once someone apologizes, no other move you got except to move on. You hold bad feelings, that makes you the bad guy. It’s over, darlin’. If it stays over at school, then it’s totally over. Let it go. Yeah?”

She relaxed in his arms somewhat and tipped her head back. “Is Ash gonna let it go?”