The Wild Ones (The Wild Ones #1)(37)
Author: M. Leighton

I laugh. “Probably. She wants to make a good impression. I feel like I’m hosting a princess.”

“To Grace, you probably are,” Mom says, shaking her head. Grace is full of all the life and love and hope our now-smaller family so desperately needs. “So, you haven’t said much about this girl.”

She’s trying to be all casual, so I play along and shrug. “Not much to tell. She’s just a girl. No big deal.”

“Where did you meet her?”

“At Lucky’s.”

“Now, you know what I’ve told you about girls you meet in bars.”

I look down at my tiny mother. She gets like this sometimes, all fiery. Her hands are on her hips and she’s loaded for bear. It’s easy to see the girl she once was, all full of piss and vinegar, the one my father fell in love with. I can’t help but smile. “Yeah, I think you might’ve mentioned that a time or two.”

“And yet you pay so little attention to it. Why is that?”

“Uh, because I’m a guy.”

I can tell she wasn’t expecting that answer. She rolls her eyes, but I see the corners of her mouth twitch. She’s trying not to smile.

“They’re here! They’re here!” Grace squeals as she runs, Mach-1, into the kitchen, pulling a different dress over her head as she goes.

Mom looks at me and grins, straightening her short brown hair. “Do I look okay? I’ve never met a princess before.”

It’s my turn to roll my eyes. “You look fine. And don’t ever ask me again why I don’t bring many girls home. Just remember this.”

She punches my arm and I wink at her. She’s come a long way in the last few years. She’s sporting a few more gray hairs as a result of all she’s been through, but she’s still smiling. That has to count for something.

I go to open the door, but Grace slides across in front of me. “Let me get it.”

“Okay, but introduce yourself before you attack her, k?”

“I will, I will.”

I shake my head as I watch her dance from foot to foot. It can’t be healthy to get this excited over having a visitor. Then again, we have so few, maybe I should be getting more excited.

But then, when I hear Cami talking quietly, I realize I’m plenty excited. I’m instantly thrown back in time to the little sounds she made and the words she whispered when her body was wrapped tightly around mine.

Yep, I’m plenty excited.

I readjust in my shorts and turn my mind to something else, like the horse I’ll be looking for this weekend. Anything to take my mind off Cami and that incredible body of hers.

I hear Grace’s gasp and know she sees Cami. That’s kind of the way I felt when she looked up at me after I dumped beer down her shirt.

“You must be Cami,” Grace says in her most grown up voice. “It’s so nice to meet you. I’m Grace, but you can call me Gracie.”

“It’s such a pleasure to meet you, Gracie. This is my friend, Jenna.”

“Hi, Jenna.”

When there’s a long pause, I figure I should step in and help. “Why don’t you invite them in, Grace?”

Grace doesn’t even look in my direction. She doesn’t stop smiling either. Her focus is straight ahead and slightly up, on Cami’s face.

She finally pushes the door open and I see Cami step through, followed closely by Jenna. Grace takes Cami’s hand and leads her into the kitchen.

“This is my mom, LeeAnne.”

I watch as Cami smiles brightly and extends her hand. I don’t really notice anything’s amiss until Cami’s smile fades a little and she starts to look uncomfortable. I look over at my mom and she looks like she’s seen a ghost.

“Mom, what’s the matter?”

She says nothing at first, just stares at Cami like she’s grown a second head. “Mom.” I prompt. She jumps a little, like I scared her out of a daze or something.

“What?” She looks confused, but then she shakes her head, like she’s snapping out of a spell. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I’m so happy to meet you, Cami. Please forgive me, I’m…I’m a bit out of sorts this morning. Late night. You know how that goes.”

She relaxes into something closer to her normal self, but not quite. I doubt it’s strange enough for Cami to notice, but I certainly do.

What the hell?

“What up, Gracie girl?” Rusty says as he busts through the door.

Grace squeals and leaves Cami to throw herself at Rusty. It gives me the perfect opportunity to break up our tense little party.

“So, let me get my bag and we’ll head out.”

Cami nods, her smile tighter than usual. I’m sure all sorts of crazy things are running around in her head. And I’d love to give her a rational explanation for my mother’s bizarre behavior, but I’ve got nothing. I just hope she doesn’t think I’m not telling her something. Because the truth is, I have no idea what got into her.

In record time, I’m back in the kitchen ushering Cami toward the door.

“Wrap it up, man,” I say to Rusty, who’s still wrestling with Grace. “We’ve got to get on the road.”

With a little more prompting, I finally get everyone to the door. Grace runs to give me a hug and a kiss on the cheek, then Mom follows suit.

“Bring me a horse,” Grace says.

“Be careful, son,” Mom says, her face now just…sad.

“You,” I say to Grace, “Not this time, but maybe I can find one to get pretty soon. And you,” I say turning to Mom. “Of course. I’m always careful.”

I start to walk away, but Mom grabs my arm. “I’ll be working when you get home, but I’m leaving something on your bed for you. Tend to it first thing, will you?”

Well, that’s cryptic.

I frown. I can’t help it. She’s acting really weird.

“Okay, I will.”

She nods and smiles then both she and Grace say in unison, “Love you.”

“I know,” I return, just like I always do. “You, too.”

I lead the way outside. I notice Cami is hanging back a little. Rusty and Jenna are talking about something and Cami’s walking quietly behind them. Getting a better grip on my duffel, I turn around and walk right up to Cami, surprising her when I bend down and throw her over my shoulder.

She squeals. “What are you doing?”

“This is all part of the VIP package. Didn’t I tell you?”