When they got back after changing clothes, his niece, Becca, was sitting on the sofa with her head buried in her phone and Scott could barely believe his eyes.
“Roo?” Becca’s entire face lit up. “Uncle Scott!”
She dropped the phone on the sofa, stood, and threw her arms around him. “I’ve missed you so much.”
He gave her a big, bear hug, swinging her around before letting go.
“Look at you! You’ve shot up a foot.” She wasn’t the gangly little girl he remembered. He grabbed her jaw and tugged on it. “What happened to all your freckles?”
Becca laughed. “They're still there, I just know how to hide them now with makeup.” She gave him another squeeze as her eyes darted to Tori. “Seriously, nobody calls me Roo anymore. It’s embarrassing.”
Scott ruffled her long, dark brown hair, which was still wet from the pool, and tried not to think about how revealing her bathing-suit was. It made him uncomfortable. Scott smiled at his niece. “She was dubbed Roo back when she was little,” he explained, “because when we read her Winnie the Pooh she’d bounce around pretending to be Roo. It stuck.” Scott placed his hand on Tori’s arm. “Roo, this is my girl, Tori.”
Tori smiled and nodded. “Nice to meet you, Rebecca.”
Becca bit her lip and darted her gaze back to Scott. “Can you call me Becca?”
“Becca, not Roo. Got it.” Tori grinned.
Lord, teenage girls were touchy. If he and Tori had kids, please let them all be boys.
Right then, his mom wandered into the room. “Scott, would you mind running up to the store? We're out of tea.”
“Sure, Mom,” Scott lowered his voice. “You can’t have a meal in this house without sweet tea—it would be a sin.”
“Can I ride with you?” Becca asked.
“Sure,” Scott said. “Tori, you want to come?”
“Nah, I’ll let you two catch up. I’ll help your mother with dinner.” Tori rubbed his back.
“All right.” Scott grabbed his keys and Oakley’s off the coffee table. “Come on Roo; let’s roll.”
Once inside the car, his niece turned into her normal, chatty self.
“So, tell me about this girl,” Becca began. “Grandma keeps wondering if she's the one.” She made air quotes on the last words, rolling her eyes as she leaned back and kicked her feet up on the dash. “How long have you known her?”
Scott gave a sideways grin. “Ten years.”
“Ten years?” Her eyes grew wide. “What the heck took you so long to bring her here?”
“She was in college when we first met, and I was getting shipped off to BUD/S then deployed. With her career and mine it just didn’t work out for us to be together.”
Becca snickered “So you were friends with benefits?”
Scott’s jaw dropped open. “Excuse me?” He cleared his throat, glancing away. “That’s an inappropriate question to ask your uncle. Where did you hear of such a thing?”
“I’m almost fifteen; I’m not stupid.” Becca laughed hysterically. “I take that as a yes.”
“We always kept in contact and made time for each other while I was in town.” Scott shook his head. Becca had no filter on her mouth, never had. “We're both in the same place now and ready to settle down.”
“Has she always been, ya know…”
“Blind? No, that just happened last year.”
“How?”
Scott let out a heavy breath. “She was in a terrible car accident.” He hadn’t even told his parents yet. The Donaghue scandal would come out eventually. Scott wanted them to meet Tori first before that soured their impression of her. The entire world had assumed the girl in the car was either a prostitute or having a long-term affair with a married man. That was the last thing he wanted his parents to think. That explanation would be better done in person. So far, he'd dodged the how she went blind question.
“Dang.” Becca pulled her feet off the dash and curled her fingers around her seatbelt. “Can they fix it?”
Scott shook his head. “About as much chance of me sprouting a new leg.”
“God, I'd die.”
“She’s a fighter.”
“She’s really pretty.”.
Scott wrinkled his brow; she sounded surprised at that. “You don’t think I can snag a hot girl or something?”
“Oh God no, that’s not it at all.” She laughed. “I’m not supposed to say this because you're my uncle—and it's gross—but you're super hot. Like when my friends see photos of you they freak out. They all stalk you on Instagram. It’s so freaking disgusting.”
Scott broke into a hearty laugh. “So that’s where all those fourteen-year-old girls I’ve had to block came from. Good grief.”
“Anyway,” Becca continued. “Grandma warned me she was blind, and I guess I assumed she’d be plain; but she’s dressed all cute and puts on makeup. How on earth does she do that?”
“You should ask her that.”
She shook her head. “Yeah, I don’t think I could. I’m afraid I’ll say or do something stupid that will offend her.” She sighed.
Was Roo uncomfortable? “Tori’s just a regular girl who happens to be blind. It doesn’t need to freak you out.” He thought for a minute. “Does my leg bother you?”
Becca looked down at his prosthetic. “No, because it’s been like that as long as I can remember.”
“Well, you’ve had time to adjust,” he said. “You were eight when it happened. The first time I came home to visit afterward, you took one look at my peg, burst into tears, and ran and hid in the other room.” Scott’s laugh echoed through the car.
“No, I didn’t!” Becca scoffed.
“Oh yes, you did.” Scott’s laugher died down. “My point is, Roo, that you got used to it over time and realized I’m still the same Scott. Tori is a really cool girl. She’s feisty and smart and has a great sense of humor. You two are gonna hit it off; I know it.”
“Well, I like her better than Brandi for you, that’s for sure.”
Scott peered at Becca and frowned. He hadn’t thought about Brandi in a long time. Brandi had been his high school sweetheart then they had a brief stent about a year after his injury. “What was wrong with Brandi?”
“Nothing. Brandi's great.” Becca shrugged.
“Well now you aren’t making a bit of sense.”
“Everyone at church still whispers how you two should've wound up together. Even Grandma used to always say,” she mimicked Judith’s tone, “it was such a shame that you didn't marry her.” Becca rolled her eyes. “They don’t know you like I do.”
“Oh, and what do you mean by that?” His brow raised.
“That you aren’t as wholesome as they think you are.” Becca giggled. "What happened with you and her anyway?”
Scott frowned. That was still somewhat of a question mark. Brandi had seemed to be crazy about him, then she’d called it quits. “It just wasn't meant to be,” Scott answered truthfully.
Scott and Becca ran into the store, grabbed the tea, then got back in the car. He let Becca pick the music and she blared it the whole drive home, singing along at the top of her lungs.
At last, he pulled back into his parents’ driveway, right behind his brother’s motorcycle. A mixture of nervous dread and excitement settled in his stomach. With Chad, he never knew how things would go.
His brother was sitting on the front swing, smoking a cigarette, talking on the phone with his head down. He glanced up as they approached. “I gotta go. Ok, bye.” He hung up the phone and stood up as a wide grin crept across his lips.
“Hey, little brother!” Chad took one last puff of his cigarette before stomping it out on the concrete. Chad ran his hand through his reddish-brown locks that Scott noticed were long overdue for a cut. He gave Scott a big, warm hug. “How the hell have you been?”
“Great; good to see you.” Scott fake grinned after they broke apart. His stomach churned. His brother looked even worse than the last time he saw him. Chad's green eyes had huge, dark circles under them and his face was gaunt. It appeared as if he hadn’t slept in days. “Did you just get here?”
“Yeah, I haven’t gone in yet, had some business I was finishing up.” Chad scratched his thick, unkempt beard. “Hey, Roo.” Chad nodded to Becca and gave her a sideways squeeze.
“Hey, Uncle Chad.” She pulled away. “I’m gonna head inside.” She gave the boys a wave and disappeared into the house.
“I’m surprised Mom hasn’t come out and grabbed you and introduced you to Tori,” Scott said.
“Tori? Who the hell is Tori?” Chad furrowed his brow.
“She’s my girlfriend. Mom didn’t tell you I brought a girl home?” Scott narrowed his eyes. His mom wasn’t one to keep her mouth shut about anything. He knew once he told his mom about Tori the word would spread like wildfire through his entire family, even down to his cousins.
“I’m kidding.” Chad slapped Scott on the arm. “Mom filled me in. You should’ve seen the look on your face thinking I was about to walk in there not knowing she was blind and say something stupid to embarrass you.” Chad grinned.
Scott laughed, slapping his brother on the back. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to my girl.”
Scott opened the door and they wandered into the kitchen where the ladies were. His mom was bent over the open oven swapping a pie for fresh cornbread, Tori had her back turned to them washing dishes, and Becca was sitting at the table buried in her phone.
“Got the tea and picked up a stray on the porch.” Scott sat the grocery bag on the counter.
“Thank the Lord you finally got here. Dinner is getting cold. Now make that tea for me, one of you; you know how I like it, right?”
“So sweet it makes you diabetic?” Chad eyed Tori from behind as she bent over in her teeny shorts.
Scott shot him a scowl.
Tori shut the dishwasher and wiped her hands off with the dish towel hanging on the cabinet drawer. She turned, leaning her butt up against the counter. “You must be Chad?” Tori flashed her ultra megawatt smile.
“And you must be the Tori that my mom’s been raving on and on about.” Chad ogled her from the front side with a devilish smirk on his face.
Scott shot him another glare. Dude! he mouthed and threw his arms up.
Chad just shrugged unapologetically.
Seriously, man, right here. Scott rolled his eyes.
“Oh, Judith, you’re too kind.” Tori blushed, brushing the hair out of her face. Scott punched his brother in the arm and reached into the cabinet for a pitcher.
“I just tell it like it is,” Judith said. “This girl's a keeper. Not only is she sweet as can be and a pretty, little thing, she can cook too. She helped put the lattice on the apple pie.” Judith patted Tori on the cheek, causing her to flinch a little.
“I thought you weren’t cooking tonight?” Scott chuckled.
“Well, we have to have bread and dessert,” his mother stated.
“Yeah, if the pie topping is a crooked mess, you’ll have to forgive me for that.” Tori shrugged with a grin.
“It looked fine dear. It all tastes the same going down, anyway.” His mom gave Tori a squeeze, and he noticed her flinch again. “Becca go out back and holler at your grandpa and tell him dinner is ready.”
“Ok, Grandma,” Becca said and went out the back door.
“Chad toss me the tea.” Scott held up his hands. “Babe, would you mind going out back and grabbing me a beer? Fridge is to the left of the door.”
“Sure thing; anyone else want one?” Tori asked, reaching for her cane where it leaned against the counter.
“I’ll take one if you don’t mind,” Chad hollered, eyes on Tori as she moved.
Scott waited for the door to shut. “You know she’s blind, but I’m not. Can you give me a little respect and stop eye-fucking my girl?” Scott growled.
“Scott! Language!” His mother slapped his arm.
“Also, Mom, you can’t keep touching Tori without warning. It freaks her out when she can’t see it coming.”
“But you touch her. I just…” his mom looked wounded, making him feel like a certified asshole.
“It’s different with me, Ma; she expects it.”
“She must be blind to be dating you. She’s hot.” His brother grinned.
Scott made a face and gave Chad the finger. “You know she has seen me. She knows what I look like, asshole.”
“Chad that’s your brother’s girlfriend. Have some tact, and boy, you better watch your mouth,” his mom scolded them both. “But she is so precious. Gosh can you imagine the pretty, little babies they'll have?” His mom beamed as she sat the cornbread on the kitchen table. “She wants babies, right Scott?” His mom turned and looked him square in the eye, boring her emerald gaze into his skull.
Scott’s smile faded. “Let me at least propose first before you go on about kids.” The last thing he needed was his mom ranting about grandkids in front of Tori. “One step at a time, Mom.”
“Propose?” Chad’s brow raised. “Wow, little bro, this is serious.”
“It’s not genetic, is it?” Judith whispered and motioned to her eyes.
And if it was, Mom?
That’s what Scott wanted to say, but then again it was a legitimate question. Scott needed to tell them the whole story. He’d just been waiting for the right moment. It wasn’t that big of a deal, was it? So, she was with Donaghue. He didn’t give a shit, but he wanted to protect Tori’s dignity. The media had painted Tori as an adulteress, which she wasn’t. His parents would understand. He opened his mouth to speak as Tori came back in with two beers tucked under her arm.
She propped her cane next to the door. “Got your beers, boys.” Chad crossed over to her as she held one out in her hand waiting for him to grab it, tilting his head, looking curious. He grabbed it, then waved his hand up and down in front of her face. Tori didn’t flinch one bit.
Scott gave him a wide-eyed stare and threw up his hands. “Dude. Seriously?”
Chad opened his beer, grinned wickedly, and shrugged.
Tori’s brow wrinkled, obviously confused at their exchange.
Scott grabbed the other beer from Tori. “Chad’s just being Chad, Tori. Making sure I’m not yanking his chain,” Scott explained. “Yes, she really is blind, ass-face.”
Tori laughed and crossed her arms. “Was it an irreverent gesture or waving the hand in front of me?”
“Hand wave.” Scott shook his head and took a swig of his beer.
Chad snorted, “I’m sorry, Tori. I’m awful. I was just checking to see if Scott was messing with us. He’s pulled some stunts over the years.”
“Well, you'll have to entertain me with those stories over dinner.” Tori smiled. “Fair warning though, the last guy that tried that move on me got choked out in a bar by Scott.”
“You did what, son?” Judith exclaimed, turning her head toward Scott.
“They had it coming, Mom, trust me.” Scott placed his hand on Tori’s back and led her to the table, guiding her hand to the back of the chair.
“Now that’s a story I want to hear.” Chad sat down at the table as Becca and Wayne walked in the back door.
“What’s a story you want to hear?” Becca asked Chad.
“How Scott nearly killed a man in a bar for messing with his girl.” Chad winked at Scott.
Wayne furrowed his brow and looked at Scott as if he should know better.
Scott sat down and sighed. “We were in a crowded bar and Miss Independent had to use the restroom. She insisted on going by herself so we didn’t lose our table—”
“Public restrooms are my kryptonite, but I knew this bar really well because I’d been there a hundred times at least before I lost my vision,” Tori added. “On the way back, the beers kicked in and I got a little dizzy. I bumped into some guy and he cursed at me and told me to watch out.”
“They were drunk and took it too far,” Scott continued. “You’re glossing over the part where they cornered you and pushed you against the wall.” Scott leaned over the table and grabbed some bread. His blood boiled even thinking about it. It angered him that Tori was trying to make light of it. Scott took a bite of the cornbread and shared a look with the table that highlighted the danger of the incident. “I took care of them,” he said, his mouth full.
His mom reached over and slapped his hand, looking at him square in the eye. “Some people have no manners.” Judith’s eyes narrowed, using her play on words to scold Scott for taking a bite too early.
Scott swallowed the lump of bread and smirked.
They dished up the plates and Wayne said grace over the meal.
“How’s the shop doing, Chad?” Scott asked his brother. Scott was cautious about being too optimistic where his brother was concerned. He hoped he was turning things around, but he feared Chad would never get his head screwed on straight.
Chad wiped his mouth and placed his napkin on his lap. “Picking up speed. Been open about a year now. Doing steady business building custom choppers and repairs. That kid Ryan you recommended is working out great. You should come by and check it out before you leave.”
“I’d love to,” Scott said. “I may have to let you build a bike for me. I’ve been wanting to get one, but I need the gear shift customized for my leg. Can you handle that?”
“Of course.” His brother scoffed. “We can modify the shift lever by adding an extension so that you can change gears by pushing down with the heel and the toe at the same time. Or we could go British biker style and move it to the right side, or even go with an electronic shifter.” Chad sounded excited about the prospect of building him a bike. “Tori, you ok with your man having a chopper?”
“If you make it so it can seat two.” Tori flashed a grin. “You gotta have a hot, biker babe on the back, right?”
Chad let out a hearty laugh. “I like this girl.” He pointed at her with his fork and took another bite of his food.
Scott smiled and rubbed Tori’s thigh under the table, squeezing it. He nearly got an erection thinking about how good Tori would look on the back of a bike.
“You need some more ink though—other than that girly little thing on your wrist—if you want to be a true biker babe,” Chad teased.
“I have a few more,” Tori said mysteriously.
“Do you now?” Chad’s mirthful eyes darted to Scott.
Scott smiled impishly. “She has red lips on her ass that say kiss it.”
His mom’s jaw flopped open.
Tori dropped her fork to her plate and buried her head in her hands.
His dad and brother erupted in laughter.
“Scotty!” His mom scolded him, but just ended up laughing herself.
Tori finished catching up on some phone calls after dinner while the family cleaned up the dishes. Judith had refused to let her help and insisted that Tori relax after dinner. She’d claimed the boys were in charge of clean-up, but Tori suspected that Chad and Scott wouldn’t be doing much either.
When Tori came back out, the house was silent. Muffled voices faintly flowed from what sounded like the patio. She walked down the hall, reaching the bathroom door right as it was flung open, startling her, and causing her to run smack dab into whoever, nearly toppling her to the ground.
“Oh shit! I’m so sorry, Tori. Let me get that for you.” Chad’s voice boomed. He bent over, grunting and sniffling as he grabbed her lost cane and placed it back in her hand. “I thought you were outside. Didn’t mean to knock you over.” He touched her arm. “You ok?” Suddenly, he slung his arm around her.
“It’s fine.” She gave a half smile and returned the sideways hug. Her head landed almost in the same spot it would on Scott. So Chad was tall, like his brother. His heart rapped a mile a minute next to her ear. “Everyone else outside?” She pulled back and smoothed out her clothing, putting herself back together.
“Yeah.” Chad sniffed again.
Why is he sniffing so damn much?
“You heading out?” Tori raised a brow, but she said nothing.
“I have one more call to make, just some work stuff. I’ll be out in a minute,” he blurted.
“Ok, Chad.” Tori nodded with a hint of skepticism.
Tori wandered outside. The air had cooled a little and she was thankful for that. In the distance, someone was plucking away on a guitar.
“Hey, babe, I’m over to your right,” Scott said. “Come sit down. I’ve got room here.” He shuffled on the seat, making plenty of noise for her.
When Tori got close, she held out her hand knowing full well his would meet it. Scott grabbed ahold and pulled her toward him.
“Catch up with Jane?” Scott asked as she settled into the patio sofa
“Yeah.” Tori couldn't get her mind off Chad. He seemed off kilter and Tori suspected he’d been up to no good in that bathroom.
“Becca is that you on the guitar?”
“Yeah, I was playing for Uncle Scott,” Becca said. “I’m still learning. Robert's been teaching me.”
“Well, let’s hear it,” Tori said with a nod.
“Ok,” Becca’s voice wavered, “I’m not that great.”
“Oh, sweetie, don’t discount yourself. Go on,” Judith urged.
“Don’t be bashful,” Wayne also prodded.
“Fine.” Becca breathed a hefty sigh. She strummed a melody that Tori recognized as “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd. About half way through, she messed up, sighed, and stopped. “Ugh,” she groaned. “Sorry, I’m still learning.”
The back door swung open and slammed. Chad had finally joined the group. “Don’t stop on my account,” Chad hollered.
Chad laughed. Tori could only assume that Becca was making some silly face at her uncle to cause such a reaction. There was so much body language she missed out on.
“Do they teach you that eye roll in school, because you have it down to a tee,” Chad said, confirming her thoughts.
“You gotta let go of the death grip on your left hand, loosen your wrist,” Scott advised. “It restricts your movement.”
“Yeah, that’s what Robert says.” Becca groaned.
A surprised smirk crossed Tori’s face. “Scott, do you know how to play guitar?” Tori squeezed his leg.
“He used to play all the time in high school. Even played in the youth group at church,” Judith tattled on her son.
“Didn’t you have a band in the garage, bro?” Chad snickered. “What was it called...” he chewed on that for a minute. “Wasn’t it like Road Rash or something lame like that?”
“Shut up, man.” Scott cleared his throat and shifted. “It wasn’t Road Rash, dumbass.” Scott let out a heavy breath. “It was Roadkill,” he mumbled.
Tori put her hand over her mouth, stifling a giggle. She couldn’t even imagine a young Scott with a band. “All these years knowing you, and how did I not know this?” Tori’s heart skipped a beat, thinking about him playing and how sexy that was.
Scott chuckled. “My guitar's been packed a while now. Traveling hasn’t allowed me a lot of time for music.”
“You should play something, Uncle Scott,” Becca urged him. “I bet Tori would love to hear it.”
Hell yeah, I would.
Tori’s heart rapped against her chest.
“It’s been a long time,” Scott hesitated. Yeah, he hated the spotlight, but she was dying to hear him.
“Oh, please, Scott, you have to play something,” Tori begged.
“It’s like riding a bike.” Chad said. She heard him crack open a beer and place it on the table. There was the click of a lighter and the smell of cigarette smoke wafted through the air. “Come on,” he breathed out heavily. “Just hop back on, brother.”
“Fine.” Scott shifted and let out a hearty breath. The bottom of the guitar touched her bare thigh as he lifted it to his lap. The strings hummed one by one as he set the tune.
Her entire face flushed as she imagined how damn sexy he must have looked. Her beast of a man and those tattooed arms wrapped around the instrument.
“He can sing, too, Victoria,” Judith said with mischievousness in her tone.
Tori let out a chuckle. She’d heard him a few times in the shower when he thought she wasn’t listening, or goofing off. Scott had a decent voice.
“Lord, Mom. Thanks for that,” Scott groaned.
Tori rubbed his back, trying to ease his embarrassment. She leaned in and whispered to him, “For me, please, it will mean so much.”
“All right, only for you.” He squeezed her thigh and kissed her cheek.
After a second, he began strumming. He wasn’t rusty at all, in fact he was good. Damn good.
“Love me some Skynard.” Chad hollered and whistled.
Scott started singing the lyrics to “Simple Man.”
Holy hell.
Scott’s shower voice couldn’t even compare to this. This was… unbelievable. It was smooth and deep, super masculine, and so very sexy.
Tori’s lips parted in a sultry smirk as her head tilted downward placing her hand on her forehead, trying to hide the fact that her cheeks were growing flushed in front of his family.
She was amazed how he was totally in his element. It was a whole different side of her man. He wasn’t wound up over work, wasn’t her ever vigilant protector. A calmness radiated off him unlike anything she’d ever witnessed.
She could no longer feel the heat of the sun on her cheek. Her mind drew a picture of the land and how majestic it must have looked in that moment, with Scott, the setting sun over the horizon, and the guitar. The warm evening breeze blew in the air. Even though she couldn’t see the setting, she could feel it in her soul. Warmth crept up into her chest at how beautiful the world still was and forever would be as long as she had him.
Scott slapped the side of the guitar as he finished up, breaking her from her breathtaking vision.
Chad gave a clap and a whistle. “Nice job, little brother. You still got it in you.”
“That was so wonderful. It’s been too long since I heard you play!” Judith’s joy rang through her tone.
“Uncle Scott, that was amazing!” Becca chimed in. “I’m impressed. Do one more please!” Becca urged. “Play something romantic for Tori,” Becca said in a silly sing-song voice.
“Ooohh, pressure is on now, bro.” Chad gave a hearty laugh.
Tori’s cheeks heated even more. She leaned back and covered her mouth.
“You up for one more?” Scott asked Tori. “I’ve got something for ya.”
Tori swallowed hard and nodded with a grin. “I’d love another.”
Scott strummed again, and she immediately knew the song from the brooding, hauntingly beautiful, sultry melody. That opening bar with that one wavering note that bends perilously toward its intended high pitch.
Wicked Game.
The same song he’d put on his phone a week ago leading her on the hide-and-seek chase to the bar. The song that screamed of sex and desire and finally succumbing and losing control to love.
She leaned back and listened to his smooth, deep voice and tried to not focus on the fact that it felt like Scott just invited his family into their bedroom. When Scott finally finished, everyone was silent.
“Duuuude.” Chad whistled. “That was sexy.”
Scott set the guitar down and threw his arm over her shoulder as his lips touched her temple. “Did you like that?” He devilishly whispered in her ear.
Sneaky bastard.
“I think you're gonna have to dust off that guitar at home for me,” was all Tori could muster. What she really wanted to say would be highly inappropriate in front of his family. “Chad, would you mind grabbing me a beer?”
“Yeah, it looks like you could use some cooling off,” Chad teased. His heavy footsteps crossed the patio, followed by a rustling in the fridge. “Here you go.” She held out her hand and grabbed it from him, taking a huge gulp.
“Who’s up for a game of cards?” Wayne asked.
“Not me, I think I’m gonna head out for the night,” Chad said as a beer bottle clanked into the bin.
“Are you sure you can’t stay for one round?” Judith's voice drooped. “It’s not that late. The sun barely just went down.” She heard Judith patting him on the back. “It’s not every day I get both my boys together.”
“Gotta work early, Mom. I better get some rest. I’ll be back before the stranger here leaves town.” She heard Chad give Scott a pat on the leg. “Love ya, Mom.” She heard him kiss his mom. “Nite, Pops. See ya, Becca.”
Scott stood and gave his brother a slap on the hand and Tori heard them embrace. “Come by and see the shop.”
“We will,” Scott promised.
Tori stood to say her own goodbye and Chad gave her a big hug. “Tori, it's been an absolute pleasure meeting you.”
His shirt was damp with sweat and she noticed how much thinner he was compared to Scott. “It was nice meeting you, too, Chad.” Tori patted his chest and slipped out of his hold. “You get some rest,” she added, although she suspected he wouldn’t be getting much rest that night. It made her stomach flop.
“So, cards huh?” Scott asked, as they filed into the kitchen.
“Only if you're up to getting your ass handed to you, Scotty,” Wayne teased.
Scott chuckled. “All right. I’m game.”
“Becca?” Wayne asked.
“Nah, I’m good. You old people can play.” Becca laughed.
Such a teenager.
“Old people,” Scott scoffed. “Who are you calling old?” Shoes squeaked across the tile floor and Becca squealed. She imagined that Scott was playfully wrestling her, which made a warm grin creep across Tori’s face.
“Uncle Scott!” she squealed. “Stop it!
“Come on, play one game with us,” Judith urged.
“I really can’t, Grandma. Lisa’s mom will be here to get me soon. I’m staying the night with her since Robert is sleeping at the hospital with Mom and the baby.”
“The baby.” Judith made a pfft noise. “They need to name that sweet boy.”
A phone chimed in the distance. “See, that’s her now. She’s here. Gotta run, see you later…old people. Nice meeting you Tori!” she hollered as her footsteps left the room.
“You too Becca!” Tori shouted back.
“What about you, Tori? You up for some cards?” Wayne asked.
“Um…” Tori giggled. It was sweet of him to offer out of kindness, but borderline silly. “I’m not sure how that would be possible—”
“Of course, you can play.” Judith’s chair scraped against the tile floor. “We got a braille deck. You wouldn’t think we’d leave you out, do you?” Judith shifted on her feet, her hand lightly brushing Tori’s shoulder and she braced herself for another hug. Judith cleared her throat, then nothing. Had Judith stepped back? That was odd. Tori raised her brow. She was growing fond of Judith’s hugs.
“Sit down,” Judith ordered and guided her to the chair “I’ll take this for you.” Judith took her cane.
Emotion swelled in Tori's chest. “I… well… how, I mean, that’s so thoughtful,” she stammered. “I can’t believe you went to that trouble for me.” Those weren’t something you could walk into the store and buy, they had to have made a special trip to the local Lighthouse for the Blind to purchase them.
“It was no trouble.” Wayne patted her on the back as he sat down at the table next to her. “We were in town, just swung by and picked some up.” The deck of cards shuffled against the table.
“We also got Uno, and Scrabble and—”
“Mom, I love family game time but there’s only so much I can handle.” Scott laughed.
“Oh, you know your mom, always spoiling her kids,” Wayne added.
“That’s what mammas do,” Judith defended.
No, that wasn’t what moms do. Not in her world. She couldn’t remember one damn thing her mom ever did to spoil her. A childhood memory of her mother and her at Wal-Mart flashed in Tori’s head.
“Mamma please. She’s so pretty. It’s only ten dollars.” Tori had clutched the box with the Barbie doll to her chest.
“We can’t afford that, Victoria,” her mother had said. “Go put it back now.”
She’d dropped her little ten-year-old head and sighed, her eyes stopping at the large box of beer in the shopping cart.
One doll. Her own mother couldn't even grant her that. Yet Judith and Wayne went out of their way to make her, a stranger, feel loved. Tori’s chest tightened sitting around the table now with Scott’s family, that would soon be her family.
Don’t cry; don’t you dare fucking cry.
Scott’s chair scraped across the floor as he sat next to Tori. “Got you another beer.” She heard him place it on the wood table.
Tori swallowed the lump in her throat and plastered a grin on her face. “Thanks baby.”