Golden Trail (85 page)

He’d never heard her talk about her mother
that way. Never. He liked it.

“You’re dark,” she went on.

“Yeah, sweetcheeks, seen myself in the
mirror.”

She smiled at him. “And you’re hot. Mom had
a good eye for cute guys. Ergo, she’d like you.”

“Ergo?” he teased.

“Shut up,” she whispered.

He grinned at her. Then his arms tightened
in preparation.

Then he shouted, “Tripp!”

Rocky went still in his arms.

The door opened almost instantaneously and
Tripp was there which meant his boy was doing sentry duty close.
When he arrived, Rocky’s body jerked.

“Yeah Dad?” he asked then his eyes slid to
Rocky. “Hey Roc,” he said casually.

“Uh… hey Tripp.”

“You’re awake, cool, can we eat?” Tripp
asked.

“Shanghai Salon. Roc wants sesame chicken. I
want Kung Pao shrimp. Get your brother, Gram and Devin’s orders.
Call it in. Delivery,” Layne ordered.

“Cool!” Tripp shouted then his torso twisted
and he yelled, “Jas! We’re havin’ Chinese.”

“Awesome!” They heard Jasper’s voice shout
from far away.

“Chinese!” Vera shouted, also from far away.
“I’ll make tuna casserole.”

“No way, Gram, we want Chinese!” Tripp
yelled, turning from the door, he left it ajar and jogged away.

“I want lemon chicken, Tripp-o-matic,”
Jasper shouted.

Rocky settled into him, cheek back to his
chest, arm tight around him.

“Okay, well, it appears they’re not
traumatized by my drama.”

“No, sweetcheeks, but expect a lot of
attention for awhile. Tripp will likely talk your ear off and
Jasper will stick to you like glue.”

Her head came up. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

“Why?”

“Because they care, because they want to
know you’re all right and because that’s their way of making that
so.”

She lifted a hand to rest on his neck. “It’s
scary how much they’re like you.”

“I talk your ear off?”

“No, you want to make sure I’m all right and
find a way to make it so.”

Layne smiled at her.

Rocky kept talking. “Though, I have to ask,
where did Tripp get his blond hair?”

“Fuck knows.”

Her eyes unfocused and she said softly, “If
he didn’t have your exact body and your intensity, I would swear
Gabrielle stepped out on you.”

Layne started laughing, Roc’s eyes focused
on him then her face flushed. “I don’t mean to intimate –”

“Baby,” Layne said through his chuckles,
“Tripp’s my son and even if he wasn’t by blood, he’s still my son.
That’s all there is to it.”

“He’s your son, Layne, I know it.”

“Yeah, me too.”

“Dad!” Tripp yelled from downstairs. “I need
your wallet!”

“Mine’s in my purse on the counter, Tripp!”
Rocky shouted back.

“You get Rocky’s wallet, Tripp, you’re
grounded for a month. Come up here and get mine.” Layne shouted
after Rocky.

Her eyes shot to him. “I can pay for dinner,
Layne.”

“I know you can, you just aren’t.”

“Layne.”

“Rocky.”

“Layne.”

“Roc.”

Their stare down was interrupted by Tripp
coming to get his wallet and Layne handing it over intensified
Rocky’s glare when his eyes returned to hers.

“Close the door, Pal,” Layne called, his
eyes locked to Rocky.

“Right,” Tripp muttered and Layne heard the
door catch.

Then Layne chose option two to end a stare
down. He rolled her to her back and kissed her and when he was
done, he shoved his face in her neck.

“Love you, baby,” he whispered against her
skin as his hands slid up her sides.

“Love you too, Layne,” she whispered back
and her arms got tight around him.

Then Layne’s arms wrapped around her, his
face still in her neck, he rolled them to their sides and he
expelled a breath, a breath it felt like he’d been holding for
decades.

And, Rocky in his bed, in his arms, her arms
tight around him, it felt good to let that breath, finally, go.

Meant to Be

Layne left his room, walked through the
weight room, rounded the stairs and stopped dead when he looked
down to see Vera and Devin sitting together three steps from the
top.

When Vera sensed him, her neck twisted, her
head went back and she put her finger to her lips.

“You have pictures?” Layne heard Tripp ask
from downstairs and Layne’s attention shifted to listen.

“Yeah, Tripp,” Rocky answered.

It was Sunday morning, after Vera’s pancakes
but the TV wasn’t on. Layne couldn’t be sure but he was guessing
Tripp and Rocky were on the colossal, cushiony sectional that was a
connected square that looked part-bed, part-couch and all
comfortable and now sat in the corner by the front window taking up
nearly the entirety of the front space.

“Was she pretty, like you?” Tripp asked and
Layne pulled in a breath and his neck muscles got tight.

Tripp was asking about her mother.

Devin turned his head too and shook it at
Layne.

“No,” Rocky replied. “She was
beautiful.”

“So,” Jasper put in, “like you.”

Layne closed his eyes and his hand went to
the top of the post at the stairs, his fingers curling around it,
holding on.

“That’s sweet, Jas,” Rocky said softly.

“Yeah, I’m sweet, Keirry says so,” Jasper
returned arrogantly and Layne opened his eyes and smiled.

“You’re also full of it,” Tripp told
him.

“Watch and learn, Tripp-o-matic, and you’ll
hook Giselle deep,” Jasper noted.

“Giselle’s already hooked deep, dude, she
totally digs me,” Tripp replied.

“That’s because you’re sweet too,” Rocky
said.

“Yeah?” Tripp asked, sounding like an
affirmative answer meant everything in the world.

“Yeah,” Rocky answered softly, with one soft
word, giving his son the world.

There was silence then Tripp remarked, “I’m
fourteen.”

“I know, Tripp,” Rocky replied.

“I turn fifteen next month,” he told
her.

“Yeah? What do you want for your birthday?”
Rocky asked.

“Milky Way cake,” Tripp answered.

“That can be arranged,” Rocky stated.

“You were fourteen too,” Tripp noted and
Layne watched Vera’s hand shoot out and clutch Devin’s knee, she
knew what he was referring to, they all did.

Layne’s body went alert, ready to move in
case this went bad.

“Sorry, honey?” Rocky asked.

“When it happened… uh, with your Mom,” Tripp
answered.

“Tripp,” Jasper said low, a warning.

“It’s okay,” Rocky whispered. “Yes, Tripp, I
was fourteen.”

“Dad was shot,” Tripp announced and Layne
started moving but Devin’s head jerked around again, he shook it
sharply as his arm went around Vera.

“I know,” Rocky said softly.

“So, um… I just want you to know, uh… well,
it wasn’t the same but… I know,” Tripp stated and Layne, down two
steps, dropped to sit on the landing mostly because, fuck him, his
legs couldn’t hold him up anymore.

“I guess you do,” Rocky replied.

“It’s not the same,” Tripp told her
something she already knew.

“Yes, that doesn’t mean it wasn’t bad,”
Rocky returned. “I was there and I saw you were worried. I know how
that feels. My Dad was shot too.”

“You were there?” Jasper asked. “You were at
the hospital when Dad was shot?”

“You didn’t see me but, yes, I was
there.”

“Wow, totally missed that,” Tripp
muttered.

“Dad says that him getting shot tweaked
you,” Jasper remarked.

“Yes, Jas,” Rocky confirmed and Layne could
tell she was smiling, “it
tweaked
me.”

“’Cause you were into him, even though, you
know, you guys had broken up,” Jasper stated.

“Yes, Jas, I was into him,” Rocky
confirmed.

“All these years, right?” Jasper pushed.

“Does that make you feel weird?” Rocky
asked.

“No, it’s cool. I’m a dude but girls say
Dad’s hot,” Jasper answered. “So, I can see that’d make you stay
into him.”

“Yes, your father is hot and that’s part of
why I stayed into him,” Rocky now sounded like she was trying not
to laugh. “Though, just an FYI, Jas, you look like your father,
you’re very good-looking but that isn’t the reason why Keira likes
you.”

“It isn’t?” Tripp asked.

“Nope,” Roc answered.

“Why’s she like him then?” Tripp asked.

“We already talked about it,” Rocky
answered, “because he’s sweet.

“No, she digs my six-pack,” Jasper informed
them and Layne pressed his lips together as he saw his mother’s
back go straight and Devin’s back start shaking with silent
laughter.

“Jasper Layne, I do not want to think of why
Keira Winters would know you have a six-pack,” Rocky stated
severely.

Jasper, always quick, replied, “She saw me
at a pool party last summer.”

This was not true. As far as Layne knew,
Jasper didn’t attend a pool party last summer.

“I hope that’s it,” Rocky muttered.

“What I don’t get is,” Tripp started,
obviously helping his brother out changing the subject, “shit
happens for a reason.

“Sorry?” Rocky asked.

“Well, you and Dad had a thing and he, like,
has photos of you. He showed us one. And, you know, it was kind of
meant to be, you know?” Tripp said.

“I think so,” Rocky responded
hesitantly.

“What I’m sayin’ is, like, see, Dad got shot
which tweaked you, so, that happened for a reason. I mean, it isn’t
good, you know, Dad having to get shot and you gettin’ tweaked and
all but, since you guys were meant to be,
something
had to
happen for you guys to get back together and I reckon it had to be
big,” Tripp explained.

Layne felt his chest start burning and he
noted his mother’s head had fallen to Devin’s shoulder but this
didn’t penetrate as he listened to his son and his woman.

“Yes, honey, now I understand so I guess
you’re right,” Rocky replied.

“So, what I don’t get… and, what really
sucks… is your Mom died for no reason,” Tripp went on, Vera’s head
shot up, Layne’s body shot up and so did Devin’s.

Devin turned and shook his head at Layne and
Layne scowled at him but held himself in check.

“Sometimes,” Rocky said softly, “sometimes,
I guess, stuff happens for no reason.”

“Our Mom can be harsh,” Tripp declared.

“Uh… okay,” Rocky replied.

“But, it’d suck, losin’ her,” Tripp
finished.

“She’s a good Mom and she loves you like
crazy,” Rocky told him.

“Yeah, that’s why it’d suck,” Tripp
stated.

“You won’t lose her,” Rocky assured him.
“So, you shouldn’t think about that.”

“I’m not thinkin’ about that. I’m just
thinkin’, I’m sorry you lost yours,” Tripp returned.

Layne closed his eyes again.

“I’m sorry too, Tripp,” Rocky said.

“I am too, Roc,” Jas put in. “You’re the
shit so I reckon your Mom taught you to be the shit so I bet she
was cool.”

Layne opened his eyes.

“Yep, Jas, she was super-cool,” Rocky
replied.

“Will you show us pictures of her?” Tripp
asked.

“Sure, honey,” Rocky answered.

“Cool,” Tripp muttered.

There was silence and Layne started to move
but something happened, something he couldn’t see but it was
something big and Layne stopped when Tripp spoke again.

“I gotta say somethin’,” he announced.

“What, honey?” Rocky asked.

“You’re gonna think I’m a dork,” Tripp told
her.

“It’s impossible for you to be a dork,
you’re Tanner Layne’s son and just like him, so there is no way you
could be a dork,” Rocky assured him.

“You think I’m just like Dad?” Tripp asked,
his voice intense.

“Sure, a younger version of him, maybe, but
yes.”

“I don’t look like him,” Tripp noted.

“So?” Rocky prompted.

“Jas does,” Tripp remarked.

“Yes, he does but that doesn’t mean Layne
didn’t give you both the best parts of him and those have nothing
to do with how hot he is,” Rocky stated.

There was silence and then Tripp said
quietly, “That right there is why I gotta say somethin’ dorky.”

“So say it, Tripp, jeez,” Jasper
prompted.

“Okay, Jas, but it’s gonna sound stupid.”
Tripp was hesitant.

“Just say it, dude,” Jasper pushed.

“Okay, well… yesterday sucked and I didn’t
like watchin’ you go through that, Rocky, and I was thinkin’ last
night about it and thinkin’ I didn’t like watchin’ that but why
wasn’t because it sucked, you havin’ to go through that but because
you were hurting and I didn’t like watchin’ you hurt so I reckon
that means I love you,” Tripp announced, that burn in Layne’s chest
deepened significantly and Tripp went on. “So, I know that’s dorky
but your Mom died and my Dad got shot so I guess you should tell
people how you feel so they know.” He paused. “So see, stupid.”

There was again silence before Layne heard
Rocky reply. “Not stupid, baby, and thank you. That feeling is
mutual… for both you guys.”

“Cool,” Tripp whispered.

“Yeah, cool,” Jasper repeated, also on a
whisper.

Layne was done so he moved down the stairs,
his head turned to the right and he caught sight of them the minute
the stairwell opened up. He was right; they were all on the big
sectional. Rocky against the back, near the corner, legs curled up,
facing Tripp who was sitting with his back to a cushion, his legs
stretched out in front of him, feet crossed at the ankles. Jasper
was lying full out on his back close to the foot of the couch with
Blondie stretched out beside him, on her back, with all four of her
legs hanging in the air.

Eyes came to him, including Blondie’s,
excluding Jasper’s.

“Hey Dad,” Tripp called.

“Pal,” Layne replied.