Page 40 of Her Filthy Grump
Dixon and Vargas tip their beers to them and offer their congratulations.
“How long have you known?” I sit back down and lace my fingers through Kameron’s.
“Four months.” Delaney smiles as Gavin rests his hand on her belly. “We’ve only told our parents and siblings before tonight. We’re so excited to have a sibling for Gabe.”
“Good job, man.” Vargas stands and slaps Gavin on the back back. “I’m going to snag another dog.”
“Go for it. There are plenty left over.”
Kameron lets go of my hand, and for a second, I’m scared he’s going to withdraw, but instead, he places his palm on my back and rubs it in small circles. “Your family is something else.”
“Are none of your siblings married?”
“No.” He shakes his head. “My dad is an only child, and we don’t talk to the other side of the family. When my mother skipped town, her parents blamed my dad for her leaving.”
My face scrunches. How does a whole family implode like that? Who leaves their kids? What grandparents abandon their family? “Where exactly did she go?”
“She went to Vegas and became a stripper.”
My mouth pops open, and I’m surprised a fly doesn’t dive in for a landing. “She became a what?”
Kameron’s hand stills. “She became a stripper. She worked at a casino in town, and some guy filled her head full of lights and big money.”
“Holy hell.” I slap a hand over my mouth. “Shit. Sorry.” I glance around to see if anyone’s paying attention. They’re too busy telling war stories about the station to hear a word of our conversation. “I’m so sorry.”
“Layla, you didn’t do it. It’s not your fault.” He drops his hand and grabs his hot dog.
“I know that.”
“Then, don’t apologize for something you didn’t do.” His eyes are hard for a second before he drops them to his plate.
“Okay.” I nod as a large knot forms in my gut. I don’t want to fight with him, but the things that happened to him at a young age kind of sucked. If I had a magic wand, I’d get rid of them, but I have a feeling that would piss him off. It’s strange, but he seems to cling to those hardships as a shield to keep himself safe. What happens if he lets those walls down?
He lifts the bun to his lips. “Eat.”
“Right.” I grab mine and bite off a piece. My mind drifts as we eat. Can I have a no strings attached relationship with him? No chance. I’m already tied up in strings and bows. The question is, how tangled in knots will I get when one of us unravels?
Chapter Twenty-Four
Kameron
Gavin and Delaney have gone inside to either clean the kitchen or make out. With their son gone for the evening, I’m betting on the latter. Everyone else has left.
I grab Layla’s hand and pull her up from the picnic bench. “Let’s take a walk.”
Her eyes dart around the yard. “It’s not that big.”
I waggle my eyebrows. “I beg to differ.”
“That’s what she said.” Layla laughs and settles against my side.
The fact she gets my reference to one of my favorite television shows makes another small chink in my armor. I’ve spent the last few weeks binge-watching the show when not on call.
“Are you going to go out with me?” I nuzzle my chin against the top of her head.
“I would think that’s pretty obvious at this point.” She gazes up at me. I can barely make out her expression under the streetlight, but it appears to hold more than lust. It would be easier if that were her only emotion, but I’m afraid I’m playing with fire.
“Where do you want to go for our first date?” I stop and pull her into my arms.