Page 62 of Unbound
“Do they like each other?”
Raven shrugs. “Not really. Lyric laughs all the time and Chevy, he’s completely serious all the time. Now, you’ll have to excuse me.” She stands and straightens her dress out, pulling at the hem attempting to cover her thighs. It’s useless, and I wonder if Tyler knows she’s wearing this dress tonight. “I have date with a rubber dick party.”
I choke on my own spit when I attempt to speak and then end up coughing. “A what?”
“Rubber dick party. That’s not the technical name, but it’s like sex toys or something.”
I look down at the floor, making no eye contact. I can’t talk about this is her. “Is Sophie going?”
“Yep.”
Nova bounces into the room in her pajamas and stops when she sees Raven’s dress. I’m thankful she came in the room though.
She eyes Raven’s chest and then cups her own non-existent boobs. “I can’t wait until the boob fairy comes to see me!”
Red comes into the room and gives Nova a light shove. “You’re not getting boobs. Ever.”
She points in his face. “Dream crusher.” And then she looks at me. “Do you want my baby brother. I don’t like him.”
“You can’t give him away,” Red tells her, sitting next to me on the couch. He hands me a rag. “Besides, Uncle has a weak stomach. Baby puke makes him nauseous, he can’t handle Chevy.”
Nova rolls her eyes. “Whatever.”
When she’s out of the room and it’s just us with the boys on the floor with their blocks, Chevy attempting to build something by stacking them and Lyric watching, Red bumps my shoulder. “Can you play at the reception?”
“Me?” With wide eyes, I twist my head to look at him. I’m shocked by his request. Up until a few days ago, Red’s never acknowledged my music. Ever. And now he wants me to play at his wedding?
“Yeah, you. Think Beck and Linc would come down?”
No. I don’t think they will, but for the last few days I’ve come to the conclusion, them forcing me away was their way of having my back. They knew I needed to come home and find myself.
“I can ask them.”
He nods, his eyes moving from mine to the boys. “Okay.”
I don’t miss the significance of what he’s asked me either. It’s rooted deep inside my chest like a pressure, and my eyes burn because whether I wanted to admit it, I’ve always wanted Red’s approval with my music. I look up to him in so many ways and for him to finally acknowledge my music, it’s more than he can ever imagine to me.
“What song were you thinking for your first dance?”
Chevy fusses on the floor when Lyric knocks his blocks over. Red reaches down and grabs his serious little boy and brings him to his lap. Inside the pocket of the flannel he’s wearing, he pulls out a wrench and hands it to Chevy.
Red swallows, the nerves beginning to show. “She really likes this song called “Are We in Trouble Now”. It’s a Randy Travis song.”
I make a face. “I don’t… I’m not great at country.” And then I look to Chevy who has the wrench in his hand like it’s a chew toy, drenched in slobber.
He shrugs. “It’s a perfect song. See what you can do. You’re good at the rough acoustic. Maybe something like that? It’s not like you have to mimic Randy Travis. Just that song, and the lyrics mean a lot to her.” He laughs and takes the wrench out of Chevy’s hand when he hits him in the temple with it. “She even rocks Chevy to sleep to it so I thought you know, it’d be perfect.” Another shrug. “If not, we’ll just play it off one of our phones or something.”
I’m taken back by his vulnerability. I’ve never in my life seen Reddington Walker nervous, and I’m not even sure how to process it. Drawing in a quick breath, I hold up my phone. “Let me make some calls.”
When Red walks away, I’m left in the living room with Lyric, who’s now attempting to stack the blocks. I know it’s time to call Beck. I’ve put it off for too long.
Just when I’m about to, Tyler comes inside the house, wiping his boots on the doormat inside the foyer. “Did you see what your fucking sister wore to the bachelorette party?”
I laugh. Once. “Uh, yeah.”
He glares. “Do you know where they’re going?”
“Something about rubber dicks. I don’t know.”
