Page 59 of Broken Warrior
I shrug. “He’s yours now, bud. Go for it.”
“I’m gonna name him Spider!”
Tate giggles as she wipes her eyes. “Did he have a name?”
I smirk. “Spider.”
“No way.”
“Hand to god. Contrary to popular belief, I’ve been called Spider way longer than anyone else has had a nickname. Started with my love for them, kept going when I had a few tarantulas growing up, stuck once everyone realized I’m pretty freaking agile for almost seven foot.”
Tate smiles at me for a beat before she rolls her lips between her teeth. “That’s really thoughtful, Fin. Thank you for giving James something so special.”
“Yeah, thanks, Fin!” My little buddy shouts as he hugs me again. “Spider is so cool!”
I smile into his shaggy dark hair, breathe in that hint of baby scent that lingers there. “I’m glad you like him.”
“I love him!” James lets go and hops off the chair and takes off down the hall. “And I love you too. I’m so glad you’re at my house!”
Fuck.
Just hearing James say that, even as he tears out of view has my heart floating on cloud fucking nine, and if I’m not careful, I’m going to start making moves Tate might not be ready for me to make. Neither of us are ready formarry me and let me adopt your sonjust yet, but goddamn am I hoping we get there.
Which is exactly why I take a deep breath, clear my throat and refocus on my dark angel. “So—“
“I’m really glad you’re here too, Fin.”
I blink at Tate, rub the back of my neck and nod. Damn, they are going to make it impossible for me to talk around the lump in my throat created by words like the ones they just spoke. I don’t remember the last time someone—aside from my Wulven brothers—really wanted to have me around, were genuinely glad I was with them, and claimed to be excited about hanging out with me. I’ve been a miserable, hollow piece of shit for so long that I forgot people don’thaveto hang out with me. There’s no obligation or requirement to fulfill, not even for the guys, and there are people right in front of my face, people who have been there all along as well as ones I just met, thatchooseto be around me because theywantto. And realizing this right now, right here with this amazing woman and her equally amazing son, has me ready to weep my gratitude all over the place, something I definitely won’t be able to talk through. I have to though, I have to talk a hell of a lot because hopefully tonight is the night Tate and I share our darkest secrets, bare our souls, and decide whether or not we can or want to try for a relationship in spite of everything we’ve been through—separately and together.
No pressure, though.
“Me too.”
She gives me another gorgeous smile as I walk to the island and sit. “I hope you’re hungry. I started dinner early because I’ve...” Tate bites her lip. “Well, to be totally honest, I’ve been anxious and needed something to keep me from playing out every worst case scenario possible.”
Tate blushes as I arch a brow and fight my own nerves, swallowing hard at the idea that she might not think this will work. “Like what?”
“I don’t know.” She shrugs then throws a couple of steaks on the grill part of her stovetop.
“Tate...”
“Just, I... I don’t know, I was just worried that maybe after... you might not...” Another shrug.
God, we are so similar it’s ridiculous.
I wait for her to turn back to me, dark eyes downcast but still looking at me. “There is literally nowhere else I want to be, and no one else I want to be with. Tate, you and James, you’re...”—my entire fucking world—“You’re the only people I want to spend time with.”
She lifts her eyes, those deep dark pools swimming with tears, but happy ones, judging by the smile she’s giving me. “Us too. We missed you,I’vemissed you so much and just having you here now makes my heart so happy.”
Fuck me, man. Whether guys swoon or not, I will happily admit Finlay Tavish MacAllister definitely swoons over Tate Elizabeth Covington. I swoon fucking hard over this girl.
We stare at each other, probably longer than normal, then she blushes down to her toes, giggles and turns back to dinner. Dinner that smells phenomenal.
“So what’s on the menu?”
She grabs a soda from the fridge along with a few other things, sets it down in front of me then continues cooking. “My take on surf and turf.”
“Yeah?” My mouth is already watering. “Give me the details, talk foody to me.”
