“Sebastian,if you ever decide to stop drumming, you really should do something with yourcooking,” Jane complimented, treating herself to another chicken kebab.
“Youcould have a cooking show,” Tabby chimed in, plucking a slice of grilledzucchini from the skewer. “You could even incorporate music with food.”
Ileaned back in the patio chair, tipping my head to face the evening sky. “Beatsand Eats.”
Greyson,with his mouth full, pointed excitedly over the table. “Eat the Beat!”
“Ilike it,” Tabby commented, tugging her bottom lip between her teeth andnodding. “We should make this happen. When are you retiring?” She reached overto nudge her knuckles against my arm. Every touch from her was an electricfire, straight to my heart.
“Frommusic?” I raised my brows incredulously. “Thumbelina, that ain’t ever happening,but if one of you wants to follow me around in the kitchen with a camera, we couldget something going on YouTube.”
“That’seven better!” Greyson shouted. “Then you don’t need to follow any TV rules. Youcould curse all you wanted and—”
“Oh,great. This idea just went to hell,” Tabby groused, shoving her chair out fromthe table. “I need to give Roman a call.”
OhGod, that fucking guy. “Why?” I found myself asking. “We’re eating.”
Turningto face me, her eyes squinted and her jaw ticked. She replied, “Because I toldhim that I’d call now. I’ll be right back.”
“Itcan’t wait until after?” I challenged, pressing my lips into a firm line. “Isit really more important than the four of us having dinner together right now?I mean, I don’t know, but I’d think you’d want to have dinner with us before wedon’t see you for a week. Maybe that’s just me though.” I shrugged casually,and reached out to grab another kebab from the center of the table.
Tabbyshoved her chair back in. “Fine,” she snapped, continuing to stare at me. “I’llcall him after.”
Janelaid a hand over Tabby’s. “Family always comes first, honey. Work comessecond.”
“See?”I pointed my skewer across the table. “That’s exactly what I was thinking.”
Aswe were cleaning up after dinner, Tabby stood in the doorway of Jane’smagnificent kitchen and crooked a finger, beckoning for me to follow her. “Ineed to talk to you,” she demanded in a voice that told me I was either aboutto receive a serious beating, or the most furious sex of my life.
“What’sup, dearest?” I asked, a sarcastic bite to my tone as I followed her intoSandy’s chinchilla room.
Tabbyclosed the door behind her, then prodded a firm finger into my chest. “Listento me right now, Sebastian. You have no right to dictate when I should orshould not work. I am trying very hard here to sell two houses, one of which isseveral hours away. So, when Roman, who is a very busy man, for yourinformation, wants to talk to me at a specific time, Ineedto talk tohimthen. Do you understand me?”
Standingtall and brushing her finger from my chest, I nodded. “Yeah, I understand you. You’resaying that your job,Roman, is more important than celebrating the factthat your nephew managed to get through this schoolyear, despite everything he’sbeen through.”
Hermouth dropped open, anger singeing the embers in her eyes. “How dare—”
“Wait.”I held up a finger. “I just remembered something else,” and she sighed,gesturing for me to get on with it. “You’re about to have two months all toyourself. Two months to sell houses, call Roman, meet with Roman, do whateveryou want to do with Roman—”
“Whatthe fuck is your problem with Roman?” Tabby interjected, pinching her brows andtightening her lips. “Any time I mention him, you get like this.”
“Idon’t have a problem with Roman,” I insisted, and I think I almost believed it.“But Idohave a problem with you allowing him to cross over into thetime you should be devoting to your family. I don’t care how fucking busy orimportant his life is.Nothingshould be more important to you than thatkid and knowing that, by some fucking miracle, he still passed this year.”
Istruck against something inside of her with that. I knew it by the way she laida hand against her chest, before covering her mouth with the other. I thoughtmaybe I had pushed it too hard. After all, Greyson had suffered the same heartacheshe had. They were both coping and dealing with the losses, and who the fuckwas I to criticize the way she handled it from her end? Hell, maybe work washowshe coped.
Noticingthe tears clinging to her lashes, I shook my head, ashamed I’d been such athoughtless asshole. “Tabby … Fuck, I’m sorry. That was a dickish—”
“No,”she shook her head furiously. “No. You’re right. You’re absolutely right.”
Ishuffled my feet against the dirty chinchilla floor. “Can I, uh, get that inwriting?”
“Shutup,” she groaned, blinking the tears away. “All I’ve had as a distraction hasbeen work. I know I haven’t been the most attentive to Greyson. But, …” Sheemitted an aggravated huff, shaking her head. “You know, I know I haven’t saidit, but, thank you.”
“You’rethanking me for pissing you off?” I tipped my head, eyeing her questioningly.
“No,idiot,” she shook her head, stepping toward me and wrapping her arms around mywaist. “I’m thanking you for helping us so much.”
Thiswas my favorite. When she hugged me and pressed her cheek to my chest, and I quicklywrapped my arms around her shoulders, kissing her hair and pulling in the scentof flowers and spring. “How the hell have I been helpingyou, other thanbestowing upon you the gift of my magic dick?”
