Navy

BEFORE I COULD tell him that the person at the door was delivering flowers, Cade had pulled open my door. “Yeah?”

The young man looked terrified as he mumbled out, “Hi, uh, sir, delivery for Navy Henderson.”

“I’ll take those,” Cade said, and lifted the vase full of roses out of his hands.

“Hold on a second,” I rushed to say, grabbing my wallet from my purse, and pulling out a five dollar bill. I handed it to the kid and smiled. “Thank you.”

“Thanks, ma’am,” he said, heading back down my footpath.

Cade kicked the door shut and carried the flowers into the kitchen. I followed.

“Who are these from?” he asked, setting the vase on the counter.

“No idea.” I stood on my tiptoes to find the card. “You didn’t send them?”

“If I sent you flowers, baby, it wouldn’t be red roses.”

“Oh yeah?” I asked as I continued to look for a card. “What would you send?”

“Wildflowers with extra sunflowers.”

I smiled. “You remember.”

“Everything.”

“Well, there’s no card.” I shrugged. “I’ll call the shop tomorrow and make sure they didn’t miss anything.”

Cade frowned. “It’s not someone fuckin’ with you, is it?”

“By sending me flowers?” I smiled. “Highly doubtful.”

He sighed and I could tell he wasn’t entirely convinced.

I smiled, settling my palm on his chest. “You worry too much.”

Sliding his arm around my waist, he pulled me closer. “I’ve been told that before,” he admitted.

I wrapped my arms around him and smiled. “I have to admit, I like being worried about for a change.”

Leaning down, close to my mouth, almost kissing me, he smiled. “I’d rather not have anything to worry about.”

“You don’t.”

He kissed me and I sighed, melting into him. “You are still so very good at that.”

“You are too.”

Pickles decided she wanted attention, yipping at our heels and tugging on Cade’s jeaned leg with her teeth, so Cade gave me a gentle squeeze then bent down to pick her up. “Excuse me, madam, but I’m having a moment with my woman.”

I shivered, my body thrumming with the ooey gooey goodness those words made me feel. “Your woman, huh?”

“Hell, yeah.” He met my eyes. “Are you good with that?”

“Yes.” I bit my lip. “I’m really good with that.”

“Glad to hear it.” His eyes got soft as he kissed me again. Pickles licked his chin, and he kissed her head before setting her on the floor again. “You want to watch a movie?”

“Really?”

“Yeah, you don’t want to?”

“No, I want to,” I rushed to say. “I just didn’t think you would.”

“Confession?” He smirked. “We need to do something to keep me from fucking you.”

I let out a snort. “You’re seriously making this hard for me, Lumpy.”

He smiled his ‘melt my knickers off’ smile and leaned down to kiss me gently. “You wanna see hard, angel? I’ll show you hard.”

I gripped his shirt and let out a groan. “Now you’re just being cruel.”

“I’m not trying to be cruel, sweetheart, just speakin’ the truth.”

I rolled my eyes, glancing up at him. “The problem, though, is your truth reminds me that I haven’t had an orgasm that wasn’t battery operated in more than four years, and I know that when we finally take it there, my mind will be blown.”

He smiled gently. “Yeah, I’m guessing both our minds will be.”

“Oh, you’re definitely getting blown.”

“Navy,” he hissed out and I couldn’t stop a laugh.

“Payback’s a bitch, buddy.”

He chuckled. “Find a movie and I’ll pour us a couple more drinks.”

I patted his chest. “Sounds good.”

I pulled blankets out of my ottoman and then loaded up an action movie, lifting Pickles onto the sofa next to me. She burrowed under the quilt and settled herself under my hip. Cade brought me a fresh glass of wine, then sat beside me, wrapping his arm around my waist, and pulling me close.

In pure Navy form, I fell asleep ten minutes into the movie.

––––––––

Cade dropped his pencil on the table and let out a frustrated groan. “This is fucking stupid. I’m fucking stupid.”

“You are not,” I countered. “Maths isn’t easy, Lumpy. We’ve just got to figure out how your brain works so I can make it easier for you.”

We were currently sitting in my calculus teacher’s classroom, alone. It was right after my tutoring session with four other students had finished and gone home for the day. Cade had stayed late with me because we were always looking for excuses to spend time together and tutoring was something he needed and I could provide, ergo, a perfect solution.

“Good luck with that. Can’t fix stupid.”

“Stop,” I admonished, squeezing his arm. “Please don’t call yourself stupid. You’re not. You just learn a little differently.”

He sighed giving me a look that relayed he didn’t quite believe me.

“You’re going to get this,” I assured him. “Promise.”

“We’ll see.”

I grinned, opening the algebra book, and scanning the assignment. “Right, let’s try this.”

For the next hour, I tried a few different ways to teach him how to solve the problem, finally finding one, so by the time the teacher walked in to inform us we had to leave, Cade had solved half of them on his own.

“You’re a miracle worker, Navy,” he said as we packed up our things.

I laughed. “Nah, you’re smart, Lumpy. You just needed a different way to see the problem. You solved them, after all.”

After glancing around the room to make sure we were alone, he leaned down and kissed me. “Thank you for helping me figure it out.”

I grinned up at him. “You’re welcome.”

“Come on, I’ll ride home with you.”

Taking my hand, we headed out of the school and walked the block or so to the bus stop.

* * *

Cade

Navy was restless beside me, so I tucked her close. She’d barely made it past the opening credits of the movie before passing out. Even in her sleep she was beautiful and fucking sexy. She was making little mewling noises as she buried her face in my stomach, and I was back to calculating room areas to keep my dick soft.

She let out a quiet chuckle as she slid her arm over my stomach, my muscles clenching with her movement. I glanced down at her and could tell she was totally out. I smiled. Whatever she was dreaming about was making her happy.

I pulled the blanket up around her shoulders, causing Pickles to readjust. She let out a groan of irritation as she settled her chin on Navy’s leg and I whispered, “Don’t wake her.”

“I’m awake,” she said sleepily, burrowing deeper.

“Go back to sleep,” I ordered.

“I’m good right now, thank you, Mr. Bossy Pants.” She gave me a squeeze. “You’re warm and you smell good.”

“Yeah?” I chuckled, sliding her hair from her face and she looked up at me.

“Yes. I could die here.”

“Well, don’t do that,” I said. “I just got you back.”

“Good point.” She smiled, kissing my chest. “No dying for at least sixty or so years.”

“A hundred.”

Navy chuckled. “A hundred? You really want to live that long?”

“If it’s with you? Hell, yeah.”

She pushed up and faced me. “You don’t know me. Not now, anyway.”

“Baby, I know you.”

“It’s been twenty years, Cade. I’ve changed.”

I set my beer on the side table and asked, “You think?”

“Well, yeah. Obviously.”

“You still help people when they need it?”

“I guess.”

“Your job is proof that you do, honey,” I reminded her.

“That’s my job, though.”

I smiled. “Are you trying to tell me you don’t help people outside of work?”

She bit her lip. “Maybe.”

“Mm-hm,” I hummed in disbelief.

“Okay, fine, yes, I help people whenever I can.”

“I know you do.”

Before I could ask another question, her phone pinged, and she snagged it off the side table.

“Everything okay?” I asked.

“It’s my neighbor,” she said as she fired off a text. “She’s eighty and...”

“And?” I pressed when she didn’t elaborate.

“She was letting me know when her follow-up doctor’s appointment is. I’m driving her, which just proved your point.”

I chuckled, squeezing her knee. “Does that bother you?”

“That you know me so well?”

I nodded.

“No, I just don’t want you to saint me, Cade, because I’ve changed, and if I don’t live up to what I’ve become in your head, I feel like I’ll lose you.” She bit her lip. “Again.”

“Sweetness, you’re not gonna lose me. There’s no one around to pull us apart this time.”

“Except each other.”

My blood ran cold. “Stop it.”

She blinked back tears. “I don’t want to screw this up.”

“Baby, we won’t.” I took her hand. “We’ve always talked about everything, even as kids. I promise I’ll do the same. Will you?”

She nodded.

“Okay, that’s ninety percent of what kills relationships, right? Lack of communication, so we got this.”

“Is that what happened with your ex?”

“My ex lied, cheated, and stole from me Navy. Communication was the least of our issues.”

She let out a quiet gasp. “Well, I promise I’ll never do any of that.”

“I’m well aware of that fact, sweetheart.” My phone pealed in my pocket, and I pulled it out and frowned. “It’s my kid. Hey, Dev, you good?”

“No,” he whispered. “Danny’s being a dick. He’s drunk and I think he took some of his mom’s back pills.”

I jostled Navy gently and rose to my feet. “No shit?”

“He keeps trying to get me to drink. It’s not cool.”

“No, that’s not fucking cool.”

“Will you come get me, Dad?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“Does that fuck up your night? I know you had something special going on.”

“No, bud. You’re first. Always. Send me the address.”

“Or I could drop a pin.”

I chuckled. Technology moved too fucking fast for me these days. “Yeah, drop a pin, sure, whatever. Okay. Be there as soon as I can.”

“That sounds serious,” Navy said as I slid my phone into my pocket.

I nodded, grabbing my jacket from Navy’s coat closet, and shrugging it on. “Devon’s ‘friend’ is being an asshole. Gotta go get him.”

She nodded, but her eyes darted back and forth like she was about to panic.

I frowned. “Are you okay?”

I watched her swallow convulsively, before giving me a little nod.

“Baby, you’re lying. What’s going on?”

Her tears started, but she slapped her cheeks like she was trying to drive them away. “Nothing. I’m okay. Really. I just realized you’re walking away again”—she raised her hand when I opened my mouth to talk—“And I know it’s not the same. I know that but it’s taking time for my heart to catch up with my head and so my tears are kind of in sync with my heart right now and I can’t figure out how to turn off the tap.”

I let out a quiet sigh and slid my hand to her neck, pulling her close. “I hate that I’m fucking leaving you like this.”

“It’s okay, Lumpy. I get it and I agree. Devon has to come first.”

I dropped my forehead to hers. “Love you, baby. I swear I’ll call as soon as I can.”

“Love you too. Text me when you both get home safe, okay?”

I kissed her. “I will. Dinner tomorrow?”

“Maybe. Let’s chat tomorrow.”

I stroked her cheek. “Don’t do it, Navy.”

“Don’t do what?”

“Don’t sabotage. I’m right here.”

She nodded, but I could see she was pulling away.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he rasped. “Well, I’m not going far.”

She grimace-chuckled. “Okay.”

“I’ll call you soon.”

She squeezed her eyes shut and nodded quickly before looking at me again. “Okay.”

I stroked her face again and smiled. “You okay?”

“I’m okay. Pickles will keep me company.”

“Lock up behind me.”

She nodded again, then closed and locked the door.

* * *

I raced to Danny’s parents’ place, pulling up twenty minutes later. I’d broken a few speed laws but didn’t give a fuck as I made my way into Beaverton. The front door opened, and Devon slipped out, pulling the door closed tight, and jogging to my truck.

He opened the passenger door and leaned in. “Danny’s really drunk, Dad.”

“Okay, so his parents’ll take care of him.”

Devon grimaced. “Danny’s parents aren’t here, Dad.”

I scowled and my kid raised his hands in surrender. “It’s one of the reasons I called you. He lied to me and when I got here, Uncle Hatch had already left, and I thought his parents would be home in a few hours. But then Danny started drinking and everything went tits up.”

I sighed. “Do you know when his parents are supposed to be home?”

“No.”

“Right. Let’s go check on your idiot friend.”

I climbed out of the truck and followed Devon inside. Danny was face down on the fancy-ass sofa, and he was, in fact, drunk. Wasted was probably a better word, considering the puke by his head. Not yet comatose, but damn close.

“Find his phone, bud,” I directed. “We need to call his parents.”

I turned Danny’s head, so he wouldn’t suffocate, then headed into the kitchen to locate a bowl of some kind because Danny was probably gonna puke his guts out again the second he woke up. Once in the kitchen, I found Danny’s phone charging on the kitchen island, so I grabbed that, found a metal bowl, and called out to Devon as I made my way back to Danny.

Devon met me in the family room, and I grabbed Danny’s hair to lift his head, in an effort to open his phone with face recognition. He was way too fucked up for his phone to register that it was him, so I had to use his fingerprint in the end. Finding his mother’s phone number, I dialed the phone and waited for her to answer.

“Danny, honey, everything okay?”

“It’s not Danny. It’s Cade Wallace, Devon’s Dad.”

“Oh, Mr. Wallace, hello. How can I help you?”

“Well, I got a call from my kid, ’cause he was worried, and askin’ me to pick him up because Danny’s drunk and acting weird and he didn’t feel safe here. And when I arrived, I was shocked to find out that neither of you were here, when I was assured by both of you, personally, that you would be.”

“Right, well, this date opportunity came up quite last minute, and well, you know what it’s like when you’re married with children and you just don’t get enough time alone together?” she asked, then said, “Oh, well, no perhaps you don’t, being a single dad.”

Jesus, this bitch. She didn’t give one shit about her husband and date night. The amount of times I’ve had to physically remove her hand from my ass at school functions proved that.

I gritted my teeth and took a deep breath. “Your kid is currently passed out on your living room sofa. I put a bowl down beside him and turned his head, so he won’t suffocate should he puke... again. I’d suggest you get home though and check him for alcohol poisoning. That shit can come on fast and your son can’t really deal with losing any more braincells.”

“You’re not going to wait there with him?”

“You’re the adult who was supposed to be here, lady. Not my problem you made a bad judgement call.”

I hung up, dropped the phone next to Danny, then Devon and I headed out to my truck.

“Are we really leaving him here alone?” Devon asked.

“No,” I said, and started the engine.

We headed to the end of their driveway and around the corner before I called 9-1-1. It took less than ten minutes for the authorities to arrive, and once they did, I took Devon home.

“Real proud you called me, bud,” I said, as we headed into Hatch’s home.

“Sorry I blew up your night.”

Two of the puppies raised their heads from the bed in the corner and one waddled over to us.

“Are we missing a dog?” Devon asked.

“I took one to Navy’s place. She’s keeping it.”

“Whoa, no way. You gave this chick a dog?”

“Calm down, Dev, it’s not a diamond.”

“Close enough.”

I chuckled. “Ya think?”

“Who is she?” Devon asked.

“Sit down, bud. Let me tell you about her.”

Devon flopped down onto the sofa, and I filled him in on everything about the only love I’d ever known.