9.

Your stomach thinks all potatoes are mashed.

Dice

D ICE

If I had run into either of the women in front of me on the street, I would have known without a doubt that they were related to Cydney. I probably would have thought they were her older sisters and not her mother and aunt, but the resemblance was so strong that it was like looking into the future and seeing what Cydney would look like in twenty years.

“Sweetheart, this is Dice. Dice, this is my wife, Mrs. Mason,” Grady said as he rested his arm over Cydney’s mom’s shoulders. He pointed at the other woman and said, “That’s Cydney’s Aunt Izzy.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you both,” I said as I offered my hand to them. “Is Cydney here?” Before either could reply, I heard Cydney throwing up near the back of the house and glanced that way. Without thinking, I started walking toward the sound and said, “I’ll go check on her.”

As I walked through the house to find Cydney, I looked around at the decor and found that it gave me quite a bit of insight into her. There were photos all over the place - snapshots taken of people she loved doing things that they enjoyed. Pictures of women together on their motorcycles or with their bikes in the background, pictures of people sitting together at restaurants or people’s homes, and shots of children playing outside with adults in the background. There weren’t any stuffy photos of people in a studio all dressed up in their Sunday best and pretending to be happy for the camera.

She had some art here and there, if that’s what you wanted to call it. The decorations in the kitchen are what surprised me the most. There were tin signs painted with different food items with sayings like, “I’ve had the thyme of my life” and “Practice what you peach.” Although, my favorite was right beside the door leading to another hall and what I assumed was the bathroom. It had a big hunk of cheese and said, “I don’t wanna sound cheesy, but we look really Gouda together.”

Today was Day One of learning new things about Cydney, and from what I had gathered so far, she was definitely a fan of dad jokes.

There was an awful moan and then I heard the toilet flush right before I came to an open doorway. I turned the corner and found Cydney on her knees in front of the toilet with her head in her hands.

“Hey,” I said quietly, hoping that I didn’t spook her. “Are you okay?”

She cut her eyes to me but didn’t move any other part of her body when she said, “Have you ever had a really bad hangover?” When I nodded, she said, “I’ve had one for a week or so now, and I’m over it. Completely and totally over it.”

“I can understand why,” I said as I walked further into the bathroom and sat down on the edge of the tub. “Is there anything else they can do for you other than the IV you had yesterday?”

“I’m on a couple of different kinds of medicine, so this is actually better than it was a few days ago.”

“That’s horrifying,” I muttered. “Is this normal?”

“If it was, do you think any woman on earth would have more than one kid?”

“Probably not.” I shrugged before I said, “From what I’ve seen of pregnancy and childbirth on movies and TV, I think that humanity would have ended before it really even began if men were the ones who had to go through it.”

“My dad has said a million times that he’s nowhere near as strong as my mom.”

“It’s probably true. He said something close to that when we were talking earlier.”

“You talked to my dad?”

“Oh, yeah. We had a long and very enlightening conversation.” Cydney raised an eyebrow, and I said, “And your Uncle Stoffer, a man named Kale, and another named Bird jumped right in too. I also had a little input from a man named Clem, and then the icing on the cake was when I met a man named Hank and his terrifyingly quiet friend, Grunt.”

Cydney chuckled and then cleared her throat before she said, “Well, you’re here and not limping or bleeding from multiple wounds, so I have to guess that the conversation went well.”

“I’m pretty sure they’re leaving those options on the table, but yes, I’m alive and well for now.”

“That’s good.”

“Are you sure? Your life might be a lot less complicated if I just disappeared.”

“Maybe, but then what would I tell Junior?”

“Junior?”

“Yeah,” Cydney shrugged before she said, “It seems more real if I give it a name instead of calling it . . . well, it, you know?”

“What if it’s a girl?”

“I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it, I guess.”

“If we’re going to start phrasing things a certain way to make them seem more real, then let’s do it across the board.”

“What do you mean?”

“Let’s say that we will cross that bridge when we come to it.”

“I suppose that’s acceptable,” Cydney said. “Will we, though?”

“What?”

“Cross it together?”

“I’d like to.”

“How much togetherness are we talking about here?”

“I don’t get the question,” I said honestly. “What do you mean?”

“Will we be skipping side by side across the bridge or handing off at the airport terminal for holidays and vacations?”

“I guess that depends on what we find out about each other.”

“That’s reasonable.”

“So, Cydney Mason . . . I found out that it’s Mason because your father introduced your mother as Mrs. Mason, by the way.”

“That’s her name.”

“Anyway, Miss Mason, tell me something about you that I don’t know, which at this point could be just about anything. Let’s start with what you do for a living.”

“Why is that question first?”

“Because I’m trying to figure out if I have to shut down the businesses I own in Las Vegas, spend a fortune canceling the contract I signed with the production company, and move my happy ass and all of my employees and their families to Rojo, Texas. Or . . . and hear me out now . . . maybe you have a profession that could transfer to Vegas relatively reasonably with an easier situation than mine.”

“I work for a clothing company.”

“Okay. That’s pretty cool, right? Can you possibly put in for a transfer to a store closer to me, and if there isn’t one, could I possibly invest in said company and help them open one so you can move to Las Vegas?”

“You’d do that?”

“Do what?”

“Just throw your money at a problem and expect it to disappear?”

“Honey, let me tell you a little tidbit about myself that I’m sure you’ll come to realize in the not too distant future. I am a miser. A cheapskate. A penny-pinching tightwad.”

“You are?”

“Why is that so hard to believe?”

“Because a complete tightwad wouldn’t pay the exorbitant amount of money that ink your sporting must have cost.”

“Why do you think it cost a lot?”

“I’ve been surrounded by tattooed men and women my entire life and happen to be good friends with several tattoo artists. I know quality when I see it, and the artwork you’re adorned with is most definitely quality.”

I suddenly felt an almost irresistible urge to preen like a peacock but was able to tamp it down before I said, “Thank you. Your friendship with the tattoo artists explains your ink.”

“How so?”

“Most women wouldn’t let just anyone tattoo them where you’ve got yours, and like I told you that night, you’ve got some fantastic pieces.”

“Thank you again.” Cydney sat up a little straighter and took a deep breath before she said, “I’m glad to see that the man I met in Vegas is real and not a figment of my imagination.”

“Well, considering that you are pregnant, I think it’s obvious that I’m a real person.”

“I meant that I’m happy to find out that you’re a down-to-earth guy and not some raging prick with a God complex just because you’re on television.”

“Did I come off that way when we met the first time?”

“No, but anybody can be what they want others to see for a short amount of time.”

“Are you really the person who I met in Las Vegas?”

“Yes.No.Sort of.”

“Thanks for clearing that up.”

“You met Cydney with no stress, worries, or responsibilities. The real Cydney only lets loose now and then because she’s got a million things running through her head and all the possibilities that those things could create and entail.”

“Wow. And you work in sales? You sound like a lawyer, not a fucking sales person.”

“I never said I work in sales. I said I work for a clothing company, and I would like to ask that you not insult me in such a way again.” I burst out laughing, and Cydney smiled at me. “Actually, I have some very good friends who are lawyers, but I give them so much shit about being bottom of the barrel humans that I couldn’t help but make that jab even though they aren’t in hearing distance.”

“If you’re not in sales, then what exactly do you do for said clothing company?” Before Cydney could answer, I said, “You’re a model.”

It was Cydney’s turn to laugh as she shook her head. “No. I’m not a model. I’m a businesswoman.”

“Come on, Cydney. Stop hedging and tell me what you do for a living.”

“I am the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Mason Enterprises.”

“That’s a clothing company?”

“Some of it. I asked the other day if you’ve ever heard of Glimmer, Glitz, or Gradient but then we got sidetracked.”

“I remember that.”

“Well, Mason Enterprises is a business that was started by my grandmother, and when she retired, my father took over. Now, he’s gradually stepping back so that my siblings and I can take the reins.”

“That biker . . .” I pointed toward the living room as I slowly blinked at Cydney since words had somehow escaped me. Finally, I asked, “The biker that threatened to kill me if I broke his little girl’s heart is the CEO of a major company?”

“Yes.”

“Holy shit.”

“Why is that so hard to believe? You said you were a businessman, and I am going to go out on a limb and say that you don’t look like what most people would imagine a businessman to be.”

“My clothing company isn’t all highbrow and . . .”

Cydney put her finger up and interrupted with, “We’ll get to highbrow in a second. Right now, I want to know what you mean by my clothing company. ”

“The one I own.”

“And which company is that?” Cydney asked.

“Three 4s.”

“That’s your business?”

“Yes. It’s also the name of my shop in Vegas.”

“I own some of your stuff!”

“And I use your shampoo and body lotion, so I guess we’re even.”

“Your brand plan is out of this world! Who does your marketing?”

I heard someone sigh and then one of the women came around the corner. I was almost sure it was Cydney’s aunt, but since her mom and aunt looked so much alike, I couldn’t be positive. “You were doing so good in the getting-to-know-you department, and now, you’ve got her focused on business. Negative two points in your column, buddy. Come on, Cydney. Brush your teeth, and join the fam in the kitchen.”

“Who all is here?”

“So far, it’s just the four of us, but your brothers and cousins are on their way over for dinner.” I saw Cydney deflate before my eyes until her aunt said, “That’s all. Just them. I promise.”

“Good because I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to stay out of here, and I’d rather the world not know what I sound like when I’m throwing my guts up.”

I stood up and extended my hand toward Cydney before I said, “Madam, if you would be so kind as to accompany me to the edge of the gauntlet and give me a token of your esteem that I can take to my imminent death, I would be much obliged.”

“My brothers aren’t nearly as intimidating as my mom and aunt,” Cydney said as she let me help her stand. She was still for a second, clutching my hand as if it was a lifeline, until she was steady on her feet. “You thought my dad and uncle were bad? Wait until they get their claws into you.”

“Your dad said something along those lines, but I didn’t believe him. I guess he must have been telling the truth.”

“We’re sweet and innocent women who would never hurt a flea,” the woman said with a very fake smile. “Come on, Dice. Let’s have a chat.”

“A token? A lifeline? Can I phone a friend?” I mumbled as I leaned closer to Cydney. I kissed her temple and said, “Help a guy out here, babe. I am the father of your child.”

“You haven’t even questioned that.”

“Why should I?”

“What if I’m a money grubber or something?”

“Then I guess I’d be fucked, wouldn’t I?”

◆◆◆

“Your family is definitely interesting,” I said as I stepped out onto Cydney’s front porch.

“They like you.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Well, you’re still breathing, so that’s a pretty good indication.”

“I learned a lot about you this evening.”

“Not all of it was good,” Cydney mumbled. “My brothers like poking me until I explode.”

“I hear that’s what brothers are good at.”

“What was the most surprising thing you learned about me?” Cydney asked.

“That you’ve got an open mind, but you’re a very savvy businesswoman, which makes it easier for me to ask you what I’m about to ask.”

“And what are you going to ask?”

“Can we do this? You and me?”

“Together together or just as co-parents?” Cydney asked.

“Relationships have been built on shakier ground, I’m sure, but I have a proposition for you that will suit your analytical mind.”

“What’s that?”

“Give me this week to get to know you on your turf, and then give me a week to get to know me on mine before you completely dismiss the thought of us working out.”

“You mean dating?”

“No, Cydney, I mean getting married and living happily ever after while we raise our kid together.”

“That’s quite a leap considering we barely know each other.”

“That’s why I asked for this week and another to get started. By then, we’ll know if we want to keep exploring or if we should figure out another path.”

Cydney looked thoughtful for a minute and then nodded. “I can do that.”

“It’s a deal?” I asked.

“Yes.” Cydney stuck her hand out for a handshake, and I put mine in hers and clutched it before I pulled her closer to me. She gasped at the quick movement, but I held her close with one arm around her lower back. “What are you doing, Kenny?”

“I’m going to kiss the mother of my child.”

“I’m not sure that we should muddy the waters like . . .”

I laid my lips on Cydney’s and put all the frustration I’d felt over the last month into the kiss I gave her. She kissed me back with the same fervor, and by the time I lifted my head to look down into her gorgeous brown eyes, we were both breathless.

“I’m not afraid to get a little dirty, Cyd. Are you?”

Cydney smiled before she stood on her tiptoes and leveled her lips with mine. “I never have been, and I’m not about to start now.”