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“Yes, you’re saying it right, but no, she isn’t my beard.”
“Well, she’s a looker. Put her on the phone, so I can ask her questions.”
“She isn’t in a position to talk to you.”
“Why even tell me if you never planned to let me speak to her?”
“I wanted to give you a reason to keep living.”
“Well, I was planning on doing that anyway.”
Grinning, I sighed. “I’m sorry I haven’t mentioned her before, but things have been uncertain between Goldie and me. Mostly, because we lived in different towns.”
“Are you moving or will she sacrifice for you?”
“I don’t know.”
“That Zodiac fella relies on you,” Jessica said, making me roll my eyes. “Don’t let him down. Get this woman to move to your new house. It’s perfect for a baby. Wait, are you interested in kids?”
“I wasn’t before, but things have changed.”
“Well, I don’t plan to get excited until you’ve brought this woman to see me. I’m not familiar with the dating habits of young people today.”
“Fair enough. I only wanted to let you know that I was safe.”
“If you hadn’t shown up, I would have called your pretty friend, Ojai.”
Chuckling, I thought about how Ojai refused to visit Jessica’s retirement community after the older women “manhandled” him. The guy was too pretty for women to fear. I didn’t have that problem. The older ladies found me intimidating. I made the situation worse by refusing to smile for them. Jessica claimed I was shy because of my “orientation.”
After hanging up, I had no idea how Jessica would explain my girlfriend. I assumed she’d come up with a colorful story to entertain her friends.
I returned to the family room to find Goldie asleep against Blackjack. He was speaking to Hazard. Rowdy, Kat, and their boys had left for naptime. Yarrow stood in the kitchen with Farley and Maria when I entered the area.
Goldie’s mom walked over to me and demanded, “I want to see your house.”
“Right now?”
Yarrow’s crazed expression transformed into an annoyed snarl. “Goldie can’t go right now. Are you trying to be funny?”
“I’m rarely funny,” I said, refusing to soften my stance in the same way I wouldn’t relent with Jessica’s friends. “I don’t understand why you want to see my house this minute.”
“I’m curious. Do you have pictures?”
“No, but Nova probably has old pictures from when it was her house.”
Yarrow’s blue eyes brightened. “Oh, yeah. That’s smart. Now, be quiet. Goldie is sleeping.”
“Should she go to her room where it’s quiet?”
“She’s scared of being alone,” Yarrow said and reached up to touch my scarred cheek. “Did you want to be alone after you got hurt?”
“Yes.”
“Do you not have people to hold you?”
“My mom isn’t the cuddly sort.”
“You poor son of a bitch,” Yarrow said, flipping her mood again and shrugging. “I could hug you if you want.”
