Total pages in book: 155
Estimated words: 146392 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146392 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 732(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
“So give her time. Sit back, take care of her. Put her first,” Boomer advised. “And think, really think, about the future. I understand you went through something hard. You might not always feel this way. I don’t know how a relationship with her will work if you’re both in such high-stress jobs. You’ll be apart more than you’re together. That’s a lot of strain on a relationship.”
“I’m going to ask my uncle to have me moved onto the team as part of their military detail.” He’d made the decision as he’d sat in the lounge the night before. Cooper and Zach had been joking around and he’d felt like part of them, more than he’d felt on any team he’d ever been on. “And I’m going to take some language classes so I can help out more. Lou can bring me up to date on tech, and I’ll find a way to be more than cannon fodder. I know I shouldn’t ask for favors, but…”
“Your mother will be thrilled.” Boomer’s head shook and Molly’s with him. “I don’t understand why you kids won’t accept that we did a lot of work so you would have it easier than we did. I know the word privilege gets kicked around a lot, but I assure you your mom and dad didn’t do what they did, make the sacrifices they made, so you would be out there on your own. Your uncle wants to help.”
“Dumbass,” Molly said.
Such a judgmental bird. “Well, I’m going to take every advantage I can get, but what if Lou doesn’t want me on the team?”
“Ask her. I think you’ll be surprised. You making that step might give her some solid ground to stand on.” Boomer looked him over. “Are you sure, TJ?”
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. I know what I can give her now. I thought I had to be as smart as her or as ambitious. I think she’s my ambition, making sure Lou has what she needs to do the work she does—that’s my ambition. If what she needs is me staying home with the kids and figuring out how to cook for all of us, then I’ll be the best stay-at-home dad I can be, and I’ll make my cousin teach me how to handle myself in a kitchen. I know people will look down on me and I let that affect me for a long time, but now I have one question. Why? Why should anyone look down on people who are trying to figure out what’s right for them? What’s best for their partnership and their family? Lou has so much to give the world and I have so much to give her. That’s enough for me, and if anyone thinks differently, they can fuck right off.”
“Your uncles will tease the hell out of you.”
TJ waved that off. “They do that no matter what. They’ll also be proud of me for knowing how to love my wife and my family. After all, they’re the ones who taught me. You and Daphne are good examples.”
A smile crossed Boomer’s face. “I’m afraid we revolve around Lou, too. She’s special. But if Daphne had asked me to quit my job and join her in the bakery because she needed me, I would have done it and not looked back. I would have done it because loving her is the best thing I ever did. Lou is complex, and you’re going to have to navigate that.”
“I can’t give up on us,” TJ replied. “But I can go easier on her. I was wondering how I should play this afternoon. I figured I could bring her a bunch of food she likes or I could top the hell out of her.”
Boomer’s head shook, and he pushed back from the table. “Nope. Too much information. I don’t want to know anything about what you two choose to do in the club or out of it. Just use protection…”
“Wear a condom,” Molly added.
“…and be safe. And I think the food is the way to go. That’s definitely the way you should handle her this afternoon.”
He’d forgotten how fragile the older generation could be. Probably because his mom would have given him advice on exotic lubes and his dad would have been right beside her. Not everyone had such tough parents. “I will definitely feed her. Hey, Lou wanted you to know there’s a half a cheesecake in the fridge. I could get you a piece…or get you a fork. We can talk about the Cowboys. I think they’re looking good this year.”
Boomer sat back down. “I guess I could eat.”
TJ got up and headed to the fridge. At least he knew how to handle one Ward.
Now he just had to figure out the most important one.