Loving a Bad Boy (50 page)

Julio stepped forward, offered Smoke his
hand. Smoke took it. “Thanks, much appreciated,” Julio said. He was
touched knowing that he had peeps who watched his back, not because
it was their jobs, but because they cared about him.

He turned and offered the same to Red. “Much
appreciated.”

Red squeezed his hand. “No problem, I had
fun.”

Julio pointed at a picture on the wall. “Is
that Ross’s son?” Julio asked to break the somberness of the
mood.

Smoke pivoted to see the photo. “Yeah, that
his little man. He’s much bigger now, so’s his daughter. Rumor has
it Cherise is pregnant again. She won’t admit to it even though
she’s getting bigger every day.” Ross and Cherise had gotten
married right before the arrival of their son. Julio could only
imagine the trouble the wives of his friends got into.

“
How’s Denise and the
girls?” Julio smiled and nodded as Red went on about his family. In
the back of his mind he wondered if he and Pam would ever have
stories to tell about their children’s escapades. He knew if she
carried the Huntington gene they wouldn’t have kids. After seeing
videos on the devastation of the disease, he was okay with that. On
one level he knew Pam was enough for him. But would he be enough
for her? She was such a nurturing person that he worried how she’d
handle the news if she tested positive.

“
You coming?” Smoke asked,
tapping him on the shoulder.

“
Where?” He noticed Red
had stepped outside the trailer.

“
Lunch, you got other
plans?” Smoke asked.

“
Nah, like I said, I’m
waiting for a call. I’m good 'til it comes.” Julio straightened and
turned toward the door, but was stalled by Smoke’s hand on his
shoulder. He glanced at his friend.

“
Tonight,” Smoke said in
his no-nonsense voice. “Me and you, we talk. Something’s different.
Normally, I let shit slide with you. But I think we need to
talk.”

Julio released a deep breath as a knot of
tension drained. “Yeah, that’d be good.” In hindsight, he realized
coming to talk with Smoke had been what this trip was about. Tex
was too close to Pam. She’d saved his life and he thought of her as
a little sister. Francisco was all about the Cartel, and Julio
didn’t want to hear it right now. He needed an objective ear, and
that’s what he’d get from Smoke.

They left for lunch with the promise of a
late into the night talk.

Chapter 30

Pam sat on the side of the bed, her head
hung low as she rubbed her mom’s thin hand. A thousand things left
unsaid went through her mind. Heart heavy she listened to the
irregular breathing with intermittent gulps for air. Her mom
rejected everything that would make this easier for her.

After years taking care of hospice patients,
she knew the signs. Lenora Burrows was dying and it broke Pam’s
heart. Julio had made sure she had her phone and all the calls from
Mrs. Ollie, her boss and Tara didn’t ease the pain.

“
Pammie?” her mom’s voice
was just above a whisper.

“
Mama,” she said in an
even softer tone. Glad to have this last moment to say
good-bye.

“
I love you.”

Tears coursed down Pam’s face. This was the
clearest mama had spoken since she’d returned to the island.

“
I love you,
too.”

“
Find a good man, one
who’ll love you as much as your daddy loves me.” Her eyes cleared
and for a fraction of a moment, Pam saw the woman who’d ran after
her as a child and tucked her in at night.

Her throat squeezed. She’d introduced her
mom to Julio but it’d been brief and no doubt her mom didn’t
remember. Thinking of him brought a smile to her lips. She leaned
forward, sure her mom would understand the reference. “Mama, I’m in
love with a bad boy.”

A small smile inched up her mom’s face. “Me
too, honey. Me too.”

Pam smiled through teary eyes, glad for this
brief connection. The door opened and her daddy walked in, his eyes
wet. She wondered how long he’d been at the door.

“
Zach? How’s my bad boy?”
Her mama lifted her hand. He moved quickly, took it and kissed the
back of it. “Love you,” she whispered.

He choked and cried, holding her hands
tighter. “Baby, I love you so much. Don’t leave me.”

Tears falling, Pam watched her father lay
beside her mama and left the room.

****

Julio stood in the lobby of the five story
building holding Pam’s hand. His eyes rested on Pete and Hog, who
stood a decent distance away. “It’s going to be okay, Baby,” he
said for what had to be the hundredth time.

“
I know,” she said,
trembling. “I’m still scared. What if they say I have
Huntington’s?”

He wrapped his arms around her to stop the
trembling. “Then we return home and finish planning our
wedding.”

For a moment, she stopped shaking and looked
up at him. The past month since she'd buried her mama had been
tough. She’d lost weight in the Bahamas. But her eyes never lost
their fire as they searched his face.

“
Okay,” she said in a
steadier voice. “I can do this.”

“
We can do this,” he
corrected as they proceeded to the elevator.

An hour later, a totally different Pamela
Burrows emerged from the doctor’s office. The awful disease had
died, in her family at least, with her mother. She was
Huntington-free.

“
I love you so much,” she
said, pressing kisses on Julio’s face in the elevator. He smiled
and let her have her way. His much reserved future bride would be
mortified if she knew how far her skirt had risen on her thighs.
Staring in the mirrors over her head, he enjoyed the
view.

Miguel and Tex met them at the car. Tex’s
face was stoic until Pam smiled at him.

“
I’m good,” Pam sang as
she launched herself into his arms.

Pete and Hog stood nearby, watching with
smiles on their faces.

Pam slid into the back seat. Julio sat next
to her. “Baby, I think I know what I want to do with my time and
training,” she said, leaning against his shoulder.

“
Anything, just as long as
you remember what I told you.” His midnight conversation with Smoke
had cleared up a lot of things for him. He’d returned to Miami
focused on what was important.

First thing, he’d manned up about his job.
He was good at it, plus he couldn’t change it, so he'd reorganized
things so that his wife would be safe and still enjoy her life. He
accepted that he deserved some happiness and love as well. Pam gave
him both of those in spades. While he couldn’t share business or
much time with his friends in Michigan, they were his friends.

“
I know working too far
from home might be risky, but I’d like to get involved in
research.”

His brow rose in surprise. “If that’s what
you want, that’s fine with me.” He leaned over and nibbled her ear.
“Right now, let’s get this wedding done. Your father wants to take
off for a while.”

She nodded as she leaned to the side
offering him additional access to her neck. “It’s in six days, he
can wait.”

“
Hmmm,” he murmured just
before he captured her mouth. “I can’t wait.”

~~End~~

Erosa Knowles has a love for the written
word. Originally from Miami Florida, Ms. Knowles now resides in
North Carolina with her teen-aged son. Two older children are
married and live in North Carolina as well. An avid reader since
college, Ms. Knowles is one of those people who keeps her books as
old friends and has re-read all of them at least once. Many have
been read more often.

Writing stories, creating worlds and
characters fuels my imagination. It is both physically relaxing and
mentally invigorating. Although life got in the way and she had to
postpone her writing, it is the one career she always craved. As a
full time writer, her days are just as full, except now she is
doing what she loves. Reading exciting stories from talented
authors from various genres and writing the stories that tickle her
imagination. Please visit her website: www.erosaknowles.net for
other books.