Page 274 of Bride of Choice

“I- You mean- Are you telling me that you hunted down my advice group peeps for help? On something you found important, that you don’t want to tell me about?” I muttered.

“Yes,” he said simply.

“And, what, you’re still not gonna spill the beans about it?” Was I hearing him right?

“Not yet,” he confessed.

“I don’t know what to say.” I really didn’t.

“Rek not lie. Not be bad,” he was quick to chime in.

“Lie by omission,” I argued.

“Rek do what Rek say. Rek have to take care of important things. That’s what Rek did. See for important things.”

“That you refuse to tell me about,” I grumbled.

“My Joanie will like,” he purred, snuggling me close to scoop me up and nuzzle my neck.

“Will I?” I inquired curiously, doubtfully.

“Yes,” he mumbled into my hair enthusiastically.

“Are you going to explain why you’re trying to pawn me off on others like I need a babysitter?” I questioned.

“Not need babysitter. Need males to protect when Rek not there,” he grunted out.

“It was a wont of protection kind of thing?” Huh. Maybe he was feeling uncertain leaving me to my lonesome with a potential baby on the way and my shadowy Krampus sightings? Mating instincts. I heard Dorothy mention stuff like that a time or two.

“Jo rather play with Doogie?” he teased, lips twitching.

“No, I do not want a play date with Doogie, you dick, as you well know.” Frowning, I muttered, “We haven’t spoken since I went supernova over Celuk’s double lives fibfest. We’re avoiding each other.” Biting at my lip, I admitted, “I don’t want to make the first move.”

“Doogie not avoiding. Celuk make him leave Jo alone,” Rek happily tattled.

“Say what?” I found that hard to believe.

Rek nodded as he toted me along, content to cart me wherever like a sack of flour. “Doogie want say sorry but Celuk say give time. Jo hurt. Doogie no want to. Celuk make him,” he stressed.

“And Dorothy just coming around recently?” I interjected.

Rek snorted at that. “Rothy not afraid of Celuk. Celuk ‘spects Rothy. She ‘spects Celuk. Say to him, ‘nough time. Give Jo back.”

“You sure do know a lot of shit I don’t,” I muttered.

Rek shrugged his wide shoulders. “My Jojo no ask, Rek no tell.”

“You should tell me everything,” I informed him primly, my face puckered into a sourpuss.

Rek grinned down at me at that. “Soon,” he promised, to a grumpy face from me that made him laugh like a maniac.

Chapter 35

As if to grant me my wish, no sooner had Rek taken off on more important business I was to keep my nosy ass out of for the day, a lovely day with enough sunshine and cooler weather to make me sick, a knock sounded on the door.

Wiping sudsy water from my hands as I did my dishes from breakfast, I waited until the second knock to answer.

Doogie stood on my doorstep, looking both worried and excited, his gaze darting about everywhere, anywhere but making eye contact with me.