Grounding Hunter

HDE--June 24th

      "I bought us a house."  As soon as my ass hit the chair in the little bistro Mom picked, I sunk in and all the words fell out of my mouth.  It was a wonder how I didn't just blurt it out at the airport when I saw Bristol.  "I fucking bought us a house, Ma."

      Mom finished her proper napkin on lap etiquette and patted my hand.   "Oh, Baby."  inner eye roll  "As much as I'd love to see you more, I don't think your father would appreciate if I just up and moved out on him.  He's kinda needy."

      HA HA.  This woman has jokes.

      I'm sure the face I made would make Aspen proud.  Getting comfy in the ridiculously tiny chair, I huff.  "No.  Ma.  Listen.  I saw this girl.  Then I saw this fucking house, bought it, then gutted it.  And now the guys are gonna help me rebuild it after we finish Beau's.  I just...I saw it and I saw her in it and I saw a future."  I released a huge breath I didn't even know was inside of me.  "And now--"

      "Now.   You're with her this weekend and you're terrified?"  I'm sure my jaw hit the fucking table.  "Don't even ask how I figured it out.  I'm a mother.  It's our specialty son."

      My mother, ladies and gents.  My fucking mother.

      "I swore, Ma.  I swore after Cass I wouldn't do it again.  I can't fucking get involved.  And now I have a goddamn house."

      "I'm gonna bend you over my knee and tan your hide, Hunter Dane."  I frowned at the woman across from me.  "We are in public.  I know I can't control your mouth at the house or while you're in Virginia, or with your brothers...but heaven help me.  You'll control it for this lunch."  And just like that, goosebumps all up and down my arms.  The best drill sergeants, COs, or five star generals have nothing on Mrs. Teresa Ellington.

      No matter that I'm a grown ass man.  No matter I'm a highly trained, highly skilled fucking assassin.  My mother would bend me over said knee and beat my ass.  She probably still carried a wooden spoon in her purse.

      "Sorry, Momma."  She nods in response.  "I swore after last time."  I shook my head.  Needed to clear it and it just kept getting more fucking muddy, more fucked by the minute.  "There's no good that'll come from it Momma."

      "I know damn well you don't believe any of that horse shit you just flung my way.  And if you do, then I fucking failed."

      "Momma.."

      "Ah ha."  I had a finger wagging in my face.  "I'm the parent."

      "Yes ma'am."  That's all I could say.  This woman raised me and that meant I knew better than to open my mouth to smart off.

      "The last time you came home like this, all nervous and anxious, you ended up going back and buying a ring."  How'd she fucking know that?  My mother just grins.  "Aspen was all too giddy to share that info."

      "How the hell-eck did she know about that?"  I thought Teresa Ellington was all knowing.  I was now thoroughly scared that my baby sister just surpassed her.

      "I don't actually know how she came across that."  I do.  Now that I thought about it, Trenton Maddox has an ass kicking in his future.  "Now tell me the truth.  Why are you terrified?  Buying a house to turn into a home for a girl is serious.  Ranks with or higher than buying a ring."

      And that's exactly why I'm terrified.

      I don't do terrified.  I don't do scared, or giddy, or anxious.   I know how to flip a switch and turn it all off.  I lived there.  Kept everything under wraps.  Cool as a fucking cucumber.  I made life or death decisions on the fucking fly and never batted an eye.  Which, I don't do either because I'm a man.