Ride or Dye (Curl Up and Dye Mysteries, #6) Read online

  “This is one hell of a way to start off our vacation,” Josh whispered sleepily.

  “It will be one we never forget,” I assured him as I felt sleep creeping up to claim me.

  FALLING ASLEEP NAKED ON Gabe’s chest after a mind-blowing orgasm while he held onto my ass cheeks like I might try to flee in the night was nothing new. We usually woke up after a little catnap, cleaned ourselves up, put on pj pants, and went back to sleep. Waking up in the back of a minivan just before dawn was an entirely new experience.

  “Oh shit,” I said, suddenly jerking up to a sitting position.

  It was followed by Gabe roaring, “Oh fuck!” when I yanked out several of his chest hairs that were stuck in my dried cum, gluing us together.

  “I’m so sorry,” I said, running my hand soothingly over his stinging flesh. “I just realized we’ve been in this minivan all night long. We need to get dressed and sneak back inside the house before the neighborhood wakes up.”

  Gabe jackknifed up in the chair so fast he nearly headbutted me. “Ow,” he said, rubbing his lower back. “These seats are comfortable, but they aren’t made for sleeping in for long hours. Or maybe I’m just starting to feel my age.”

  “You’re not even forty yet,” I replied with a quirked brow. “I would say it’s the awkward position and the one hundred and fifty pounds of dead weight that slept on your chest.”

  Through it all, Gabe had maintained his grip on my ass. He gave me an extra squeeze. “It’s probably why I slept so well.”

  A noise to our left had us both looking out the long window. Our paper girl, Amanda, rode up beside the van and launched our paper onto the porch. Gabe and I froze in place and didn’t say a word, hoping she wouldn’t hear us. The windows were tinted, so I had high hopes she wouldn’t see us. It was the last sort of scandal we needed in our lives. I don’t think we breathed until she was out of sight.

  “That was close,” I whispered. “We need to dress and get in the house before Mr. Sanders across the street begins watering his flower beds.

  “Good call.”

  We shut the moonroof and pulled on our clothes as quickly as we could before hustling up to the front porch. I was happy we were able to get to the house without being seen, but my relief died when Gabe tried to open the door only to discover it was locked.

  “Oh no.”

  “Use your keys,” I said.

  “I didn’t bring my normal set of keys. I only have the ones for the rental van. I didn’t think we’d get locked out of our own home,” he whisper-shouted.

  “One of the dads must have made the rounds and locked the door. Hey, I know. Use the spare key we keep hidden beneath the flower pot. Oh, wait. You won’t let me hide a spare key.”

  “Because I don’t want people trying to murder us in our sleep,” Gabe countered. “Can you wait and bust my balls after we find our way back inside?”

  Every day with this man made me love him more and more. It didn’t matter if we were talking, fucking, playing with our kids, or arguing; I couldn’t imagine a day where I’d look at him and think meh. “You know what we need to do, right? We have to suck it up and ring the doorbell or drive off and buy everything we need for our vacation.”

  Gabe snorted. “Like either one of us is leaving without kissing our children goodbye.”

  “True. You want me to climb the downspout up to the second story and try to climb in our bedroom?”

  “I wouldn’t attempt it with the way this vacation is starting out,” Gabe replied.

  I tipped my head to the side because he was correct. I was about to agree with him when the front door suddenly opened. Al looked at us with wide eyes and a knowing grin.

  “You fellas camp out in the swanky van?” he teased.

  “Not on purpose, Dad,” I told him. “We fell asleep and realized we didn’t have our house keys when we tried to sneak back in.”

  “Life surely is an adventure for the two of you,” Al said, stepping aside so we could enter. “Your mama is up in Destiny and Dylan’s room getting them dressed for the day.”

  “Race you,” Gabe said then took off before I could accept or decline his challenge. Gabe’s body had suffered the brunt of the abuse overnight, so he was no match for me. I reached the nursery before Martina had freed either one of them from their cribs.

  “Good morning,” Martina said, eyeing our wrinkled clothing and haggard expressions. “You boys been out carousing all night long?”

  “Sort of,” I replied sheepishly. “Do you mind if we get the munchkins ready and meet you downstairs?”

  “Of course not,” she said. Then she hugged me tight and kissed my cheek. “I know what a worrier you are, but we have everything covered. You go have an amazing time with your husband. I know it’s hard to leave the kids behind, but believe me when I tell you the break is healthy for both daddies and babies. I promise we’ll stick to your dietary guidelines.”

  “Oh no,” I said. “Am I that bad?”

  “Not at all. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to keep additives and preservatives out of their diets and feeding them organic meats that are free of hormones and antibiotics. You’ve changed the way I look at food. For the better,” she added in case I wasn’t convinced.

  “I still let them eat McNuggets on occasion,” I said. It was a rite of passage after all.

  “We’ll make our own just like you do,” Martina assured me. She then looked at her son. “Drive carefully, and don’t forget to check in when you arrive. Tell Bonita and the girls I said hello.”

  “Bonita!” I said suddenly. “We’re going to Tennessee to see Bonita and your sisters?”

  “Oops,” Martina said then dashed out of the room, leaving Gabe to answer me.

  “We’re passing through Tennessee on our way to our final destination,” Gabe grudgingly answered. “They’re meeting us for lunch, so we better get a move on.”

  “At least I know we’re heading south,” I said smugly. “I bet you’re taking me to some beach resort in Florida so we can be lazy in the sun for a week.”

  “Not even close,” Gabe replied. “You’ll never guess, so save your energy. Help me get these rascals ready then we can give them proper kisses goodbye and get on the road.”

  “What about breakfast?” I asked.

  “We’ll stop for a bite after we hit the road.”

  “It’s a good thing I already packed our bags in advance,” I told Gabe. I picked my little princess up and kissed her cheeks until she squealed in delight. After they had clean butts and clothes on, I traded Gabe so I could give my prince’s cheeks equal smooches. How the hell was I supposed to survive an entire week without kissing their faces? It would be hard, but I was eager to have Gabe all to myself.

  “I’ll pass the babies off to the grandparents while you start the shower.”

  “Coffee, please.”

  “Of course,” I replied. Hardly a morning went by when I didn’t hand Gabe a cup of coffee while he was in the shower. Of course, that was usually followed by mutual blow jobs, but we were already behind schedule, so I settled for toe-curling kisses instead.

  “God, whose life is this?” I whispered in between kisses.

  “Ours,” he answered. “Just enjoy it, Sunshine.”

  Once we were dressed and ready, I pointed to the suitcases in the corner of our bedroom. “I might have overpacked.”

  “You think?” Gabe asked, rubbing his neck while checking out the four suitcases.

  “I wasn’t sure what we would need, but that single suitcase you packed surely wasn’t enough.”

  “Well, we have the room, and who knows where this adventure will take us? Ready to kiss the babies and our parents goodbye and get on the road?”

  “Yep,” I said enthusiastically. “I’m ready.”

  I didn’t cry or cling to the babies after we said our goodbyes. I didn’t repeat their daily routines to grandparents who knew them as well as I did. I reached for my husband’s hand and allowed him to take
me away on a surprise vacation.

  “You’re handling this better than I thought you would,” Gabe said once we backed out of the driveway.

  “Leaving the babies with four grandparents who love them?” I asked.

  “Blindly following me wherever I want to go.”

  “I am a bit of a control freak,” I said, earning a chuckle from Gabe. “I don’t mind following when I trust the leader. There’s no one on this planet I trust more than you.”

  Gabe reached over the console and linked our fingers together. “I will make sure it’s always the case, Sunshine.”

  We stopped at Tim Horton’s for coffee and bagels just before we reached the Kentucky border. Gabe ordered a toasted everything bagel with garden vegetable cream cheese, and I got a double toasted twelve-grain bagel with cream cheese and a thin layer of strawberry jam on top of it.

  “Why not just get strawberry cream cheese?” Gabe asked once we returned to the van.

  “It’s not the same thing at all,” I countered.

  “It’s cream cheese and strawberry jam put separately rather than a cream cheese that already has strawberries mixed with it,” Gabe pointed out. “I hardly see the difference.” So, I held my bagel to his mouth and let him take a bite to see for himself. “Okay, it’s not the same thing at all. Do you want to trade? You’re the health nut.”

  “No, I don’t want to trade,” I scoffed. “I would’ve ordered the everything bagel with veggie cream cheese if it was what I wanted.”

  “Half and half?” Gabe pleaded, turning on those puppy dog eyes.

  “Fine, but you’re getting the half you already took a chomp out of. Don’t think you’re getting a half plus a chomp.”

  I quietly ate while Gave drove us back toward the southbound interstate ramp. One of my favorite things about us as a couple was our comfortable silences. Neither of us felt the need to fill every second with chatter. I hummed and sang out of tune along with the music while Gabe grinned because he was happy there was something I couldn’t do well.

  “Have you decided against opening a second location in Cincinnati?” Gabe asked. “You didn’t seem thrilled with the idea.” I received a proposal from a prosperous businessman who’d become a fan of my show. He’d researched the success and growth of my salon and assumed I was looking to expand. I wasn’t.

  “A few years ago, I might’ve jumped all over it, but not now.”

  “Why? What’s different?”

  “There are only so many hours in a day, and I don’t want to waste them on the road. I built a business and a life in my hometown, and it’s where I plan to stay until I die.”

  “It’s not because you feel like the kids and I hold you back, right?”

  I nearly wrenched my neck when I turned my head suddenly in his direction. “You’re not serious, are you?” He couldn’t be serious.

  “Of course, I’m serious. I don’t want to be the reason you don’t experience life to the fullest.”

  “Babe, my cup runneth over. The only expansion I want to work on is our family. In another year or so,” I rushed to add.

  “Another year,” Gabe whined. “Is it a hard line in the sand?”

  “What are you thinking?” I asked.

  “Next few months. As soon as possible.”

  “Don’t you think we should get the ankle biters we have potty trained before we bring home a new baby?”

  “Probably,” Gabe hesitantly agreed. “This is all Mere’s fault for bringing Tori over every day. I miss the new baby smell.”

  “Oh my God! You sound like me after the new car smell wears off.”

  “I’m serious,” Gabe said softly. “I want more children.”

  “I want more children too.”

  “How many more?” Gabe asked suddenly.

  “I was thinking one, two at the most.”

  “Two at the same time or one now and another down the road?” he asked.

  “One set of twins is enough,” I told him. “I vote for one at a time.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Gabe agreed. “I still think we need to get the paperwork started.”

  “Okay, but I’m warning you now. We’re going to get a phone call a week later. Be ready for more diapers than we can keep up with and sleepless nights.”

  “I’ll be ready,” Gabe said excitedly. “Now that I’m getting a new baby as soon as possible, let’s get back to the salon business discussion. Are you sure you don’t want to expand the salon and hire a staff for the Cincinnati location? You wouldn’t need to work there yourself.”

  “How will I know if they’re operating up to my standards if I’m never there? I can’t put my name on something then neglect it. I think I’ve found a solution to make all parties involved happy.”

  “Yeah, and what would your plan be?”

  “I would offer my consultation services to help Rhett Bartlet choose and train the staff, design the salon, and implement the processes and ideals that make Curl Up and Dye so successful while keeping in mind an urban salon will have different needs than a rural one. I’ll do this for a fee, of course.”

  “Certainly,” Gabe agreed. “It sounds like a big commitment.”

  “It would be initially, but I walk away free and clear once the salon is up and running.”

  “I think it sounds like a wonderful idea.”

  “I have contacts at all the cosmetology schools, so I have access to all the best stylists. Josi’s cousin lives in Cincinnati and currently manages a salon. I bet I can pull him over to our side.”

  “It won’t be your side though,” Gabe reminded me. “Do you want Josi’s cousin to make the leap if you’re not there to ensure it’s a good environment?”

  “That’s an excellent point. I wouldn’t ask him to uproot himself unless he’s unhappy at his current job.”

  “You think Rhett will go for it?”

  “It’s no skin off my nose if he doesn’t. This wasn’t an opportunity I sought, so I don’t have anything invested or anything to lose.”

  “I can see why your salon is so damn successful,” Gabe said. “You have the perfect trifecta working for you—talent, business smarts, and people skills.”

  “Thanks, babe.”

  “I’m just telling it how I see it.” Gabe glanced over at the clock. “We’ve been on the road for more than an hour, and you haven’t asked me one time where we’re going.”

  “I told you, Gabe. I trust you.” And maybe I accidentally saw the charge for the gorgeous inn located near the coast of South Carolina on the credit card statement. It would be my little secret because I didn’t want to spoil his fun.

  “HERE WE ARE,” I said, pulling into Bonita and Miguel’s driveway. I was excited to see my biological mother, her husband, and my three half sisters. “I’m happy to stretch my legs for a bit.”

  “Me too,” Josh said. “I’m also excited to eat whatever Bonita made for lunch.”

  We didn’t have to ring the doorbell to announce our arrival because my youngest sister, Arianna, opened the door as soon as we stepped onto the front porch. “Gabe!” she exclaimed then launched herself into my open arms. “I’ve missed you.”

  Arianna, Selena, and Marisol drove north to Blissville after their schools let out and stayed for two weeks, so it had only been a little over a month since we last saw them. Of course, I understood where she was coming from since we’d only known about each other for a few years. There was always so much sadness when I realized how much of their lives I missed out on. Calling, skyping, and texting could only get us so far because nothing compared to being physically in the same place.

  “Quit hogging our brother,” Marisol said, stepping onto the porch.

  Arianna turned loose of me so she could launch herself at Josh at the same time I caught Marisol. “I have the most handsome two brothers on the planet,” she squealed. “Not to mention the most precious niece and nephew to ever live.”

  “All of you are still coming up for a visit next month, right?�
�� I asked.

  “We wouldn’t miss it,” Bonita said, joining the fray. “How are you, Gabriel?”

  “I’m great, Bonita. I’m excited to see all of you and spend some alone time with my husband this week.” I noticed my oldest sister was nowhere in sight which was odd. “Where’s Selena?” I asked.

  “She’s hiding inside,” Marisol mock whispered.

  “Hiding? From me?” I asked with concern. It wasn’t like Selena. “Have I said something to upset her?” She didn’t sound upset on the phone last week. In fact, I’d never heard her sound so happy. Why the sudden… Oh. Someone special to her was responsible for the extra exuberance she’d displayed during our conversation. Someone she was worried about introducing to me. “Is he a decent guy?” I asked Bonita. I didn’t want to go in there with guns blazing and scare away someone she cared about if he treated my sister with the respect she deserved.

  “He’s a great guy,” Bonita said. The tone of her voice added a silent but at the end.

  “Then why the hesitation?” I asked, feeling my brow furrow into the deep V Josh said would cause me to wrinkle prematurely.

  “He’s older than you,” Arianna said.

  “Excuse me?” I asked. “How much older?”

  “He’s already forty,” Marisol replied dramatically.

  “Forty?” I asked. “Selena is only twenty-five.”

  “We know,” Arianna said drily.

  “Babe,” Josh said softly, placing his hand between my shoulder blades. “Let’s try to remember Selena is a brilliant young lady who’s capable of deciding what is best for her.”

  “He’s right,” Selena said confidently as she stepped onto the porch. I noticed she didn’t have her new guy with her. “Can we talk alone for a few minutes?” Everyone besides Selena and I went inside the house. I guess it was their answer to her question. “Sit with me?” she asked, gesturing to the porch swing.

  I followed her without saying anything. I wasn’t sure what to say, and I thought it was best to let her lead the conversation. We sat quietly for a minute or two, just gently swinging on the porch while she chose her words and I urged myself not to act like a crazy, overprotective brother.