Silence lingered for what seemed like an eternity before I asked, “What did you say?”
“I said I had to talk it over with you first, since I am living in your house.”
“What did he do to get suspended?”
Dawson started that soothing stroking motion on my back again. “He brought a switchblade to school. For protection, he claims, because some older kids had been threatening him. Unfortunately, this school has a zero-tolerance policy for weapon violation. First strike and you’re out.”
“When did this happen?”
“Two weeks ago. But Mona was too deeply involved with her own shit to let me know, which is about par for the course with her. Apparently, Lex has been parked on the couch playing video games for the last two weeks, since he hasn’t been in school.”
“So you’ve talked to Lex about moving here?”
He nodded. “Today. Lex actually seems excited about it. I don’t know if he’s playing me or what, since it’s only in the last six months he’s been interested in spending time with me. Anyway, this is something you and I haven’t talked about, besides me asking if you’d mind him being here over Thanksgiving or Christmas break. But it’s a big difference-”
I rolled to face him and placed my hand on his chest. His heart pounded beneath my palm. “Mason. It’s all right. I know how much you’ve wanted-how hard you’ve tried-to have a relationship with your son. I’d never stand in the way of that. Lex is welcome here.”
He pressed his forehead to mine. “Thank you. You have no idea what this means to me. To be honest, as much as I’ve always said I wanted Lex around, this whole thing scares the living shit outta me, Mercy.”
“I know.”
“I mean, we’ll get the logistics of how he’s getting to and from school figured out, but I don’t know if I have… hell, I’ve never been around kids that much. Sometimes-most times-Lex doesn’t feel like mine. He just seems like a kid I know that I see once in a while. What if I’m a shitty father?”
That confession made me ache. “I think the fact you’re worried about being a good father indicates you’ve already won half the battle. Once he is around you, day in and day out, he’ll see what an awesome guy you are.”
“I like this flattering side of you, Sergeant Major.” He brushed his lips across mine. “So since you admitted that I’m an awesome guy, does that mean you’re ready to marry me?”
I tried to keep it light. “I’m still weighing my options.”
“What options?”
“I hear that Dick and Alice Anderson might be headed for divorce court. And you know I have a thing for former rodeo cowboys. So I might wait to see what happens there.”