A Taste of Spring novel Chapter 35

Cord pushed his large frame out of the patio chair and met Dez halfway. They did the universal male embrace/clap on the back hug.

"I hope so. I need more testosterone in my home, man. With Winter, Andy, Rhea, Val, and Onyx...I'm feeling like I'm trespassing."

"Where is Val? She didn't fly in with you guys?"

"Uncle Dez!"

"Dez!"

Dez looked out over the yard, finding the girls in the pool. The two of them climbed out and came running toward him, dripping wet but with huge smiles. He hadn't seen the girls in person for almost six months.

Rhea got to him first, hugging his right side. Andy wrapped her arms around his left.

"Girls," Winter said as she passed holding salad dressing in her arms. "You're getting Dez all wet. Go. Get dried off so you can eat."

Andy pouted but looked up at him. She crooked her finger at him so Dez bent low to the girl's eye level. "Did you bring them?" Andy asked.

"I did," Dez said.

"The colors?" Rhea whispered.

"The exact ones you're requested," he said with confidence.

"Love you, Uncle Dez," Rhea said as she kissed him on the cheek.

"You're the best, Uncle Dez," Andy sang, kissing his other cheek.

The girls backed away and ran for the house, passing Fallon on the way in. As Fallon approached, he shook his head.

Fallon twisted his lips and rolled his eyes as he and Dez walked to the patio table. "What did you buy them this time?"

Dez sat beside Cord. "Hey, I'm not like you. I have to work hard for a girl's attention."

Cord laughed. "Yeah," he said, "some of us almost have to die for it."

Winter narrowed her eyes and said, "I fell before you almost died so stop lying."

Dez chuckled at their light-hearted mention of the incident. Some folk can't move on from trauma but Winter wasn't one of them.

"I hear you have a woman now, Dez," Cord said as he took a cola from the cooler beside him. "Seems we have a Winter and a Spring now."

With fingers that may appear possessed, Dez tapped each key on his laptop with confidence. The words hadn't stopped flowing. It was as if everything was clearer. His thoughts, his life, his goals. Everything made sense again.

His flow was epic. So much so that when his cell started to ring, he almost ignored it.

"Hello?" Dez answered, using his shoulder to hold the phone in place while he continued to type.

A clicking noise sounded. "Dezmond, my favorite author in the entire world! Tell me you'll be at Muri's tonight. I'm not taking no for an answer. Prick Percy is trying my patience again and if I don't get a drink while you're talking me down, I'm going to beat the ever-loving shit out of him."

"Fallon, why are you still working there?" Dez's cell slipped but he caught it, secured it with his shoulder, then commenced typing again. "You can open your own agency and won't have to put up with Percy."

Fallon groaned.

"Stop being lazy and make the plunge. Hell, you know I'll sign with you."

"Yeah, I know you got my back." Fallon sighed. He said nothing for a moment. "Are you writing?"

"Why, yes I am." Dez let his smile free. "It's like this new book is writing itself."

"That's what's up, man. Sucks that the piece of shit Percy will benefit from this one after screwing you over with Silicone Blur."