“My mother is Pauline Houser,” he explained.
Fuck. Of course she is.
I lowered my weapon, paused and took a deep breath in through gritted teeth.
“How old are you?” I questioned, sharply.
“Nineteen.”
I quickly did the math in my head.Damn it all to hell.
“Come in,” I reluctantly demanded, holding open the door for him.
“Want a beer?”Abel asked as he leaned into the fridge in his dank, poorly lit basement, which I was now squatting in.
“Definitely,” I responded.
Abel’s girlfriend and her friend were on their way over to listen to the new Led Zeppelin album that I had just lifted. I was nervous as all hell. Colleen had been wanting to hook me up with her friend since she started dating Abel, and I’d finally given in. It wasn’t lost on me that I was a punk fifteen-year-old and I was hanging out with seniors, but for some reason they never treated me like a kid. I was their equal in every sense of the word. Abel had even started teaching me how to drive his bike. I figured part of it was because they felt sorry for me. At first I was a scrawny freshman getting his ass beat on a daily basis, and then I was an orphan with blood on his hands. If I were in their shoes, I would have felt sorry for me and pitty was the worst thing in the damn world.
Colleen giggled as she bounced down the stairs, hand in hand with her friend. They were both wearing tight bellbottom jeans with strapless, tight fitting tops. The way their clothes hugged their curves and their boobs, it looked like they were about to explode out of the thin fabric.
“Hi, boys,” Colleen tutted as she pulled her friend onto the couch next to her.
“What it is, ladies?” Abel sank onto the armrest next to his girl after handing them both cans of beer.
“Holt, this is the chick I’ve been wanting you to meet, Pauline.” Colleen motioned to her friend.
“It’s nice to meet you.” I was barely able to talk. I was captivated. Ice blue eyes pierced me from across the room, beaming from a slender, pale face that was framed with jet black, flowing hair. Her smile was adorable. Her body was incredible. I was hooked.
“Likewise,” she cooed.
The night went on with Abel and Colleen pawing at each other in the old recliner in the corner of the room.
“So, what do you think of ‘The Rain Song’?” I asked as Pauline sat staring off into space, engrossed in the music.
“It’s far out.” She flashed a toothy grin, scooting closer to me.
“You know, this song was composed at Page’s home studio, including the entire arrangement and the vocal melody. He was inspired to write the song after George Harrison complained that Led Zeppelin never does any ballads.” I wanted to die a thousand deaths. How much more of a fruit could I fucking be?
“That’s really nifty,” she said with a giggle. “I like a guy that knows his music history.”
“You’re nifty.”There it is. Now I am the biggest dork to have ever lived.
“You’re cute.” She slid over even more. Now she was practically sitting on my lap, and I was frozen in place. “Is that your bed over there?”
I nodded shyly.
“Wanna show it to me?”
I poured myself more whiskey,offering some to Ryder, but he declined.
“So, your momma told you I’m your old man?” I sank into a wooden chair at my kitchen table.
He sat across from me—broad chested, hardened jaw, narrowed eyes. I felt like I was looking directly into my own damn reflection.
“Yes. She said you were much younger than her and when her parents sent her away to have me, she didn’t want to ruin your already fucked-up life.” He never broke eye contact while he explained. It felt like a challenge, as if we were playing chess and he was waiting for my countermove. I had to give it to Ryder—he was straight to the point, and that was one thing I could respect the hell out of.
“Well, she wasn’t wrong. When your mom and I were going steady back in high school, my life was one step away from batshit crazy, and I wasn’t even old enough to drive yet.” I chewed on the inside of my lip as I tried to wrap my head around the reality of the situation. How could I be one of those ne'er-do-well dads who never knew he was a father? I hated people like that. Just the thought of it made me sick to my stomach.