It’s wip Wednesday, my dudes!
I miss Valentine, so here’s some Dad Valentine from the next chapter of Keep Close:
“You sweet on someone, Dolls?” Nick asked around his cigarette.
Dollie laughed at his tone. “Why, Dad Valentine doesn’t approve?”
“Well.” He huffed wryly, adjusting his suspenders. “What about Arturo?”
“What about him?” She blinked, flipping her bag open like the conversation wasn’t ruffling her feathers.
“He’s nice. His girl Nina, she likes you.”
Dollie shook her head, pulling a change of clothes from the drawer and stuffing it into the bag. This didn’t have anything to do with Arturo. Had everything to do with the soldier pacing a rut in the living room floor downstairs.
“I just mean. Well, you deserve somebody good. To be sweet on.”
She could feel the heat creeping up her neck and her stomach pirouetted with anxiety. She didn’t want his observation to be correct. She wanted to keep pretending it wasn’t there. Bury it and hope it stayed buried.
“I’ll be fine.” She assured him, tossing a box of ammo for her .44 into the bag. It jangled.
Nick patted his trench coat pockets, looking for his lighter. He was coming up empty handed. The conversation stalled through his pursuit.
Dollie gave him a soft smile, pulling the matchbook from her bedside table and lighting a match. She cupped the flame and he leaned the end of his cigarette into it appreciatively.
She was ever the dotting house wife, even though her soldier boy was gone. She hated it. What would Nate think? She didn’t have to wonder hard.
“You’re a good woman, Dolls.” Valentine patted her arm. “Just don’t want you getting hurt.”
It was so damn hard to keep her defenses up against the detective. They were cut from the same cloth. Two relics out of time.
“I’ll be alright.” She promised him, patting his metal hand on her shoulder.
He accepted this, pushing his coat back so he could reach the pocket on his dusty slacks. He checked a rusty pocket watch.
“We better hit the road if we’re going.”
