Entanglement

by Max Ellendale

  Nova and Luna raced around the yard, giggling up a storm while Finnley chased them. Their happy squeals, and cute matching outfits, this time sundresses and sandals, made me smile.

  "They're so cute," said Mira, chuckling at them.

  "Tell me about it."

  We joined Alice, Stella, Vee, and Scarlett on the patio lined with a dozen chairs. They greeted us with happy smiles and many hugs.

  "Let me see this kid," I said, finally.

  Alice and Stella shared joyful expressions as they pulled the blanket away from the sleeping infant. Her tiny dress matched that of her sisters. Mira and I let out simultaneous "aww's" and bent down to greet her.

  "She's so cute. Congratulations," I said, grinning at the grunting baby. "What did you name her? No one told me."

  "We went with Aurora," answered Alice, smiling from ear-to-ear. "I wanted to round off my galaxy with another beauty."

  "My nerdy girlfriend, who loves astrophysics on top of her usual physics, is dancing on the inside over these names," I said, stroking the baby's tendrils of blonde. "She looks like you, Alice. So much."

  "She has Stella's eyes though." Alice winked at her wife. "Perfect blue."

  Stella's cheeks flushed pink and she doted on Alice, leaning her chin on her shoulder.

  "Nice ass, Olsen," a raspy croon called from behind me. "Much tighter than it was on the beach when you were pleasing your girl in public."

  I swung around to see Dax's laughing face. Behind her, Willa, and about twenty other people stood in varied states of snickers. All of the salon girls, Grace, Cin, and Alex, along with Kari and some of the Wildrose crew, gathered together with Eleanor, Robert, Riley, Daniel and some of the girls from Mira's soccer team. Jordan and Ainsley grinned as the two ringleaders of the pack. Ciara and Eve brought up the rear with Angelina and Sorensen. I covered my face, choking on a sob when they all whispered, "Congratulations," in unison.

  Mira rubbed my back, kissing my cheek and I leaned against her. "I was up to something," she confessed against my ear.

  "You used the baby to distract me? So rude." That made everyone laugh as I nuzzled her cheek. Dax appeared in front of me when I broke away from Mira and her cocky smirk made me laugh. "Jerk."

  "Shut up and hug me," she said, grabbing me roughly as I nearly had a meltdown in front of everyone.

  People crowded around us, patting my back, squeezing my shoulders, and offering me happy greetings. Overwhelmed couldn't even begin to describe how I felt. Willa joined the hug, and she pulled Mira into it so the three of them nearly crushed me, also shielding me from the masses.

  "I'm okay," I told them, sniffling when we broke apart.

  "I told them you hate surprises, so we compromised," said Dax, waving over Eleanor and Robert while they waited with guilty faces.

  I hugged both of them, and kissed their faces without any regard for the audience. "You two."

  "Hi, Beej." Eleanor giggled. "We surprised you anyway."

  "You did. And you did it perfectly." I stroked her cheek and she smiled. Robert gripped my shoulder, and then more hugs followed from their partners.

  "Olsen, where you been?" Angelina called out as she approached. I hugged her, and she laughed softly.

  "I dunno. Getting FBI'ed or something," I said, chuckling. "Hi."

  "Hi." She winked and pinched my cheek.

  "Eve," I heard Dax call out and turned to see her approaching Eve who had at least a few inches on her with her crazy stilettos. Willa snatched Dax's wrist, stopping her from going forward too quickly.

  Mira's hand slid around my waist as the crowd around us dispersed when Jordan and Ainsley began setting up tables and chairs. Robert, Eleanor, Finn, and Riley helped by bringing out heaps of food and drinks. And before we knew it, a full party was underway.

  "What's up?" asked Eve as she approached Dax, completely unthreatened. Like Angelina, Dax, and me, Eve had her weapon on her hip. The three of us stood out like violent thumbs in a field of pretty unicorns. Saoirse wandered over, her brow furrowing as she looked to her sister.

  "You almost cost Olsen a chance at a relationship," said Dax, folding her arms after wriggling out from Willa's restraint.

  Mira and I glanced at each other and my stomach clenched.

  "Back off, Stocker. She's fine." Eve's face remained stoic but the way she tucked her hair behind her ear told me of her nerves.

  Willa placed her hand on the small of Dax's back and it cooled her posture as if she'd dowsed a flame. Ciara's gaze shot from Dax to Mira.

  "She's fine now. Either support her or stay off her ass. Those are the only choices." Dax turned away from Eve, and wrapped her arms around Willa's waist. "C'mon, let's get some whiskey."

  "No whiskey," laughed Willa, urging her toward the chairs beside the fire pit. "C'mon, you."

  "You deserved that one, bae." Angelina nudged Eve who just scoffed at her, stomping her foot once as if about to have a tantrum. "She only gets on people she cares about though. We know you were trying to be protective of Billie."

  "Did you just call her bae?" Ciara laughed hard. "I also agree. We told you."

  "I get it!" Eve shouted, huffing as she met my gaze. "I already apologized, didn't I?"

  "Yeah. She did." I wrapped my arm around Mira. "And I got the girl anyway."

  "Sometimes the gay girl gets the straight girl, Eve," said Mira, shocking all of us. Angelina, Ciara, and Saoirse all erupted with laughter. Eve soured, but her smirk cooled it soon after.

  "Sounds like you were a gay girl all along," Eve tossed back. "At least for Billie."

  "You know, Eve…" Mira grinned at me before wrapping me in a hug from behind. "You're probably right about that."

  "Let's get some wine." Angie nudged Eve and she nodded. "Before we get way too serious at this party."

  We parted ways and Mira led me over toward Dax and Willa.

  "She was trying to look out for me, I get it," I told Mira. "It just came out wrong."

  "I know, honey. It doesn't excuse how it made you feel though."

  I met Dax's gaze when we joined them and she handed me a beer. "You stood up for me."

  "'Course," she said, shrugging and taking a swig of her own drink. "Friends do that. Speaking of, you know your new boss? Donovan? She lives with friends of ours."

  "Really?" I asked. "I used to date her girlfriend's cousin about a decade ago."

  Mira urged me to sit in her lap in the seat across from Willa and Dax's bench.

  "Yeah. They're coming up for a barbeque next weekend. Sali and Maggie. Know them?" she asked.

  "I do not, in fact, know all the lesbians in Washington state. But I'm not opposed to meeting them all," I said and everyone laughed.

  "Good. Come for the barbeque." Dax looked to Mira, lifting a brow at her. "What say ye?"

  "Ye says yay." Mira laughed, shaking her head at her. "Willa? What do you think?"

  "I think the four of us are in for a lifetime of friendship. Do you agree, Billie?" Willa's kind words and bright smile brought a stroke of gratitude to my heart.

  "I agree wholeheartedly." I turned in Mira's lap and she wrapped her arms around my waist. "How about you, baby?"

  "I think we're in for a good run, my love." She brought my hand to her lips and kissed it.

  I rested my forehead against hers, and closed my eyes as I listened to the sounds of our friends and family. Mira caressed my sides and I allowed myself to finally relax.

  "You okay, Beej?" Eleanor asked as she approached, her hand on my back.

  "I'm good, sweet girl. Having fun?" I looked up at her and she smiled.

  "Yup." Her grin widened when I gave her hand a squeeze.

  "I missed that happy smile."

  "I don't see how. We talked almost every night on video chat." She giggled her head off and I swatted her. Mira grinned at the two of us.

  Robert joined us a moment later and plopped his hand on top of my head. "So, we're all having dinner at Mira's on Tuesday. It's our new tradition," he
said.

  "Oh yeah?" I wagged my brows at him then looked to Mira. "Is that true?"

  "We started last week in preparation for this week. Tradition established." She nodded and her soft smile had me melting.

  "What about Sundays?" I asked, looking between the three of them.

  "You and Mira come to the apartment on Sundays like always." Robert smiled and leaned down to kiss my cheek before heading back to Daniel who gathered the other kids for a football game in the grass. My parental heart flip-flopped in my chest and Mira chuckled as she nuzzled me.

  Riley hurried over to Eleanor and grabbed her hand. "Let's go play. Hi, Billie."

  "Hey, bud." I narrowed my eyes in his direction. "Eighteen yet?"

  "Yes. Almost nineteen at this point." He laughed and Eleanor giggled her head off as she hugged him.

  "I guess a conversation is going to happen soon, huh?" I teased and his cheeks turned bright red.

  He didn't say anything, but smiled as he tugged Ellie over to the grass.

  "They're super cute," said Willa, drawing my attention back to her and Dax who just returned with two plates filled with food. "It's lovely to see." Willa accepted the plate Dax offered her.

  "They're good kids." I nodded my agreement.

  Mira patted my hip. "Hungry, baby?"

  "I am, yeah." I stood from her lap, taking her hand as I did so. She smiled, kissing my cheek as we headed over to the food table to eat all the things.

  I spent the rest of the afternoon socializing with everyone, answering their questions about Quantico, and catching up with my siblings. Riley had, as expected, officially moved in with Eleanor, Robert, and Daniel during the times they weren't at the dorm. The group of them geared up to be excellent roommates.

  My gratitude for Mira and our friends soared even more than it already had after they brought out a cake decorated with the FBI seal. Triple chocolate, inspired by the cake that Mira and I shared before we confessed our feelings for each other.

  With full bellies, and happy hearts, the group fizzled out as the night wore on. Alice and Stella took their girls home, the teens and young adults wandered off to do their own thing, and couples cozied up beside the firepit. Some of the Wildrose girls joined us later on, and they greeted me with happy smiles. Saoirse, Maddie, and Denise kicked a soccer ball around while they chatted and Mira wandered over to join them. I watched as she handled the ball barefoot in the grass while I lounged in Ainsley's swing chair. Alone with my thoughts for the first time since returning, the anxiety of my new life trickled down on me.

  Before I had a chance to sink too far, the swing bounced as Dax leapt over the back of it to land beside me. I laughed as I grabbed on to the arm of the chair, and held my drink in the air.

  "You have the gentility of a warthog, Dax."

  She laughed and grabbed me in a rough one-armed hug. "Only when I want my presence known. What you doin' over here with such a worried face?"

  "Watching my girl be awesome." I nodded toward Mira when she used her heel to kick the ball behind her and over her shoulder like it was nothing. She never missed a beat of their conversation.

  "Shit. I'll say." Dax punched my shoulder and I laughed at her.

  "Ouch, jerk." I shoved her right back.

  She grabbed me back into the hug, which was slightly more like a headlock, and I feigned punching her in the gut. "Did you tear her panties off the minute you walked in the door this morning?"

  "You know I did. My mouth is still watering for her."

  "I mean, duh." Dax grinned when Mira waved Willa over to them. "Damn fine women we have."

  "We do. They're cute friends. Do they talk all the time now?"

  "They do."

  "You and Willa were the first people she felt comfortable with after we got together," I said as Dax let up on her hold. Instead, she relaxed her arm around my shoulders and I leaned against her. Her affection soothed me in a different way than Mira's.

  "Understandable."

  We both laughed when Mira tried to show Willa how to spin kick the ball into the air. Instead, she spilled some of her beer in the grass and all of them chuckled.

  "I don't remember you being this cuddly with me back in the day. Why are you?" I asked when Dax rubbed my back once before slouching in the swing with her elbows on the back of it.

  "I'm the same as I was except way back when, it was in the form of sparring. Or pushing you into traffic. Same thing."

  "Asshole. I remember that." I laughed and shook my head at her.

  "Good times." She sighed dramatically. "So, Special Agent Billie Olsen, you ready for this?"

  "I am. I think."

  "I noticed you got them to drop the Jean part of your name." Dax laughed at me and I couldn't help my grin.

  "Yup. It was part of my contract."

  "Liar." Dax's smile remained while she watched Willa with Mira. The two of them chatting like social butterflies with Saoirse and the others. "I'm going to ask Willa to marry me."

  "You are?" My heart gave a great leap. "When?"

  "This summer, but I want to wait for the right moment. I think she'll say yes."

  "I think she will, too." A smile lingered on my lips while I thought about Dax's future as well as my own. "Look at the two of us."

  "Yup. Looking toward the future. Happy." Dax nodded toward Willa. "I owe it all to her."

  "You put some work into it yourself, Dax. Letting her in and taking a risk."

  "Yeah, but it was all her." Dax leaned her elbows on her knees and when Willa met her gaze, the two of them shared a long, sweet smile. "Be my best man? You know none of us are going to wear a dress at a farm wedding."

  "You know it." I swatted the brim of her hat and she laughed.

  Willa and Mira made their way back to us, and this time I pulled Mira into my lap. Dax did the same to Willa. As if we choreographed it, both of us guided our women into warm kisses. Mira stroked my face, letting her fingers tickle down to my neck.

  "Hi, my love," she said, then tucked my hair behind my ear.

  "Hi, baby." I urged her into a hug, and kissed her neck.

  Dax and I shared a smile while she held Willa in a firm embrace before tickling her sides. Her squeal drew Mira's attention and Dax grinned as she tackled Willa into the grass at our feet. Their laughter and squirming as they tickled and swat at each other made me smile.

  I looked up at Mira, watching as her cheeks reddened with her amusement. I drew a circle around the ring finger of her left hand while I pondered Dax's intentions. Mira returned her attention to me, biting her lip as her eyes twinkled with delight. She glanced down at our hands, her brow furrowed.

  "One day, Mira Lewis," I said, wrapping my finger around hers. "One day soon."

  I wasn't sure if she understood my declaration fully, but she cupped my face and captured me in a heated kiss.

  To think that barely a year ago, uranium brought me to her classroom and to the crimson lips now pressed against mine. She fostered the hope that changed my life, and nudged the evolution of our family. She made me want things, yearn for more, and seek it out. Her bravery fueled mine and together, we'd come so far. Mira was my hope, and my future. For that, I would always be grateful.

  Titles by Max Ellendale

  Four Point Trilogy

  Four Point

  Point Two

  Mirror

  Four Point Trilogy Tie-Ins

  Anita

  Lesbian Romance

  (stand-alones in the same universe as the Four Point Trilogy)

  Wildrose

  Rabbit

  Mermaid

  Hart & Stocker

  Entanglement

  Relevé

  Lesbian Romance

  Skyclad

  Midsummer

  Try Pink & Indigo

  The Legacy Series

  Glyph

  Birthrite

  Sacred

  Bound

  Marked

  Paranormal Lesbian Romance

&nb
sp; The Wolf's Consort

  www.maxellendale.com