by Alicia Rae
Having a disagreement was new territory for us, and I didn’t know how to get the conversation rolling.
“Are you okay?” I softly blurted out. I took a shaky step to be closer to him, yearning to comfort him.
“No. I’m fucking pissed, all right?” he said curtly, stopping short when I flinched. He shook his head, looking as though he was trying to rein back his temper. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I overreacted in the living room. I’m not mad at you or Pearl. I’m fucking livid that a seven-year-old was sleeping outside at nearly nine o’clock at night, and she has no one who seems to care about her, except for you and me.”
I agreed with his reasoning one hundred percent, and I wished there was some way I could lighten his mood. My only wish was to help Pearl.
“I’m going to try to talk with Diane this week. Maybe we could set up a schedule, so Pearl won’t be home alone so frequently,” I offered, longing to find a solution.
Jason lifted his head to gaze at me with expressive eyes. “That might work. Then, we would be able to keep an eye on her when Diane is gone. But I’m sure you’re also aware that it’s not your responsibility to take care of her,” he said with the utmost sincerity.
“I know. It still doesn’t stop me from wanting what’s best for her. And if I can make a difference in her life, then I’ll do anything in my power to make it happen. She needs someone she can always count on to be there for her,” I replied softly.
“The compassion and size of your heart is never-ending, Abbey.” He smiled at me. “You’re an amazing woman.”
“Thank you for supporting me and for being so kind to Pearl. It means so much to me,” I whispered, elated by his compliment and his own benevolence toward Pearl.
“I might be mad at Pearl’s situation, but it’s only because I care for her, too,” he said in a low tone. “I’m in just as deep as you, and as a result, I think we both fear the thought of losing her.”
“I think you’re right,” I sighed. “On a brighter note, I had such a wonderful time with you today, and the three of us get to spend the whole day together tomorrow. That is what I want to focus on. So, can we please put this behind us until I chat with Diane?” I asked considerately.
He nodded, and then his eyes flashed with mischief. Suddenly, he raised his hands, grasped my waist while pivoting me, and tackled me to the bed. I squealed under my breath, trying to be as quiet as possible, as he hovered above me. The purity of his desire for me shimmered in his gaze. Just like that, he had me writhing with anticipation of feeling his hands and mouth on me. I lifted my hands, stroking them down each of his cheeks. He closed his eyes, moaning, as though he was absorbing my touch.
As Jason’s lips descended over mine, I could feel the raw emotions he was pouring into the kiss. His hands were everywhere, leaving no part of me unattended. His touches were slow and tender yet passionate in what they wordlessly conveyed.
Emboldened by his intensity, I unveiled my own feelings in my actions as we made love through the night, and I felt another shift within me, like my heart was locking him deep inside.
Jason, Pearl, and I were on our way to my parents’ house for my family’s Sunday dinner. My mom and dad lived only fifteen minutes away, so it would be a short drive. Before we’d left, Jason had insisted on taking the Camaro, claiming he’d fallen in love with the way it drove. I’d chortled at him, unable to disagree with his reasoning since I had felt the same way from the very first second I laid eyes on it. I gave Jason directions as he navigated my car through the wavy roads of Lake Tahoe. I yawned from my passenger seat.
Pearl had gently poked me on the arm to wake me up at six this morning. I beamed inwardly, recalling the way I’d felt when I peeled my eyes open to the sight of her standing next to my bed. Her long blonde curls had outlined her face, and she had regarded me with uncertainty. As soon as I’d smiled at her, all of her uneasiness had vanished from her expression. In that moment, she had asked me to make her pancakes, so we’d sauntered into the kitchen together and started baking. Jason had woken up, too, and he’d come to help me prepare breakfast.
My heart overflowed at remembering us all sitting at the kitchen table, eating and chatting, like it had been a normal daily routine for us. Jason had even made Pearl laugh by making a face with strawberries, blueberries, and loads of whipped cream on his pancake, saying one could never have too much. Pearl had taken his comment to heart and buried her own pancake with the white cream. I could have watched Pearl and Jason interact for hours. Their constant laughter was infectious. They had a certain poignant bond growing between the two of them.
After we had finished breakfast, the three of us had spent the next two hours getting ready for the trip to my parents’ house. I had been awed at how long it had taken to get three people showered and dressed. Pearl and I had been in the bathroom for nearly half an hour while practicing her braiding skills. Then, I had given her the outfits from yesterday. I would never forget the look on her face or the loud cries of excitement that had accompanied her expression when I showed her the new sundress. When she had tried it on, the clothing fit her long, slender body perfectly. She had come out of the bathroom and barreled straight for me, hugging and thanking me. The items I’d purchased her had been such a small token compared to seeing her delight and the way it’d felt when she embraced me.
Pearl broke me out of my daydream. “Abbey! I made it to level five!” she yelled from the backseat of my car as we continued down the road.
She was playing Tetris that I’d downloaded on my iPhone a few months ago. That game was a major oldie but a classic.
I spun around to face her. “Good job!”
“This game is so easy!” She chuckled.
“Wait till you get to level eight. It gets pretty hard!” I lightly countered.
I rotated back to ogle Jason as he effortlessly maneuvered my V8. He was just hot as hell, sitting in the driver’s seat, surrounded by all that leather as he handled the gearshift. By now, I would think that I’d be used to or desensitized to the effect he had on me, but that was certainly not the case.
After about two minutes, he cocked his head to the right, eyeing me. “Are you always going to stare at me when I drive?” he asked teasingly.
“Yep.” I let out a dreamy sigh while watching him downshift to make the next turn onto my parents’ street. “I can’t seem to help myself.”
“I can see that,” Jason said, grinning my way. “One of these times, I’m going to pull this car over and show you what you do to me when you look at me that way. It makes me wanna—”
“Whoa! Keep those thoughts PG, remember?” I chortled, pointing at my seat in the direction of Pearl. I reminded him of the little girl in the backseat while hoping she wasn’t listening to our conversation.
“Right,” Jason replied, covering his laughter with a fake cough. “My bad.”
Jason pulled into my parents’ long driveway. It curved into a wide arch in front of their Victorian-style home with a stone waterfall centered in the middle of the yard. The front of the house was surrounded by wildflowers and a narrow cobblestone path that led directly up to the front door. Jason parked the car. It looked as though both of my brothers were already here.
“Wow,” he breathed, taking in the view. “I can see where you and Kyle get your design skills.”
“Yes, my father is a very talented craftsman. He’s retired now, but he keeps his home in pristine condition,” I said with admiration in my tone.
My dad had always been my role model while I was growing up. His dedication and the way he could envision the final outcome of a building project had been what intrigued me to join the construction field.
“Yeah, he does,” Jason said before we all exited the car.
Once we reached the front door, I lifted my hand to knock, but the door swung open before I had the chance. Lily was standing on the other side. Her sun-bleached hair framed her face, and she bore a full-of-life smile that reached her bright b
lue eyes. I opened my arms to embrace her.
“You’re here!” she exclaimed, hugging me tightly. “It’s so good to finally see you. I missed you terribly!”
Lily pulled back just as Kyle approached her side, resting his hand at the small of her back. His tall broad frame towered over his wife.
“Hi, Lily. Gosh, I missed you, too!” I smiled affectionately at her, holding her at arm’s length.
Her normal olive skin was even darker from her honeymoon.
“Gosh, look at you. You’re practically glowing from all that Hawaiian sun. How was your trip?” I asked.
Lily glanced over at her new husband, smiling shyly, and then turned her gaze back at me. “It was so amazing and relaxing, Abbey. I couldn’t get enough of those beaches and waves. Kyle had to practically drag me home. If it wasn’t for our families, I would move to Kauai in a heartbeat,” she teased.
“I can imagine. I’m definitely going to have to plan a vacation there now, and it will be Kyle’s turn to cover for me at the office.” I chortled.
“You just let me know the dates. Just be prepared for never wanting to leave the tropical island,” Kyle chimed in. His handsome brownish-green eyes glowed, reflecting the happiness I saw in Lily’s. He stepped closer to embrace me. “Hey, Abbey,” he added, greeting me.
“Hi, Kyle. Glad you two enjoyed your honeymoon,” I said, drawing back.
“We did.” Kyle smiled kindly.
Lily and Kyle both flickered their eyes over to Jason and then back at me. I could nearly see a million questions flitting through their minds. They were definitely getting a kick out of seeing Jason and me arriving at my family’s home together.
“Hey, man,” Kyle said to Jason. “How are you?”
“Doing good,” Jason replied as the two of them gave each other a brief manly slap on one another’s backs for their version of a hug.
Then, Jason stepped around Kyle to hug his cousin, Lily. “Glad to you hear you enjoyed Kauai. I missed you,” he said, squeezing her tightly.
“I missed you, too,” she rasped. “But, Jason, I can’t breathe,” she added, making us all laugh.
Jason stepped back. “That’s what happens when you disappear, and I have all this pent-up bear-hugging reserved just for you,” he teased.
“I’ll remember that.” Lily chortled, grinning affectionately at her cousin.
The rest of my family appeared—my mother, Grace, and my father, Gavin, as well as my oldest brother, Ryan, and his wife, Kate. Everyone started exchanging more greetings.
But my attention was focused on the little girl hiding behind me. I slowly rotated around to face her and took her hand in mine. I could tell she was nervous. “It’s okay, sweetie. Would you like to meet my family?” I asked her in a soft tone.
She nodded coyly, and I spun back around as Pearl came to stand at my side. All conversation came to a halt as seven pairs of eyes landed on Pearl.
“Everyone, I brought along someone I’d like you to meet,” I said loud enough so that they could hear. Then, I glanced down at Pearl. “This is my favorite little girl who is a very special friend of mine. Her name is Pearl.”
Lily slipped out of Kyle’s embrace, and she was the first to approach us. She lowered herself until she was eye level with Pearl. “Hi, Pearl. I’m Lily. Abbey is my new sister. It’s so great to meet one of her friends,” she said, outstretching her hand.
Pearl hesitated for a split second, and I thought everyone was secretly holding their breaths—or at least, I knew I was.
Then, Pearl reached forward and shook Lily’s hand. “Hello, Lily. It’s nice to meet you, too,” she said quietly.
My heart melted at her soft tone. Everyone began to step forward one at a time to welcome Pearl. Jason came to stand at my other side as we watched. Pearl slowly started opening up and smiling back at them. It was an enduring sight to see my family interacting with her.
Once done, we all made our way into the living room. Mom said she had some things to finish preparing in the kitchen, and I followed after her, leaving Pearl next to Jason on the couch.
My mom started mixing her famous gravy recipe to add to the ham as I entered the kitchen.
“What can I help with, Mom?” I asked.
She turned to look at me. “The potatoes should be cooled off by now. Would you mind peeling them, so we can start prepping them for mashed potatoes?” she asked politely.
“Sure,” I replied, moving over to grab the bowl and the peeler out of the drawer. I got right to work.
“So, dear…” my mom began.
I knew a question would follow.
“Am I to assume that handsome man from Lily’s wedding and you are dating?” she teased.
“Yes,” I answered, beaming over at her. “Jason is Lily’s eldest cousin. He’s the one working with Kyle now, and so is his brother, Damon.”
“Ah,” she said, pulling the ham and baking dish out of the refrigerator. She began pouring her secret sauce on top. She set the ham onto the oven rack and started the digital timer. “He seems very fond of you.”
I kept peeling the potatoes, careful not to let my fingers slip in front of the blade. “I’m pretty fond of him, too.” I laughed.
“And the little girl?” she asked gently, coming to stand at my side.
“Pearl is my neighbor. She visits me during the week after I get home from work, and sometimes, she hangs out with me on the weekends.”
“That’s very nice of you. She seems like such a sweet young girl.”
“She is.” I smiled. “I love spending time with her.”
Lily ambled into the kitchen with Kate waddling in behind her.
Kate’s eyes had that pregnancy glow shining brightly in them, and her big belly looked like she was about to pop at any second.
“How are you feeling, Kate?” I asked.
“Like I’m going to bust at the seams,” she said jokingly, grinning my way.
“I can see that!” I chortled. “Is Miss Annabel ever going to come out?”
“I’m beginning to think not,” she huffed, lifting her hands to caress her round belly. “This coming Friday is my due date, and the doctor said the baby is breech.”
“That doesn’t sound good,” I murmured.
“Nope. My doctor said this baby has another two weeks to make an appearance, or I’ll be having a cesarean. I’m really hoping to have her naturally, but Ryan has been walking me all over town, and I’m not even dilated.”
“Uh-oh.” Mom chuckled. “That means your new little one might have a stubborn streak.”
“If Annabel is half as stubborn as her father, I’m in big trouble,” Kate said with amusement.
We all fell into a fit of giggles.
“Well, I can tell you that Ryan was the most strong-willed of my three children, but I suppose that won’t ease your nerves.” Mom snickered.
“I don’t know about that. Kyle can be pretty overbearing sometimes until I have to put him in his place,” Lily piped in, winking.
“Yeah, he can.” I chortled, agreeing with Lily. “After meeting Jason, I’m beginning to think all men are overbearing sometimes.”
“Oh, they are,” Mom added with humor. “Gavin came out of the blue and snatched me off my feet,” she said, repeating her famous words for meeting my father. “We as women have to take a stand now and then.”
We all agreed before rolling with laughter. Jason entered the kitchen just then with Pearl at his side.
He glanced between all of us. “This one wants to know when we can go swimming.”
“You can go now, dear. We are almost done in the kitchen, but the ham still has to bake for another hour or so.” Mom turned to me. “Why don’t you show them the way out and where we store all the pool floaties? Lily, Kate, and I can finish up in here.”
“Okay. Thank you.” I smiled fondly at my mom before gesturing Jason and Pearl toward the back door.
We walked out onto the back porch, veering left in the direction o
f the pool.
“Wow,” Pearl breathed. “That is a huge pool.”
I stopped alongside her. “Wait till you get to go down the big slide. That’s my favorite part.” I grinned down at her.
“Can we get in now?” she shrieked, overflowing with excitement.
I nodded. “Yep. Do you need arm floaties first?” I asked, realizing I had no idea if she could swim well or not.
“Nope,” she replied. “I’m seven now. My gym teacher at my new school taught me how to swim. They have a big pool, too.”
“Okay,” I said. “Jason or I will still keep an eye on you.”
“All right. Are you guys going to swim with me, too?” she questioned, glancing back and forth between Jason and me.
We both replied, “Sure,” at the same time.
She ran over to the patio table, and she pulled her sundress over her head, revealing her new bathing suit. After undressing, she went back over to the pool, splashing into the water, before I had even taken off my sandals. I poked my head around, waiting for her to surface. When she did, I found myself letting out a whoosh of air. She gracefully swam to the deepest end and climbed out before making her way to the diving board. She wasted no time in cannonballing back into the pool.
“You can relax now. I think she’s definitely gotten some swim lessons under her belt.” Jason chortled at my side, stripping his white tee off.
My eyes briefly lingered on his bare chest before rising to his face. “I guess so.” I laughed, slipping out of my dress and adjusting the straps of my swimsuit.
Jason shucked off his shorts and shoes. Together, we started strolling toward the edge of the pool. I watched Pearl climb the ladder to the slide and squeal as she plunged into the water. I smiled at seeing her so happy. My own shriek left my lungs as I was suddenly scooped up into Jason’s arms. I threw my arms around his neck, holding on tightly.
“No!” I yelled, half-laughing.
Jason grinned, his eyes mischievous and dark. “Oh, yes,” he countered. “I believe I owe you a dunking. If I recall correctly, you picked out the ugliest damn swim trunks I’ve ever seen in my life.”
