She nodded. “I tried. I really did. But I wasn’t enough. And it was getting dangerous to have him there because I never knew when he’d yell again or if the yelling would get worse. I tried to help Angel, but since I wasn’t her legal guardian, there wasn’t anything I could do. And by then, it was too late, and he was gone. I know that the situation with him and what’s going on between you and me are two completely different things, and even in my mind, I keep them separate, but sometimes they twist just a bit.”
He tucked her hair behind her ear. “I get the twisty part. And you’re doing great, babe.” He kissed her softly, and she melted into him. “So great that I kind of want to eat cake.” His gaze darkened. “But only if I can eat it off your breasts.”
And just like that, all worries about him and what would happen next vanished. The man had a way about him.
“Are you sure you want cake?” she said softly, her voice with just a hint of a rasp. “I don’t want to force you to do anything you don’t want to.”
He winked. “I think I can come up with an idea or two how to work it off.”
She smiled then, knowing at least this part of who they were would be okay. As she’d said, there was nothing wrong with what he was doing, other than the fact that she didn’t want it to be wrong later. She might have gone too far, but so far, he hadn’t said as much.
And from the look in his eyes, the two of them would indeed have cake tonight.
And so much more.
The next evening, when she sat with her friends at Hailey’s café, all she could think about was cake. Of course, it didn’t help that the woman had baked all these delicious goodies and spread them out in front of them all for their girls’ night out, but it wasn’t exactly that cake on her mind.
Nope, it was all that Montgomery and the way he could use his tongue.
“You’re thinking about something dirty,” Maya said, pulling Tabby out of her thoughts. “Spill.”
Since those dirty thoughts were about Maya’s brother, there was no way Tabby was going to spill anything.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Tabby said before sipping her hot cocoa. Of course, no one at the large table believed her, but whatever. They would all just have to deal.
“She’s lying,” Miranda said with a grin. “Lying and all sexually sated. I recognize the look.”
Tabby kept her eyes off the youngest Montgomery and kept sipping.
“Of course, you know the look,” Hailey said as she sat down in the empty seat at the edge of the table. “You have the same damn one.”
Miranda beamed. “I really do. Decker wanted to make sure I was all limber and warm before our girls’ night.”
Everly, who Tabby had brought with her for the first time to girls’ night, leaned over and mock-whispered, “Is everyone so open about their sex lives here?”
Holly, Maya’s friend as well as Maya’s husband’s ex-girlfriend, laughed. “Yep. Well, not me, as I’m not getting any at the moment, but yep.”
Maya laughed and wrapped her arm around Holly. “Aww, look at you talking about sex and not blushing. I’m corrupting you right on schedule.”
Holly put her hands over her face. “I can’t believe I just said that.” She lowered her hands and glared at Maya. “You’re evil, Maya Montgomery-Gallagher.”
Maya preened. “Yes, yes I am. And I’m sexually stated as well in case anyone wants to know. Jake and Border also wanted to make sure I was lubed up before the evening started.”
Tabby snorted her drink and had to set it down, using the napkins Meghan handed over to wipe up the mess. There was a reason she loved the Montgomerys, and this evening was only part of it.
“Lubed up?” Meghan asked, her brow raised. As the eldest female Montgomery, she was good at playing big sister. “That’s the word you’re going for?”
Maya shrugged and lifted a shoulder. “What word should I have used?”
“Well, your sister already said sexually sated,” Autumn put in. “I would say I’m wrung out.” Griffin Montgomery’s bride winked. “I got to play secretary again since Griffin wanted…dictation.”
Tabby laughed as the Montgomery sisters groaned. “Do the guys think we’re talking about knitting or something?”
Maya raised her brow, the ring in it glittering in the light. “Probably. I can’t knit since I have to save my hands for tattooing, but I know Holly knits. She made the best blanket ever for Noah.”
Holly groaned. “Yes, I knit. I also collect stickers for my planner. I’m one of those people.”
Tabby leaned forward, excitement running through her. “What planner do you use? I’m thinking of going with a bullet journal for the next year, but I love my current one as long as I add extra things digitally.”
Holly smiled full on. “You’re a planner sister?”
Everly groaned. “Oh, God, there are two of them.”
Tabby glared at her friend. “You have one, too, you know. Just because you don’t add stickers and stamps to it doesn’t make it any less a planner.”
“I don’t own washi,” Everly put in. “That keeps me on the sane side of the line.”
“What is washi and how can I use it to stay organized?” Meghan asked. “With the new baby, I feel like I’m going in a hundred different directions.”
“Amen,” Miranda put in.
Tabby pressed her hands together, her eyes bright. “Ladies, I’m going to educate you soon on the wonderfully passionate world of planners.”
“One of us. One of us.” Everly’s voice was deadpan and robotic, and the table broke out into laughter.
“I don’t know when we became the girl group that talks planners and babies instead of doing shots at the bar, but I kind of like it,” Maya said. “I’m just sad Callie isn’t here because she’s home with the baby and taking care of Morgan’s Man Cold.”
Tabby shuddered. “Ugh. Man Colds.”
The girls toasted to that.
Autumn smiled and played with her drink. “We’re growing up. Though I’m sure the next girls’ night will be at the bar since we don’t always hang out at Hailey’s.”
Hailey shrugged. “You guys said it had to be a short night, and I figured we could get our sugar highs here. The guys are all hanging out tonight anyway since I know your parents wanted the babies, right?”
“Yep,” Maya said. “I don’t know how Mom and Dad are doing it, but with Leif there, they should be fine.”
“What about Leif?” Sierra asked as she came out from the restroom. “He just texted to say the babies were sleeping and the other kids put on a movie.”
Tabby grinned, loving the fact that the Montgomerys were so close. She was close to her family, of course, but since she didn’t live out there, it was a bit different.
“We were just saying that with Leif there, your parents will be fine,” Tabby put in and Sierra smiled.
“He’s really grown up into such a wonderful young man,” Sierra said. “I can’t believe I’m about to raise a teenager.”
“The hormones, man,” Maya put in. “The hormones.”
They raised another glass to that and were laughing as the guys walked in. The group of Montgomerys and their friends truly were a sight to behold. All gruff and bearded with ink and smiles. While they were all sexy in their own way, Tabby only wanted to lick up one of them, and he wasn’t with the group. She frowned but didn’t say anything, not wanting to bring attention to her and Alexander.
“Couldn’t stay away?” Maya asked as she shot out of her seat. Both of her men grabbed her and kissed her far too hard for being in public, yet no one seemed to care.
“Nope,” Jake said with a grin.
“Actually, he heard there would be cookies so he was the first to suggest we show up after our game,” Border put in.
The guys had oddly enough gone bowling because they’d been bored and hadn’t been in the mood to go bar hopping. Apparently, they were all getting a bit older and wiser. Or at least older.<
br />
Everyone who had someone went to say hello, and soon, everyone had drinks and cake and were mingling like this was what they had planned all along.
Storm walked up to her, an odd expression on his face. “Alex is in the car,” he explained. “He had to email one of the clients something, but he should be in soon.”
“Okay,” Tabby said slowly. She wasn’t sure how long she and Alexander were going to keep their relationship a secret, and frankly, she wasn’t sure why they were anymore. It had made sense at the beginning when they were working things out, but now they were closer than they were before.
“Everly,” Storm said softly. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”
Now it was Tabby’s turn to give Storm a weird look. “You two know each other?” she asked.
Everly shrugged and smiled at Storm. “We’ve been friends for a while now.”
Storm opened his arms, and Everly went into them easily, as if they’d done it a thousand times before. “I was friends with Jackson.”
Tabby snapped her fingers. “You’re the one who does things around her place?” She turned to Everly. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Her friend shrugged even as she pulled away from Storm. “Because it never came up, honestly. I wasn’t hiding it from you. Promise. But between the kids and the shop, my mind is usually on other things.”
Another weird expression slid over Storm’s face before he looked like he forced himself to smile. “I help a lot of friends who need things done. Though Wes over there claims I only draw, I sometimes actually use my hands, too.”
Wes flipped him off even as he kept up his conversation with Griffin and Autumn.
Interesting. Oh so interesting.
But before she could think too much about it, Alexander walked into the shop, his gaze on her. Before she could think of what she should do, he strode right toward her and cupped her face.
He brushed his lips softly along hers, and she smiled. “Hey,” he whispered.
“Hey.”
The room went silent, and she blushed, aware that everyone was staring at her.
Maya was the first to break the silence by whistling. “It’s about goddamn time.”
Tabby met Alexander’s gaze and grinned as everyone in the room she cared about started to laugh before going about their business. She’d never been so freaking happy in her life, and she had a feeling anyone who could see her knew it.
She had the man she loved in her arms, friends she cared about surrounding her, and cake right behind her on the table.
There wasn’t anything else she could have asked for.
At least, she hoped.
EVERLY
Of course, today her faucet would decide to leak and spray not only water but also whatever had been stuck in the garbage disposal on her kitchen tiles. Her home smelled a bit rotten thanks to the broken sink and its contents, and her head throbbed. She might know how to do some minor house repairs because she’d had to learn when Jackson died, but she didn’t know what to do with this.
First, she turned off the water for the house because she had no idea what else to do.
Then she needed to call the one person she knew could help her.
She could have called a service, of course, but then Storm would once again get upset with her and get annoyed that she’d wasted money. Not that he ever got angry since the man never really spoke to her anymore. But it was that stern frown thing he did that told her he was disappointed in her. God, how she hated that.
But he’d been Jackson’s friend, and had somehow turned into her friend, as well.
So she would suck it up and ask for help.
Oh, how she hated asking for help.
Nathan and James cried from the living room where they were playing with blocks, and she sighed. No time to waste. Not with the twins crying and her house getting messier by the moment.
She quickly dialed and hoped for the best.
“Everly? What’s wrong?” Storm’s voice was brisk but caring at the same time. She truly didn’t understand the man. He’d been Jackson’s friend and not necessarily hers, yet for some reason, Storm had it in his mind that it was his obligation to help Everly. She’d have cut the cord long ago, but the twins needed a man in their life, even if he only showed up to solve problems. Because, of course, Storm would ask what was wrong. She wouldn’t be calling if everything were all right.
“So my sink is backed up and leaking all over my kitchen. I’m not sure what to do at this point. I know you’re not a plumber, but you probably have more basic skills than I do since this isn’t just a clog.”
He let out a curse. “Did you shut off the water?”
“Yep.” Because she at least knew that. And whenever she had time, she would be picking up a book in her store to figure out how to do these things herself. There was always a way to find things in her books.
“Okay, be there in a bit. Just don’t touch anything.” He hung up before she could say something snarky at that, and she sighed.
James let out a shriek, and she rushed to the living room to make sure the twins were okay. Her kitchen might be under water and her bills needed to be paid, but the boys came first. Always.
Storm was on her front porch less than twenty minutes later, and he wasn’t alone. A slender woman with a toolkit in her hands stood next to him, a smile on her face.
Everly blinked, surprised, but doing her best to not show it. “Oh, hi. Thanks for coming.” She took a step back, and Storm and the woman at his side entered her home.
“This is Jillian, by the way. She’s a certified plumber and better at this stuff than I am. Sure, I could have probably fixed it, but she can in half the time.”
Jillian rolled her eyes but held out her hand to Everly. “Storm and I were out to eat when you called so I figured I’d come with him. This way, your sink will actually be fixed.”
Storm glared at Jillian, but there was heat in his eyes that Everly hadn’t seen before. Oh. This had to be his girlfriend. She knew that. Knew he’d been seeing someone. It’s not like she and Storm were anything more than two people connected by the ghost in the room anyway, but it was weird to see him like this.
“So, can I go into your kitchen?” Jillian asked. There wasn’t a hint of curiosity or jealousy in the other woman’s eyes at why Storm would rush over to help Everly like this. Either Jillian was a really confident person, or merely confident in her relationship with Storm.
Either way, it shouldn’t, and didn’t matter to Everly.
“It’s right around that way,” she pointed. “I’ll go with you.”
“Uncle Storm!” Nathan screamed as he rushed to Storm’s legs, James on his tail.
“You’re here!” James yelled.
The two of them didn’t really have another level when it came to their voices, no matter how hard Everly tried.
“My boys,” Everly explained as Jillian smiled at the two little boys running around Storm’s legs.
“They’re cute,” Jillian said. “Really cute.” And from what Everly could see, the other woman meant it. She waved at the boys, who shyly ducked behind Storm’s legs. “Okay, I guess I’d better get to work.”
Everly immediately walked the other woman to the kitchen, aware that her house wasn’t a hundred percent. Her in-laws hated that, but there was only so much a single mother, who also happened to be a business owner, could do daily.
“Oh, fun,” Jillian said. Everly wasn’t sure if the other woman meant that sarcastically or not. “I’m going to get under your sink and get to work. You can go hang with the boys if you want. Or do one of the thousand things I’m sure you have to do.”
Everly gave the other woman a curious glance that Jillian must have read.
“I was brought up by a single dad,” Jillian explained. “He didn’t have a lot of help, so I kind of raised myself in some ways. I know you probably have lists of things to do so I won’t keep you. I’ll just make sure you have one less thing on your mind.�
��
“Well, thanks,” Everly said before shaking herself. “I really, really appreciate it. And if Storm has the boys, then I actually have a minute to finish paying those bills.”
Jillian gave a mock shudder. “Bills. Evil.”
“Exactly.”
Everly was smiling as she passed her boys crawling all over Storm in the living room. Storm winked when he caught her gaze, surprising her, but she waved at them as she made her way to her small office. Was this what it was like to have someone to help you always? To have a partner when things went a little haywire?
She shook her head and sighed before going back through her paperwork. She sent a quick text off to Tabby as well because she’d forgotten the other woman had called to ask a question. Now that Tabby and Alex were officially an item, she saw less of her friend than usual, but honestly, she couldn’t blame her.
The Montgomerys had a way of doing that.
“All done,” Jillian said, bringing Everly out of her thoughts.
She looked up and blinked. “Really? How long was I working.”
Jillian smiled and leaned a hip along the doorframe. “Only twenty minutes. It was a relatively easy install once I figured out what was wrong. I had a spare part in my truck.” She met Everly’s gaze and seemed to know what was going through her mind. “If you didn’t have the part, you wouldn’t have been able to fix it yourself. So don’t worry that you didn’t. Okay?”
Not sure what to say, Everly picked up her checkbook and nodded. “Well, thank you. I truly appreciate it. How much do I owe you?”
Jillian waved her off. “No need. It was easy.”
“But you worked and should be paid for it. It doesn’t matter if it was easy or not.”
“Well, how about we call it a first-time friend’s discount,” Jillian said after a moment. “I’ll charge you next time, but that means you have to call Storm or me to help you.” She winked. “I’ll drum up business that way.”
Ink Exposed Page 14
