by Alexis Anne
Really take it all in. All the things I usually missed because I was too busy having fun.
For instance, I never noticed the way Eve hums when she’s cooking a feast. She doesn’t do it when she’s slapping together a meal in the kitchen. Maybe it was the extra courses, but I was pretty sure it was the energy of it all. It put her in a different plane of happiness. Friends, family, food, late nights, and fun. She loved it, and it showed in the songs she hummed under her breath.
I took a sip of my sweet tea and leaned back. From where I was sitting I could see it all. Eve in the kitchen, Max playing with June in the living room, and Sam sprawled out under her reading tent in the yard.
Sam had taken to reading like a moth to a flame and she barely needed our help anymore. Sometimes when she was stretched out with her book, like she was now, I could tell she wasn’t even really reading anymore. She’d been sucked in by the story and her mind was creating fantastic adventures under her tent.
It was November, so the bugs weren’t too terrible. I’d strung up a rope and Eve put a flowery bed sheet over it. We tied the sides out along the fence and a tree. Sam dragged out a quilt and laid it out like a picnic blanket, then made a second trip with a pillow and her favorite bear. She’d been just like that for an hour at least.
“Try these,” Eve held out a plate with a spoonful of sweet potato casserole, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, and turkey.
“I’m the guinea pig this year?”
“You’re the guinea pig every year, dork.”
I smiled as I took the plate. “What if I don’t want to be the guinea pig anymore?”
She snatched back the plate. “Then I’ll find someone new!” She smiled and giggled, but the words hit me like a slap to the face.
I knew they shouldn’t. They were meant as a joke about food testing, and food testing had absolutely nothing to do with the rest of our lives, but sitting here realizing how completely out of control I’d been and how much I had at stake, that’s exactly what those words did—they took on a life of their own.
I’ll find someone new.
Like hell she would. Not for food or anything else. I took the plate and set it on the table beside me, then grabbed my wife and pulled her into my lap. Her eyes lit up and a smile curved her lips.
“Well hello there, husband,” she cooed. “Feeling possessive about your food?”
“More like you. I’m feeling possessive of you.”
Her eyes danced and her breathing hitched. “Well then…this is a nice change of pace. Happy Thanksgiving.”
“Indeed,” I said, and then kissed her. It was so easy. So natural. It was how we usually were. Why couldn’t I get back here and stay here?
Because really? Who wouldn’t prefer a sexy woman in his lap making all these noises and looking at him like he were the best thing that ever happened? Anyone would prefer this banter to the grumpy ass I’d been.
“I need to go,” she whispered into my kiss.
The kitchen timer was blaring.
“Fine, but I’d be okay if we let the house burn down.” Anything to stay in this moment a little longer. Maybe if I could make it last I could remember everything else and just stay happy.
She smiled. “I’ll be right back.”
I let her go, not that I liked it. I caught sight of Max in the living room with June. They had music playing and the long afternoon light was blasting through the sheer curtains that hung over our tall front windows. It lit her up from behind like some kind of angel. She reminded me of one of the fairies from Peter Pan—carefree and full of mischief as she played with her shadow that stretched out across the wood floor.
I only got to enjoy the innocence for a minute. The doorbell rang and everyone started pouring in. First Jennie and Andrew who were too pregnant to travel came in with their daughter, then Greg and Marie, and finally Josh and his wife.
“I hope you don’t mind, we brought a couple of orphans from the office with us,” Josh said, waving in a girl I recognized and a man I didn’t. He wasn’t very tall, but he was stocky and strong.
Like, hours in a gym strong.
I shook his hand and did what all men do when a strange man walked into their house. I sized the guy up. Tattoos under the sleeves, nice shoes, hair that was trying way too hard. I didn’t like him, but I was going to be polite.
“Come on in. Tracie, right?”
The woman nodded. She was closer to June’s age than ours, with long light brown hair and too much makeup. “This is my boyfriend Liam.”
Liam. That was a shame. I’d always liked the name and now it was kind of ruined.
I led everyone straight into the dining room where Eve was placing the last of the dishes on the large table. When she looked up I caught her eye and gave her a look to let her know I didn’t like Liam. She laughed then covered her mouth and put on her game face.
“I didn’t know you were coming, Tracie! It’s so good to see you.” She hugged the other woman. “And you brought Liam…”
And by the sound of her voice Eve not only knew Liam, but disliked him as much as I did.
“I hope we’re not imposing,” Tracie said.
Eve waved her off. “Grab a seat. Dinner is ready!”
There was the usual maneuvering and moving before everyone settled in. I took my spot at the head of the table, making sure the chair to my right was open for Eve. Greg stole Max and put her between him and Marie. Sam sat to my left with June on the other side. With this arrangement the girls would get time with their favorite people and let Eve sit for a few moments, not that she actually would.
At least not without all of us insisting.
“I’m here!” Eve sighed as she plopped into the seat. “Sam, start us off.”
My beautiful daughter stood up on her chair—thoroughly enjoying her moment in the spotlight, I might add—and smiled at the room.
“Thank you all for eating with us tonight. Before we start everyone needs to say one thing they are grateful for. I’ll start. I’m grateful for books!”
Then she hopped down and sat, looking expectantly at June, who laughed. The spotlight moved around the table until Eve declared it was time to eat.
“I’m thankful because you’re smiling again,” Eve said, leaning in to whisper in my ear.
I smiled as if she’d commanded me to do it with her words. “I’m trying, darlin’. I really am.”
“I know.” She squeezed my arm and went back to eating, but the lingering longing on her face was enough to make me realize I wasn’t trying nearly hard enough. Whatever Greg’s grand plan was to help me out, it had better be good. I was starting to get desperate for a solution. And desperate men did dumb things.
“So Eve, you’re still with the Rays?” Liam asked between bites. His enormous arms looked ridiculous. I mean, who actually needed arms that big. He was like a T-rex. Could he actually reach anything on the table?
“Yep, just like your girlfriend,” she said as she shoved a forkful of food in her mouth. I got the distinct impression it was because she wanted an excuse not to talk.
But Liam was oblivious. “Is your schedule lighter in the off season? I know Tracie’s is.”
She nodded and shoved another bite in her mouth.
I didn’t like this. Liam was bad news. So I interjected myself into the conversation like the possessive caveman I tried really hard not to be too often.
“So what is it that you do, Liam?”
He slowly dragged his gaze from Eve over to me, then raked his eyes up and down.
“I’m a trainer,” he said.
Of course he was. “Oh really? Do you work with a gym or are you freelance?”
“Both.”
“Liam teaches the classes I was telling you about. The ones that meet at the park,” Eve said. To Liam it probably sounded totally normal, but to anyone that really knew her, Eve was obviously giving a warning. Her smile was fake, her teeth were clenched, and she was doing weird things with her eyes.
I searched my brain and quickly remembered her telling me a story one night about a guy she didn’t trust because of the way he looked at the women he was training, but that her friend was dating him and she was in denial.
So Tracie was the friend and Liam was the creepy trainer.
“Ah, yes. The free sculpting classes at the park. I do remember you mentioning that.”
I gave her hand a squeeze and she squeezed back. Hard.
Which of course was the last straw. Every protective instinct I had went on red alert. It didn’t matter what else Liam said or what we ate for the rest of the meal. My eyes were on the guy who was giving us all the creeps.
I kept him pinned to the table, pretending I was actually interested in his work. Greg caught on pretty quickly and joined in. Between the two of us we kept Creepo away from everyone until the table was cleared.
“I really need the restroom and a new drink,” Creepo said.
“Here let me get that for you,” Greg offered, taking the glass and blocking his access to the kitchen.
“Thanks.”
I think Creepo was catching on to us, but I didn’t care. The minute the door closed on the bathroom Greg spun on me.
“The dude is skeevy as fuck, but you may want to dial it down a notch.”
I pointed at myself. “Me? What am I doing?”
His shoulders slumped. “You mean aside from the drilling you’re giving him?”
“Just want to get to know the guy,” I shrugged.
“Right…and it has nothing to do with the fact that Eve was giving you the crazy eyes at dinner. You think I don’t know how you two communicate?”
“Like you’re any different.” I sounded like I was ten. And, I had to admit I was acting a little bit like I was ten, too.
“Look, any guy Eve sends the flag up for, he’s on my radar. But this full court press you’ve got going? It’s borderline harassment. Dial it down.”
But I didn’t want to dial it down. Dialing things down hadn’t been working so great for me lately. Besides, it wasn’t like I cared whether Creepo liked me or not. In fact, I was pretty sure I wanted him to hate me.
“I have a plan to help you out,” Greg said, walking towards the kitchen, “and it does not involve beating someone to a pulp at Thanksgiving.”
Okay, so he had a point there. “Fine, I’ll dial it back.”
Which for me meant going back to normal. I checked on the kids. Max had passed out on the couch beside Jennie. Sam and Megan were playing with a castle in the corner. Andrew and Josh were trading stories on the porch. I was about to join them when I heard Eve’s voice rise up in the kitchen.
The hair on my arm stood straight up.
When I looked around the corner I found Eve on one side of the counter and Liam on the other side. She was glaring at him like she wanted to flay him alive.
“Just three classes a week and I could really help you get your pre-baby body back. Private classes are flexible if you can’t make it to the park,” Liam said.
Like hell. Flexible times my ass.
“I already told you I wasn’t interested,” Eve bit out. “And my body is absolutely none of your concern.”
“No, it most certainly is not,” I boomed, coming to stand beside Eve. I slipped my arm around her waist and pulled her flush against me. I needed to feel her, but more than that, I wanted to push her behind me and protect her from assholes like Liam. “That’s my job.”
I knew Eve rolled her eyes because I knew my wife and the way she was shaking her head, but I didn’t care. Jerk-offs like Liam wouldn’t stop until they were good and sure another man would be in their way. Call it a pissing contest or whatever else you wanted to, some guys were just that basic and dumb.
“I wasn’t talking about her in that way…” Liam’s attempt at covering up was lame at best.
“Yes you were. You were hoping she’d come to your class. You’d watch her, tell her how much work she needed, make her feel bad about her gorgeous body, until she agreed to a private lesson. You trick women into being alone with you by demeaning them. You’re disgusting and I don’t want you in my house for another minute.”
Liam blinked. “I didn’t say anything like that.”
“Yes, you did,” Eve sighed. “I have a bitchin’ body, thank you very much. No, I don’t look twenty anymore, but I’m healthy and sexy as fuck. Pre-baby body, my ass.”
I grinned like a fool. That sexy siren was my wife, ladies and gentlemen. “Exactly. So now, I’d like you to leave before I make you leave.”
It was at that unfortunate moment that Tracie walked into the kitchen looking as white as a sheet. “What’s happening in here?”
I knew how to handle assholes. I did not know how to handle women that weren’t named Eve. I looked at my wife.
She scrunched up her face. “Okay, I didn’t want to do this on Thanksgiving but…Liam is…he’s…he makes passes at women and he says really terrible things.”
Her mouth fell open. Liam turned purple he was so angry.
“They are lying, Tracie. We should go. Come on, baby.”
She stared at Liam, frozen in place, then slowly turned her eyes on Eve. “He asked you to take private lessons again?” her voice was barely more than a whisper.
Eve swallowed, then reluctantly nodded.
Again? I lunged for the asshole.
“Jake! Not here!” Eve yelled, but it was too late. My fist had already made contact with Creepo’s face, and once you open up a fight with a guy there are only two ways it can go. They either curl up or they fight back. And Liam fought back.
I hated that it excited me. It was like I was hoping for him to fight back to give me an excuse to fight someone. I think I’d wanted this for months but didn’t have anyone worthy. Who would I punch? Everyone in my life was wonderful and wonderfully understanding of what I was going through.
Actually, that was part of what I hated.
Everyone was great. Understanding. Sweet.
And that might seem like what I needed, but what I wanted was the opposite. I wanted everyone to be as angry as I was. I wanted them to be angry at me for being the loser. I wanted them to see me the way I saw me. It would validate everything. Make it simpler. My world would make sense again.
And maybe I wouldn’t feel so empty and wrong.
But that wasn’t what happened and now I was taking my frustrations out on a guy who probably deserved a few good punches, even if I was throwing them for the wrong reasons.
“Off,” Greg barked. He took me by the shoulder and shoved me off of Liam. Andrew placed himself between us, keeping Liam back.
Josh came around the corner, took one look at me and sighed. “Liam?”
“Did everyone know?” Tracie shrieked.
In our defense, she’d basically admitted that she already knew Liam was a scuzzy piece of shit when she said again. Burying her head in the sand couldn’t change what her boyfriend was.
“Yes,” Josh said smoothly. “And I strongly suggest you stay here with us. We’ll drive you home or you can stay with one of us if you think it’s safer.”
Liam spit blood on the floor—Eve was going to hate that. “Scared of me? If you leave me you won’t have to be scared of me. I won’t want you ever again.”
I lunged again. Creepo deserved another shot for making a jackass comment like that to a woman he supposedly loved. Greg pushed me back and rolled his eyes. “You really think I’m letting you past me?” Then he turned punched Liam square in the jaw. “Out. And never come back.
I was feeling pretty damn good about the whole thing. I’d protected my woman and her friend all while doing my duty as a man. Sure I’d gotten a little out of control and my motives were a little off, but damn did it all feel good.
“Loser,” Liam bit out as they pushed him past me. He spit more blood at my feet.
I stared at him until he was out of my sight, the word sinking all the way down to the scars left by the same word used
by another useless man.
And that’s when it hit me: I’d lost control.
11
EVE
“It’s like living with a stranger. I don’t know this man.” It had been almost six months since our trip to Maine and I was sitting in my old kitchen—June’s kitchen now—letting out my frustrations over a cup of coffee while my kids tore apart the living room. June growing up and becoming my next-door neighbor—and frequent babysitter—had drawn us closer. In many ways she was wise beyond her years, plus she was my sister. It was nice that we could be brutally honest with each other.
“I’ve been walking on eggshells around him. I don’t want to be the reason he finally goes boom.” She made the hand motion of an explosion.
“Are you scared of him?” I asked tentatively.
“No,” she quickly assured me. “It’s just…his frustration is obvious. Plus, normally he’s happy and goofy. There’s usually a kid on his hip or dangling upside down from his arm. He’s a walking jungle gym.”
Yeah, that Jake hadn’t been around for months and didn’t seem to be anywhere on the horizon. It was starting to take its toll on everyone, including the girls, but I didn’t have the heart to tell him. I didn’t want him to add that guilt on top of the weight he was already carrying around.
“He’s definitely grumpy twenty-four, seven,” I agreed. “At Thanksgiving he was doing really well until…” He wouldn’t talk to me about it. A curtain had come down after his confrontation with Liam. He was worse than ever.
“Until the fight. That was so intense! Liam was weird but I didn’t expect Jake to lose it.”
I shrugged. “I wasn’t completely surprised. Jake does not like it when other men look at me like they know what I look like without my clothes on.”
June blinked a couple of times, then changed the subject. “Cassandra’s bringing the kids down next month for spring training.”
“Yeah, I’m excited that this is our new family tradition.”
“I just wish Mom and Dad’s house wasn’t so far out of the way. It would be the perfect place to lay low with all these munchkins.”