“Mmm...” I moaned against his mouth. My wetness settled between my legs, and I needed to feel him. “I need to feel you.” I got on my knees and took him in my mouth.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
“Mariella, I’m home.” My apartment door was unlocked, so I just walked in.
I heard the shower on, but I didn’t see anyone here. Why would she leave the door unlocked while she was in the shower? I walked to the bathroom and peeked in. She wasn’t in there. Where the hell was she? I turned back down the hall and felt something pounce on my back.
“Boo!” Mariella laughed.
“You bitch!” I screamed and dropped her to the floor.
“Hey, I missed you, woman!” She kissed my cheek.
I couldn’t catch my breath. She scared the crap out of me. Laughing, I felt relief she was in such a good mood.
“Yeah, I really missed you too.” I rolled my eyes.
“Shut up. You love me.” She smirked.
“I do, oh so much, sugar. Now get your dirty ass in the shower so we can go to dinner.” Her arms were still wrapped around me.
“I love you and know that I’m always here for you.” She stopped and rested her cheek against mine. “I miss your momma more than you know, but I know she’s very proud of you, Adi.” Her eyes were red like she’d been crying.
“Thank you, Ella. She’s very proud of us.” I closed my eyes and squeezed her tighter because I knew she needed me today too.
Her mom was coming to Chase’s today for dinner, and I knew it would be extremely hard for her too. Aunt Lorilyn looked just like my mother, the same chestnut brown hair and green eyes, but she was a bit taller and a few years older. She stopped by every other weekend to check on us. I loved that she did because my mom would have done the same thing.
Grabbing for my necklace, my fingers hit my bare chest. It was the reminder that I didn’t have it with me today when I needed it most. I walked out to the kitchen while Ella finished her shower and ate a yogurt. I was so hungry. It was probably from all the sex last night. I’ve never had that much sex in one night, not even with my college boyfriend. That’s probably why we didn’t make it.
There was a loud knock on the door. Looking through the peephole, there was a large older man holding flowers. I opened the door.
“Hi, can I help you?” I asked.
“I have a delivery for Adi Archer.” The older man stood there looking at the invoice.
“Yes, thank you.” I held my hands out as he handed the flowers to me. I shut the door and put the flowers on the kitchen counter as I read the note.
“Everything I am or hope to be, I owe to my angel mother. I hope you have a better day. Thinking about you. x-Ryder.”
I wiped the tear that fell down my cheek. The flowers were every shade of purple. This man has me obsessed with him. I took the flowers to my room and called him. His voicemail picked up quickly, so I decided to send him a text.
“The flowers are beautiful! Perfect! I cannot thank you enough! Xx” I texted.
I walked to my closet and picked out a cute white sundress to wear with my denim jacket to dinner. I needed a shower, so I had to wait for the hot water to fill up again after Mariella’s shower. Sitting on the edge of my bed, I looked at a photograph of Chase, my parents, and me that I kept next to my bed. I rubbed my thumb over her smile and then my dad’s smile. We were so happy. I needed to call my dad. This was going to be hard because I didn’t want to upset him, and I wasn’t sure what to say.
“Adi, my baby girl.” He answered on the third ring.
“Yes, it’s me.” It was comforting just to hear his voice. It felt like home.
“How are you, pops?” I asked because he surprisingly sounded cheerful.
“Adi, I’m doing all right or as all right as can be. Today is hard, you know, but your mother wouldn’t want us just to sit around and sulk.” He stopped.
Picking at the string coming from the hem of my blue dress, I waited for him to continue.
“She would be happy to know we’re all getting together later to celebrate her life and not be in pain for her death.” I felt a lump settling in my throat listening to his words of wisdom.
“I know, Dad. She wants us to live,” I added.
I heard him sigh into the phone. I smiled remembering how happy she was all the time. She truly was the heart of our family.
“Adi, that’s right... She needs you to live and to be happy. My baby girl, you need to have more adventures for her,” he continued.
“I will, Dad. I promise.” A few tears fell down my cheeks, but I wiped them away.
“That a girl. Well, I’ll see you later, buttercup.” He always called me buttercup when he knew I was sad.
“Love you, Dad, see you later.” I ended the call to finish getting ready.
Mariella and I were always the last ones to arrive at any family function. Of course, we got made fun of for being the girls who take forever to get ready. I didn’t even take that long. I put my hair up in a bun and applied light makeup since I didn’t want to chance having another crying attack and to have black stains running down my face.
Checking my phone, I felt nervous. I still hadn’t heard back from Ryder after I sent him a thank you text for the flowers earlier, but I knew he was busy with his parents tonight, so I didn’t stress about it. Plus, I left his apartment on more than good terms with him.
“Adi, Ads!!” My Aunt Lori shouted from across the room. She looked beautiful. She hugged me tight and kissed my cheek. Her perfume smelled like my mother, so I took it in. They always joked about liking the same perfume, clothes, and hobbies. They really should have been twins. Everyone was cheerful, and it put me at ease. Chase asked me where Mom’s necklace was, of course. He knew she never took it off and I haven’t either since I started wearing it. He noticed everything, so I filled him in. He was thankful that Trent found it for me.
Delilah’s growing belly made me so happy. Chase stayed at her side and rubbed her belly every time someone asked him when the baby was due. She looked beautiful. She was only a few weeks away from meeting the third pink addition. We were all excited to meet the new little one. My mom would have been so happy for them. It felt a little warm in here tonight, so I excused myself and went to their private bathroom upstairs for a minute alone. It was getting stuffy, and I needed space. Locking the door behind me, I checked my phone. I had a new message.
“You’re very welcome. I miss you and need to see you tonight. Can you come over again?” I read the message from Ryder.
I looked at the time. It was six o’clock, and I didn’t see myself staying all night, but I didn’t want to rush this time with my family either.
“I’ll try. Text you when I’m home.” I closed my apps on my phone and walked back downstairs.
Everyone was sitting around the table playing Cards against Humanity. My dad was laughing the hardest as Chase read his card aloud to everyone. Thankfully, Allison and Madison were upstairs playing in their room. I rolled my eyes at the thought of us so dysfunctional to be playing that game as a family. Laughing at my dad’s obnoxious laugh, I sat down and joined in the next round.
Hours passed from each board game to the next until Delilah called everyone into the living room. Sitting down on Mariella’s lap, I stretched my feet out on the ottoman. She played with my hair as we waited for Chase to tell us what was going on. He was standing in front of his fireplace holding a DVD, and I was getting anxious.
Everyone was settled in and waited quietly for Chase to begin. He cleared his throat.
“Delilah and I want to thank you all for coming tonight. We’re blessed to have everyone here in this room to remember our mom.” He paused and looked at me then looked down again.
I felt heat pulse on my neck. He was going to get emotional and send me over the edge again. Delilah rubbed his back and stayed close to his side. Snuggling closer to Mariella, she wrapped her arms around me. She was already starting to tear up. I grabbed for my nec
klace. Shit. It’s not there. My fingers played with a loose string on the couch cushion instead. Chase grabbed the remote from the sofa table and pointed it at the DVD player.
“Today, we don’t want to remember the death of my mom, but we want to remember her life.” A tear fell down his cheek, and I swallowed hard. “We want to remember the way she smiled, the way she laughed and loved us with her entire heart.” He cleared his throat again as his eyes caught mine. “Delilah and I put together a video for Mom, and we hope you enjoy it, she’s with us still we just have to look at our reflection and see her staring back at us.” He weakly smiled.
The tears were flowing freely down my cheeks now, and Mariella was already sobbing in my ear. Great, I would never make it through this video sane. My dad’s face was red, and he was rubbing his nose. He rarely cried in front of us, and I knew this was the hardest thing for him to go through. I stood up and joined him on the couch. Rubbing his hand, I held it tightly in mine. He wasn’t alone. He would never be alone.
Chase started the DVD and the song “Stand By You” by Rod Stewart sounded through the living room. Pictures of my parents flooded the TV from the time they first met to each anniversary they celebrated. The song “Baby Love” by The Supremes came on next. It was one of her favorites. She would always sing around the kitchen to us when we were little. Photos of my brother and I with her flashed across the screen. We all smiled remembering those innocent years. They were the best.
“My Girl” by the Temptations was next, and we all burst into laughter. She loved humming that song. The granddaughters took the spotlight with her, and we all were in awe. She loved her babies so much. Each song was truly her too. From the Beatles “Let It Be” to The Temptations “My Girl,” they hit me hard.
Every emotion flooded through my body. We laughed at my mother covered in mud after our family flag football game, and we cried when we saw her holding her first-born grandchild, Madison. The girls were too little to understand what had happened completely, but they did know that their mom-mom was gone. Madison smiled when she saw herself on the television with her. She twirled her golden curls in her fingers and pointed.
“That’s me with mom-mom!” Her little blue eyes lit up.
Allison was a year younger than she was, and she blushed when her picture popped up. She was shy and hid behind her hands. I rubbed her back and kissed the top of her red hair. More photos of my parent’s wedding played with the music, and my dad was shaking as he wiped his eyes that were now filled with tears. Aunt Lori was a mess of emotion too. She laughed, cried, and cursed. She was feistier than my mother was. Mariella rubbed her back to calm her down. The movie ended saying a donation was made in my mother’s name to Mother’s Against Drunk Driving in her honor. I loved the movie to celebrate her life and was happy that Chase and Delilah shared it with us.
“Chase!” I cried jumping up from the couch. “I loved it, thank you...I love you.” I grabbed Delilah and pulled her into my hug with Chase.
“Thank you. It was the best.” My dad’s arms were wrapped around all three of us.
“She was so lucky to have you as her children.” He buried his face into my shoulder.
Mariella and Aunt Lori joined in on our hug next, and we were all laughing and crying together. It wasn’t out of pain but for celebrating the life that we all had shared with her. After an hour of rehashing the movie and sharing funny stories we had growing up with her, all the family and friends Chase had invited thanked us and slowly parted ways for the night. Mariella and I stuck around an hour after my dad left and helped Delilah clean up everything.
“Thank you so much for putting this together today.” I hugged Chase then Delilah again.
“Of course. We wouldn’t have it any other way and plan to do it every year for her.” Chase smiled with redness in his eyes.
“Well, count me in for next year.” I smiled back.
Mariella smiled and hugged both of them too. Just as I turned to leave, I felt a tap on the shoulder.
“Hopefully, we can meet your new boyfriend next time we get together?” Chase stood behind me grinning.
“How did you know?” I looked down with the biggest grin on my face, but there was no point denying or hiding it now.
The thought of my embarrassing phone greeting we had a week ago flashed through my mind. Mariella coughed into her arm almost choking, and I glared at her.
“Are you kidding me? Did you tell him?” I shoved her arm.
“Hey, she’s my cousin too!” He laughed as I pushed Mariella into him.
“Okay, well, you can have her then!” I yelled.
“Hey... he asked me, and all I said was yes you were seeing someone.” She rolled her eyes.
“Well, come on, spy. Let’s go home.” We all laughed.
Chase and Delilah stood at the front door waving until we drove off in Mariella’s old Honda Civic. This car had some miles on it, but it got us back and forth between our families and around the city as we needed, so I couldn’t complain that it was a little older. The night lights put me in a daze, and I thought about how they looked through Ryder’s bedroom windows.
“On my way home now.” I sent him a quick text.
Why did I miss him so much? We just saw each other this morning.
“What time will you be home?” Not a minute later, he replied.
I looked at the time. It would take about forty minutes to get home so we should be there about ten o’clock.
“Ten. Are you home?” I replied.
“Is that Ryder?” Mariella asked.
“Yes.” I turned my cell phone screen off.
I was still annoyed that she had a discussion with Chase about my new boyfriend.
“Sorry I didn’t tell you that Chase asked about you.” She kept her eyes on the road.
I watched her from the passenger seat.
“It’s okay, but what did he ask?” I picked at the handle on the car door.
“He just wanted to know what you’ve been busy with lately.” She giggled.
“What?” I shouted. “You told him about my sex life?” My eyes grew big.
“No, of course not... I just told him you were dating a guy you just met.” She shook her head.
“Where did you tell him we met?” I bit the corner of my lip.
“I just said we shared a taxi with him one night.” She nodded.
“Well, thanks.” I looked back out the window.
She flipped through her playlist while we sat at the traffic light. She stopped on the Dirty Dancing soundtrack, and it made me laugh. We watched that movie back to back during our summer off from ninth grade. We knew every song.
“Do you love me?” She turned it up as we shouted to each other.
I saw a new message alert on my phone, so I opened it.
“Just got home from my parents’ house. Can you meet me at my apartment?” I read.
I looked down at my outfit and nodded to myself because I looked good tonight, and I remembered I packed my new lingerie in my bag just in case he asked me to come over tonight. Mariella was still singing and dancing against the steering wheel. I smiled as I watched her because she looked so pretty. Guilt set in thinking about asking her to drop me off to Ryder. But I really wanted to see him.
“Ella, can you do me a favor?” I asked.
She turned the music down.
“Sure, sweets. Anything for you... Well, almost anything.” She winked.
“Could you drop me off at Ryder’s apartment on the way home?” I asked and nervously waited for her response. I didn’t want to leave her alone tonight, but I hoped she would understand.
“Of course...my little hoe.” She smirked.
“Really? Thanks!” I covered my mouth.
“I’m just kidding. I love you, and I’m happy for you that you can release your little hoe ways on someone now.” She stuck her lip out.
We laughed hard until she turned up the music again. Clutching my phone, I looked at the photo Trent
sent me of my necklace. This day hasn’t been as bad as I thought it would be. I didn’t love this day, but everyone around me made it much easier for me to deal with. But I couldn’t wait to get my necklace from Trent on Monday. Minutes passed in the car, and we were finally pulling up to Ryder’s apartment.
“Thanks again, Ella. I love you and be safe.” I kissed Mariella on the cheek and grabbed my bag.
“Have fun,” she yelled out of the window.
She pulled away when I stepped inside the lobby. It was quiet in Ryder’s building, and I imagined there were tons of older people who lived here. The older white haired doorman was nice. He handed me the check-in paper with the biggest smile. Normally, I would have felt nervous that he was judging me, but I was confident Ryder and I had something different. I didn’t feel like just a temporary thing in his life. As I signed my name on the sheet, I thought it was weird that I had to sign a paper to go to Ryder’s apartment, but I guess this place was too expensive to have any security breach for the tenants. Pausing, I noticed a few names up was a Piper Harlow who had signed in for Ryder’s apartment earlier today. Maybe it was when he didn’t answer when I called him. I instantly felt heat in my cheeks as I placed the pen down and thanked the nice older man. The smile on his face must have been from the thoughts of the multiple women Ryder kept. The elevator ride up felt like forever with my thoughts. I needed to calm down and not jump to conclusions. Piper could be a relative—certainly not a male relative but maybe a female cousin or something. Why am I getting mad? He can also have women as friends. I couldn’t be that jealous girlfriend who made him give up his social life for me.
The doors opened, and he was leaning against his doorframe staring right at me as I stepped out. He looked beautiful and relaxed with his arms crossed over his chest. My eyes quickly scanned his body. He was wearing a navy blue fitted shirt with dark jeans that hugged his body in the right areas and was standing in his bare feet. He really knew how to dress, and my body responded to the clean scent of his cologne. His eyes moved up and down my body in return. He had the biggest smirk on his face. Pulling at the straps of my white sundress, I couldn’t help but smile. He had such an effect on me.
Distract Me Page 13