“Is Alex here?”
“He just got here. He took Rocky to the office with him.”
I nod, but before I walk to the back, I sneak behind the counter and bury my face in her neck, breathing her in.
“Missed you today,” I whisper.
“I’m right here,” she whispers back.
“Missed you all the same.” I pull back and smile down into her gorgeous face. “Hey, I’m hosting family dinner tomorrow at my place. Brad and Hannah are coming home today.”
“I know, I texted Hannah this morning.”
“Will you and Alex come?”
She bites her lip and nods. “Of course. Do you want me to cook?”
“No.” I scowl and squeeze her hand. “I want you to come and eat good food and hang out with my family. No cooking required.”
I plant a quick kiss on her lips, then pull away to walk back to the office. Alex is at his desk, but he’s not working on schoolwork. No, he’s teaching Rocky tricks.
“Sit,” he instructs, but the puppy bounces up to lick his face. Alex giggles. “No, silly. You’re supposed to sit.”
He puts Rocky on his back haunches and repeats, “Sit. Good boy.”
Rocky gobbles up the offered treat.
“This doesn’t look like math,” I say, grinning when Alex looks up in surprise. “How was school?”
“Dumb,” he grumbles.
“Why was it dumb?”
I sit next to him and set the bag of groceries on Willa’s desk.
“Because kids are mean.”
I nod. Man, no truer words. But I swear to God, if someone’s been shitty to this kid, I will bring hellfire down on that school.
And pull my funding.
“Was someone mean to you today?”
Alex shrugs his little shoulders and pets Rocky, who’s curled up in his lap.
“Some kids said I was a geek.” He looks up at me. “Have you ever been called a geek?”
“Sure,” I say with a nod, relieved that it’s this and not something way worse. Not that being called names is okay, but I’ve heard horror stories from my friends about their kids being bullied. “I mean, you’re talking to the guy who works on a computer all the time.”
“But what you do is cool,” Alex says.
“Why did they say you’re a geek?”
“Because I like Star Wars and I like to build stuff. And I didn’t want to go outside to play soccer. We could choose between that or staying inside to read, and I wanted to read.”
“I don’t blame you, it’s darn cold outside today.”
“Yeah, and I’m reading a cool Goosebumps book that I got for my birthday. But then they said I was being a geek.”
“Well, I think that all of those things sound great, and if that’s what being a geek is, then I guess I’m a geek, too.”
Alex smiles softly. “Yeah?”
“Absolutely. Maybe those kids are jealous because they don’t read as well as you.”
He thinks that over as he pets his puppy.
“Maybe,” he finally says. “But I wouldn’t say bad stuff to them just because they don’t read good.”
“No, you wouldn’t.” I ruffle his hair. I want to pull him to me for a big hug, but I don’t want to cross any lines. It’s still early for all of us. “Because you’re a good kid.”
“I guess it’s good that I like to read. Mom says it is.”
“Your mom’s smart,” I reply with a nod. “And I agree. Reading is very good.”
He nods again. “Okay. I just wish they wouldn’t laugh and stuff. They’re just…dumb.”
“That behavior is dumb. And now you know how it feels, so you won’t ever treat anyone else that way.”
“No, I won’t do that.”
I pull the pretzel sticks, peanut butter, and hummus out of the grocery bag and get ready to change the subject.
“What’s that for?” Alex asks.
“It’s to snack on while we do math. I had an idea on how to help with division.”
We settle in, working on the problems, using the sticks. They’re great as visual aids to help Alex grasp the idea.
“Do you want peanut butter or hummus?” I ask.
He scowls at me. “I’m nine, not forty. I don’t want hummus.”
I snort, then do my best to look offended. “Hey, I’m not forty.”
“Are you my mom’s age?”
“I’m a year older than her.”
“See?” Alex crunches on a stick. “Old.”
“That’s the last time I bring in snacks,” I reply, making him laugh. Alex takes a bite of his pretzel, then offers the rest to Rocky, who snatches it right up.
“Hi, guys,” Willa says, poking her head in. “How’s it going back here?”
“Good,” Alex responds. “We have snacks.”
“Mm, pretzel sticks.” She reaches out to grab some, but I shake my head.
“Are you doing math?”
She arches an eyebrow in that way that makes my dick twitch. Way inappropriate around the boy. “Not at the moment.”
“Then no pretzels for you. This is math food.”
“Did you get him to eat hummus?”
“Heck, no,” Alex says, shaking his head. “That’s old-people food.”
“I like hummus,” Willa says.
“I rest my case,” Alex responds, making us all laugh.
“Okay, then.” Willa watches her son offer a pretzel to Rocky. “No more of those for the baby, Alex. Too much people food upsets his tummy, remember?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Willa leaves the room before Alex rolls his eyes.
“It’s just a pretzel.”
“And she’s your mom, kiddo. You gotta do what she says.”
He sighs dramatically. “Fine.”
“Do you have this handled for a few? I need to go talk to your mom about something.”
“Are you going to tell her about school?” He hangs his head.
“Look at me.” He complies, and the worry in his brown eyes tugs at my cold heart. “Unless you’re in danger for some reason, I won’t tell your mom anything you don’t want me to. I promise. Okay?”
He nods. “Okay.”
“But if the bullying from these kids gets any worse, you need to tell her. She will want to help you, Alex.”
“I know. She just worries a lot, and I know that she cries sometimes, too. Or, she did before you started hanging around. And I don’t want to make her worry anymore.”
“You’re a good person, Alex, and I’m lucky to know you.”
He smiles proudly as I pat his shoulder, then I set off, looking for Willa.
I find her in the back of the store by the dressing rooms, fidgeting with a rack of dresses.
I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her into a cubicle, then close the curtain and pin her against the wall, kissing the hell out of her.
She’s soft and small and smells like sunshine.
She buries her hands in my hair, holding on tightly as I brush my lips over hers, our tongues tangling. I can’t help but grind against her, making us both moan.
“Shh,” she says with a giggle. “We might not want to do this here.”
“I couldn’t help myself,” I reply, kissing my way down her cheek to her ear. I pull the lobe—earring and all—into my mouth.
“I have a confession.”
“If it’s another man, I’ll kill him,” I growl, but she just laughs again.
“No.” She rolls her eyes, just like her son, and it makes me smile. “Seeing you help my son is damn sexy.”
I feel my lips twitch. “Is that so?”
“Oh, yeah. It’s nice that we get along well, and the chemistry is good—”
“Good?” I grind myself against her again. “Try fucking amazing.”
“…but knowing that you also like my son? Well, that’s sexy on a whole new level.”
“I’m going to remember this,” I promise her.
“Of course, you will.�
��
***
I’m sitting on the lake. It’s frozen over, and I have my fishing pole, with the line dropped into the hole in the ice. I’m sitting in a chair, hot coffee in my mug, a blanket on my lap.
The sun is high over me, which is unusual for winter, but I’m happy for the light.
“Nice day,” Cary says beside me.
“Cold as fuck,” I reply. “But the sun feels good.”
“Didn’t think this lake would ever freeze over this year,” he says, and I nod in agreement. “So, let’s get to why I’m here.”
“I invited you here,” I remind him, but he just smiles, and I realize that he’s in shorts and a T-shirt. The same T-shirt he wore every day for a year our junior year. “Dude, you’re going to freeze. Where’s your coat?”
“One of the cool things about being dead is you don’t need a coat.”
I scowl as it all comes rushing back to me. The mountain. The snow. Not being able to save Cary.
“I’m sorry,” I say, the way I always do when Cary visits me in dreams. “I’m so sorry.”
“Not your fault,” he reminds me with a sigh and shrugs. “I was dumb.”
“Is it really you talking to us when the train whistle blows at your grave? I’ve been wondering for years.”
“Of course,” he says with a wink. “I talk to you a lot. You just don’t always listen.”
“I’ll be more aware now.” My line tugs, signaling a fish on the other end, and I wrestle with it, finally pulling it out of the water. Cary is waiting with the net. “Thanks, man.”
“I miss fishing,” he admits.
“What else do you miss?”
He smiles. “Your mama’s fried chicken.”
“Hell, I miss that,” I say with a laugh. “I’ll have to request it the next time I see her.”
“I miss my wife.” He stresses the my, and the smile falls from his lips. “My son.”
“They miss you, too.”
He tips his head to the side, and the sun disappears behind clouds. It gets even colder than it was before.
“It’s awfully convenient of you to worm your way into my spot there, don’t you think?”
“I’m not worming my way anywhere.”
“I’m out of the picture, and now you can take over my life? Maybe you pushed me into that tree well on purpose.”
“Fuck you,” I roar, standing from my chair and flipping it over. “You know that’s a load of bullshit.”
“And now you’re trying to be a daddy to my son. What, just because you’re loaded, you think you can be a better dad than me?”
“You’re not here,” I remind him. “And you were always jealous that Willa had eyes for me. That she was my girl first. Funny how as soon as I left town, you poached her.”
“That’s right,” he says with a smug smile. “And she fell for it, hook, line, and sinker.”
“You’re a dick.”
“Like looking in a mirror, ain’t it? So what, are you gonna marry her? Adopt my kid?”
“If I want to.”
“Just remember, I was there first. I’m Alex’s daddy. And at the end of the day, I’m the one Willa wishes was in her bed, in her body, making her moan.”
“I’m going to fucking kill you.”
I stomp after him, but he disappears. I’m still on the lake, but the ice is broken, floating on a current. There’s a whirlpool up ahead, sucking in everything that comes close to it.
I’m going to get swallowed.
I lay down, trying to paddle the other way, but it’s no use. I’m spinning now, hurtling out of control.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
My alarm is going off, pulling me out of the worst nightmare of my life.
And I’ve had some doozies.
I rub my hands down my face and pad into the bathroom to start the shower. I’m covered in sweat.
And I can’t get warm.
Chapter Nine
~Max~
“YOU HEARD ME, I’m coming to Seattle.” I stand before my tall windows, staring out at the lake as the caterers hustle behind me, getting dinner set out for my family, who should be arriving anytime. “I’ll be in the office tomorrow. I need you to get the house open for me and arrange for the plane to be ready to go at six mountain time in the morning.”
“Will do,” Charles, my assistant, says. He’s been with me for about five years now. He works from Seattle where my main office is but can commute anywhere I need him at a moment’s notice. Since I sold a lot of the company, I rarely need him with me these days.
I have some new ideas brewing, however.
“Need anything else?” he asks.
“I’ll text if I think of anything,” I reply. “See you tomorrow.”
I end the call and turn in time to see Celia, the manager of Ciao, walking toward me with a clipboard. Celia is young and smart and runs a tight ship.
“I think everything’s set,” she says with a smile. “I just need a signature here.”
I don’t even glance at the bottom line, I just sign my name and pass it back to her. “Thanks for everything. It smells amazing.”
“It’s our pleasure, as always.”
She marches out with her team of three that came to help. They were in and out in twenty minutes.
I ordered three pans of lasagna, salad, and a massive amount of garlic bread. It’ll most likely be too much food, but I won’t have to worry about anyone leaving hungry.
I’ve been off all day. That’s the only way I can describe it. The dream freaked me out, even though I know it’s only a dream. It wasn’t real. Cary didn’t visit me to tell me that I’m a son of a bitch for having feelings for his wife and kid.
I know that.
But I feel guilty and weird all the same. So, it’s time to get away for a few days. Bury myself in some work, take a deep breath, and think.
I’ve already pulled out my overnight bag. I only take a few things with me since I have a home there with everything I need.
The doorbell rings, and I pull the door open to find Alex and Willa smiling at me. It’s like a stab to the heart.
“Your house is so big,” Alex says as he rushes past me inside, making me grin.
“Hello to you, too,” I say as Willa joins me, and I shut the door.
“It’s, like, huge,” Alex says, running to the windows and looking outside. “Mom! Look at the lake.”
“I see it, buddy.” She looks at me and shrugs. “We need to get out more.”
“It hadn’t occurred to me that he hasn’t been here before,” I admit. We always spend our time together at Willa’s house.
“What else is in here?” Alex asks eagerly.
“Alex,” Willa admonishes. “Don’t forget your manners.”
“Sorry,” he says. “But really, what else is there?”
“I think we have a minute to show you around,” I say with a laugh and take the two of them on a quick trip through all ten thousand square feet.
“You have ping-pong,” Alex says, jumping up and down.
“And a movie theater,” I say, opening the door to the room in question and flipping on the lights. Alex walks in and stares, struck speechless.
“Whoa. Mom, did you know about this?”
“Yes, I did.”
“And you didn’t tell me?” Alex looks betrayed as he takes in each of the posters, the popcorn machine, the candy counter. “It’s like the real thing.”
“I like movies,” I say.
“Do you have Star Wars?”
“I sure do.”
He turns to me with wide eyes. “Can we please watch it later?”
“If your mom says it’s okay, I’ll put it on after dinner for you.”
He turns to his mom. “Please, Mom? It’s my most favoritest movie!”
“It’s fine with me.”
“Yesssss!” He pumps his fist in the air and follows us back upstairs to the main level. Willa stops on the stairs in front of me and wraps her arms
around my neck, hugging me close. I stiffen for just a second, then return the embrace.
“I missed you today,” she whispers.
“How was your day?” I ask. She leans back, her eyes narrowed and watching me closely. There’s no way she can tell that anything’s up. I’m acting completely normal.
“It was fine,” she says. “Are you okay?”
“I’m great,” I reply with a smile and gesture for her to keep climbing the stairs. “I think I hear voices up there with Alex.”
But she doesn’t move. She just cups my cheek, and I immediately feel like a jerk. “Are you sure nothing’s bothering you?”
“I’m great,” I repeat and lean in to press a quick kiss to her lips. Finally, she turns to lead me upstairs.
“Alex was just telling me that we get to watch Star Wars after dinner,” Jenna says when we come into the kitchen. “Please tell me he’s not lying.”
“Looks like it’s a movie night,” I confirm, and Jenna and Alex exchange a fist bump.
“Awesome,” Christian says from behind the island where he’s sniffing at the lasagna. “Alex needs to hang out with us more often. We’ll have way more movie nights.”
“I can do that,” Alex says with a nod.
“They’re here!” Willa exclaims when the doorbell rings. She runs to answer it, then throws her arms around Hannah. “Oh my gosh, I’m so happy to see you.”
“We were only gone for two weeks,” Brad says with a smile before wrapping her in a hug.
“That’s a long time,” Willa says as she closes the door behind them. “Look how tan you both are. I’m so jealous. By this time of year, I’m white as a ghost. I don’t remember what the sun looks like.”
“You’re always welcome to use my house in L.A.,” Christian offers, and I suddenly feel defensive, which is stupid.
“I also have a place down that way,” I add calmly. “Dinner’s on, guys. Help yourselves.”
“I love it when Max hosts dinners,” Jenna says with a wink. “We get something delicious, and I don’t have to cook.”
“I do my part,” I reply with a laugh. Willa steps over to me and links her fingers with mine, then squeezes my hand. I press back. The reassurance that she’s here because she wants to be is a balm to my soul today.
So why am I trying to back away?
Good question.
My gaze finds Brad’s. He cocks a brow.
Waiting for Willa (The Big Sky Series Book 3) Page 9