by Emma Cole
The next week goes by with minimal fuss. The guys take turns shadowing me, and for the most part, besides Eli, we keep the interactions friendly yet reserved. Turns out the booking company I'm contracted with has no issue with bodyguards, as long as they're a reputable, licensed company. Which Greyside is.
The only uncomfortable hiccup was the novelty lingerie shoot I did. It wasn’t the traditional, lacey, pretty stuff. It was essentially toned-down bondage gear. Dylan, who had gone with me, had turned red, either from being pissed or embarrassed. Probably a little of both. He must have told the others about it, because Eli has been asking questions about it every chance he gets. Maybe one day I'll show him the box the company gave me. They are one of the ones that let me keep what I model.
As I become more familiar with tasks for the security company side of things and the types of services they offer, I get more and more impressed. They offer a myriad of things, from basic and advanced equipment sweeps, to being extra bodies for events, to teaching self-defense. The last is what interests me, at the moment. I know some basics, thanks to my dad. He'd insisted on it.
With feeling like I was being followed everywhere, I might want to ask Dylan if he would go over a refresher course with me. He had taught the majority of them,
Even Eli is way more into the day to day workings than I'd initially thought. In the offseason from football he handles the same assignments as the others around his school schedule. My boyfriend is a bit of a badass.
I haven’t run into Samantha, and if the guys have, they haven't mentioned it. Things with them alternate between intensely uncomfortable, to just hanging out. Eli has had two away-games and since they've been so far away, we didn't attend. Those are some of the times we enjoy each other's company, rooting for him from the couch.
I recently found out Eli's family is only a couple hours away. Due to him only using football to pay for college they no longer come to most of the games. Guess they are disappointed that he isn’t going to take any of the offers that are being hinted at. We’re planning on visiting his family early on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and then continue onto my mom’s for dinner since it’s on the way. Then we’ll stay the night through Thursday afternoon before heading back after an early dinner. Eli has a last home game that will decide if his team will go to the playoffs that Friday night.
During the days he is home, I run with him in the mornings or one of the others if he is gone for a game. We all regularly make use of the home gym, and fuck if that’s not an exercise in control to not outright ogle them. Except Eli. We have a time or two of semi exhibitionism, narrowly missing Ethan walking in on us once.
And then there’s Adam. With all the work, plus school, I only see Adam during classes, and I can tell something is up with him, but I don’t know what to do about it. I push that to the wayside until I can figure it out.
Tonight, Eli was at an away-game. I had watched him via video, and we had chatted a bit. Now in my pajamas, ready for bed, I decide to get water from the refrigerator. I find Beckett with his guitar in the nook area, while Ethan works at the desk, presumably on one thing or another for the company. I curiously listen to Beck plucking out a disjointed tune I can’t quite make out. I turn back to get a glass and fill it with water from the dispenser on the door. Hearing the roll of the desk chairs wheels on the floor, I look up to watch Ethan saunter toward me.
I swear that man's hip movement should come with a warning.
"Hey, Reese Cup." He comes right up into my space with his own glass. "Couldn't sleep?"
Nodding, I back away to give him room. "Yes and no. I was talking to Eli, then was thirsty."
"He’s still coming back in the morning, right?" He has a very smug look going on that I can't decipher, so I just nod again. "Remington, will you dance with me?
Well, that wasn't what I thought he'd have to say.
Then I notice the noises coming from Beck's guitar have smoothed out into a song I think I recognize. My guess is confirmed as he begins to sing along.
'I found a love for me
Darling just dive right in
And follow my lead
Well I found a girl beautiful and sweet
I never knew you were the someone waiting for me
'Cause we were just kids when we fell in love…
Holy fuck, he could sing.
Ethan was staring me down like I was the only person in the world for him. Of course, all I could do at that point was take his hand. I mean who wouldn't? Definitely not I.
Ethan smoothly pulled me into form and maneuvered us around the island and into the open space where the three rooms met. Then he started to hum along with Beck’s rich voice surrounding us, encasing us in a fragile bubble reminiscent of years past.
Past and present meld together with the seducing song and dance, along with the rasp of Ethan's day-old beard brushing my cheek, making my heart and my panties melt.
I wonder if Dylan can sing, too.
I can't remember if he ever had around me. I remember him and Beck fiddling around with instruments, and Beck singing a bit, but nothing like this. His voice had matured, for sure. As if my thoughts conjured him, Dylan appeared in the far side of the kitchen.
"What the hell are you all doing?"
And that was it for the bubble. The imaginary barrier almost seemed to make an audible pop as I came back to my surroundings, halting mid step with Ethan as the twang of the guitar strings fade off.
"Just having a bit of fun, Dylan," I address him, voice soft.
I go back through though to the hall, brushing by him when he refuses to move. I leave him with scathing parting words to go right along with his disapproving gaze. "Maybe you should pull the stick out of your ass and try it sometime, Dylan. Or better yet, next time if it offends you so badly, walk away."
I get into my room and close the door before sinking dejectedly into bed. I don't know what his problem is, but I'd like it if he'd either spill or leave me alone. His hot and cold antics were wearing me out. With sleep came the guilt that I had been enjoying intimate time with Ethan and by extension, Beckett, while Eli was gone.
Wednesday comes quickly and I'm nervous about the trip. Meeting Eli's family and him my mom. With the others in tow. I can't help but feel something will go wrong.
I gather the last of my things into my overnight bag. I seem to constantly be packing and unpacking. I silently chuckle at myself. Things with the guys have been fine. The last few days weren't uncomfortable like I thought they would be. Other than with Dylan, of course. I'd told Eli about it all, and he seemed to take it in stride. I could only marvel about his acceptance.
I checked around one last time for anything I may have forgotten and picked up my purse on my way out of my bedroom. I may as well claim it; I get the feeling this might be a permanent thing. Which is scary, but also exciting.
I find all the guys gathered in the entry way. We're taking their big SUV and they're loading up to carry everything down. Alex was going to ride with us, but she decided to take the guy she's been seeing home with her, and they're taking his truck. Apparently, the grungy band guy is getting serious. And they're so cute together.
Ethan directs everyone as usual. "Reese, can you do a quick sweep of the office and make sure everything is off and locked up before we head out? I want to double check everything is good in here. Beck and I will get the other levels. Eli and Dylan, take all our luggage down, alright?”
I hand off my bag to Eli with a quick kiss in thanks but keep my purse as I leave the apartment.
Chapter Sixteen
Eli
"Eli, man. Are you sure about this? I mean, the other night…"
A frustrated sigh escapes me before I can censor myself. I set the bags I'm carrying into the open hatch of the SUV. Turning, I place my hands on Dylan's shoulders and look directly at him.
"Yes. I'm sure. Is it what I ideally imagined? No, it's not. But things change and this is one of them. If you don't want
to be involved, you don't have to be. We're family and that's not going to change. If you do want a chance at it working, you need to talk to her. She thinks you're disgusted with her."
The wince he makes is immediate. I had a feeling he wasn't disgusted with Remi, so much as himself.
With a clap on the shoulder I step back and get into the driver’s seat with a laugh at Ethan's shout of 'shotgun' amid Dylan's swearing. It'll do him good to be in the back with Remi, unless he takes one of the third-row seats, but they're still closer together than the front is. Ethan waits for Remi to catch up and opens the back door for her with a flourish that makes her laugh. She's so open and carefree, it makes my lips almost unwillingly tilt up into my own grin. Fuck me, I love that girl.
While Ethan is playing the gallant, Dylan tries to sneak around him to the front, earning himself an elbow to the kidney, so he capitulates with a grunt. A full out laugh comes out of Remi at their antics. I shake my head and holler at them to hurry up.
Remi
Dylan gets into the very back which I'd already figured he'd do while Beck and I take the middle bench.
We pull out of the garage as Ethan hits the screen for the music. I smile in evil glee as a chorus of groans sound out in the vehicle. I may have snuck down earlier and loaded mine and Alex's custom-made playlist 'Songs to Sing-along'. The opening of Aqua's Barbie Girl turns up to ear-bleed levels, and I get a wink from Beckett. I mouth 'troublemaker' at him, and he responds with 'pot meet kettle'. We high-five to round out our camaraderie.
We stop about thirty minutes from Eli's family's house to use the bathroom and fuel up, so we don't have to stop again before we get to my mom's.
After we're all back in the vehicle, Eli starts explaining things about his family. I'd wondered when he'd get around to that, but as it seemed to be a sore subject, I hadn't pushed.
"Real quick. My brothers are going to hit on you. It's kinda their thing to prove a point. Long story short, and I know I just told you about this, but it's relevant… my high school girlfriend had been messing around on me while I was gone at school and football camp. She's a year younger than me, and when my brothers found out, they made a plan to expose her. I walked in on the two older ones, with her in the middle. " A tense silence fills the car. "Babe, don't get all weird. We're fine. It's not the same thing." It's exactly what I was worried about and even with his reassurance, I'm still uneasy.
"Anyway," Eli continues, "I just wanted to warn you. As for my dad, he's really great. After my mom left with some dude, it was just us guys."
Wait, what?
"And I guess I haven't explained that either,” Eli quickly adds. “Um, Mom took off right before my oldest brother graduated. He finished high school and went right into working the contracting business with my dad. We're all roughly a year apart. I'm number three with one younger brother. Dad sent the three of us to the academy after a client offered him free tuition for us, plus building materials in exchange for the expedited remodel he wanted done to a recent purchase. Turns out, it was those two’s dad," he gestures to Dylan and Beckett, "and I'm thinking that was right about the same time things with you happened."
I nod. Yes, their parents had been there packing up, and I bet that was the reason for the rush job.
"They already knew Ethan,” Eli says, “and dad had me and my younger brother go early while my two older brothers helped with the house. Ethan was a year older, but with the transfer of credits from Australia, it put him in the same grade as us."
My head is about to pop with all the info. He couldn't have done this before we were about to pull in his dad's driveway?
I interrupt. "Okay, I think that's enough for now. I don't think I can process anymore at the moment."
Eli shoots me a sheepish glance in the rearview mirror.
Before I can fully digest everything, we're pulling into the driveway. The other guys are quiet as we get out, until three men, closely resembling Eli, come out of the covered side porch. Then they're all greeting each other like old friends. Which, I suppose, they are. I hang out by the SUV as I wait for all the backslapping, greetings to be over. Eventually, everyone quiets down when, the youngest, I'm fairly certain, speaks.
"Who's this, Elliot?" Bright green eyes to match his brother’s gaze intently at me. I glance around and all eyes are on me as Eli comes up and threads his fingers through mine.
"Guys, this is Remi. My girlfriend." A round of nice to meet yous happen as Eli introduces us. "The tall one is Brock, the shortest is Levi, and my almost twin is Elijah, also called Eli." He interprets my look correctly. "Yes, it gets confusing around here."
"Nice to meet you all." Before I can get anything else out, an older version of the brothers comes out, and Eli—Elliot, I'll have to remember while here—goes to greet the man who has to be his father.
"Good to see you, son. Boys." He nods at my other guys. "And... gal?"
"Dad, this is Remi, my girlfriend. Remi, my dad Alvin. We're going to her mom's after we leave here later on."
The man puts out his hand to shake and I take it. At least I'm used to greeting random strangers.
"Nice to meet you sir," I greet the man. He’s a very attractive older version of Elliot and his brothers but with some smile lines and bright blue eyes instead of green. His blond hair is going a little gray at the temples.
"Well, Elliot, I have to say you managed to keep this one a secret from us all." He turns a stern look to the brothers. "Now, you three behave." I stifle a giggle at three grown men being told to behave. He sees my amusement and winks at me. Oh, so now I know where Eli, Elliot, got his game.
He waves us in and offers drinks of iced tea and water. I kinda want coffee but take the tea instead. I usually love it, but it's cold out today. I drink it anyway for the caffeine. The visit is somewhat stilted and awkward until Elijah talks Elliot into going out to throw a football around. I roll my eyes when they connect with Ethan's and get up to follow them out.
They have a large very green backyard, perfect for playing catch in. I settle on the swing, suspended from the overhang on the back patio, and Ethan disappears for a minute before coming back with his peacoat out of the car. I take it gratefully and drape it over my chest and lap, enjoying the extra warmth and scent that comes off it. There are a few Adirondack style chairs situated around the patio, giving it a nice homey feel. All the guys go out onto the grass and soon they're showing off for each other.
"Boys, right?" I startle at the feminine voice speaking behind me. I turn to look and see a curly-haired brunette standing there right outside the rear screen door.
Where the heck did she come from?
As if reading my thoughts, or maybe just my expression, she adds on, "Mr. McAdams let me in. Hi, I'm Carol, Eli's girlfriend." That throws me off for a second until I remember it’s Elijah. The bubbly girl sticks her hand out. I shake it and offer her to sit with me. She accepts the invitation and takes one of the chairs.
We sit in an uncomfortable silence like strangers tend to do and watch the guys horse around.
"Damn, who are the twin hotties? And the other is gorg’ too!"
I feel my hackles rise at her admiration of my guys. Yep, mine. Back off, bitch, you have a boyfriend. And so do I… That puts a bit of a damper on my anger. Even if it was his choice—his idea, even—I still feel guilty. My inner guilt trip is interrupted by the second oldest; Levi, I think. He stops playing to come over, with the others trailing not far behind.
"What are you doing here, Carol? I thought we made it clear you aren't welcome. You stay on your side of the fence, we stay on ours." His fun easy-going manner has completely morphed into angry and pissed off. I want to edge out of the middle of this, but I don't think that's happening. I have a front row seat to this train wreck.
"That was just a misunderstanding,” the girl, Carol, says. “Eli's had time to cool off since then, and now that I'm back from my trip abroad, we can patch things up."
I look to Elijah to see what
his response is gonna be and whip my head in the other direction when my Eli speaks.
"No, it wasn't. And no, we can't. Carol, I see you’ve met Remi, my girlfriend. And now, it's time for you to go."
He’d not mentioned she was his neighbor. I sort of want to be annoyed, but as she’s here and he’s with me, I let it go.
Apparently, Carol isn't so enamored with his sentiment, but before she can respond, Eli’s dad speaks.
"Sorry boys. She said she was here to visit Elliot. I thought y'all already knew about it. Carol, hon, you should head on home now. You've said your piece, and my boy has said his. I think everyone is clear on his wishes." Elliot's dad is holding the gate that attaches to the house open. I think he hadn't quite known all the specifics regarding the breakup. He ushers Carol through the exit without any protest from her.
Guess she doesn't wanna tangle with the eldest McAdams. Can't say I would want to either. The guy is huge, like Elliot.
When he returns, he addresses his sons. "Now boys, I don't know the particulars of what happened, but I'm neighbors with her and I like her parents. Let's not make it into a feud, if we can avoid it please. Remi, I apologize for the scene."
The man is seriously a sweetheart. I can see where Elliot gets it from. His mom must have been nuts to leave this group.
The visit doesn't last long after Carol leaves, the mood not quite as jovial as it had been. I get hugs upon our goodbyes. The eldest brothers are a tad too friendly in their embraces, but a couple well placed pinches from me, and a stern "Brock, Levi!" from their dad, cures their antics. We load back up in the SUV, and I wave as we back out.
Eli and I both speak at the same time.
"I want coffee."
"Sorry about the drama, babe."
I wave him off, wasn't his fault. Chick is off her rocker to think time would have smoothed her behavior over. I tell Eli as much, and also that his dad is kinda hot for an older man. After a surprised second and the horrified look on Eli's face, the guys bust out laughing, relieving the stress in the vehicle. Even Dylan cracks up. I'm happy to see him enjoying himself. I throw him a smile, and he instantly clams back up. With a sigh I look out the window and wait to arrive at the drive-thru coffee shop.