Meeting the Step

by Adams, Ash

  MEETING THE STEP

  (THE STEP #1)

  ASH ADAMS

  Would you like additional free content from Ash? She has been answering questions about Meeting the Step since before it was released and compiled some extra content just for her newsletter subscribers! If you would like to receive special news and sneak peeks from her, please make sure to sign up by clicking here!

  Synopsis:

  Max and Chelsea couldn't deny their instant attraction, which meant trouble.

  Their parents would never approve, but who said they had to know.

  It all started with one kiss and a weekend alone…

  Him: I never wanted a stepsister, but my father dropped the news when I returned from vacation. I told him he was twenty years too late for the whole sibling thing. I hated the thought of her until we met and then I couldn't get her out of my head.

  Her: When my mother told me she was going to remarry, I died inside. She moved us to the suburbs in a perfect little neighborhood, but I didn't want to be there. I knew my mother's fiancé had a son that was close to my age, but I didn't want anything to do with him. Not until he rescued me from my abusive boyfriend. Somehow, with his prince charming good looks, he had become my own personal knight in shining armor.

  Copyright © 2015 by Ash Adams

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Printed in the United States of America

  First Edition, July 2015

  http://www.ashadamsauthor.blogspot.com

  Dedication:

  This book is for those who are scared to break out of the every day routine. Sometimes the risk is worth it.

  Quote:

  There is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable.

  -Mark Twain

  Epilogue

  Max

  I DECIDED TO move home during my last year at Southern California University so I could focus on my grades. My roommates wanted to party every night and I didn't. The time to start acting like an adult was now. After I had moved back home, my parents dropped the bomb that they were getting divorced. Honestly, it didn't really come as a surprise. My mother and father had started sleeping in separate rooms when I was 15. They argued all the time and often I felt the only reason they were together was because of me. It never really sat right with me. What was the point of being with someone if you weren't happy?

  My parents sat me down at the kitchen table a week before finals and gave me the news.

  I smiled at them both. "It's about time," I said to them.

  My response was simple. All I wanted was for them to be happy regardless if that meant together or apart.

  The divorce almost seemed too easy for them and that's how I knew it was the right decision. They didn't argue about anything and it was the most cordial I had seen them be in years.

  My mother moved back to New York and my father and I stayed in California. I would have gone to New York with her, but I had another semester remaining before I graduated with my bachelor degree in engineering. After I had my diploma, I would have to decide what I would do with my life. Eventually, I would leave the coop too which meant my father would be left to live in a two-story house on the coast alone.

  Weeks passed and my dad and I barely exchanged a word. He worked crazy hours and seemed to spend more and more time at work while I studied. My movements almost became robotic in a sense and I felt like I was living the same day over and over. Sleep, eat, study, rinse and repeat. After finals, I relaxed, but only slightly. The repetitiveness of life made me realize I had to get away even if only temporary.

  For the Christmas break, I booked a flight to New York to be with my mother and grandparents. New York was a city that held my soul. I loved being there, but the days passed way too quickly, quicker than I imagined. Within a blink it seemed I was back on the plane flying into the Los Angeles International Airport.

  I often wondered when my life changed and each time I thought back to the events that led up to the now, it always started at the airport.

  That was the moment when my life changed indefinitely.

  I have to tell my story to the world so others may understand. Maybe through my accounts, another can find the courage to do the unthinkable, say the unspoken, and believe that love can exist, even if it's forbidden.

  Chapter One

  Max

  MY FATHER WAITED for me by the baggage claim area with a smile placed across his lips. I couldn't help but smile back. Though it did make me wonder what was up because his smile was too genuine. I hadn't seen the man in almost three weeks and if I hadn't known better, I would have thought he had gotten laid during that period.

  "How were the holidays, Max? How's your mother?"

  Even though they were divorced, my father still cared for her. I knew that.

  "She's great, Dad. Really happy. And the holidays were good. Grannie and Papa gave me this to give to you."

  I pulled a small present out of my backpack and handed it to him. The paper was bright red and green with a white bow taped to the top. I already knew what it was and I was sure he did too, but he still took it with a smile.

  "Hmm, let me guess what this could be." He shook the box, the way he always did really close to his ear then gently tore the paper from the edges.

  "A watch," we both said at the same time.

  Since as long as I could remember, Grannie and Papa always bought Dad a watch for Christmas. Just the thought made me laugh.

  The conveyor belt whipped my bag around and I picked it up, pulled the plastic handle from the top then fell in step beside my father. We walked to the door and before we stepped out into the warm California sun, my dad stopped and turned around with a serious look on his face.

  "There is something that I need to tell you," he said. His voice was almost nervous, but his eyes were soft.

  At this point, I was confused. Utterly confused.

  "Okay? Right now?" I glanced around as we stood in people's way. It must have been something important for him to stop in the main entrance.

  "I'm seeing someone."

  I lifted my eyebrows. "In just 3 weeks? That's great Dad."

  I could tell he wasn't finished with what he had to say.

  "We're getting married."

  My mouth dropped open and my words fled the scene. I didn't know how I was supposed to react. I didn't know what he expected my response to be. I sucked in a deep breath and let it out of my nose calmly.

  I wondered what my mother would think of my father if she knew. Did she know?

  Marriage was a commitment that was meant to last a lifetime and sometimes people fell out of love with each other. When that happened the initial promise to be there through thick and thin was broken. It shocked me that my father had recently ended one relationship and was already moving onto the next.

  "Do you really think that's a good idea?" I grabbed the plastic handle to my suitcase and walked outside. It took a moment for my father to catch up with my long strides, but he did.

  "We met at work," he continued.

  Instantly, the long hours made sense. It was like pieces from a puzzle magically fell into place, solving itself.

  "You're really going to like her." The smile on my father's lips never left. I was tired from traveling and wanted to go home and relax and process everything that he had said. We walked through the parking garage and he took no time unlocking the trunk then the car door to the Mustang.

  "And you're going to like her daughter too. She's a really sweet girl. You did always want a sibling."

  I gently set my sui
tcase in the trunk then opened the door and plopped in the front seat. He snapped the car in reverse and pulled out. The engine purred as he picked up speed. I fucking loved this car.

  "How long have you been seeing each other?" I could tell by his squished brow that this wasn't a question he had rehearsed, but I had to know. He sighed as we headed toward home in Santa Monica.

  "Two years." His voice was almost a whisper.

  "So you're a cheater?" I shook my head and stared out the window.

  My father was the typical family man. He never missed a baseball game or parents night. He openly told me he loved me and would do whatever he could to ensure that I never went without. He even worked extra projects to pay for my undergraduate degree. For the past twenty-three years, my father had been someone I looked up to. He was someone that I saw as a role model, but after learning he had cheated on my mother, the level of respect I had for him significantly dropped. I couldn't even look him in the eye.

  I thought back to the past two years. Though I wasn't around much because I had moved into an apartment, when I did come home they had pretended for my sake. It was evident to me now.

  We drove through the hills and as soon as I could see the house, I noticed two vehicles in the driveway: a silver BMW and a 1950's purple Chevrolet truck. Immediately I turned and looked at my father for the first time since he admitted to cheating.

  "Did you go car shopping while I was away too?" I asked already knowing the answer to that question.

  He parked along the sidewalk to not block any of the strange vehicles in the driveway then turned off the engine. "Actually, Sandra and her daughter Chelsea moved in while you were gone."

  No words.

  Everything I wanted to say had vanished as the animosity within me grew stronger.

  "What the fuck?" I finally forced out.

  "Language, Max. I'm not going to listen to your cursing."

  "Don't worry, as soon as I graduate, I'm out of here anyway. Maybe sooner than that." I opened the car door and shut it then walked inside leaving my suitcase in the trunk. I needed to get away from the bullshit before I exploded.

  Chapter Two

  Max

  WHEN I WALKED in, I instantly noticed the presence of a female. The house was too clean and smelled like freshly baked apple pie. Candles flickered in the kitchen and I heard the sound of music flowing from upstairs.

  My father entered behind me with my suitcase in his grip. I glanced at him then headed up the stairs. The closer I got to my room, the louder the music became. For a moment I thought it was coming from my space, but it in reality it was leaking from the room that used to be my father's office. The door was barely cracked and I caught a glimpse of a girl, early twenties, in barely nothing reading a book. The room had nothing on the walls but a calendar.

  I kept walking. I didn't want a fucking sibling at the age of 23. I wanted a brother or sister when I was younger, someone that I could grow up with. Now that I was grown, I was good. I didn't have room for a stepmother or stepsister in my life.

  I walked into my room and closed the door then lay on my bed and looked up at the ceiling. I had flown back to the twilight zone and it made me feel powerless. I wanted my father to be happy, but already his happiness was the cause of my misery.

  The female voices argued with each other then a slam of a door echoed from the hallway. Maybe this Chelsea girl felt exactly the same way I did. I heard the deep grumble of an engine then it faded off in the distance. Maybe she hated this even more than me? Just the thought put a smile on my face.

  I wondered if my dad waited until I left and then hurried and moved them in so then there would be no protest from me.

  A light tapping echoed on my door and I spoke. My father entered with my suitcase and I sat up in bed. He sat on the edge like he did when I was a boy.

  "Listen, I know this is a little hard to digest. It was for me at first too. But Sandra makes me feel young again. She makes me feel things I thought were lost."

  I tried to speak and he lifted his hand not allowing my interruption.

  "You don't have to accept this. We, Sandra and I, are going to happen whether you or Chelsea like it or not. I'd much prefer your good graces and acceptance but considering the divorce was finalized a little over a month ago, I understand." He had stood and before he walked out of the room, he stopped. "Dinner is in 30 minutes. Please do not be late."

  By his harsh tone, I knew I had no choice. I'd be forced to meet the woman my father cheated on my mother with and her daughter. Just the thought brought me to a level of pissed off that I hadn't visited in a long while.

  The setting sun caused a burnt orange glow to fill my room. Tonight, after this ridiculous dinner, I had plans. I would meet up with some friends with hopes to temporarily forget it all. I grabbed clean clothes and placed them on the edge of the bed and made my way downstairs. The sooner I met her the quicker I could leave.

  I stopped at the bottom stair for a second as dread boiled within me. I wanted nothing more than to turn around. I wouldn't be a pussy about this. My father was right. I had to accept it.

  The table was set nicely with a display of pinecones in the middle. Dad and Sandra were laughing at something but as soon as they caught sight of me, they stopped. Sandra gave me a big smile and stood.

  "Hi, Maxwell. It's so nice to meet you. I've heard so much about you."

  I looked at her then at my father. "Thanks. You can call me Max. It's nice to meet you as well." I shook her dainty hand.

  "Food is on the stove, help yourself." She smiled.

  I looked her up and down trying to understand what my father saw in her. She was pretty for an older woman. Her hair was in a short bob and she had that natural Katy Holmes look to her. Thin with high cheekbones, plump lips, and eyes that curved at the edges. I gave her another smile then walked to the kitchen. The least I could do was be polite to her.

  I could hear them speaking in low voices to one another, but couldn't make out what they were saying. It was probably about me. I was almost willing to gamble on it.

  The stove was full of spaghetti and on the counter was a wooden bowl of cucumbers, tomatoes, and lettuce. I didn't realize how hungry I was until I smelled the tomato sauce and meat which made my mouth water.

  Silver wear and plates were already waiting next to the food. Two plates were there. I piled a scoop of noodles and salad on my plate then walked into the dining room and sat at the table across from my father.

  I quietly ate and listened to the two of them talk about work.

  "Max here will graduate with a degree in Engineering in the summer." My father bragged.

  "That's great. Do you know what you'll do after graduation?" Sandra asked. Her cell phone vibrated on the table and she immediately picked it up. She unlocked her iPhone and shook her head as she read.

  "Sorry for the interruption, Max."

  She looked at my father. "Chelsea isn't going to be able to make it tonight."

  I glanced over at her then back at my father. He placed his hand on hers with hopes to comfort. The whole display was odd.

  "She will come around to the idea," my father said.

  Sandra gave a small smile but I wasn't sure if she actually believed his words. I held back the tinge of a grin in knowing that Sandra's elusive daughter disliked the idea as much as I did. At least I wasn't alone in that regard.

  I finished eating and Sandra offered to take my plate and when she reached over, I saw the sparkle of her engagement ring. My father must have spent a fortune on it.

  "Thanks for dinner," I said then stood as she cleared my plate from the table. I headed up the stairs to my room. The door to Chelsea's new dungeon was cracked. I realized that since our rooms connected to the same bathroom, we would be sharing. Great.

  As I passed, I wondered what it looked like inside since she moved in. My curiosity got the best of me and I pushed the door open and stepped in.

  As I suspected earlier, the walls were blank
except for a calendar with old trucks as the pictures. A large sleigh bed with a white duvet and several pillows covered the bed. On the dresser, there were several picture frames, the only part of her that was here. I tried to find which one was her and it was undeniable. She looked like her mother, but younger and much prettier. She had one single freckle on her face and her golden brown eyes stood out in every picture.

  In one photo, she was hugging and kissing a guy who must have been her boyfriend. It was in a picture frame with the words "I love you" around the edges surrounded by big red hearts. The next picture was of her and a group of friends at a concert. She was taller than most of her friends and looked like the happiest girl in the world. The next picture was closer, a selfie, and I could make out the faint freckles that dashed across her nose.

  I stopped at the one in a big golden frame. She was standing next to an older gentleman with a mustache that twisted at the ends. They both had huge smiles pasted across their faces while a pair of keys dangled from her finger. Behind her was the purple 1950 Chevrolet truck. A grin hit my face as I looked at the picture. She seemed so familiar, but I couldn't quite place her. I could have looked at these photographs all day.

  A text vibrated in my pocket and I knew I had been in her room for too long. I’m sure she wouldn’t like someone being in the only personal space she had in this house. As I walked out, I couldn't help but wonder who Chelsea really was. Just from the pictures she had displayed, I felt like I semi-knew her. She liked old trucks and to have fun.

  I walked into my room, grabbed my clothes from the edge of my bed then went into the bathroom. Her lipstick and brush were on the counter along with a blow dryer, toothbrush, and toothpaste. She certainly didn't know how to pick up after herself. On the floor was a rumpled pile of clothes. I sat my things down on the counter and lifted the little lace panties with one finger and held them in the air. Apparently Chelsea was scandalous too. I could appreciate sexy lingerie.