by Elle Wright
The past month and a half spent with her had turned my well-controlled life upside down. Not in a bad way, either. Initially, I’d thought it’d be fun to hang out with her, get to know her in a different way. I hadn’t really gone into this expecting us to cross the line. Maybe I’d thought we’d have sex once or twice, but not daily. Yet, that’s exactly what had happened after we’d gone to Tristan’s birthday celebration a couple of weeks ago.
I’d planned for the fundraisers, the outings, and even dinners. After all, we’d started this entire thing to help her clinch the coveted spot in the Color of Law organization. What I didn’t plan for were the movie nights, the private chats, the double dates with her sister, the lazy mornings wrapped around each other. All of those things were outside of the scope of our initial agreement but were nonetheless important to me. Our business relationship had somehow morphed into mostly pleasure. And as time sped toward the induction ceremony, I wondered if everything we’d shared would fade as fast as this fake relationship had started.
The bombshell revelation that Hayes wasn’t my biological father had thrown me for a loop, but it could’ve been much worse. I could’ve experienced this alone. I could’ve been left to pick up the pieces myself. Yet, Dallas had been right there with me—supportive, encouraging, and even sweet during one of the worst times of my life. And she was here today, with her contagious smile, chatting with my new siblings while I was glowering in the corner.
When we’d arrived in Wellspring that morning, Brooklyn had greeted me with a hug. From there, it had been a whirlwind of introductions, brunch at the hotel, a tour of the small town, and now an early dinner at Bryson’s home. According to Brooklyn, Senior had left the house to Bryson in his will with the stipulation that the youngest Wells sibling live there for a year, which had been hard due to the abuse he’d suffered at our father’s hands.
“Overwhelming, huh?” Veronica said as she approached me.
After meeting all of them, I found I related most to Veronica because of our late entry into the clan. She’d moved to Wellspring after Senior died, had thrived in the town, and had even fallen in love.
“Pretty much,” I admitted softly. “How did you do it?”
She shrugged. “I just did. And I’m better for it.” Ronnie sipped her drink. “I will say that they’re some of the most genuine people I’ve ever met. It was easy to love them.”
I actually believed her. Parker Jr., Brooklyn, and Bryson had been nothing but hospitable the entire time I was there. In these types of situations, I’d expect them to be wary of me and maybe even accusatory. It was no secret the Wells family was very wealthy. I wouldn’t be surprised if other siblings came out of the woodwork claiming to be an illegitimate offspring of the notorious philanderer, Parker Wells Sr. “It’s an adjustment,” I mumbled. “I grew up thinking I was an only child. Now, I have four siblings.”
“Me too.” She smiled at her boyfriend, Juke, when he handed her a plate of veggies. Once he’d left us, she said, “I always knew about Senior, but thank God, I never experienced him up close and personal.”
I snickered. “I guess that is something to be thankful for.” Living with my mother was no treat, but from all accounts, it would’ve been ten times worse if Senior had been in the picture.
Bryson joined us a few minutes later. “Are you two okay over here?”
Dallas never left my line of sight. I’d watched her rock one of the babies, laugh with Bryson’s wife, Jordan, and hug another woman who’d just arrived at the house. “We’re good,” I said.
“You seem like the quiet type,” Bryson observed. “I guess we have that in common.”
“You think you’re quiet?” Veronica muttered.
Bryson shoved Ronnie with his shoulder. “Shut up. Give us a minute.”
“Be nice.” Veronica grinned and headed toward Dallas, who was now talking to Brooklyn.
I gave Bryson a sideways glance. “Do I have something to be worried about?”
He shrugged. “Why do you ask?”
“She told you to be nice. Are you not nice?”
He waved a dismissive hand toward Veronica, who waved at him as if she knew he was about to talk about her. “Time has changed me. When Ronnie met me, I was a little quiet. But never mean.” He stared ahead. “My father wasn’t the type of man anyone would want to know, especially if you were his son.”
“Everyone keeps telling me that.”
“‘Cause it’s the truth. We’re good because of each other.”
I thought about his words and wondered if I’d ever get to the place where I was good because of them. My heart wanted the relationship, but years of being Kenya’s son had made an indelible mark on me. “I’m not used to all this family.”
Bryson lifted a brow. “And you’re with Dallas? Her family is huge.”
I chuckled. “It’s kind of complicated.”
“It doesn’t look that complicated to me. She’s here with you. And you haven’t let her out of your sight since you’ve been here.”
“Noticed that, huh?”
“Something tells me we’re alike in that way, me and you. We observe, learn everything we need to know while everyone else is talking.”
Bryson’s assessment was spot on. I’d rather observe than talk any day of the week. It’s one of the reasons I’d made it this long. “You would be correct.”
“Yep.” He clasped my shoulder. “I knew it.”
Parker walked over to us. “What do you know?”
“That some Wells genes are actually helpful,” Bryson said. “I have to check on the twins. They’re a little too quiet. I’m sure they’re tearing some shit up somewhere.”
“How’s it going?” Parker asked me. “Ready to run screaming yet?”
“Not at all.”
“It’s always hard to come into a situation like this. Veronica handled it with grace when she did it, and you have too.”
Curious, I asked, “How do you feel about this?” Up until now, Parker Jr. had been the big brother of the group, the first-born. “I’ve only been here for a couple of hours, but I can see you’re the leader of this family.”
“Honestly, I was a bit uneasy about this meeting. But now I welcome the opportunity to get to know you. It’ll be cool not to be the oldest.”
“I want you to know I’m not here for money.”
He frowned. “Oh, I know. Prescott-Hayes is a pretty successful company—and growing.”
I smiled. “Did your research?”
“Always. But I’ve spoken to everyone, and we all agreed you’re entitled to something.”
Shaking my head, I reiterated I didn’t want any money from them. “I’m not here for that. I just wanted to come here and meet you all.”
Parker and I talked a little about the business and he invited me back to Wellspring for a longer visit next month. Soon, Dallas and I said our goodbyes and started the three-hour drive back to Ann Arbor.
“Thanks for convincing me to come,” I told her.
She laughed. “It took a lot to get your stubborn ass in the car.”
“Well, you did a pretty good job of catching me off guard.” That morning, she’d awakened me with her mouth around my dick and an idea for an impromptu trip to Wellspring. Despite my initial response of no, she’d made valid points about why it was important to get the meeting done.
Dallas smirked. “I told you I have my ways.” She glanced down at her phone and cursed. “This fool gets on my last nerve.”
I frowned. “What’s up?”
“Kimball’s ass. He just texted me.”
The mere mention of his name pissed me off. I wouldn’t have minded wearing his ass out on that golf course. “What did he want?”
“I have no idea. He only sent a one-word text. Hi. I feel like I’m dealing with a toddler. WAP muthafucka.”
Confused, I said, “I’m not into that new hip hop, but doesn’t that mean—”
“I know what it means. In Kimball’s case,
it’s not what he has, it’s what he is. A Whiny-Ass Pussy.”
I barked out a laugh. She did too. “You’re silly for that,” I told her.
“I love to hear you laugh,” she murmured, a smile still on her lips. “It’s nice.”
I held my hand out and she slid hers into mine. “I like that you make me laugh. Even when I don’t want to.”
“Well, I guess I have to make up more corny jokes.”
I lifted her palm to my lips and kissed it. “I’m here for it.” I’m here for you.
Today felt like the start of something new, something better. As we neared Ann Arbor, I realized I was ready for the journey. I also realized I wanted Dallas with me on the ride. Yet, while we’d steadily taken steps that brought us closer together, I wasn’t sure she was ready for forever. Or even for now.
“What’s your favorite song?” I eyed Dallas over the rim of my glass.
Earlier today, she’d texted me two words: Today sucked. And I’d immediately hopped into action, organizing a picnic on my recently purchased property on the Detroit River. After a light dinner of fried chicken, potato salad, and green beans all prepared by her mother, we’d spread out on the blankets I’d laid in the bed of my truck. My house was under construction and too dangerous for us to be inside.
Since we’d been out here, Dallas had yet to tell me why she was having a bad day. I suspected it had nothing to do with Kimball and the Color of Law stuff. It seemed to be more personal in nature. So I tried to keep the conversation to safe topics like music, until she was ready to share.
“Of all time?” she asked.
“Yeah.”
“Hm…” She tapped her chin. “I love a lot of songs. Hard to narrow it down to one.”
I stared at her. She was so beautiful, bathed in the sunlight. Every day, I found myself more invested in this thing between us. I didn’t want it to end. “Okay, what about a song you like that people would be surprised about?”
A whisper of a smile spread over her lips. “That’s easy. ‘Dirty Diana.’”
“Who?” I teased.
She met my gaze. “Don’t tell me you don’t know about that song? It’s about a woman who liked the boys in the band, a groupie. It’s Michael Jackson!” She sang the first verse of the song, moving her body to the tune in her head.
When she blared the chorus in her off-key voice, I covered her mouth. Laughing, I said, “It’s okay. You can stop. I don’t want you to scare the fish. Or any of the neighbors.”
She swatted me. “Shut it. There’s no one within yelling distance.”
I kissed her. “That’s the way I like it.” When I’d bought the house, one of the selling points was the privacy. Although the home was in an exclusive subdivision, the closest neighbor was a distance away, which suited me just fine. The breathtaking view of the river and the boathouse had sealed the deal. The previous owner had done substantial renovations, but I wanted to make the house my own. Construction had started before Memorial Day, and I expected to be able to move in after Labor Day.
“This is so nice,” she said, turning to her side so she could face me.
I ran my finger down her cheek. “What’s nice?”
“Being out here, away from everything. I didn’t know you had this place. It’s pretty amazing. I can’t wait to see the finished house.”
“I’m actually looking forward to moving back to the city. It’s been a long time.” I’d lived outside of Detroit for years, but I’d always wanted to return eventually. The resurgence of the downtown area had been great for the economy. Land was selling at top dollar, and new developments were sprouting up everywhere. It was a blessing that Prescott-Hayes had been in the mix on some of those projects. “I’m already pricing boats.”
Her eyes lit up. “Oh, that’s even better. I love being on the water.”
I stared at her. There was nothing about Dallas that didn’t intrigue me. “You continue to surprise me.”
“That’s what I live for.” She placed a quick kiss on my nose.
“You love the outdoors, and you don’t mind getting dirty. And you love the water too?”
“My parents live on a lake. And we lived in Cali for a while. I loved the beach and I enjoy boating. I remember when we were young, my parents would take us up north, and we’d spend the entire time on the water, jet skiing, swimming… Those were good times.”
“Lake Michigan?”
She nodded. “Yep. Back then, they rented vacation homes. Now, they own one. We try to visit as a family at least once a year.”
“That’s cool. I like that your family gets together the way they do.”
She smiled softly. “You’ll have the same thing with your siblings.”
“You’re confident about that.” I entwined my fingers with hers. “I’m not that sure it’ll work out like that.”
“I’m confident in you. You’ve already made the first move.”
That visit to Wellspring had been an important step. Since then, I’d finalized my second trip. I would spend a week there in October. “Sometimes I can’t help but wonder how my life would’ve been different had I known the truth. I missed so much time with them.”
Her eyes glistened as if she was thinking about something sad. “That’s hard. But you have time now. You should make the most of it.”
“What was your favorite part about having siblings?”
A tear fell from her eyes, and I wiped it. “Just having someone to talk to, to love on. It wasn’t always like that, though. I had my phases where I didn’t want to be bothered. Duke and Dex got on my nerves right around the time we turned ten. They always had each other, building forts and shit. I wanted to go in the fort, and they wouldn’t let me.”
“What? How could they not let you in the fort?”
“Stop making fun of me. My feelings were so hurt about that. But anyway, we fought often, but the love was always there.”
I rested my forehead against hers. “I want that,” I admitted—to her and to myself.
“And you’ll have that.”
I brushed my lips over her forehead. It seemed as though I was in a constant state of desire for her. No matter where we were, I wanted her wrapped around me. But it wasn’t just physical either. My emotional attachment to her grew stronger every day I spent with her. After this charade was over, I knew I wouldn’t be okay if things went back to the way they’d been before. “You’re so beautiful,” I whispered.
Dallas buried her face in the blanket and grumbled. “Stop saying that.” She peered up at me. “You know you don’t have to ply me with compliments. I’ll give you some anyway.”
I pulled her into my arms. “I only say what I mean.”
She pressed a soft kiss to my lips. “I like that about you. I’m the same way.”
“I know.”
“Can we stay like this for a while?” She snuggled into me.
“As long as you want.”
She wrapped her arms around me. “It’s the anniversary of his death,” she confessed softly.
Only, I didn’t know who he was. “Oh.”
“Ezekiel Reid.”
The name was familiar. “The basketball player?”
She nodded. “We were so close, so in love for so long. But most of our relationship happened in secret. Our families were super close and only a handful of people knew about us. We wanted to keep it to ourselves. Well, I wanted to keep it quiet.”
“Why?”
“My reasons seem so convoluted now, but part of me always felt like it wouldn’t last. I loved him, but we wanted different things in life. He loved being a pro-basketball star and I liked my lowkey life. I’d decided to open my own practice and wanted to give it my all. I couldn’t do that flying out every weekend to watch his games. So it was easier to not tell anyone. If our families didn’t know, there would be no expectations for weddings and babies and happily ever after.”
“That must’ve been hard.” Hearing that Dallas had loved once before didn’
t have the effect I thought it would have. I was just happy she felt safe enough to talk about him with me.
“The secret wasn’t hard to keep. Actually, it was a thrill. He was my first kiss, the first man I ever…” She sighed. “But we were young. And he was younger than me. He was ready for us to go public, and I wasn’t. I broke up with him on the night he died.” I held her tighter, sensing she needed the support. “It’s been five years, but I can’t help but think about that night. He was upset when he left me and I always wondered if that caused the accident.”
“From what I read at the time, it wasn’t his fault. He hit a slick spot on the expressway.”
“I know, but still… I lied and told him I wasn’t in love with him anymore. I saw how emotional he was when he walked out of the hotel room, and I didn’t tell him to stay. I was so focused on what I wanted, even though it gutted me.”
“You can’t blame yourself for doing what you thought was best for you at the time. And if he knew you, if he loved you, he knew that.”
Her chin trembled. “I’ve always been like this. All about business, all about my career. Sometimes I wonder what would’ve happened if I’d followed my heart and not my ambition.”
The emotion in her eyes did something to me. It almost felt like I was looking in a mirror, listening to someone articulate my own thoughts. Relationships had never been a priority for me. I’d been with women, but I’d always kept them at a distance. No one had been more important than my work, than my goals. Now I was faced with the possibility that the woman I wanted would never make room for me. “I understand that more than you know.”
“You do, don’t you?”
I swallowed past the hard lump in my throat. “Absolutely.”