All In: An Everyday Heroes World Novel (The Everyday Heroes World)

by J. L. Drake

  “Wait, does this have anything to do with his conversation with Arizona at the Christmas party?”

  My eyes flew to hers, and I wondered what story he spun.

  “Look, I don’t care that they used to date, Carter.” She took a sip of coffee from her red snowflake cup while my blood started to boil. “But she needs to be able to co-exist with him in the same room if this is going to wo—”

  “They never, ever dated, Sarah.” I cut her off, growing angrier by the second. “Arizona came home one night to her apartment that she and her husband Myles shared to gather her things.” I held up my finger when she opened her mouth in shock to ask the obvious question. “I’ll fill you in on all that later. The point is she caught her husband and his female friend and Jason having a full-out orgy in their bed.”

  “What?” She nearly spit her coffee across the table.

  “Yeah, Jason plays for both teams, by the way, and he’s fed you a bed of lies, excuse the pun, about that night at Mom’s party. He went after Arizona and threatened her and told her she better not tell you about it.”

  “Hang on, back up. Who was he in bed with?”

  “Her ex-husband Myles Young. She and Myles had split up, and she was going back for her stuff. She is suing him for divorce.”

  “Myles Young? As in Young, Inc.?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Holy shit.” She rubbed her face and cursed a few times.

  “Where did you even meet Jason, anyway?”

  “Jason had hired my friend Rowe’s company, and Rowe asked me if I wanted to make some extra cash at the start of the summer. I knew I wanted to head south for the holidays, so I agreed to help him out. Two days into working the job, Jason started hanging around to make sure everything was going right. One thing led to another, and we just hit it off. I had no idea he was sleeping with anyone, let alone a jerkoff married guy and some bimbo.”

  “So, you’ve met Myles, then?”

  “I’ve only really talked with him twice, and he’s an arrogant ass. Dresses flashy and drops bills like he’s clubbing in Vegas. He was flirty with me at first, until I mentioned I had a kid. I saw it in his eyes immediately. I practically felt him implode. I became an instant no-go zone. I’ve met plenty of guys like him before, and they don’t want any complications. He avoided me after that and left me alone.”

  “The second time?”

  “Ah,” she thought for a moment, “it was when Club Sixty-Three was about to open, and he and Jason were arguing over something.”

  “Do you remember what it was about?”

  “No, not really. Just something about a shitty deal.” She waved it off. I could tell she was struggling to deal with what I had told her. “He’s really nice to me, and he’s awesome with Evie,” she whispered. “Do you really believe Arizona told you the truth? Is there any way she could be the one lying?” She looked so hopeful.

  “Look, Sarah, there is no reason for her to lie. I trust her, and she is worried about you, too. We both felt we had to tell you what happened so you would know the type of person Jason is. Only you can decide if you want to be with him or not. You have a daughter to protect, but I won’t judge you if you don’t cut his balls off. I’m going to judge him for how he was with Arizona last night, though.”

  “Fair enough.” Both her elbows planted on the table as she covered her face. “I think I should go home and deal with this before it eats me alive.”

  “Yeah.” I reached over and rubbed her shoulder. “For what it’s worth, I really am sorry.”

  “I know you are.”

  I waited for my sister to get into an Uber, and as it turned the block, I headed home. It wasn’t exactly how I pictured my Christmas going, but I couldn’t let my sister go on thinking even for a day that that prick was a decent guy who she hoped would be in her future. I had my niece to think of too. Evie didn’t deserve that creep being anywhere near her. My blood was heating up again at the thought.

  I hated feeling so dark inside. I was usually really good at pushing back those kinds of thoughts. It was a skill I learned early on as a firefighter, but when shit threatened to smother the ones you loved, it was next to impossible to ignore it. You had to hit it hard and fast. Outrunning it was not an option.

  “Merry Christmas, Mr. Carter.” Otis tipped his hat, and snow sprinkled down from the brim. “I hope you’re in for the night?”

  “I am.” I slipped through the doors but stopped myself. “Do you not have the day off with your family?”

  “You guys are my family.” His smile showed me so much of himself and the warmth he held inside, but when I continued to study him, he went on. “My kids are grown up and have moved on, and I lost my wife years ago.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “Me too, but I have her right here.” He patted his chest, and for the first time since I moved in, I saw some raw emotion trickle through his normal happy armor. “Family is what you make it. I had a great one, and now it’s time for me to be part of another. That post right there allows me to have that.” He opened the door for a woman and wished her a happy holiday. “Speaking of family,” he nodded at the elevator, “I believe you have yours waiting upstairs.”

  “I guess I do.” I felt a ping of sadness for our beloved doorman. He had no one to share a tree with, enjoy a hot meal with, or even just watch a good show with. And yet he greeted us every day with a smile and happy attitude. For the first time, I wished we had done more for him than the usual envelope and bottle of scotch we all give him as a group at Christmas. I made a mental note to talk to Arizona about some ideas.

  I watched as he greeted another tenant and helped her with her bags before the elevator closed.

  When I stepped onto our floor, I felt my phone buzz in my jacket pocket.

  Sarah: Tossed the cheater to the curb.

  Carter: I’m sorry.

  Sarah: I’m just glad you told me.

  Carter: How did he take it?

  Sarah: Not well. I’ll call you tomorrow. Enjoy your time off.

  Thank God she went with her gut and tossed him aside. God knew what else he might be into after what Arizona described.

  When I unlocked the door to Arizona’s apartment, it took me a moment to register the changes. Flameless candles lit the room, places were set for dinner on the table, and a bottle of red wine had been poured into the decanter to breathe. Jasper sat in a huff in the corner, still beyond pissed about being jammed into an ugly cat sweater. That, of course, caused me to happily smirk at him.

  “Merry Christmas, buddy.” I gave him a little ear scratch just because it was Christmas and I felt a teeny bit sorry for him. He allowed it.

  I dropped my keys in the bowl, removed my coat, and shimmied off my wet boots.

  “Hello?” I moved farther into the apartment. “Babe?”

  “Bedroom.” Her voice was quiet.

  More candles led me into the room. She was sprawled out naked on the bed on top of silky red sheets that gave a whole new meaning to Merry Christmas.

  “Wow.” I leaned my shoulder against the doorframe and admired my girlfriend and all that came with her.

  “I should get brownie points.” She held the flameless candle as if to say see, not an actual flame.

  “Big time.” I ripped off my sweater and moved toward her, kicking the door closed behind me.

  “I take it the water is no longer hot?” I slid across the sheets after dropping my pants and socks on the floor at the end of the bed in a hurried heap.

  “Am I not hot enough for you?” She reached out and placed her hand flat on my bare chest.

  I swallowed hard as her hand moved in slow motion down to my groin. She bit her red lower lip and pulled me into a hard, deep kiss. I faintly tasted cherry…or was it strawberry? My mind was in a delicious spin of everything wonderful. I allowed her to have her way f
or a bit, but as the American flag on my new Christmas underwear was now at full mast, I flipped her onto her back to show her my allegiance with a grin.

  I smothered her laughter with my own deep, probing kiss and immediately all humor was replaced with pure, hot lust. My tongue traced down to her bellybutton and circled it, moving south, then I heard her breath suck in as I found her bud and circled it as well. She arched up to try to push against my chin, but I pulled away and went back up to her lips.

  The coolness of the silky sheets against my hot skin turned me on even more, and I quickly pulled off my Christmas gift, and without warning slipped quickly into her. Her eyes widened, and she went still for a breath then wrapped her legs around me and lifted herself to press tight against me, locking her muscles tight, then drew away slowly, only to arch into me again. I barely held on as she repeated the motion. I pulled her up so she was sitting on me with her legs wrapped around my waist. I sucked on her swollen, hard nipples as she moaned and rocked herself to a climax with a deep moan. When I felt her go, I threw my head back and allowed myself to join her.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Arizona

  “You made this for me?” I held up the clay circle with Walker’s small handprint on it. He had made it to hang on my tree. “I think this is the best gift I got all year.”

  His toothless smile warmed my heart from the inside out. His grandfather had asked if he could drop him off at the rec center today for a few hours while he took his wife to an appointment. We were more than happy to welcome any child who wanted to stay with us, especially over the holidays. We had lots of food, donated gifts from local companies, live music from the kids who were taking band at school, and endless Christmas movies. I only wished we had this kind of support all year long, but we would take what we could get.

  “I just happen to have a little something for you, too, Walker.” I pulled out a long rectangular box and urged him to open it.

  Three rips, and wrapping paper flew everywhere, and he squealed when he pulled out a firetruck complete with lights and sirens. The doors opened, and even the ladder pulled out and could rise high up just like a real one.

  “Wow, cool!” He cheered and gave me a huge hug, and when he went to sit back down to play with it, I smiled and nodded over his shoulder at Carter, who had promised he’d come by to say hello.

  “Hey, Walker, there’s someone else who wanted to come by and wish you a Merry Christmas.”

  As soon as Walker laid eyes on Carter, I knew I was chopped liver. I laughed as he leapt up and raced for Carter, who scooped him off his feet and tossed him in the air like he weighed nothing.

  “Hey, big guy.” Carter winked at me, and I couldn’t help but think about last night and what those hands did to me. “I see you got a truck just like mine.”

  “Wanna play with me?”

  “I sure would.” Carter got down on the floor and started to play with the little people that came with the truck while I headed back to the kitchen to start lunch.

  “You two make me sick.” Jessi laughed from behind me as she set pies to cool on a bamboo rack.

  “I know.” I grinned and loved how Carter was exactly what I wanted in a man. “And how is your love life going?”

  “Well, let’s see, there was the guy who insisted he could talk to birds, then there was the one who only ate things that were orange. Oh! Then there was the guy my mother set me up with who swore he was Elvis in another life.” She tossed off her gloves and leaned her hip into the counter. “It’s official. There are no good men left.”

  “There are, you’re just looking in the wrong places.”

  “Maybe you think I should get a tree stuck in the hallway and cuss like a sailor until some hottie comes and finds me.”

  “All I’m saying is that swiping right on some dating app isn’t the best way to find someone. You need to get out, join a class, be face to face with humans.”

  “Who are you, and what have you done with my best friend?” She eyed me.

  “Or maybe he’s right under your nose?” Kipp, the oldest at the center who was barely seventeen, grabbed an apple and winked at Jessi.

  “What have I told you about eavesdropping?” Jessi pointed a spatula in his direction.

  “Don’t do it unless you have something to offer?” He grinned as he winked again, and she rolled her eyes but laughed at his boyish charm.

  I left the two of them to banter and looked over at Carter. He was on his stomach explaining to Walker all the parts of the firetruck. When he spotted me looking, he told Walker to hang on for a moment.

  “He’s so happy with you.” I tugged at his hoodie and gave him a quick kiss before the kids noticed and groaned.

  “It’s nice to hear him laugh.” He stared down at me, and I knew he wanted to say more, but Kipp trotted by and made some comment about house rules.

  “I was going to stop by Cook’s place and drop off some gifts for his family. What time will you be heading home?”

  I glanced at my watch and tried to remember who else was stopping by today.

  “I’m thinking three at the latest?”

  “Perfect.” His hands went to my hips and pulled me to him. “I will meet you at home then.”

  “Okay.” I loved that he said at home and was drunk on love as I watched him play with Walker for another half hour before he left.

  The rest of the day was fun. We did crafts, baked cookies, and prepared for New Year’s by stringing sparkly cups with thread and draping them around the whole bottom floor of the center. By the time we were finished, there was more glitter and glue than in a kindergarten classroom. I knew it would be Easter before I got rid of it all from wherever glitter hid.

  “Are you sure I can’t do anything else for you?” I asked Jessi as I wrestled my still-wet coat on and cringed as I felt how damp my boots were.

  “Unless you have a man up your sleeve, I’d say I’m good. David and Linda will be here to take over soon, so I won’t be much longer.”

  I held her by the shoulders and stared into my best friend’s big, beautiful green eyes. “Hey, if I can find a man after what I went through, yours is on the way. Just don’t be scared to look in unusual places.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Meaning just that.” I plucked my purse off the island and headed for the door, but not before I blew her a kiss, and I saw her eyes soften and relax a little. My poor friend was always there for others but rarely for herself. Maybe I could keep an eye out for a guy for her too.

  Carter texted me to say he was running a bit behind, so I decided to take the long way home and enjoy Central Park and all that came with its winter wonder. I spotted the entrance to Carter’s little hideout and smiled at the memory of our time there, a little hidden gem in New York City.

  To think it would happen to me, that I wanted to be home, that I wanted to be there waiting for him. I wanted to make him give me that smile, the one that reached his eyes and made the forces of nature toss their hands up in the air and say, “Screw it, they are meant to be together.”

  I leaned over the railing of one of the ponds and closed my eyes, finding a sliver of sun that managed to peek out, and let it warm my face. Though I loved winter and all that came with it, a little sun made everything better.

  Something passed through me, and I found myself calling my mother.

  “Hi, dear, how are you?”

  “Hi, Mom. I just wanted to call and say I’m having a really good day, and I wanted you to know that.”

  I heard her clear her voice as though my comment hit a nerve.

  “You know, honey, as a mother, you spend your whole life worrying about your kids. Will they be okay, will they find happiness, what kind of person will they turn out to be? I’m just so proud of you.” She paused. “I think I really needed to hear your happy voice today.”

  T
ears blurred the snowy trees together, and I sniffed, outing my own emotion.

  “I think I really needed you to hear it.”

  “How’s Carter? Is he there with you?”

  “No,” I used my mitt to dry my tears, “he’s just visiting a friend while I finished up at the center.”

  “How are the kids? Any sign of little Walker?”

  “Yes, actually, we just saw him.” I pushed off the rail and spent the rest of my walk filling her in on his situation.

  “You really were born to work in a place like that, dear.”

  “I think so, too.” I squinted to see the streetlight ahead. “Well, Mom, I’m almost home. I’ll give you a call tomorrow?”

  “Sure thing. Have a good night, dear. I love you.”

  “Love you, too.”

  When Otis opened the door for me, I held out a bright red box.

  “Merry Christmas, Otis!”

  “No, dear, you shouldn’t be giving me anything. You all have given me my gift this year.”

  “Oh, shhh.” I waved off his nonsense. “It’s just a little something from Carter and me.”

  “Well, I, ah…” He hesitated, but when he saw I wasn’t going to give in, he pulled at the bow and tore the edge of the paper. “Oh, my.” He held up the soft leather gloves lined with fur. “This is too much.”

  “Not for family, it isn’t.” I leaned in and gave him a hug and was so happy Carter shared his encounter with Otis yesterday.

  “I think this is one of the nicest gifts anyone has ever given me.”

  “Merry Christmas, Otis.”

  “Same to you, Ms. Lexington.”

  My heart felt full as I gathered my keys from my purse and let myself into my apartment. I was met with a grumpy cry from the kitchen counter.

  “Good afternoon to you, too, Jasper.” I rubbed his head the way I knew he loved and plopped some food in his dish. He glared at me and waited a beat before he dove in like the little piggy he was.

  Carefully, I pulled out the homemade ornament Walker made me and put a piece of ribbon through the hole at the top then hung it over a strong branch toward the center of the tree. Its weight caused it to swing around, and I noticed a small drawing scratched into the back of it. I hadn’t noticed it when he gave it to me. My chest squeezed with a wave of emotion when I saw three stick figures holding hands each with an initial written over the head. C, W, A. That kid held such a special place in my heart. I snapped a photo of the picture and sent it to Carter, and he sent back a heart and noted that he was moments away.