Chapter
Twenty-Three
Drew was on cloud nine. His team won the game, so he was full of energy by the time we got to Vice’s. Mom pulled up out front with us. I smiled when she got out with her mouth hanging open, staring at the home.
She glanced at me as I made my way over to her car. “This is where he lives?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, my.”
“I know.”
“Nana, Nana.” Drew cried, running over from Vice’s car. “You have to see the game room, and the pool, oh, and the movie room. Vice’s house is amazing. Come see.” He took her hand and before she even had her car door closed, he dragged her off toward the house. Laughing, I closed the car door and made my own way up to the front where Vice was letting Drew and Mom in. Just as I went to pass him, with a warm grin, he grabbed my wrist.
“The entry code is 55478.”
He was giving me the code to his house.
So I could enter whenever I happened to be over.
My heart swelled with the amount of emotions that bombarded me.
“Okay,” I whispered.
“My sweet Addy is present.”
“Yes.” Going up to my toes, I pressed my lips to his. “I think my sweet side will stay for the rest of the day since you gave me an orgasm.”
“Hmm, I’ll have to remember that when fiery Adalyn is about.”
Giggling, I leaned into him and kissed his neck. “Come on, we’d better save Mom from Drew.” He started in the door with my hand in his, until I stopped. He faced me, and I admitted, “I know it’s still new, but giving me your code means a lot, Vice.”
“You mean a lot, Addy.”
“Thank you.”
His head jerked back. “What for?”
“For being you.”
His lips twitched. “Okay?”
He didn’t get it, and I knew he wouldn’t. But I’d had to say it and I meant it. If Vice wasn’t Vice, he wouldn’t have annoyed me, charmed me, and consumed me in ways where I couldn’t keep him out of my mind. If he’d been different, I wouldn’t be standing in front of him with the feels I had for him.
Once again, I touched my lips to his.
Maybe Kenzie was right: people did eventually find their own happily ever after. And I had a feeling Vice was mine. Not that I wasn’t happy already; he just made life that much better.
Although, I could just be feeling extra happiness because I got a little somethin’, somethin’ that morning.
Heck, whatever it was, I was going to run with it.
“Come on, we’d better get lunch started before everyone arrives.”
“Baby, it’s a barbecue, not much to do.”
My eyes widened. “Not much to do? Oh snap, the groceries are still in the car. Mom and I loaded them this morning. We’ve got all kinds of things for pasta salad, Waldorf salad, potato salad. Then there’s dessert. We have—”
His hand covered my mouth. “Adalyn, all we need is meat and bread. We may be well off, but we’re simple kind of people.” He snorted. “By the way your eyes near came out of your head, I’m going to say how wrong I am right now. You’re still going to make a shitload of salad no one will eat.”
Glaring, I nodded, then grabbed his hand, removing it. “We’ll see if no one will eat it, Vice Salvatore.” Turning, I stomped back to Mom’s car, grumbling about how we weren’t in the prehistoric times any longer. I also heard his manly chuckle as he followed to help unload the car. At least he still had manners.
* * * *
A few hours later, Molly and Clint were the first to arrive for the late lunch. I was in the kitchen finishing up the last salad and the dessert. The rest were all done in the fridge, waiting. The whole time Vice had sat back looking amused and drank beer. Though to start with, he did ask if he could help, but I refused and told him I’d preferred having his company as I worked. Drew and Mom were in the pool mucking about. It was lucky Vice had messaged me the night before to remind us to bring our bathing suits. Though, I wasn’t sure I would get in.
“What’s cooking, good-looking?” Molly chimed in.
“I see you let yourself in,” Vice deadpanned. “Remind me to revoke your access.”
“Pfft, please. You adore me too much to do that.”
“Hey, Addy, Vice, how you both doing?” Clint asked, walking around the bench to kiss my temple.
“I’m good, babe. How’s work?”
Clint worked for the government. A couple of times he’d explained what exactly he did, but he went into too much boring detail, and I admittedly zoned out in the end.
“Same old. Vice, you want another?” Clint helped himself to the refrigerator for a cold beer. I was surprised Vice didn’t say anything. Though since Clint had been around for longer than I had, he probably felt at home in any house of Molly’s family.
“All good, thanks. Molly, please tell my woman we don’t need salads and desserts for a barbecue.”
His woman…. Swoon!
Molly scoffed. “Are you still trying to pull that crap? Mom and I kept trying to tell you barbecues aren’t just about the meat, but did you listen? Nooo. However, you will now.” She smirked. Molly knew the Sage family liked side plates to go with meat. I was a salad queen. I loved all types and as much as I enjoyed desserts.
Vice rolled his eyes and met my amused stare. “You know I’m only giving in because of you.”
Grinning, I nodded. “I know, and I appreciate it.”
He stood, leaning over the counter. “Kiss me before I go check Drew hasn’t drowned Jenny.”
“Good idea.” I pressed my lips against Vice’s. We pulled apart when we heard Molly cooing.
“I think I’ll come with you, Vice, while these two women gossip,” Clint said.
“No gossip here. Molly doesn’t want to know anything about her brother and the way he uses his—”
“Shut it,” Molly cried, hands over her ears. “La-la-la-la.”
Clint brought her to his chest while laughing. Vice smiled, then winked at me while I giggled. Clint gave her a final kiss and left, following Vice out.
“You can’t do that to me unless you want to pay for my therapy bills. And I’d go see the top doctor in the state.”
“Promise, no more.” I grinned. “Well, except this morning….”
She picked up a carrot and threw it at me. “You’re evil.”
“Why, thank you.”
She came around the counter, grabbed a knife, and started cutting up the lettuce. Then she bumped my hip. “You do seem all gooey over him, and the same goes for him with you. It’s good to see.”
Smiling softly, I admitted, “It’s good to feel.”
“Did I tell you work has offered me a full-time position?” Molly, much to a lot of people’s surprise, was a kindergarten teacher. Currently, she only worked as a substitute, and she’d been hanging out for a full-time position for a long time.
“That’s fantastic.”
“It is, but I’m not taking it.”
Placing the knife to the counter, I turned to her. “What? Why?”
She kept cutting and shrugged. Then a smirk came over her. “At least not yet. Not until after the wedding, which Clint and I are moving up so we can have an amazing honeymoon. If I took the job right away, I wouldn’t be able to take time off for any of it until I’d been there a full year. We don’t want to wait to get married.”
“That’s a good idea. I still can’t believe you two are getting married.”
“I know. I thought he’d never ask. He seemed content with the situation we were already in. Anyway, I have a question for you.”
“Hit me. Ow, I didn’t actually mean hit me.”
“That’s for torturing me. Anyway, maid of honor… will you?”
I squished her side into mine as I hugged her tightly. “Of course.”
“Thanks, babe. And now you’ve agreed, we really need to get things moving. We’re thinking a November wedding.”
“That’s not far away.”
“It’s five months. Heaps of time.”
“Oh, God, we need to go dress shopping and flowers and cakes. The venue, the—”
“Calm down. This is why I’ve enlisted the moms also. They’re amazing at organizing functions. All you need to do is come dress shopping and work out my bachelorette night.”
We looked at each other grinning. “Strippers,” we cried together.
“No,” Vice voiced grumpily as he stalked in. “Clint needs his clothes from the car.”
“He’s in already? And you have no say what goes on at my bachelorette night.”
“Yes, Drew dared him to.” We all laughed. “And I do when my woman will be there.”
There went that word again. The term made me swoon so damn hard there was no way I could reprimand him for attempting to put a stop to strippers. “But no one could be as sexy as you anyway,” I said. My attention was down on the cutting board, so when no one spoke, I looked up to see a smug grin on Vice’s face and Molly sticking her finger in her mouth, pretending to gag.
“What?” I asked. “It’s true. No comparison.”
“Molly, you can do and have whoever you want at the bachelorette night.”
Molly yipped with joy. “Well played, girlfriend. As if you’d have a say anyway, brother.” Molly stuck out her tongue like a three-year-old.
Laughing, I shook my head. “Nothing played there. It’s the truth.”
“Yuck, there goes my stomach again. He ain’t that good-looking.”
“Oh, but he is.” At first, my belly had been in knots with how Vice and I would be in front of company for the first time together, yet, since Molly and Clint arrived, I’d never known it would be so natural around them. We were just us, and it was amazing.
Molly gagged again. “Please, no more.”
Vice came around the counter and took the knife from me to drop it down. He then spun me, so I was in his arms. His mouth came down on mine.
“Guys, seriously. I’ll be sick.” She groaned as if she were in pain. “Stop it!” she demanded, but it was only half-heartily.
The doorbell rang, and Vice pulled back. “That’ll be the rest.” He tweaked my nose and quickly left.
“Jesus. Do you go in a daze after every kiss?” Molly asked, clicking her fingers in front of my face.
Blinking, I giggled, then sighed. “Yeah.”
“Dear God.”
More than one set of footsteps approached. Vice, with Grayson beside him, walked in, and Grayson was a sight to behold since he was holding a baby girl who looked about one. She already had a head of wild black ringlets and was currently slapping her daddy’s face.
“Ooh, come to Molly, cuteness.” Molly dropped the knife and took off for the bundle of joy. Grayson laughed, and Vice rolled his eyes at his sister.
A boy about two ran in next. My eyes widened as he started stripping. Kenzie and Trent quickly followed behind him. “Noah, keep your clothes on.”
“But swimmin’, Mom. Swim.”
“Buddy, Mom said after lunch you can go.” Grayson knelt beside a muttering Noah and helped him get redressed.
Greetings were had, and when I saw Noah still pouting, I said, “Noah, maybe you can help Vice by telling the others in the pool it’s time to hop out.”
“’Kay.” He nodded and since he was already standing by Vice, he reached up and took his hand. I had to thin my lips because seeing it was beautiful. I was already thirty-seven and had thought I didn’t want any more children.
Until that moment.
Watching Vice smiling and talking about something with Noah, as Grayson followed, I knew if he wanted a child of his own, I would give him one.
Whoa! That thought was a bit advanced for our relationship. But now it was playing around in my mind, I couldn’t stop thinking more about it. My belly swollen with Vice’s baby, seeing Vice hold his own child for the first time, Vice and I being alongside each other through all the trials and tribulations of childhood, and lastly… Vice sitting down with Drew, reading, talking, and advising.
I wanted it all.
My hip was bumped. I glanced to find Molly watching me. She smiled. “He’s always wanted children.” She kissed Makala’s cheek. “I can see you both with your own child to spoil right along with Drew, and right about now, I think that’s on your mind also.”
She knew me well. I smiled. “Maybe.”
“She’s totally thinking about his little swimmers and how many babies they can pop out,” Trent boomed.
“Dad!” Kenzie snapped.
“What?” He grabbed a beer out of the fridge, shut the door, and opened his bottle, then took a long pull. When he rested his drink down on the counter, he looked at all of us still staring at him with shock.
“Jesus, I’ve stayed in the wrong room. Bloody women,” he mumbled, then picked his beer up and quickly strode out of the kitchen.
“Sometimes I think super gluing his mouth closed would help.” Kenzie sighed and took a seat opposite me on the bench. “Do you need a hand?”
“No, thanks.” I smiled. “I’m almost done anyway. Tell me how you’ve been?”
“Good, great actually. I have something to show you.” She grabbed out her phone and started flicking through things. Only before she got a chance to show me anything, Trent came barreling back into the kitchen.
“There’s a woman in the swimming pool area.” He glared at Kenzie.
“That’ll be my mom, Jenny. Did you introduce yourself?” I asked, hiding my smile by biting my bottom lip.
Trent’s narrowed gaze swung to me. “That’s your mom?” He gulped.
“Dad, where’s your beer?” Kenzie asked.
“Puddin’, I think I left the iron on.”
“You don’t iron.”
“We have to go.”
“Trent, did you meet Jenny?” Molly asked.
A snort came from the doorway and then Grayson walked in. “He got in there, put his beer down, spo—”
“Son, if you say another word, I’ll… shit, I don’t know. Steal my grandkids.”
Grayson’s lips twitched. “As I was saying, he put his beer down, spotted Jenny, and made a run for it.” Grayson chuckled. “Jenny wondered if you have irritable bowel syndrome to bolt from the room like that.”
“I do not. Did you tell her I didn’t?”
Grayson shrugged. “I wasn’t sure, so I told her that.”
Trent groaned. “Now she’ll think I shit myself all the damn time. Great one, son. You’re a pain in my ass too.”
All three of us giggled while Grayson chuckled.
“It’s not funny. I have to—” His eyes widened comically when he glanced to the doorway, and I knew why when Mom walked in.
She paused. “Sorry, did I interrupt something?”
“No!” Trent squeaked. Molly snorted loud. Trent cleared his throat. “Uh, no, you didn’t. I just had to tell the ladies about, uh, something. That’s why I rushed out. I’m Trent by the way.”
Mom smiled. “Nice to meet you, Trent. I’m Jenny, Adalyn’s Mom.” She walked forward holding her hand out. Her smile faltered when Trent just stood there staring down at her hand. Like it was a tampon.
Then he boomed, “Right,” and then laughed nervously. But instead of taking her hand, he patted her on the upper arm. Her whole body jolted. “Do you ever get the feeling you want to kill your kids?”
Mom glanced at me, then back to Trent. “Yes. Nearly all the time.”
He laughed, then snorted, and lastly coughed. “Uh, good to know I’m not the only one.” He turned back to the room and glowered at all of us. “Is dinner ready or what?”