Chapter 21 Allison
Have you ever received the best orgasm of your life from six-foot-three hockey defenseman juiced up on game day adrenaline and then had to go converse with his mother not even an hour after calling him daddy and screaming his name?
Until tonight, I would’ve said no, too.
Now here I am, drinking wine across from Rachel Bridges. Who I must say is gorgeous. She doesn’t look old enough to be Tate's mother.
“… Then Owen had to go up to the school and help them catch all the chickens.” She finishes telling a story of their school prank gone wrong. The room erupts in laughter.
Mine stalls the moment the front door opens. Tate walks in. Still looking sexy as sin in that suit. His eyes find mine.
“I see y’alll’ve already met. Please don’t hold anything they said against me. None of it is true.” Tate says, coming to my side. He places an arm around my shoulders and kisses my temple. The motion comes so easy, like he’s done it a hundred times. He freezes just for a moment.
His house is currently full of our coworkers and their spouses. Tony’s eyes widen a fraction. Rachel hides a grin behind her glass. Tate just clears his throat and moves on to greet his mom and sister.
“So, you can’t play guitar then?” my brows raise slightly. His cheeks flush pink as he grips the back of his neck.
“Uh, well. Yes, I can.” A little smirk tips his lips at me when he adds, “And Presley here is usually my singer.”
Presley turns beat red. She uses one hand to hide the middle finger she flips at him from Rachel.
Tate grins at me, proud of himself. I love watching him around the women in his family. The teasing and easy love they have for each other.
“Y'all should play right now for the party!” Rachel gasps. She pats their arms a few times. “Please? Oh, you two just sound so lovely. Allison deserves to hear that.”
“Momma, no. I work with these men. I’d never hear the end of it,” Tate groans.
“Dad!” Matty runs down the stairs. Tate engulfs his little frame in a bear hug that turns into tickling and a mini wrestling match.
Matty calls for Hudson to help and then they’re both trying to take him down. The whole thing is making my useless ovaries scream right now.
Tony, TJs best friend on the team, is here tonight with his wife, Amanda. They have a daughter, Amelia, who likes to follow Hudson around. He doesn’t seem to care much but he gives her a job to do.
“Pull on his arm!” Hudson points. She beams at him, happy to be included and then does.
I giggle along with his mom and sister watching the whole thing. A wistful sigh comes from beside me. It’s too loud to be anything but theatrical.
“They’re so cute. Hudson will be such a good big brother.
” Amanda says to me with a pretend pout.
Matty and Hudson drag Tate into the backyard for some game involving Tate’s lasso.
He gives in albeit reluctantly. She smacks her teeth as she watches them go.
It dawns on me that she means Hudson. My head turns to her slowly, in utter disbelief.
“Excuse me?”
“Oh- Sorry, I just thought everyone knew about Tanya?” She puts a hand on her chest, feigning confusion.
Amanda leans forward and places a hand on my shoulder.
She whispers too loudly to keep anyone from hearing.
“I was surprised more than anyone when TJ had his vasectomy reversed for her. Of all people! I mean I know he loves the chase but there has to be another way to win her over, you know?”
I feel the blood drain from my face, so fast I’m surprised I don’t faint. The room around me completely fades, my vision going fuzzy. I blink. I swallow. Trying to find agency in my body again but the shock has knocked me off my axis. I reach blindly for the glass of water held out to me.
“Alli?” A soft southern voice sounds far away, though I recognize it as Rachel. There’s some kind of commotion going on around me. Loud pitched feminine voices and the breaking of glass. The rookie telling Presley to keep her hands up. A series of oooh’s and cheering.
“Sis?” Ronan. I press my fingers to my forehead, adding pressure to soothe the intense headache. “Why don’t you go lay down for a minute? Come on, I’ll take you home.”
“No, no. I’m fine really. I don’t want to ruin the night. I just need some water. Maybe some crackers, I think I skipped dinner.” I lie easily. Ronan snorts.
“Look, I don’t know what was said but Tate had to physically pull his sister off Tony’s wife. Full cowboy style. Don’t worry, I recorded the whole thing for you.”
“Glad to see your priorities are in perfect order.” I snort.
I glance over my shoulder and see Tate and Presley outside. His hand holding ice on her knuckles. I see the moment she must say something because his brow furrows. His head turns and gaze locks onto me through the glass doors and all the people in the party.
“I probably am gonna take off after I tuck Hudson in. Since we have to get up early for the plane anyways.” I slide off my stool. Ronan watches me for a moment then takes my place, trying to extract more embarrassing stories of Tate from his mother.
I find Matty and Hudson upstairs in Matty’s bedroom. They immediately sit up excited to discuss the drama. Hudson is on the trundle to Matty’s bed, Rambo curled on the floor in front of them.
“Hey mom. Did you see Presley? I like her, she doesn’t pull hair like a girl. I bet she’d be good at hockey, fighting like that.”
All I can do is shake my head at their antics.
A smile plays on my lips regardless. I can’t believe she did that.
I read them a story and gave Hudson a kiss goodnight.
I tuck them in tighter under their blankets once they’re asleep.
I won’t see Hudson again for three days, when we get back from the series.
At least I know he’ll be having fun with Matty and Rambo. I won’t worry about him being lonely like the other times I've had to travel. Gloria is like Mary Poppins in comparison to my foster mother, who usually watches Hudson.
Downstairs, the crowd has dwindled quite a bit. Everyone has to make the same early flight.
Presley is away from the crowd whispering defensively to Rachel who appears to be scolding her quietly.
“Now you know as well as I do, He cares a great deal for her. I don’t know why you would pull this.”
“Yes, He is absolutely smitten. Obviously.” Presley rolls her eyes. “If I would’ve shared with him exactly what was said, he’d be throwing some punches of his own. I’d say I kept Tate out of trouble this time. This TJ prick better be thanking his lucky stars he wasn’t here tonight.”
“Oh, for Christ's sake. Presley, you’re a grown woman. You cannot be fists first anymore.”
I let my steps fall a little louder than they need to as I come down the stairs, making my presence known.
Presley's sleek brown hair still looks perfectly styled. Besides the ice on her hand there’s not a scratch on her.
I hesitate at the bottom of the stairs, not sure if I should thank her or apologize. She simply threads her arm through mine.
“Come on. Stay a while longer. Let's finish our wine now that the bimbo is gone.” She plops down on a stool. I snort.
“It’s really not her fault. It’s embarrassing I let it get so far before I divorced him.” I swirl my glass, “Blinded by potential, I guess.”
She nods enthusiastically.
“I saw this thing that said, ‘Potential isn’t real, it’s just what you would do in their position.’” Presley shrugs a shoulder like she didn’t just drop some prophetic bomb on me.
“Shit. I think you just summed up my entire marriage right there.” I slip onto the seat next to her. “Thanks for that though. I missed most of it, but it was like I blacked out with a Mike Tyson fight on the tv in the background.”
“Basically," Presley laughs and runs a hand through her dark hair. “She knew what she was doing and ain’t anyone gonna convince me otherwise.”
Ryan snags the cheesy potato wedge from Presley's hand just as she is about to place it into her open mouth, and stuff it into his own. He grins at her with a chipmunk cheek.
She scoffs at him and looks him up and down with judgment.
“Honey, if you wanted attention, all you had to do is ask.” Her southern accent comes across as playful. Ryan just leans on his forearms on the counter in front of her.
“Okay, I’m asking.”
“Oh, please. I’ve seen your kind before. Go away, Thief.” She rolls her eyes and pushes at his chest. “I’m not playing your game.”
I try to wipe away my smile but fail. “Thanks for the wine. I needed that.”
Presley pops up to hug me and puts my number in her phone, making me promise to text her for brunch sometime.
I scan the room to say goodbye to Rachel, but I notice she’s head-to-head with Ronan leaning over his phone. I don’t see Tate anywhere.
“Bro, you’re a simp.” Quade calls to Ronan who’s blocking him and Fitz from taking his phone as he texts. He’s leaned backwards over the couch, kicking at him.
“No, I’m Simply in love with my wife.” Ronan shoots back.
Rac
“You’re not married.” Fitz cackles
“Yet. I told you, she’s focused on her career.” A shriek breaks loose from Ronan as Fitz holds his legs and Quade dives for the phone. I grin as I slip out of the house.
I cross the grass to my own door. I’m surprised to see Tate standing at my door. He raises his hand to knock, then lowers it. He grips the back of his neck and turns to go back home. He turns around again to knock.
I decide then to put him out of his misery.
“Hi.”
He jumps with surprise.
“Oh, I thought you’d.. already left.” He shoves his hands in his pockets. If i’m not mistaken there’s a faint blush on his cheeks. It’s hard to tell underneath his tan skin and the dark.
“No, just read to the boys and said goodnight.” I gesture behind me. God, I'm being awkward. I don’t know how much he heard about TJ and I haven’t had much time to process it myself. I have no idea how to talk about it.
“I was just coming to check on you. I’m sorry about Presley. She’s always been a little quick on the trigger. It's specifically why she wasn’t allowed on our hunting trips with Dad.” He chuckles. “I just wanted to lay eyes on you… Make sure you’re really alright.”
“I will be.”
He smiles. A glance over my shoulder, then he steps to me. “I know.”
“You’d better get some rest before the flight.” I say softly. His hands come to my face. I lean into his touch.
“Can I kiss you?” He whispers, eyes searching mine. I nod, eyes falling shut. His lips press against mine, chaste and soft at first. They move against mine. He gives my lips gentle nips and licks but doesn’t deepen the kiss.
When I’m breathless, his forehead rests against mine.
“Is it wrong that I’m looking forward to this away series?” I ask hesitantly.
“Are you asking if it makes you a bad mom? I don’t think you could be a bad mom if you tried Alli. It’s okay to want this, too.” Tate says, his breath puffs in the cold air. He pulls me close when I shiver. He tucks me into his side as he walks me to the door. “Let’s get ya inside.”
Like a true southern gentleman, he opens the door for me. He presses a kiss to my cheek before letting me go. He doesn’t leave until the lock turns.
I rest my back against the door and clutch the butterfly around my neck.