Chapter 23
Chapter
Twenty-Three
ADRIANNA
I don’t know why, but even though I’ve already met his friends, I’m still nervous to hang out with them. These are the people who know him best, and the fact that he wants me to really get to know them makes this all…real.
“Are you okay?” Elijah asks as he squeezes my hand.
It’s a legitimate question. Three days ago we found out about the lawsuit.
Three days ago our lives changed. Elijah went from overly present CEO to hermit.
He spends all of his time in his office as I field everything else.
It’s almost like working for Gloria again, except I really care for Elijah and worry about him. He’s taking the lawsuit personally.
“Of course, why wouldn’t I be?” I lie as we walk up to the front steps of Mason and Olivia’s home.
“I don’t know, you just seem tense.” He shrugs as he opens the door.
“Elijah, you can’t just walk in, you need to knock first,” I hiss under my breath.
Elijah laughs. “Trust me, if I rang the doorbell, they would wonder why I didn’t just let myself in.”
“What if the door was locked?”
“I have a key.”
“You have a key to your friends’ home?”
“We all have keys to each other’s places,” Mason says as he steps into the entry. “I’m glad you guys could make it.”
He walks over and gives me a hug.
“Thanks for inviting us,” I tell him as he pulls away.
“Of course. You guys are always invited over,” he says as Elijah and he share some kind of bro hug.
“We brought wine,” Elijah tells him.
“Thank you, you know you didn’t have to bring anything, though,” Mason tells him as he takes the bottle.
“This one refused to come empty-handed,” Elijah teases as he tips his head toward me.
“What? It wouldn’t be polite!” I say, making them laugh.
Mason shakes his head with a smile on his face. “Come on, let’s join everyone else in the kitchen.”
Elijah places his hand on my lower back and guides me toward the kitchen while I take the home in.
It’s beautiful and nothing like I expected.
For some reason I thought Mason Williamson would live in a home that looked like it belonged in a museum.
Instead, there are toys discarded on the floor with blankets hanging over the back of the couch. It looks like a home, and I love it.
“Look who I found,” Mason says as we step into the kitchen.
Olivia’s eyes light up. “Hey, glad you two could make it.” She walks over and gives Elijah a hug and then me.
“Thank you for having us over, Olivia,” I tell her as she pulls away.
She waves her hand through the air. “Please, call me Liv. We’re friends now.”
Are we though? The girls did add me to a group chat last week. I haven’t participated much, but it’s all starting to feel like a dream. What if things with Elijah don’t work out? Would they disappear on me too?
I bite back the question that’s on the tip of my tongue. For some reason I want to be friends with her, Iris, and Chloe. The other night I enjoyed the little time we spent with them, and I want to know more.
And let’s be honest, I could use some friends. Francine’s great, but she’s busy with her own life and rightfully so. It will be good to have some other options to hang out with.
“So tell me, who’s your favorite serial killer?” Chloe asks as she pops a baby tomato into her mouth, making everyone groan.
“Uh…” I stutter, not sure how to answer that question.
“Do you have to make things so fucking weird? Can’t you act normal for five minutes?” Brantley says.
She rolls her eyes and shoots him a glare. “I’m not the weird one in this group, B. You’re the one who likes to watch guys handle sticks.”
“Last I checked, you didn’t have an issue with going to hockey games if it meant hanging out in my box.”
She shrugs. “I like watching them hump the ice before games.” She turns back toward me. “Now, serial killer, go.”
“Uh, I don’t have one? Don’t get me wrong, I like true crime, but I’ve never thought about which killer would be my favorite,” I tell her.
Chloe shakes her head. “That just won’t do. Do you know what this means?”
“What?” I ask, hesitantly.
“Girls’ night,” Chloe and Liv say in unison.
“Girls’ night?”
Chloe nods. “Drinks, snacks, and a true crime marathon until we find out which one is your favorite.”
“Only if you want to though, no pressure,” Liv adds.
“I…I’d like that,” I tell them honestly.
“Good, now that that is settled, sit down and make yourselves comfortable. Can we get either of you a drink?” Liv asks.
“I’ll have whatever everyone else is having,” I tell her.
“Surprise me, and where’s my girl?” Elijah says as he pushes me toward the stool next to Chloe.
“She’s in her room grabbing a coloring book. I’m sure she will be down soon,” Mason says, only for her to bust through the door.
“You’re here!” she cries as she runs toward Elijah.
He bends down and catches her as she throws herself into his arms.
“Of course I’m here. You know I don’t miss out on a chance to see my girl,” he says, kissing her on her head.
Jesus. The man can wear a suit like it’s nobody’s business. He looks mouthwateringly delicious in a pair of sweatpants while barefoot, but seeing him with a child is…there are no words.
“You’re drooling,” Chloe says quietly as she reaches over, swiping her thumb along the corner of my mouth.
“Oh my god,” I mumble, feeling mortified.
Chloe laughs. “I swear I could see your ovaries exploding.”
“I…”
“Don’t worry about it. It happens to the best of us.”
I raise a brow and turn toward her. “Even you?”
“I’m not immune, but I know better.”
“What do you know better?” Brantley asks, inserting himself into our conversation.
“I know better than to leave you alone with my drink,” she quips back.
He scoffs. “Please, we both know that I don’t need to do anything to someone’s drink to make them want me.”
“Are you sure about that, though?” she asks, tilting her head. “I’m thinking there’s not enough alcohol or drugs in the world to get me in bed with you.”
I feel Elijah come up behind me. It takes everything in me not to shiver when he runs his fingers along the back of my neck.
“Are they?” I whisper as I lean into his touch.
“With those two, who the hell knows. It wouldn’t surprise me, though.”
Interesting.
“Where’s Max and Iris?” Elijah asks Mason.
“They unfortunately won’t be joining us tonight. They had planned to but got called out of town,” Mason tells us.
“Where one goes, the other follows,” Liv says, looking at me.
“Those two need to just admit they are sleeping together already,” Chloe says.
“Iris says it’s not like that,” Liv says, shaking her head.
“Twin! It’s my twin mommy.” Ari runs up to me.
I bend at the waist, picking her up to hug her.
“I’m so happy. I was hoping Uncle Eli would bring you.”
I look over at Elijah, who has a soft look on his face.
“I’m happy to be here.”
“Can I sit next to Adrianna, Mommy?”
“What do you say?” Liv gives her a stern look.
“Please?”
Those eyes get me.
“I don’t mind. Do you mind, Adrianna?”
I know in this moment I would give anything for this little girl.
“Not at all. Come on, sweet girl. Let’s go get some food.”
ELIJAH
Adrianna is sitting on the couch talking to the girls, and I can’t look away. Ari is sitting on her lap, letting her braid her hair while she listens to Liv and Chloe with a smile on her face. Everything about the scene in front of me feels and looks right. Like she’s meant to be here with us.
That’s because she is, whether she knows it yet or not.
“How’s it going between you two?” Mason asks.
I tear my eyes away from her and look at him. “Starting to find our way, but good.”
“She still driving you crazy at work?” Brantley asks.
“Yes and no. We’ve found what works for us, for now at least. Shit will change, though.” I shrug, not wanting to give myself away yet. I need more time to put things into motion and to cross my T’s and dot my I’s.
“Good for you, man. If you’re happy, I’m happy,” Mason tells me.
“Shit, you two need to tell me what you’re drinking so I can stay the fuck away from it. You guys are dropping like flies, and I want nothing to do with it,” Brantley says.
Mason and I chuckle.
“What? Is monogamy not for you?” Mason teases.
“Just thinking about spending the rest of my life with one woman gives me hives.” Brantley fake shivers.
“I don’t know, I think the right woman could tempt you.” I smirk.
Brantley’s eyes narrow. “You guys know it’s never going to happen, right?”
“What’s not going to happen?” Mason asks.
“Chloe and me. We would kill each other. Yeah, she’s hot, but I don’t fuck crazy.”
I make a buzzing sound. “And the lie detector has detected a lie. Remember Estella?”
Mason snaps his fingers. “Wasn’t that the chick who lit his bed on fire while he was still in it because he told her it was time for her to leave?”
I tip my drink toward Mason and nod.
“Fuck you two. Like you were saints,” Brantley says.
“I might not have been a saint, but I never had a chick try and kill me,” I tell him.
Mason’s phone buzzes, and he pulls it out of his pocket.
“Everything okay?” I ask when I see that he’s frowning.
“Yeah, it’s fine. Max is just…well Max.”
“Is he having trouble adjusting to the new job?” Brantley asks.
Max liked his role as head of The Williamson Hotel. His job involved little travel and minimal people interactions. To say he’s not a people person would be an understatement. He likes maybe ten people, and most of us are in this room.
“He doesn’t want to admit it, but I think he is. I don’t know, I feel guilty that I put him in this position,” Mason tells us.
“He volunteered,” I remind him.
For a moment when things settled down with Mason, Liv, and Ari, he was struggling to find a balance between his personal life and his professional one.
His job required a lot of travel, and that was time he didn’t want to spend away from his girls.
One night, surprising us all, Max jumped in and offered to switch roles.
Truthfully, I don’t know if he really thought that Mason would take him up on it.
“Where are Iris and him this week?” I ask.
“London,” Mason says.
“Iris loves London,” Brantley says.
Mason and I both look at him curiously.
“Hey, don’t look at me like that. I listen sometimes. Besides, it’s kind of hard to miss when she talks about it all the time,” Brantley says, trying to defend himself.
“I didn’t say anything,” Mason says while I shake my head. “Max isn’t a fan of London, though, or the people, and he’s ready to come home.”
“That has to be like the one thing they don’t see eye to eye on,” I muse, making the guys laugh.
“You’re probably right,” Mason tells me.
“Just a few more days, though, and they will be home,” Brantley says.
“Know Max’s travel schedule?” I tease.
Brantley rolls his eyes as he takes a drink. “No, but I know we have plans this weekend. He’s joining me for the hockey game.”
“A bro date, how sweet,” I quip.
“Fuck off. I was going to invite you, but now I won’t. You don’t deserve to come.”
“Come where?” Adrianna asks as she steps up next to me along with the other girls.
Without thinking about it, I pull her into my arms. “We were talking about the hockey game this weekend.”
Adrianna nods. “Foxes play the Angels.”
“Stupid name for a hockey team. Angels.” Brantley shakes his head. “Wait, you like hockey?”
“Who doesn’t?” Adrianna shrugs.
Brantley hums. “I knew I liked you.”
“Better watch out, Eli, or Brantley might try and take your girl,” Chloe says.
“Hey, I might like women, but I don’t like women who are very much taken.”
Adrianna looks at me, and I’m sure she’s waiting for me to deny that we are together, but I won’t. She’s mine.
“Does that mean we are going to the game this weekend?” Liv asks.
“You know you are always welcome. Ari too. She loves seeing the team before the game. They love it when she wishes them luck,” Brantley tells her.
“I don’t know. It might be nice to get a babysitter,” Mason says while looking at his wife.
“It has been a while since we’ve gone out without her,” Liv muses.
“Then it’s settled. This weekend’s Foxes game, in this guy’s box, and on his dime. Sign me up,” Chloe says.
Brantley’s eyes narrow. “Who said that you’re invited?”
“Please, we both know if I didn’t come, it would hurt your feelings.”
“Are you sure about that?” he asks her.
“I mean, if you want to act like that, I won’t cancel my date I have planned.” She shrugs.
Brantley sits up. “You have a date? With who?”
Chloe looks down at her nails. “Some guy I met on a dating site. His profile says he has a nine-inch cock, and I’m kind of interested to see if it’s true.”
I bite my fist to stop myself from laughing, while Adrianna silently chuckles on my lap.
Brantley’s eyes narrow. “You wouldn’t.”
“Wouldn’t I though?”
Yeah, I don’t care what Brantley says. He wants our little psychopath and bad. It’s going to be fun watching them figure it out.