Chapter Fourteen
DREW
We pulled into my parents’ driveway and parked next to the house. The sprawling white colonial with its black shutters and wide front porch had been a perfect place to grow up. The lights along the lawn cast everything in a warm glow this evening.
“This is so pretty,” Ellie murmured, her gaze darting from the porch swing to the flower beds.
I threaded my fingers through hers. Just that small connection lit sparks beneath my skin. When her blue eyes met mine, my chest squeezed. “It’s even better inside.” I lifted her hand to my lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.
Her pupils darkened, and for a second, I wanted to forget dinner altogether and drive her back to my place.
Instead, I forced a grin. “You killed it tonight. I’m proud of you.”
Her tiny squeal of joy was worth every bit of restraint I had. I wanted to slay every one of her dragons if she’d let me. “I actually stood up to her,” Ellie said with a note of awe in her voice. “Not perfectly. I know it wasn’t super insulting, but I didn’t give in. That’s progress.”
“Definitely progress,” I agreed, squeezing her hand. And I wanted my family’s home to be the place where she never had to fight for that kind of love.
A sharp rap on the window made her shriek loud enough for me to wince.
“Sorry!” Grace stood at the window. She pushed her auburn waves out of her face, revealing eyes that sparkled with mischief. “Mom sent me—dinner’s ready.”
Ellie scrambled out of the car. Her words tumbled over each other as she spoke.
“Hi! It’s so nice to finally meet you in person.
I’m so sorry we’re late—it was my family’s fault, late flights, luggage, drama—you know how sweet Drew is, he helped and—” She stopped, cheeks pink. “Wow, that was a lot. I’m nervous.”
Grace looped her arm through Ellie’s. “Oh, you’re fine. You know I like you and you already know half of the family. There’s no reason to be nervous. What I’d like to hear more about is this brother of mine whom you said is sweet and helpful. I’m not sure we know the same person.”
“Grace,” I warned, but Ellie only laughed. Her grin slipped toward me like we’d shared a private joke. I scooted past them to hold open the door.
Grace stopped just short of going in, making Ellie stop, too. My sister poked at my side.
“What are you doing, weirdo?” I pushed her hand away.
“I’m thinking you’re a pod person who’s taken my brother. I was just checking.”
Inside, Mom appeared with open arms. Her brown hair, so similar to my shade, was streaked with silver that shone under the foyer lights.
“Ellie! Finally.” She wrapped her in a hug so warm even I felt it.
Ellie froze at first, then slowly melted into her arms. I caught the sheen in her eyes when she pulled back and my throat tightened.
“Thank you,” Ellie whispered to Mom, and Mom squeezed her tighter.
“Anytime, sweetie. And call me Laura.” Mom’s eyes met mine and I saw her mentally claim Ellie as one of her brood. “Now let’s go eat before it gets cold.”
Grace elbowed me as Mom ushered Ellie towards the kitchen. “You like her.”
There was no sense denying it. “I really do.”
“Are you going to ask her to stay when this fake-dating, not-fake-dating, is over?”
“I don’t know if that would be fair.” I shifted uncomfortably, not wanting to think about the future. Instead, I wanted to live in the moment with Ellie and forget about what was going to happen later.
Or the fact that at some point, she would leave.
“What does that even mean?” Grace shot me one of those looks sisters had perfected. The ideal blend of ‘Are you stupid?’ with ‘Why am I bothering to ask? You’re a moron.’
“I’m busy working all the time. And Ellie deserves to have someone who won’t make her wait up for him.
Someone who will make her their priority.
After everything the people in her life have put her through, she should get the rainbow-in-the-sky, unicorns-flying, magical relationship.
I’m too focused on making my mark at Kingsley Jewelry.
I’ve worked too hard to stop now and slow down. ”
“She’s already delusional and seems to like you.” Grace smirked. “I can see it when she looks at you. It’s like she thinks you’ve hung the moon and probably the stars. Not that I can understand why.”
I shook my head.
“Drew, you can still make your mark and tell Ellie you really want a relationship with her. Besides, it’s not like she’d be going into this with blinders. She knows you work a lot.”
I went to shake my head again, and before I could, my sister grabbed my cheeks and squished them to stop me from speaking.
“Nope. None of that. Just see where this goes with her. Don’t decide whether or not you can be together all by yourself. Okay? You deserve that magical kind of love, too. And if you tell anyone I said that, I will get someone to shank you.” She let go of my face with a final squeeze.
“I’m shaking with fear,” I joked and pretended to shiver.
“Good. You know your place.” She grinned, undeterred by the fact that I towered over her and she got her below-average height from our mom and grandmother.
I let her believe I was taking her comments to heart instead of contradicting her.
Grace didn’t understand Ellie’s innate desire to please the people around her.
If Ellie chose to stay and explore whatever this was between us, she was likely to stay here with me and accept the bare minimum because I was the first person to be good to her.
We passed through the large foyer and into the kitchen beyond.
The wide open space was welcoming and new.
My parents had redone the kitchen a few months ago and upgraded everything.
The shiny white marble countertops with gray veining complimented the blue cabinets underneath and the gold hardware sprinkled throughout the space.
The kitchen buzzed with voices, clatter, and the smell of roasted chicken and garlic bread. Ellie was already seated at the table between Wyatt and Mom’s seat, her nerves visible in the way she fiddled with her cup of water.
“I would love to help. Please put me to work,” Ellie said to Mom.
“Sit, eat,” Mom said, setting food down. “Tonight you’re a guest, but next time you’re here as family so I won’t hesitate to do just that.”
Ellie’s smile wobbled, then steadied. “Deal. But only if you promise to boss me around like the others.”
Wyatt bumped her shoulder. “Careful what you wish for. She’ll have you peeling potatoes by Thanksgiving.”
“Better than peeling you off the floor after Drew trounces you at family game night,” Ellie shot back likely before she could think better of it if her wide eyes were any indication.
The table erupted in laughter—Wyatt loudest of all. “Oh, I like her.”
I tried glaring at him, but Ellie only leaned toward him conspiratorially, making my jaw clench.
“What the hell, dude? She’s my girlfriend. Get your own!” I growled before I could stop myself.
Wyatt grinned. “Maybe she is, but I bet she’s already figured out I’m more fun than you. And hella more handsome.”
This time I laughed. Wyatt was kidding and I needed to chill out.
Marcus sat on the other side of Wyatt. Dad was at the head of the table and Mom at the other, and I sat across from Ellie with Grace next to me.
We were missing someone. “Where’s Glamma?”
“She said she and her squad were going to drop off the rest of Ellie’s luggage at your house and then finish an errand, but that she’d be here for dessert.”
Ellie gasped. “My luggage. Shoot, Drew. I completely forgot. Your grandmother and her friends shouldn’t have to lift all that by themselves.”
Wyatt chuckled. “Glamma’s excellent at delegating. She likely hired the kid across the street to do it. I wouldn’t worry.”
“Okay.” Her shoulders crept up toward her ears. Ellie fiddled with her fork, and when she exhaled it was a tiny frustrated sigh. A frown pulled at the corner of her lips and I knew she was likely telling herself it was too much for my grandmother and that she never should’ve agreed to it.
I needed to help get her out of her head. Without being next to her, my options were limited. Distract Ellie. Distract Ellie, my inner voice chanted as my gaze searched the table, landing on the dinner roll on my plate.
I tossed the roll across the table. It bounced off her chest and ended up in her lap.
“Andrew Elliott Kingsley,” Mom scolded. “What is wrong with you?”
Ellie blinked, then burst out laughing, shoulder shaking. She lobbed the roll back at me, barely missing my plate. “Nice aim, slugger.”
The tension in her posture dissolved, just as I’d hoped.
I ran my foot alongside hers and she pressed hers to mine.
“Ellie, tell us something about yourself,” Dad said warmly as he passed her the rolls.
“I’m really not that interesting,” she said, eyes on her plate.
“Lies,” I countered. “Tell them about that story contest.”
Her glare was pure fire, but Mom leaned in. “Oh, I’d love to hear.”
Ellie sighed, then smiled sheepishly. “Okay, fine. In fifth grade, I wrote this story about a badass princess and her friends who went on adventures to save their kingdom from Orcs who wanted to take it over for themselves. The girls would go on quests, level up their skills, and sometimes fall in love—basically it was like the Choose Your Own Adventure books.”
Marc, quiet until now, perked up. “I loved those. That’s actually really cool.” He gave her an encouraging smile and shifted his tortoise shell glasses back up his nose. He was the quiet one of the group. And this was the first thing he’d said besides ‘hi’ since we sat down.
Her grin widened. “Really? It was dorky, but … fun.”
Wyatt clinked his glass dramatically. “A toast! To Princess Ellie, Orc-slayer and now honorary Kingsley.”
Even Marc joined in, raising his water glass. Ellie ducked her head, laughing.
Grace leaned across the table. “That sounds like something I’d totally read. Nowadays, though? With monster smut, the Orcs would’ve been the love interests.”