29. Kingston
29
KINGSTON
She’s right.
I know she’s right.
Hell, that’s always been a personal motto of mine. If it doesn’t make you happy, screw it.
But hearing the vehement reminder from my little sister makes me sit up straighter. Our world has always been a kaleidoscope of privilege and duty. Expectation and indulgence. My siblings and I think our parents walked a fine line between giving us the best but expecting us to do well and not succumb to the pressure cooker that is business in New York City. Which is a blessing given how large our family is and how vast the businesses are.
“You’re right.”
She shoves my shoulder and gives an evil snicker. “Of course I am. Have you met me?”
“How’d you get to be so wise?” When I was little, I desperately wanted a brother. But it wasn’t meant to be, and now, I wouldn’t have it any other way.
My sisters are smart and talented in so many ways that I’ll never be.
“I learned from the best.”
I bump my shoulder against hers, feeling better. Like the sand has stopped shifting beneath my feet. I mean, I’m sure the undertow will still be there in the future, threatening to drag me down, but I’ll deal with them then.
The little robot voice interrupts and Ava frowns at my pocket. “What was that?”
“Gabe’s text sound.” I guess he’s finally got a response to my look who’s alive comment.
Her lips twitch. “What’d he say?”
“I’ll check it later,” I say, even though my skin is on fire with the need to pull out my phone.
“Mom’s not here. No one’s going to slap you for checking your texts during dinner,” she says, shaking her head. Then she leans in like we’re sharing a secret. “Especially if it’s from Gabe.”
I release a slow sigh. It feels good to have someone in on this secret with me. I should probably have cleared it with the others first before sharing. It’s a big deal. But the label feels right and I like having it there in the back of my mind. Just like I like having my sister’s approval.
Poly.
There’s a gravitas to the word polyamorous that foursome just doesn’t have. Foursome feels like it’s all about sex, but what I want with Katherine is so much more than that. I’ll have to examine that later because I’m already reaching for my phone to see what Gabe said.
Gabe: the news of my death was premature.
Oh hell, that’s funny. I even hear his voice in my head.
Lips twisting, I type back.
Kingston: everything okay?
Three dots.
I wait.
I hold my breath.
They disappear again, and I sag.
But then they reappear. What the hell is wrong with me? Seriously? Why am I hanging on to his every word?
“Breathe, K.”
Ava puts her food down and turns toward me, tucking her foot under the knee of her other leg. With her arm on the back of the sofa, I feel her attention. She’s not trying to read over my shoulder. That’s something Mel would do. But Ava’s curiosity is legendary.
“You like him, don’t you?”
Do I like him? Yeah, when he’s not playing hot and cold. I shrug.
“It’s okay if you do.”
Of course it’s okay. I mean, well, maybe it’s not okay in the scheme of this... relationship? Situationship? Whatever the heck this is.
“It’s okay to be infatuated, attracted, in love with him. As long as you’re all okay with it, right?”
I hear the question in her voice. How does Katherine fit into all this? And that’s an excellent question. I came back for her . To sort out things between the two of us.
This would change things. You know, if we acted on the connection that sizzles whenever we’re within five feet of each other.
My phone vibrates in my hand.
Gabe: yeah. important deal came up and I had to jump on it.
That actually explains a lot.
Kingston: understandable.
What must that be like? Driven and determined with big goals and bigger dreams?
“Your shoulders just crawled up around your ears. What’d he say?” She rubs a hand over my back, soothing the wildness in me.
I tip the phone toward her so she can read the conversation.
“I don’t get it.”
“I’ve just never had that kind of drive, you know?” I wave my hand around as if that explains everything. He’s not that much older than me, but he’s done so much in his life. He certainly didn’t run halfway around the world to serve drinks in a beach town bar.
Reminder, King, there’s nothing wrong with that.
I love those types of towns and that type of job because I enjoy meeting new people and making their day a little brighter. I don’t want... I can’t be stuck in a glass cube on the sixtieth floor of a building watching the world go by.
“Yeah, you have.” She nods. “Just not in business. But when it comes to your fitness and your nutrition—” She cuts a glance to the containers on the coffee table. “Present selection excluded. You’ve always known what you want and gone after it.”
“I thought I did. This week feels different.”
“I would imagine so. Your dreams are coming true.”
This time when my phone alerts us to an incoming text, she cocks her head to see the screen.
Gabe: wanna watch the next movie tonight?
“But what if I have a new dream?” I ask, totally unsure. Can you really change your mind so quickly? It’s been a week. An amazing week. I almost don’t trust my good fortune.
She gives my shoulder a squeeze. “Then go make it happen.”
???
Gabe greets me in the foyer. “Hey. You eaten yet?”
He’s wearing well-loved jeans and a t-shirt that hugs him loosely in all the right places.
Desire swamps me, and for a moment, I let the fantasy play out in my head. Striding forward, closing a hand around his throat, pulling him in for a kiss. I’d take my time to learn him and what he likes, but then everything would go off the rails as we gave into our attraction.
I come back to Earth with him waving a hand in front of my face.
“You okay?”
I shake my head, clearing the erotic images from my mind. Which is harder than it should be. “Yeah. And yeah, I had dinner with Ava.”
“Ava?”
Is it just my imagination, or does he sound a little... something. Protective? Concerned? Curious?
“My sister.”
“Ahh.”
He takes a step back, then turns, all easy, fluid movement. I follow him into the kitchen, looking my fill.
“Something smells good,” I say, inhaling the deliciously rich scent. Herbs and onions with a hint of something just a little spicy. It’s bold, just like the owner of the apartment.
“I had my housekeeper whip something up.” He moves to the stove, which has the overhead light on, making the posh kitchen extra cozy. The saturated cabinet color and brushed brass accents are surprising choices. I would have thought he’d prefer cool grays and painful neutrals. After all, that’d been the original intent with his beach house. Prison minimalist.
But the cabinetry is just a few shades deeper than his eyes. Barefoot, he pads to a drawer and pulls out a spoon. Then stretches overhead for a bowl. His shirt rides up, showing off a sliver of skin.
There it is again. That funny tremor in my middle.
“Have you heard from Katherine?” he asks as he ladles what looks like some sort of stew from the white Dutch oven on the stove. Top of the line, of course.
“Yeah, I talked to her before I headed to Ava’s.” Before I crawled up the wall like a demented horror movie villain. Good food and good company turned that around.
He nods. “She sounds happy,” he says as if it pleases him.
Which is wild because they gave each other a wide margin for so long.
“And Alex?” I ask.
Gabe wipes up a spill, seeming a little lost in thought. This isn’t the same man I met a week ago. Some of his sharp corners have worn down.
“He seems... I’ve never heard him sound like that.” He moves his plate to a spot at the end of the island where two stools sit. “Wine?”
“Sure.”
“Red?”
“Is there any other kind?” I tease.
He huffs a laugh and disappears around the corner. I can’t help but follow, curious about his home. I’ve been here before but didn’t pay any attention to the color of his upholstery or the fact that he has an epic wine cellar. “Holy shit.”
The words tumble from my lips as I step into the softly lit room. It smells of polished wood and money. Lots and lots of money. Thousands upon thousands of dollars worth of wine. And at the far end of the room is Gabe. Squatting in front of the far racks.
If you’d asked me yesterday if he had a nice ass, I would have said it was average. Not everyone takes squat day seriously.
But those jeans are doing something for him that squats never could.