Chapter Thirty-Five
Sophia
Leo and I sat on a plush couch as we flew across the country and sipped champagne that a petite redhead had greeted us with when we’d stepped onto the plane.
I hadn’t even known flying like this was a thing people did.
I’d just assumed the private-jet experience was less glamorous in reality than they made it look on TV, but that was not the case at all. It was swanky as hell.
Apparently, my boyfriend is rich. Who knew?
“Do they fully staff these things?” I asked as the second flight attendant walked away, having just set down a charcuterie board.
“Yeah, I think it has something to do with regulations,” Leo said, leaning forward to grab food. “I really have no clue. I have zero interest in the family real estate business.”
“Does your mom run the company?” I asked as he passed me a few grapes. Leo had mentioned the family real estate business but he’d left out that his mother was the daughter of Zachariah Acker and that she had basically grown up as an heiress.
“No. She technically has all the control though. She has people like Jace who run everything and she just approves high-level shit. She never wanted the company, but I think she’s a little more invested now that she and Jace have reduced the profits so much and started building for underserved communities instead of just for growing their wealth like my grandfather did. ”
“Do you have any intention of working there?” I asked, sipping my champagne.
“Nope,” Leo said, popping a grape in his mouth.
“I do own a bunch of shares, but my mom is going to transfer her controlling interest to Jace eventually. I’ll make money, but I’ll never do anything.
I offered not to take any shares since I knew I’d never work for the company, but Mom and Jace insisted.
It’s a good safety net if my hockey career ever gets cut short. ”
Leo put his arm around my shoulders again and we leaned back on the couch. “I had no idea you were rich. I mean, your parents’ place is gorgeous, but not billionaire gorgeous.”
Leo laughed and kissed my cheek. “Yeah, my parents never wanted to raise me like that. It’s just not who they are.
My mom has no problem buying designer everything, but aside from that, I never felt all that different from my friends.
We obviously do well, but living an overly luxurious life isn’t their style. ”
“Your mom has incredible fashion sense. My sister would die if she saw her closet.” I finished the champagne, and Leo took the empty glass from me, setting it on a table to his left.
“Is Elena into fashion?” Leo asked.
“Obsessed.” I chuckled. “I don’t know if she’s going to end up working in high-end fashion or designing it herself, but she has fashion magazines and mood boards galore.
Whenever I need help with an outfit, she’s the first call I make.
When she was twelve, she picked out my prom dress, and it slayed. ”
Leo laughed as my phone dinged. I picked it up.
Mom: Arrival time still scheduled for 6:00 p.m.?
“Oops,” I said. “It’s my mom. I should probably tell her my flight has changed and I’m bringing a guest.”
“Go ahead.” Leo picked up his phone. “I’ve got to give Jace shit for bragging about his dick earlier. Asshole.”
I shook my head and typed a response, noticing the chat included Kennedy, Mom, and me. Probably in case Kennedy or Dad want to pick me up too.
Me: Surprise! I’m not coming home alone. Leo is coming with me.
Kennedy: Wow. That is not the advice I gave.
Mom: What advice?
Kennedy: Just let this one go. Trust me.
Mom: You’re bringing the hockey player home? Is it still casual?
Me: I don’t think so.
Kennedy: See? Definitely not what I advised.
Mom: You suggested she have a casual hookup?
Kennedy: Yes, and it was good advice for the situation.
Mom: Coparenting with you is a constant source of stress.
Kennedy: You would have said the same thing if she’d come to you.
Kennedy: Well, pretty close.
Kennedy: Probably.
Mom: I doubt that.
Me: Ladies, can we focus on the situation in front of us? I have a boy coming home who I really like. Can you please come up with a plan to control Dad and Dave? It’s bad enough meeting a girl’s dad but Leo has to meet two dads plus Uncle Eric.
Me: Tell me you understand what I’m working with here.
Mom: I’ll take care of Dave. Kennedy, you deal with Danny, and good luck to you. I’d give you a suggestion for how I think you should tell him, but I don’t want to scar Soph.
I’m obviously scarred enough already because I know what that suggestion is and so does everyone who read his first book. I shuddered and rolled my neck.
Kennedy: You know Eric is your real problem, right? He’s the giant SEAL who can snap this kid’s neck if he wants to.
Me: Please don’t let him do that.
Kennedy: I can control Eric. Probably.
Kennedy: There is very little I can do about Danny when it comes to you and boys. He knows what we were like when we were your age and that works against you. I’m sorry, kid.
Mom: When you were their age? You’re still like that!
Me: Can’t you think of something? Do the thing Mom didn’t spell out if you must, but I need him to be chill.
Kennedy: I’ll make up the pool house for you two as a start.
Me: You think he’ll let us sleep together in the pool house? I was going to ask for it, but I figured he was more likely to send Leo out there alone.
Kennedy: When we were your age, we’d been living together for years. I won’t let him be a hypocrite about a few nights in the pool house.
Mom: I have faith in you, Kennedy, but not in that argument. Between the two of us, he got us pregnant three times that year, remember? He’ll have zero confidence in this arrangement.
Kennedy: I’ll handle it. What does the hockey player drink for coffee?
Me: Americano.
Mom: I’ll see you this evening and I’ll pick up the coffee for you both from Kennedy. Is the arrival time still six?
Me: Well, about that…we’re on a private jet.
Kennedy: Who are you bringing home? Tom Brady?
Mom: That’s football, not hockey, Kennedy.
Me: Turns out the hockey player is super rich. Like, his mother owns a multi-billion-dollar company that he has ownership in. I just learned this today.
Kennedy: And I was impressed when Danny said he had a trust fund. Apparently, the next generation gets quasi-billionaires.
Mom: And hockey stars.
Kennedy: Why would I want a hockey player? You’ve seen Danny on a surfboard. That is utter perfection.
Me: Gross. Can we not? We’re landing around 8:00 p.m.
Mom: You want me to come alone or bring your dad?
Me: Alone.
Kennedy: Good call. See you tonight, kiddo.
I took a deep breath and finally looked up to see Leo watching me with a grin on his face.
“What?” I asked, nervously running a hand over my ponytail.
“You smile a lot when you text with them,” he said. “It’s cute.”
I laughed. “Well, I’m sorry I got sucked in, but I’m trying to make sure my mom and Kennedy control the men because you’re about to experience a lot of protective-dad energy.”
“I can handle it for you, Hawaii.” He tossed an arm over my shoulder.
I took another deep breath. “Can you do that thing where you kiss me and quiet my mind because I’m feeling a lot of insecurities right now about why you would want to spend the rest of your senior year in a relationship with me, all of which have been brought on by the fact that I’m about to introduce you to my huge-ass, entirely embarrassing family. ”
He grabbed my face and pulled my lips to his, kissing me passionately before stroking behind my ear. “I could give you a dozen reasons why I want to be in a relationship with you. Your family, and the way you feel about them, is just one of the things on that list.”
I sighed. “I never thought you’d want a relationship. Even when I started to want one, I convinced myself you didn’t.”
“Well, I certainly want one with you, Hawaii,” he said. “And I wanted it from the moment I saw you in my parents’ bar.”
I kissed him again and swung one leg over his lap to straddle him. “What’s the privacy situation on this jet? Screwing on an airplane seems like important book research.”
“I asked our flight attendants to stay in the back unless we call for them,” he said, already pulling at the button on his jeans.
I stood up and took off my boots before shimmying out of my pants and panties. I tossed my clothes to the side and climbed back onto Leo’s lap as he pulled himself out and held his dick steady for me. I sank onto his dick in one smooth motion, both of us groaning at the connection.
“Do you feel this, Hawaii?” he asked, looking into my eyes.
“Your dick?” I asked. “Yes, Leo, it’s eight inches. I feel it.”
“No.” He chuckled and kissed me passionately, making my heart race and my head spin. “I mean this connection.”
“Yes,” I whispered, knowing exactly what he meant.
“I’m pretty sure these are those fireworks you were looking for.”
I nodded. “I’ve felt them from the beginning.”
He grinned as he buried his face in my hair.
We were over the ocean and finally sated when Leo called for the flight attendant to bring us water and dinner. She dropped off sandwiches that looked far nicer than any airplane food I’d had in the last four years of cross-country flights.
“So, where to first when we land?” Leo asked, in between bites of his sandwich. “I’m hoping you’re going to say this famous café I keep hearing about. I could use some coffee if you expect me to stay up for the next several hours.”
I laughed. “The jet lag is no joke, but it’ll be much worse going back to school.
” I took a swig of water. “We should probably squeeze in a nap, if we can. The cafés will be closed when we land but Kennedy is sending my mom with coffee for us. We’ll stay with my dad and Kennedy but my car is at my mom’s, so she’ll probably bring us to her place first—which is a good thing.
You can ease into my family with Dave and Elena.
They’re sarcastic as hell, but mostly chill, so it’ll be like dipping your toe in the water. ”
“Okay.” Leo chuckled, taking the last bite of his sandwich. “And have we secured the pool house so I don’t have to keep my hands off you at night?”
“Kennedy said she’d set up the pool house and tell my dad that’s where we’re staying. I trust her to make that happen for us. The twins will probably stay up late to see us though since it’s winter break and they’re excited I’m coming home.”
“Okay, so I’m meeting almost everyone tonight at what will basically be after two in the morning, Boston time.” Leo swallowed his water in a way that made him look slightly apprehensive.
I abandoned the rest of my sandwich and leaned against him. “If it helps, the twins will be obsessed with you. I mean, they barely know what hockey is, but a college guy who’s about to be a professional athlete? They’ll have a lot of questions.”
He pulled me against his chest. “We need to rest up, Hawaii. Naptime.”
I rubbed his chest with one hand as he leaned back on the arm of the couch and we settled in. My hand trailed down to the waistband of his jeans.
“Do not make this sexy, Sophia. I have an important night ahead of me and I don’t want to fuck this up because I’m tired.”
I chuckled and moved my hand back to his chest. “Of course. I’ll let you and Little Leo rest.”
“Fuck,” he groaned.
I looked down and saw a bulge in his jeans and snorted.
“Just ignore it. You acknowledged him and now he’s getting mixed signals.”
I kissed him on the cheek. “Don’t worry, Leo. They’re going to love to you.”
How could they not?