108. Presley
Presley
Ipush the button on the handle, and the umbrella opens above me.
Making a run for it, I dash across the parking lot to my car. Only, the spot is empty when I get there.
My eyebrows pinch together. That’s weird. I could’ve sworn that I parked on the end of the last row when I arrived at school this morning.
My head whips around, searching for my car. I dig into my coat pocket for my keys, but my fingers hit nothing but the inside of my pocket.
What the fuck?
A black town car pulls up in front of me, and an older man with salt-and-pepper hair jogs around the front bumper holding up a large black umbrella. “Ms. King, I’m here to escort you to the spa.”
My chin jerks back. “Uh, what?”
“I can assure you that your car has been safely delivered to your home. I’ve been instructed to pick you up and take you to get a massage at four o’clock.”
“Instructed by who?”
The man smiles. “Mr. McKinley.”
My chest tightens. “He planned this?”
“Yes, ma’am.” He swings open the back door, and gestures for me to get inside. “Come in and get out of the rain.”
“Sorry, please just give me a moment.” I slip my phone out of my purse and click on Stephen’s name before holding it up to my ear.
“Hey, pretty girl,” he answers.
“Don’t pretty girl me. There’s a strange man standing in front of me telling me to get in his car. As a woman, you can understand my hesitation. What is going on? Where’s my car? And how did you get my car keys?”
He chuckles. “That’s Carl; he’s my driver. He’s going to take you to get a massage.”
“But I have to pick up Alyssa from school. Her field hockey practice got cancelled because of the rain and—”
“We’ve already taken care of that. I’ve got her with me right now. Say hi to your aunt, ‘Lyss.”
Alyssa’s cheery voice blares through the phone. “Hi, Aunt Presley!”
My eyebrows shoot up. “First grand theft auto, and now kidnapping. What’s next on the agenda?”
Stephen laughs again, like this is totally normal behavior. “Enjoy your massage, pretty girl. We’ll see you at home.”
The call ends, and I’m left blinking down at the screen in disbelief.
Carl clears his throat. “Ms. King, come on inside. I have the heat on. Wouldn’t want you to catch a cold.”
I snap the umbrella closed, and slide into the back seat of the car.
The door shuts behind me, and Carl scurries around to the driver’s side. He glances at me in the rearview mirror as he climbs inside. “How was your day, Ms. King?”
My head falls back against the seat as I laugh. “Like any other day, up until now.”
His eyes crinkle as he smiles. “I’ve heard good things about this spa. You’ll have a very enjoyable afternoon.”
I shake my head as I stare out at the rain. “And how many women have you driven around for Mr. McKinley, Carl?”
“I assume you mean the ones not blood related?”
I smirk. “Exactly those ones.”
“None, Ms. King.” He pauses, his eyes flicking to mine in the mirror before returning to the road. “And if I may add, I haven’t seen him this excited in a long time.”
Worry seeps into my gut. “I was afraid you’d say that, Carl.”
Stephen McKinley doesn’t do anything in half measures. He’s all in, balls to the wall, giving two-hundred percent of himself. He moves with the force of a barreling train.
But I can’t give him what he’s hoping for. I can’t be a pseudo-mom and be in a poly relationship. How would that even work?
Visions of the three of us living in my sister’s house with Avery and Alyssa flash through my mind.
Chance and Avery painting in the dining room while Stephen runs around the backyard with Alyssa; me moving around them in the kitchen as Stephen chops vegetables and Chance stirs a pot of sauce; the three of us snuggling under the covers as we fall asleep at night.
My skin warms at the memory of how it felt to be loved by the two of them. The way they treated me, the way they cared for me.
Longing grips my heart in a vice. I’ve missed them. I miss the way they made me feel, and I miss the person I was with them. And now that they’re back, I can’t help but want it all back again.
Maybe it’d work behind closed doors—and that’s a big maybe with two children—but it definitely wouldn’t work on the outside.
I can already hear the things other parents would say about us.
The way they’d judge us, and keep their children away from mine.
And that can’t happen. My responsibility is to those kids, and I won’t let anything stop them from having the best lives.
I have to shut this down. Stephen and Chance need to know that we can’t be what we once were.
No matter how deeply I crave it.
The aroma of sauteed garlic and onions fill the house as soon as I step inside.
But it’s the sound of people that take me by surprise.
I creep through the hallway and spot Stephen, alone with several large men, sitting on my couch, shouting over a video game as Alyssa howls with laughter, playing right in the middle of them.
Judging by their size, I assume they’re Stephen’s teammates who attended the assembly at Avery’s school today.
Inching further into the house, I peer into the kitchen. Avery stands beside Chance at the stove, listening intently to whatever Chance is explaining to him. Something about flavors and temperatures.
In the dining room, four women sit around the set table, sipping glasses of wine.
Before I can sneak back into the hallway and dart up the stairs to change and make myself look presentable, the redhead makes eye-contact with me.
“Oh, hey.” She stands and rounds the corner of the table with her wine glass. “You must be Presley... and wondering what we’re all doing in your house.”
I laugh. “Correct on both accounts.”
She wraps an arm around me and pulls me in for a hug.
“I’m Celeste, one of Jason’s wives. This is our wife, Kourtney,” she gestures to a pretty brunette who waves from her seat at the table.
“This is Cassidy, Trenton’s wife.” A curvy brunette with a warm smile raises her hand.
“And this is Aarya, Alexander’s wife.” Another dark-haired beauty shoots me a wink.
I give everyone a big wave. “Hi, ladies. Uh, I’m assuming your husbands are all Goldfinches?”
Celeste slaps her forehead. “Duh, you’ve never met them before. Yes, they’re the giant dudes in your living room playing video games like five-year-olds.”
These women are stunning, as different as they all look. My brain tries to keep track of who Celeste said they were each married to. “I’m sorry, did you say you and Kourtney are both married to Jason?”
Celeste beams. “We’re a threesome. We’ve been best friends since high school. It’s a whole thing. I’ll tell you the story sometime.”
I arch a brow, completely intrigued by this news. A real-life poly relationship. It’s like the universe heard my thoughts earlier, and is showing me that it’s possible.
“So, what’s going on between you and Mac?” Celeste asks. “I’m going to need all the details because up until today, I had no idea you existed.”
Kourtney laughs as she stands and places her hand on Celeste’s forearm. “Why don’t you let the poor woman get settled before you start interrogating her. She hasn’t even put her things down yet.”
I’m literally standing in the middle of the room holding a dripping wet umbrella and two large work bags.
Alyssa pops into the dining room. “Aunt Presley, you’re home! Come into the living room. You have to meet the team. We’re playing NHL 24 and I totally kicked their asses—” She freezes and clamps her hand over her mouth. “Their butts. I totally kicked their butts.”
Damn Stephen and his potty mouth.
Stephen joins us, and scoops my things into his hands, leaning in to press a kiss on my cheek. “Hey, pretty girl. How was your massage? Are you feeling relaxed now?”
I let out a sardonic laugh. “I was, up until I walked into a house party that I didn’t know about.”
He grimaces. “Yeah, sorry about that. I should’ve told you. But the kids invited the guys over for dinner, so I figured it would be a great way for you to meet the WAGs too.”
Avery comes into the room carrying a large pot filled with red sauce. “Hey, Aunt Pres. Chance showed me how to make marinara sauce. It’s just about ready.”
My head swirls with everything going on. I suck in a deep breath. “Great. Let me go get changed and I’ll be right down.”
I dart out of the room and bolt up the stairs to my bedroom. Sinking onto the edge of the bed, I close my eyes and run my fingers through my hair.
It’s not that I mind having everyone over.
They all took the time out of their busy schedules to help Avery today, and I’d love to be able to personally thank them.
But for the last four years, I’ve been on my own raising these kids.
I haven’t had a break, or time to do anything for myself.
Today was the first time I didn’t have to pick them up from school, or worry about dinner—and to top it off, I got a fucking massage at a spa.
Where’s my car, by the way?
There’s a soft knock on the door before it cracks open, and Chance’s dark eyes meet mine. “You okay?”
I blow out a long breath through my lips. “I’m good. Just taking a second to digest everything.”
He closes the door behind him and lowers himself to the mattress beside me. “I’m sorry for ambushing you like this. You know how hard it is to stop Stephen when he gets an idea in his head.”
I smile. “I sure do.”
Chance reaches out and tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear. “Did you enjoy your massage at least?”
“I did.” My eyes bounce between his. “That was your idea, wasn’t it?”
“I didn’t want you to have to worry about anyone for once. I wanted you to have a moment for yourself.” His fingers linger on my ear, tracing it and then skimming down along my jawline. “I want to take care of you in all the ways I wasn’t able to for the last four years.”
I close my eyes and lean into his light touch, and his palm cradles my face. “I appreciate it, but you don’t have to do any of this.”