Everything I Desire (Lupine Valley #3)

15. Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

Adelaide

I have never packed as fast as I did when I got home from the station.

My bedroom is a mess with drawers ripped open, hangers on the floor, and don’t even get me started on what the bathroom looks like. But I was ready to go in a matter of twenty minutes. A record for packing, especially not knowing what we will be doing.

I am walking across the lawn to Porter’s house, when Kayla comes running out the door to hug me. She knocks into me and I wobble. “Wow, what do I owe for this?” I ask her.

“Convincing Uncle Porter to let me bring Emily!” She says running back in the house. “Sorry I gotta finish packing!”

“It’s only one night!” I hear Porter yelling up the stairs.

“It might be only one night but I can promise you don’t want to see my bedroom.” I wink at him, handing him my overnight bag to put in the truck next to his .

“Women.” He shakes his head. He loops an arm around my waist and pulls me flush against him. “I’d always love to see your bedroom though,” he whispers.

“Stop it. We’re about to be sharing a room and it’s not fair to make promises you can’t keep tonight.” I say swatting at him.

“Oh, baby, you really think I’d take you away with us and make us share a room? No way, we have our own room that can connect to the girl’s room, but only if they need to.” He runs his finger gently along my jawline, sending shivers down my body.

“I’m ready!” Kayla comes barreling out the front door, and I jump away from Porter like I’ve done something wrong.

Luckily we are hidden by the truck since we are at the tailgate. My face is red, and probably going to give me away. I tuck my head down and get in the truck.

“Ok, let’s hope Emily doesn’t pack like you two.” Porter says closing the tailgate.

After we get Emily, we drive to the city and check into our hotel. As promised we have adjoining rooms.

Porter walks from our room into the girl’s room, “Ok, so what do you girls want to do first?”

Kayla and Emily look at each other with big grins on their face, “Shopping!”

“Of course.” Porter pulls his wallet out. He hands Kayla and Emily each a hundred dollar bill .

“Uncle Porter. This is too much.” Kayla says handing him the money back.

He stops her hand and pushes back. “Not at all. I want you girls to have a good time today, if you text me what movie you want later I’ll order the tickets for you.”

A tear slides down Kayla’s cheek and she flings herself at Porter, hugging him tight. Emily sees the moment for what it is and walks quietly to the bathroom with her makeup bag. She has two devoted and loving parents, so this is a common thing for her, but she recognizes that it isn’t for Kayla and I’m grateful she has a friend like Emily.

While Emily is getting ready for the mall Porter calls Kayla in. “Hey, do you mind if Addy and I talk to you for a second?” He asks.

“What’s going on? Is it Mom?” She asks, worry on her face.

“No, nothing like that. We just wanted to let you know that you are right, Addy and I are going to be dating.” Her shoulders drop in relief.

“Duh. She’s here isn’t she?” She says.

“What your uncle means to ask is, are you okay with us dating? I know it’s another change for you and if you’re uncomfortable with it then we won’t.” I rush in to add.

“Of course I don’t mind. I love you both, and you guys love each other, everyone knows it.” She says so simply. Porter looks at me.

“Right. Okay. Well I’m glad that’s settled. But if you’re ever uncomfortable with it you can tell us.” Porter reassures her.

“Trust me, if she can stop you from beating Eric to a pulp she can stay.” She jokes. “Is that all? I have to go get ready?”

“Yea, go ahead.” Porter replies, and places his hand on my thigh.

She skips back into her room and starts pulling makeup from her bag.

“Well that went alright,” Porter shrugs.

“I told you it would.” I smile at him.

Once the girls are ready we bring them to the mall. Porter buys their movie tickets to the latest chick flick, and they run off, happy for a night of freedom.

When we get into the truck again he backs out of his parking spot.

“So, what are we going to do?” I ask him.

He looks at me smirking. “We are going on a date. Our first real date, that isn’t just pizza at the general store followed by a visit to the lake.”

“I love that lake.” I smile at the memories. “But, we have definitely been on a date before.”

“Nope. Never. Anything in Lupine Valley doesn’t count, especially when only one of us was grabbing the food so we could hide from your dad.” He cringes at the mention of my dad. It’s something we really haven’t talked about. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to speak badly of him since -.”

“Don’t worry about it, Porter. He was a jerk to you, and you don’t even get to have him to see the man you are today, to see all that you’ve become.” I place my hand on his resting on my thigh.

“I talked to your Mom.” He says. My eyes go wide.

“I remember you saying that, but you never told me what happened.”

He recounts the story of how my mom showed up after Maura was arrested at the garage and before I showed up.

I’m glad my mom did that. I’m glad she can see the man Porter is, and not just the family he was born into like my father. I hope that he is happy with my mom’s blessing, that he can move on from the feelings my father intensified.

We pull into a parking spot, and I’m looking around trying to figure out where we’re going. But I don’t see anything that looks like a restaurant.

“It’s a tiny hole in the wall. I used to come here all the time when I stayed here for court fighting Maura.” He looks like he’s remembering a bittersweet memory. “Maria and Tony are the owners. They cook the most amazing Italian food I’ve ever had, and it’s all homemade.”

I can tell that this place means more to him than just good food. When we walk in I am proven right.

“Tell me it isn’t so!” A woman runs over and pulls Porter into a hug. “Porter Jackson! You haven’t called me since you came through here and told me you were going to get that niece of yours!” She hits him on the shoulder with a wooden spoon, making me laugh.

“I’m sorry, Maria. It’s been. . . a lot.” He says.

A big man comes out from the kitchen, and looks between me and Porter. “Not too much you couldn’t find yourself a pretty little woman.” He slaps Porter on the shoulder.

“Oh I’m sorry,” he pulls me to him, “Tony, Maria, this is my Adelaide.”

Maria slaps her hand over her mouth, “ The Adelaide?”

“Yup, the one and only. She finally convinced me to give her a chance,” he says.

“More like I convinced him to give himself a chance.” I say reaching out to shake their hands.

I’m immediately pulled in for a hug by Tony, “We’re family, Adelaide. We hug. If you convinced this one here that he’s worth taking the chance on himself, you’re family.”

Maria mouths over Tony’s shoulder, I like her!

“Come, come, sit. I’ll bring you antipasto.” Maria leads us to a table in the corner. There are only a few other people in the small restaurant but they don’t seem phased by the commotion we caused.

After our first of many rounds of food, according to Porter, Maria brings out a huge plate covered in sauce, and what looks like a fried ball of something.

“Arancini. My boy’s favorite.” She smiles affectionately at Porter before walking back to the kitchen .

I hesitantly dig my fork inside and see a mix of cheese, rice, and hamburger. I look at Porter questioning what I’m going to eat even though it smells amazing.

He laughs at me, “It’s a fried rice ball. But I promise you no matter what she brings it’s going to be amazing.” He digs into the other one taking a huge bite.

I take a tentative bite and the flavor bursts on my tongue making me moan my approval. Porter smirks at me.

“So. The Adelaide, huh? Want to tell me how Maria and Tony know who I am?” I ask, taking another bite. Porter was right, I can already tell no matter what she brings out, it will be amazing.

He tells me about the first time he came here, it was right after the first hearing with Maura. He was sitting at a table alone as a young, defeated kid. Maria saw the sadness on his face and sat down with him after giving him his first arancini. He says that she has this magical way of getting information out of someone even if they don’t want to share.

After he spilled everything from leaving me, to fighting for custody of Kayla, she took him under her wing. When he stopped fighting for custody, he kept in touch with them, stopping in on his way to attempt visitations with Kayla when Stacey would call him.

Maria brings out a large bowl of something that smells heavenly, “And just where is this beauty of a niece you always tell me about it?” She places the bowl between Porter and I, “Carbonara.” She nods at the bowl then stands with her hands on her hips waiting for Porter to answer.

“She’s at a movie with her friend, but I promise I’ll bring her tomorrow to see you before we go back to Lupine Valley.” She pats his shoulder then takes off to the kitchen again.

He looks at me, licking his lips, “You know we have at least one more round of food coming, right?” He says chuckling.

I take a bite of her pasta, moaning once again at how good it is, “I don’t even care how full I will be. I want it all. Can we bring some home for dinner tomorrow?” I ask with a mouth full.

Porter laughs, “Of course we can. I’ll even ask her to make us some fresh Italian butter cookies, they might rival your mom’s for the top spot.”

“No way.” I say seriously. Nothing has ever beat Mom’s cookies.

Once we finish eating our fill of pasta, Maria and Tony bring out a huge dessert plate filled with cookies, biscotti, cheesecake and cannolis. She proudly points out each one saying that Tony has perfected all the recipes. They both sit down and join us at the table.

Watching the love they have for each other and for Porter is incredible. I’m so glad he’s had someone in his corner all these years. It settles something in my heart that I didn’t even know needed settling .

We spend a while talking with Maria and Tony. They share stories of their time with Porter, and the time I missed with him. It seems like all too soon it’s time to go get the girls from the mall.

Maria hugs me tight and whispers in my ear, “Thank you for getting my boy to believe in himself. After that last court hearing I was so worried he would punish himself forever.”

I pull back and just look at her, unshed tears in both our eyes. I nod, “Thank you for loving him when he wouldn’t let me.” She pulls me back in for a hug and I feel a connection to this woman over the shared love for a man who doesn’t think he deserves any of it.

“You come back with that girl tomorrow and we’ll send you home with all kinds of goodies, you hear me?” Tony bellows from the kitchen.

“Will do, Tony, I promise!” Porter answers as he opens the door for me.

I never expected for a tiny hole in the wall restaurant to fill my heart more than I ever thought it could be. The gratitude I feel for Maria and Tony can never be repaid for them believing in Porter.