Everything I Desire (Lupine Valley #3)

17. Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

Adelaide

Porter is grilling for me tonight, and the weather is finally turning warmer. It’s the perfect night for grilling and a fire. Just cool enough that the fire will take the chill out of the air.

I am making a pasta salad to bring over because I know that Porter is probably only grilling steaks. I chuckle to myself as I put the final touches on the pasta salad. A memory of trying to teach Porter to cook macaroni and cheese, from a box, bubbles up. We stayed after school with the Home Economics teacher, and I attempted to teach him how to cook. When it was clear that he couldn’t follow a recipe, we moved on to the box of macaroni and cheese. He overcooked the noodles and added way too much milk. So he basically had mushy noodle and cheese soup. I believe his skills have somewhat improved, but not by much.

When it’s time to go over for dinner, I grab all my things and walk through the yard. I raise my hand to knock on the door when it swings open .

“Hey, Addy!” Kayla hugs me almost causing me to drop my pasta salad.

“Oh, what did you bring?” She asks before taking it from me and peeking under the corner of the lid as she walks.

I follow behind her into the kitchen. “I made some pasta salad, because I know your uncle is probably only grilling steaks.”

She laughs at my comment, “You’re right. But I did make a Caesar salad for you.” She pulls a salad bowl out of the refrigerator.

I lift the lid to peek into the bowl like she did, “Mmm, that looks delicious.” I say, placing the lid back on and putting everything into the refrigerator.

Porter comes in from the slider doors leading to the backyard. He looks delicious in his usual tight, dark jeans and black tee. He’s freshly showered and his cedar soap scent is reaching me before he does.

“Hey, baby.” He greets me in a low husky voice that makes my knees go weak.

“Hey, handsome.” I lean into him.

“Did I hear that you made pasta salad?” He nuzzles into my neck.

“Okay, okay, I’m still here!” Kayla exclaims from the other side of the island in the center of the kitchen.

Laughing with Kayla, I take the tray off the counter with plates and silverware and carry it outside to the table leaving Porter alone inside .

Kayla and I are setting the table when he comes back out with a tray for the steaks. I laugh at him as he opens the grill because I am correct in that he only made the main dish of steaks and no sides.

Kayla runs back inside and I look at Porter, confused.

“Eric is probably here,” he answers, rolling his eyes. He’s still leery of Eric being around Kayla by themselves. But he’s made a lot of strides in not being so overprotective with him. The kid's new fear of security cameras helps a ton.

I walk over to the grill where he is standing and wrap my arms around him, resting my cheek on his back. “I’m proud of you for letting him come over tonight.”

He grunts in disapproval. I twist around so I’m facing him and push up on my tiptoes. He takes the hint and leans down to kiss me. His hand sliding up my cheek and lacing my hair around his fingers.

“Oh my gosh, that is the cutest picture.” Kayla squeals.

She hands her phone to Eric who nods. Then she must send off the photo to Porter and I because both of our phones go off at the same time.

I pull my phone from my back pocket and look at the photo. It’s actually pretty perfect. The pink and orange sunset is behind us, and Porter is smiling right before he kisses me. It’s like the happiness can be felt from simply looking at the photo .

It’s my new favorite next to the one of us smiling by the lake when we first started dating. The one I secretly keep in the drawer of my nightstand.

“Want to cause a little drama?” I ask him, smirking.

“Drama?” He furrows his brow, not following what I mean.

“Well, maybe just some excitement?” I raise my eyebrow.

I open the group chat with my sisters and send just the photo with nothing else, then I hold my phone out so we can both see the responses that come immediately.

Scarlett : Um, Addy? Seriously? Context!

Willow : Am I really missing this much being in Nashville? You better call me right now.

Lacey : I KNEW IT!

Willow : Hello? Answer my FaceTime now !

Laughing, I lock my phone and place it in my back pocket.

“That was evil. You know they’re losing their minds right now.” Porter laughs and places a kiss to my temple.

“Yup. It’s payback for all the shit talking they did about us while we were dress shopping with Kayla.” I keep the smug smile on my face and walk back over to the table to join Kayla and Eric for dinner. She’s already gotten all the sides so I can just relax and enjoy the night until one of my sisters shows up demanding answers.

I am woken up by banging on my door.

Glancing at my phone I see it’s only eight in the morning on a Saturday. I put on my robe and shuffle downstairs to open the door for who is probably my sisters coming for an inquisition since I never answered any of the forty texts they all sent through dinner last night. Or any of their FaceTime calls.

I open the door and hold it open, without even looking outside to see who's on the other side.

“What the hell, Adelaide?” Scarlett scolds.

“Ooh, full name. I’m really in trouble.” I chuckle.

I walk into the kitchen to start the coffee. I definitely need coffee for this conversation.

“Damn right you got full named! If I was there I would have been pounding down your door last night!” Willow yells from Lacey’s phone .

“Yea! I wanted to! But Scarlett told me it was best to not interrupt.” She shrugs, agreeing with Willow.

“Oh my gosh. First of all, Kayla is the one who took the photo so you wouldn’t have interrupted anything. -”

“I told you!” Lacey says to Scarlett.

“Second of all, it’s no big deal.” I shrug, knowing that Porter and I are in fact a very big deal.

“Uh, no big deal? You’re not serious? You’ve been in love with this man for ten years! He is back in town, and last I knew you were sticking to being besties with his kid, and he thought he wasn’t good enough for you!” Lacey yells.

“Excuse me, can someone turn me so I can see everyone?” Willow demands.

“Oh sorry.” Lacey turns her phone around so Willow can be part of the circle.

“How long have you guys been back together?” She asks once she’s facing me.

“Maybe like a week. I don’t know, it's not like he asked me to go steady or anything.” I roll my eyes and shake my head at their ridiculousness.

This time it’s Scarlett’s turn to be outraged. “A week? An entire seven or more days you have kept this from us? Do you know how much we have talked in that time and you never once thought ‘oh gee, let me tell my sisters who are the most important people in my life that I’m back to having sex with my super hot neighbor who I’ve been in love with for ten years’? Really? You never had that thought?” She finishes her tirade and steals my cup of coffee before sitting down at the kitchen table.

All of us laugh at her rant. “Should you be drinking that?” I ask her.

“Shut up all of you. Preston won’t let me have any. I can have one cup a day and I’ve been sneaking it from the diner,” she says slyly. “Don’t try to deflect!”

“Oh alright.” I give in. I tell them all about the night at his garage with Maura, Mom, and me showing up after Spring Fling.

“Does this mean we can have a triple date night this weekend?” Lacey asks.

“Really? You guys are going to triple date without me?” Willow feigns offense.

“Move home.” The three of us say in unison.

The rest of the morning is spent making breakfast and eating together.

Porter agrees to a triple date this weekend. He also takes no time in telling me that he is right about the photo and I deserve this early morning ambush from my sisters.

I don’t care what time they show up, I’m just happy that I can finally be with Porter again. I’d take a million early sister ambushes if it means I get Porter back.

Tonight we are all going to The Bar to hang out, even Lauren and Brad are coming .

I wish Lauren would just tell Brad how she feels. We all know they both feel the same way about each other and have since high school. They’re the only two who don’t want to admit it and still maintain they’re just best friends.

The owner of The Bar, Gunnar, has a local band coming tonight for live music and it’s just warm enough to be out on the patio with the heat lamps around.

The Bar always has live music in the summertime and the whole town comes to hang out on the patio and listen. He even started a teen night once a month with some of the kids’ bands playing. It’s been a hit at school and we always hear about how excited they are when the first one is announced.

Gunnar is a quiet guy, but he’s done some really amazing things for the kids in this town, he just keeps most of it anonymous and I’m the only one in our group who knows about his charity. I keep his secret, but I wish he would let people celebrate the good he does.

Porter and I are the first to get here.

“Hey guys! I saved you a table by the heaters.” Gunnar shakes Porter’s hand and hugs me before grabbing menus and bringing us outside.

“Thanks man. You going to be joining us later?” Porter asks.

He told me that he and Gunnar bonded in the first few days he was here when he was getting take-out daily .

“Yea, I’m definitely going to try. I heard rumors there might be some trouble later, so I want to stay close by for my staff.” He raises his eyebrows in Porter’s direction and both of us understand. The trouble he’s talking about is Maura’s crew.

“There’s the new couple!” Scarlett yells running over to us.

She hugs me, and then I’m bombarded by Lacey and Lauren also.

“Girl. I’m so happy for you. I knew my plan would work.” Lauren smacks a big kiss on my cheek for dramatic fashion.

“Oh your plan? Maybe I’ll have to come up with my own plan.” I nod in Brad’s direction.

“Oh yes! I love that idea!” Lacey and Scarlett agree.

Lauren’s cheeks blush a deep red and she tucks her head down taking the seat between me and Lacey. When Brad chooses the seat directly across from her, and eyes her the entire time he sits down, Lacey and I exchange a wink behind her back.

We know what we have to do.

The band starts to cover a Morgan Wallen song and all the girls pull me to the dance floor. After a few songs, I notice a group of guys inching closer to us. I get a bad vibe and am instantly uncomfortable. I glance back to our table and don’t see the guys. I start to panic until I feel large hands reach around my hips .

“These guys are assholes.” Porter whispers in my ear. I look around and notice all the guys have come to save us.

“Thank you.” I spin in his arms. Brad is dancing with Lauren, a scowl on his face in the direction of one guy in particular who was in Lauren's space.

“Yea. He was definitely the most pissed off. I told him he better claim his woman before it’s too late.” He laughs.

“If only.” I laugh.

The band takes a break and we all end up back at the table, except for Brad and Lauren. They’re nowhere to be found, but all their stuff is still here with us.

“Hmm, isn’t this interesting?” Lacey nods to the door.

Lauren and Brad are coming back in, their clothes and hair are disheveled, and the blush on her cheeks reaches all the way down her chest. Lacey and I just start laughing, getting Scarlett’s attention to look where we are before she joins in.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” Scarlett says loud enough for everyone to hear.

“Shut up.” Lauren takes a long swig of her beer.

We all laugh at her because we’ve all been there.

I nudge her rib with my elbow, “Told you.”

Just then Maura and her crew walk in. She’s with three guys and another woman. They’re all skinny as hell, faces gaunt, track marks all over their arms and disheveled .

Her ice cold stare locks on Porter and I’s hands clasped together on the table. He looks at me, clearly worried she’s going to start something again.

“What the fuck, Porter? Where is my daughter? Home alone? What a great fucking parent you are.” She scoffs at us. Her boyfriend, I’m assuming, comes over and his fists are clenched at his side. They’re all high, swaying back and forth, shuffling along toward our table. I'm not sure what their plan is once they get here, or if they even have one.

“Get out. Now.” Gunnar’s voice booms from behind them.

“Nah man, this is public property,” the boyfriend says confidently.

“But you’re wrong. It’s private property. And I’m refusing to serve you. Get the fuck out now.” He crosses his arms across his chest.

Porter, Colton, Preston, and Brad all stand up from their seats staring the group down. None of them can be over one thirty or even close to six feet, their weight a consequence from the drugs. At least they seem to have the sense to not try anything else with the guys and they pull Maura out of the bar kicking and screaming at Gunnar and Porter.

“Fuck.” Porter mumbles under his breath when he sits back down.

I place my hand on his thigh and feel the trembles rushing through his body. “Hey, look at me.” He stares straight ahead watching them leave.

“They’re going to go find Kayla I bet. She knows I’m not home.”

“Hey, it’s okay. Kayla is at Eric’s house with his parents. I’m sure it’s fine. But let’s go home just in case, okay?” I turn his head to mine, placing a kiss on his lips, trying to get him to calm down.

“Yea. Let’s do that.” He stands immediately.

“Hey, I’ll send some guys to do drive-bys of your house tonight. Just in case they show up," Brad offers.

My sisters squeeze me tight on the way out and the guys slap Porter's shoulder in solidarity with him. As pissed and closed off as he is right now, I know he appreciates the guys being here for him if he needs it. Porter apologizes to Gunnar for the trouble but he assures us it was expected, not his fault at all and not as bad as it usually is with the guys backing him.

We walk back to Porter’s house and thankfully Kayla isn’t home yet.

I just hope Maura has the sense to stay away.