Everything I Have (Everything I Want #3) (17 page)

Pulling back into our driveway, I see my dad outside walking around the lemon trees. Tristan pulls up on the brake.

“I’ll bring the stuff in,” he says.

But when my dad notices us pulling into the driveway, he immediately heads for the car.

“I got this,” Tristan raises his hand up as he pulls himself out.

“No, you took them shopping. Please, let me,” My dad jokes as he walks around the car, laughing.

“Dad, did the truck come by yet?”

Tristan got a hold of someone last night to deliver some furnishings for the place. I finally messaged Frankie this morning and sent him some pictures of the house. To say he was excited is an understatement. After Europe, he’s going to be busy. I teased him, though, and told him I was buying all beige things right now.

“Shut the fuck up. No, you’re not!” he came back at me.

I invited him over tonight, but he’s flying upstate to be with his mom. I won’t be seeing him until we leave for the next leg of the tour in about five days. I really wanted to give him the grand tour. Each day that passes, the more pumped I am about the place.

“Sophia, can you help me with dinner tonight?” My mom calls out at the front door.

I’m still standing in the driveway watching my dad and Tristan haul bag after bag of Christmas decorations.

“Are you really going to put all this up tonight?” My dad asks as he walks back down the walkway.

I nod my head yes at him. He just shakes his head back at me.

A few hours later, the tree is up and decorated with twinkling white lights that reflect off the assortment of silver and gold decorations that hang off each branch. I like the silver and gold theme; it reminds me of Rudolph. The memory of Christmas when I was a kid warms me.

“Dinner’s ready,” my mom calls from the kitchen.

Crossing my arms over my chest, I step back and admire my tree. Tristan’s warm presence comes up from behind me as he wraps his arms around my middle, pulling me into him.

“Looks good, my girl,” he whispers in my ear before laying a gentle kiss below my earlobe.

Fuck. One more day... one more day. I might not be able to make it back home after we drop my parents off at the airport the day after tomorrow. I’m so turned on that I’ll probably start sucking Tristan’s dick before we even leave the terminal.

Why am I thinking like this on Christmas? I just can’t help myself with him.

We still don’t have a table, but we each take a stool and sit around the island. After grace, I stab into a small piece of ham. I slide it off my fork with my finger and give the tip of my finger a quick taste.

Tristan’s eyes focus on my lips as I pull my finger away. The look he’s giving me right now tells me he is clearly counting down the hours ‘til my parents leave. Licking my lips, I hurry up and scoop some black olives onto my plate.

My dad praises my mom’s cooking as he digs in.

“Everything looks great, hun.”

Tristan enjoys it, too, because after he takes a mouthful, his eyes dart to my mom’s.

“Good?” she asks.

“Very,” Tristan mumbles through the food, bringing his hand up to cover his mouth.

The rest of dinner is pretty much ʻembarrass the shit out of Sophia’.

“Oh, this is a good one,” says my dad, waving his hands in front of him.

He’s clearly had a little too much eggnog. Doesn’t look like he’ll make it to midnight mass now.

“She was sixteen or maybe seventeen,” he continues, smiling at me as my mom watches him. “Anyways, what a pain in the ass she was.”

“Hey, Dad.”

I rip a piece off of my roll and toss it at him. He swats it away, laughing at me.

“She wanted to head down to the DTE to check out some group. Ah… I can’t remember. A vegetable, anyways.”

“Korn, Dad,” I correct him, my eyes on Tristan as the corner of his mouth pulls up to the side.

“Yeah, a vegetable. Any who, there was no way in hell I was going to let my babygirl head down to Clarkston with a couple other friends to see
Korn
and... what was the other one? Doesn’t matter. The answer was fuck, no.”

“Joe…”

My mom giggles at my dad. He reaches over the island and squeezes her hand and looks back at me before looking over at Tristan.

“So, the sneaky little thing tried to tell me she would be camping with one of her friends at some cabin they owned upstate. This was back before anyone and everyone had a cell phone.” My dad pauses for a moment and takes a sip of his eggnog. “I just had a feeling. It’s funny; once you become a father, you get these certain intuitions sometimes.”

My heart stills as I watch Tristan’s eyes go from my dad’s to mine. We exchange our own silent look.

“I got off work early that day. She had to come home from school first to grab her bag. Since she told us she was going
camping,
her mother packed it for her. You know- aloe leaves, hoodie, sleeping bag… all that shit.”

My own laugh comes out now. I remember that day. I was so pissed and embarrassed at the time, but now looking back, I would have done the same exact fucking thing.

“I left my car at work and had my buddy Chris drop me off. I waited until I saw her little blue Oldsmobile come barreling into the driveway. So, I hopped right in the coat closet in the hallway and waited.”

“You waited?” Tristan asks with a smirk on his face.

“You bet your ass, I did. I wasn’t born yesterday. I was born in 1962.”

Dad reaches across the table and picks up one of the sugar cookies that I bought at the bakery today. Taking a bite off the snowman, he goes on.

“Sophia comes rushing in, probably trying to hurry the hell up before she knew I’d be home from work. She had her girlfriend with her, and they were both rushing around, giggling like teenage girls do, really thinking that they were getting away with something. I held off in there until the latch of the front door clicked, and that’s when I busted out. Sophia nearly had a heart attack when she saw me.”

“Well, fuck. That was scary.”

“Sophia…” my mom gently scolds me.

“
I
almost had the fucking heart attack at the sight of her.”

Tristan’s eyebrows raise.

“How was she dressed?”

“Pretty much like a streetwalker.”

“Dad!”

“Well, you were. Holy shit, I was madder than hell. Tiny jean shorts that went down to here,” he slides the side of his hand across his thigh to give Tristan a visual of how short they were. Which, by the way, he is exaggerating. They weren’t that short. “And a bra.”

“Dad, it wasn’t a bra. It was a tube top.”

“Whatever you call it, it’s not made for teenage girls,” he says right at me.

Going back to his story, he stands up and acts out the rest.

“I said to her, ʻget your ass back in this house,’ before taking her by the elbow and swinging her around. She wouldn’t talk to me for weeks.”

“I really wanted to go!”

“Not to Clarkston dressed that way, at that age. You could’ve been hurt.”

Whatever. Everyone did it. At the time though, I was so bummed.

It’s getting late and I think my dad has finally run out of stories for right now. My mom sips her coffee as my dad pops another cookie in his mouth. Tristan has become a lot quieter than he was earlier. At least he put in a few words here and there, but now he looks...
nervous?
 

I arch my eyebrow at him and he looks away from me, down at the table. His jaw is working under his skin. Weird.

“Well, I think I’m going to bed.” I say, standing.

“Wait!”

Tristan’s voice stops me. He’s still not looking at me, but he shoves his stool back and stands. Both my parents stare at him. His Adam’s apple works vigorously in his throat. Turning to face me, Tristan runs his tongue over his bottom lip.

“Sophia…”

His voice rough, he then kneels before me.
Holy shit.
Tristan takes my hand in his once his knee hits the floor. My eyes don’t leave his.

“Will you marry me?”

Again?

Gawd, part of me wants to, but I can’t, knowing he’s probably doing it just because I’m pregnant. Who needs a piece of paper, anyways?

With my head still bent, my eyes move up to find my parents holding hands, fucking smiling at us. They probably fucking knew! Tristan squeezes my hand. Bringing my eyes back down, I softly shake my head at him.

“I can’t.”

Chapter Seventeen

Tristan

Fucking burned. This woman... What will it fucking take for her to say yes?

Joe coughs into his fist.

“Ah, hun? I think it’s time for bed, don’t you?”

His eyes are twinkling.
Difficult, my ass!
More like fucking impossible.

He and Thea quietly leave the room as I stare up at Sophia. Her eyes watering, her lip quivering, she closes her eyes and a tear spills down her cheek.

“Fuck this.” I drop her hand and stand.

“Tristan,” she chokes out, but right now I’m too pissed to hear it. “Tristan, stop!” She calls out after me as I stomp my way out of the kitchen.

“Whatever,” I wave her off. I just need to take a little drive and cool the fuck down.

“Tristan!” she runs up behind me. Grabbing a hold of my hand, she tugs my arm behind me.

“Damn it, Sophia!” I spin around and glare down at her, clenching my jaw so I don’t lose it.

My chest burns with my heavy breaths. Her soft hand reaches up and cups my face.

“I’m sorry, Tristan, but can’t we just stay this way?” Her voice is soft, apologetic.

“We can be whatever you want, Sophia,” I breathe out deeply.

I give up. Right now, staring down at Sophia, it doesn’t matter if she said yes or no. Just by the way she’s looking up at me, I know she loves me. Placing my hand on top of hers, I close my eyes and sink my cheek into her hand. Just like that, again. Just like fucking that, Sophia has the power to erase all my rage.

Lying in bed, I can hardly sleep. I don’t know exactly when Sophia plans to tell her parents about the baby, but tomorrow is their last day here. Fuck, that will be nice. Their daughter rejects a marriage proposal, then turns around and tells them she’s knocked up.

Sophia says her dad carries family traditions sacredly. I wonder if he is one of those old school Italians? The ones that want their daughters married before children- all holy and shit. Joe is a bulky little guy. Some guys would probably be shitting themselves right now. But I honestly don’t give a fuck what he thinks. Yeah, I like the guy, and have respect for him. Shit, anyone having to keep an eye on Sophia growing up earns fucking gold stars in my eyes.

Thea, though. I kind of wonder how she’ll take it. She’s not really a talkative person; she pretty much sits back and smiles, observing. A smile creeps across my face when I think of that woman’s reaction. I don’t think she’ll be sitting back quietly in the corner, but I don’t think she’ll really be pissed, either. I think Sophia is just psyching herself out on that score.

Rolling over on my side, I curl my arm around Sophia’s middle and pull her back against me. A small moan escapes her lips.

“Fuck,”
  I whisper.

My cock jerks. I haven’t had Sophia in a few days and I’m fucking feening right now. She wiggles against me in her sleep, her fine ass circling right where it feels fucking good, and hurts at the same time. I exhale deeply over her head. Some pieces of her long, brown hair blow with my breath.

************

“Merry Christmas!” Joe exclaims as he raises his coffee in the air.

“Merry Christmas, Dad.”

Sophia pulls away from my side and gives her dad a hug and a kiss on his cheek. He grins down at her.

“I had to test the water of you guys’ pool this morning.”

“Dad, it’s like in the fifties.”

“Yeah, and it’s heated,” he chuckles back,

Walking by them, I head for the kitchen. Between hardly getting any sleep last night,
again
, and the worst fucking case of blue balls, I just need to get some coffee in me.

Right when I step into the kitchen, I see Thea’s back turned to me.

“Morning, Tristan,” she says, already picking up that I’m in the kitchen.

She glances over her shoulder and gives me a small smile and a nod, then goes back to prepping the turkey.

“Good morning, Thea.” My voice comes out gruffly.

Clearing my throat, I pick up one of the coffee cups Sophia picked out yesterday and fill my cup, yawning as I do. Shit, I’m tired.

“Everything fine from last night?” Thea asks, stopping me right as the coffee was about to hit my lips. I bring the cup back down.

“Ah, everything’s fine.”

Pinching my eyebrows together, I stare at my black coffee before taking a drink.

“Well, that’s good,” she says, more to herself than me.

“Mama! I said I was gonna help with that.”

Sophia steps into the kitchen, pointing at the turkey. Damn, she’s beautiful, wearing a skintight gray cardigan whose buttons look like they’re fighting to keep it closed.

“That’s fine, I like doing this. Really.”

“Are you using those herbs I picked out?” asks Sophia.

Joe comes into the kitchen next, peeking over his wife’s shoulder.

“Remember, this isn’t for a ceremony. Don’t be afraid to use some salt,” he cackles in her ear and gives her ass a light pat.

This has the corner of my mouth rising. Sophia smiles at me then goes over to the fridge.

“I used salt, Joe.”

“Yeah, you say that, but just a couple grains of salt ain’t technically using it,” he teases her back.

Leaning my back against the counter, I reach over and set down my cup, folding my arms over my chest. Joe’s eyes look over me.

“Hey, Tristan. If you don’t mind me asking, how in the hell do you stay in shape like that?”

Sophia giggles. My cock jerks again. Those fucking giggles.

“Protein, lifting weights whenever I find time on tour, and trying not to booze too much.”

“Fuck. You make it sound easy.”

“Joe, stop swearing!” Thea says over her shoulder.

“Yeah, yeah.” He waves her off and goes back into the living room.

Lacing my fingers and giving my arms a good stretch behind my back, I figure I might as well leave, too. Sophia and her mom are going on with whatever’s been happening at home and I’m just off in the corner like a creep. Right as I’m walking out of the room, Sophia looks over her shoulder.

“What are you doing, baby?”

Stopping, I twist around to look at her.

“Grabbing a shower.”

Those blue eyes of hers sparkle. The look on her face says it all; she wants it.

Fuck
. Better make that a cold shower.

Sophia

Do I have to do it now? Yes, I do. I can’t even believe that I humored the idea of waiting ‘til we got to the airport. What the fuck was I thinking?

Tristan’s eyes have been locked on mine during dinner, waiting to see if I was gonna break it to them yet. Shit. I start zoning out on the half-eaten piece of turkey that’s on my plate as my dad’s laughter echoes in the background.

“You two should come our way in the spring if you can,” my dad says to Tristan.

Tristan nods his head at him, but is still staring at me. He quirks his eyebrows and smirks at me.

“
Now
,” he mouths.

I shake my head ʻno’ at him as my mom starts talking to me.

“You’ll like this Sophia, since you’re so much like your dad. There will be a beer fest with live bands I think in May. When are you touring again?”

“August,” I can barely get out.

“Yeah. Do you think you’ll have time?”

My mom’s eyes search my face. Time? Time in May? Shit, I should be almost due by then. Won’t know anything for sure until tomorrow, though.

“Yeah, I should be able to,” I say back to her, plastering a fake smile on my face.

Tristan clears his throat loudly and that catches everyone’s attention. He grins at me before glancing over at my dad.

“We’re probably going to be busy around then, Sophia.”

Motherfucker!

“Really?” My mom’s eyebrows pinch together as her smile fades into a frown.

“Thea, what did you expect? This kind of work, it’s not like nine to five shit.”

My mom nods once at my dad.

“Yes. I get it.”

Aw, my. She tries to put on a fake smile.

“I’m sure I can work something out, Mom,” I reassure her.

“It’s fine, sweetie. I understand,” she says, trying to brush it off.

I look back down at my plate, blood pumping thickly in my ears. Shit, shit, shit. Here we go. No! Maybe I should wait. Ah, fuck it.

“I’m pregnant.”

Silence floods the room.

I slowly glance up. Tristan is sitting right across from me, wearing that half smirk. I scan my eyes over to my dad. His fork is suspended in the air in front of him, still with some pie on it. I shift my gaze to my mom, who just stares calmly at me. But then, tears begin to swell in her dark eyes. Shit.

Biting my lip, I glance back over to Tristan. His grin turns into a dark smile, his eyes laughing. He’s probably getting off on this. Fucker.

My dad breaks the silence.

“Well, I’ll be damned.”

My head snaps up at the sound of his voice. He’s beginning to smile now and some relief washes over me. Looking over at my mom again, her smile is wide enough to break the tears that have stained her face.

“That’s wonderful!” She beams at me, and then smiles over at Tristan.

His eyebrows raise, not used to seeing my mom this way with him, but he likes it. I can tell.

“When are you due?” My mom’s voice breaks.

“I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow,” I say to her.

Standing up, I begin to remove the plates from around the island. I can’t sit still right now. My back turned to them, I head over to the sink, setting the plates down beside it when I hear my dad start cackling. Peeking over my shoulder, Tristan leans back with his legs bent and arms crossed over his chest, grinning back at him.

My mom gets up and turns to me. With open arms, she reaches for me as new tears stain her face. Tossing the dish cloth to the side, I fall into her. My mom’s arms circling me are comforting. She kisses my forehead then whispers in my ear.

“How long have you known?”

My heart sinks just a little when I have to let her know that I have pretty much known for a month.

If it makes you feel any better, Mom, Tristan just found out, too!

Shit. That sounds bad.

“About a month,” I say in a hushed tone.

She pulls away from me in shock. Letting out a defeated breath, I give my shoulder a light shrug and release my arms from around her. I take a step back to lean against the countertop.

“Wow. Okay.” She nods and glances over her shoulder.

Tristan and my dad are still talking away. The sight of them getting along together spreads a blanket of warmth over my insides. I don’t even realize that I’m staring at them and smiling ‘til my mom’s gentle voice says my name.

“Sophia…”

My eyes dart from Tristan to my mom.

“Why didn’t you call me right when you found out?”

Damn…

“Mama, I was afraid you were going to be heartbroken,” I confess, trying to speak low so neither Tristan nor my dad hears. She shakes her head and her long, thick, black hair sways behind her.

“Why would you think I was going to be heartbroken? It’s a
child
.”

Ah...?

“I don’t know.” I shrug again. “Tristan and I just getting together... and you know, the not being married thing,” I whisper the last part.

She then gives me this “
come on
” look.

“Sophia, first of all, what does marriage have to do with being a parent?”

“Well, that part was more for Dad, because-”

“Because of how he was brought up?” she raises her eyebrow in question, finishing my sentence.

“Uh, yeah. I guess.”

“Don’t even worry about that. Sophia, it’s not like we’re back in the day or anything. And by the looks of it, you’ll be fine.”

She glances over her shoulder. My eyes follow hers and there’s my dad, his head thrown back, laughing as he rubs his forehead. Tristan is leaning back on the stool, smiling at him.

“Sophia, can I ask you something?” Her voice drops and seriousness fills her eyes now.

“What?” I breathe.

“You love Tristan?”

God
, more than anything. Where did this come from?

“Yeah, Mom.”

“Then why did you say no?”

Shit, I don’t really want to tell her why.

“Because, Mom. It’s… difficult.”

She nods firmly at me.

“Sweetie, you have always made a mountain out of a molehill,” she laughs.

“Excuse me?”