Never Enough (32 page)
“Sit down. Tell us about your life of late.” Daisy patted a place on the long bench next to where she sat.
“Here.” Mary put a platter down on the table heaping with pakoras. “Munch and chat. I’m going to see how these work out for the New Year’s Eve dinner that I will tell you right now if you do not attend I will be super pissy about.” She sent Gillian a look.
“I promise. I’ve spoken with Adrian about it already so he’s in as well. Speaking of that, we’re still on for Sunday right?” Sunday was the day they’d chosen to do a gathering of all the friends and family. Mary had insisted on hosting it and making a huge feast.
“Yep. I think it should be fun. I’m looking forward to meeting Erin. Miles loves his aunt. Maybe as much as me. A girl’s gotta keep an eye on the competition.”
Gillian barked a laugh. “The two of them are very close. They clicked right away, and as you’ll see on Sunday, it’s rather impossible not to like her anyway. Still, never fear, Miles’s affections are not fickle. He still loves you to pieces.” Gillian took a bite of the pakora and sighed happily. “This is so good.”
“I bet Erin Brown can’t make pakoras.” Mary sniffed and then grinned. “Try them with the hari chutney. It’s a new recipe and I don’t know which I prefer.”
“She thinks we’d hesitate in this. I find that hilarious.” Cal shook his head and reached past Jules to dip the pakora in the vibrant green chutney.
Gillian didn’t miss the way Jules leaned into him, just a brief touch. They had something and Gillian hoped it didn’t take them forever to figure it out.
“I’m going to Miami with Adrian and Miles week after next.”
“You need some clothes shopping for that trip.” Jules’s grin was infectious.
“I’m fine.”
“Where are you staying?”
Food began to appear on the table. Mary didn’t like anyone other than her designated assistant to be in her workspace, so Gillian sat and ate more pakoras than was proper but was helpless to stop.
“He’s got a friend who’s in Europe on tour, apparently. I didn’t ask for names but it’s probably someone Miles would get all stuttery over. Anyway, the guy has a house on the water, complete with boat dock and swimming pool. Adrian wants to head up to Orlando to do theme parks the last three days. We’ll be back by Christmas, which he’s asked quite nicely if we’d spend with his family in Whistler at his house. Of course he has a house in a ski town.”
“Honey, you don’t have the clothes for it. I promise to take you to some great places. We’ll find good deals. Let part of it be my holiday present to you.” Jules dished some chicken onto her plate and hummed before passing it to Daisy.
“I have perfectly good clothes, thank you very much.”
“You need several bathing suits if you’re going to be staying in a place with a pool. I know you don’t have one and you’ll need three.”
“Three? Why would I need three?”
Jules and Mary exchanged a look and Daisy just laughed. “Y’all lighten up on our Gillian. She’ll come shopping with us tomorrow before Miles comes back home. Won’t you? I promise we know all the best places for bargains.”
“It’s ridiculous to spend all that money on new clothes.”
“I bet you already set about buying Miles new things.” Mary said this knowing the truth of it.
“Well, the boy outgrows his clothing at an alarming rate. He’s going to be meeting with Adrian’s professional team. He needs to look nice. And he needs a real winter coat if we’re to be in the snow.”
“And so do you. You do for him easily; do for yourself every one in a while too. Come on. Let’s go shopping. You need to look nice too.”
It was useless to resist them. When any of the three ganged up on the fourth it was a lost cause.
“All right. But I don’t need three bathing suits.”
Daisy grinned. “I know of some great secondhand places. I think you need some pretty dresses and some of those après-ski things.”
As her friends took over the planning, she set about eating again, happy to be there with her lovely drink and the fabulous food as her friends spoke all around her.
Her phone rang, the silly ringtone Adrian had somehow put on his number sang out. Worried, she excused herself and picked up.
“Is everything all right?”
Adrian’s laugh assured her it was. “Of course it is, English. I was just calling to discuss a little something with you.”
“Mm-hmm. And what would that be?”
“I’d like to buy Miles some clothes. We’re out with Brody and Rennie right now and it occurs to me he’ll need clothes for the upcoming trip. So in the spirit of not making you mad and living up to my promise, can I, please, huh?”
Incorrigible. But he was right. And, she was making an effort to let him do for Miles. It made Adrian feel better and it didn’t hurt the boy to have new clothes either.
“I was just discussing this with friends. Yes, yes. Go on. Thank you, and do not let yourself get gulled. It’s okay to tell him no sometimes.”
“I already told him no when he wanted to buy a shirt with a naked woman on it. Great shirt, but you’d kick my ass. I know how to protect myself.”
She smiled. Thank heavens he couldn’t see her or the way he turned her to mush.
“I planned to get him a parka, you know, for Whistler. And . . . a snowboard.”
She must have made a disapproving sound because he interrupted the denial she planned to make.
“Look, we’ve all got them up there. He won’t. I go up there several times every winter. He needs one and it’s stupid to rent one at the slopes or a ski shop.”
Jules had really worked hard on Gillian and the issue of money between her and Adrian. Her friend had made very good, albeit totally blunt points, and Gillian was trying very hard.
He was
asking
her, which he’d also been working on. And he had the money and it was for something useful.
asking
her, which he’d also been working on. And he had the money and it was for something useful.
“All right. Have fun then. Give my boy a kiss for me.”
She heard the grin in his voice. “You got it. And one for me too?” “Cheeky.”
“That’s me. All cheek.”
“This is more true than you know, Mister Brown.”
He lowered his voice. “You know what that does to me. Now who’s the rogue?”
She laughed, delighted by him and this playful thing they had.
“I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon. By the way, I picked up
Psycho
and
A Nightmare on Elm Street
for our viewing pleasure.”
Psycho
and
A Nightmare on Elm Street
for our viewing pleasure.”
She blushed that he knew her so well. “The original, right?”
“Of course! Miles and I are doing a
Resident Evil
marathon tonight. We’ll miss you.”
Resident Evil
marathon tonight. We’ll miss you.”
“That was offsides!” She loved zombie movies with an insane level of glee.
“I know. But how else can I lure you over to my house tonight? You have a key and the gate code. Come to me, English. I miss you in my bed.”
“It’s been two days.”
“And then you go being prim and you know my perspective on that. Two days ago I fucked you from behind. Remember that. Your hair wrapped around my fist.”
The words were quiet. Meant for her only, and they filled her with that slow punch of longing only he ever seemed to create. And fill.
“Have a lovely dinner with your friends. And then come to me. I’ll be up late. Tell me you’ll come.”
“I don’t know. Will I?”
He laughed. “Oh yes. As many times as I can manage.”
“I might be by later. I want to be here for a while yet. I’ve not seen my friends a lot lately and Mary’s made an Indian food menu to die for. Also I’ve promised an excursion tomorrow before I was to meet you and Miles.”
“I’ll take you however I can get you. Be with your friends. I’ll be here either way.”
Yes, she was getting the feeling that was a very true statement indeed.
“That must have been some conversation,” Jules murmured when she came back to the table.
“Stop that, you.”
“Thought so.”
“He’s out and wanted to kit Miles up for the trips. He asked first.”
“Our boy is learning after all. And you said?”
“I agreed. He did ask and Miles does need it and he is Miles’s dad.”
“Good girl.”
Adrian knew she’d come to him. Heard the assent in her voice when he spoke with her earlier that evening. And still when he saw the panel light up indicating someone was entering the front gate, relief flooded through him.
When she came to him like this it did something to him.
He and Miles were watching the second
Resident Evil
movie still, so she’d be able to catch
Extinction
with them.
Resident Evil
movie still, so she’d be able to catch
Extinction
with them.
“Your mum is here,” he murmured to Miles, who turned with a smile.
“Cool! She can catch the next movie from the start. Though we’ve seen it a few dozen times.”
“I’m going to see if she needs help with her bag.”
Miles rolled his eyes. “I know you two are together. You want to kiss her. It’s all right with me.”
“Is it?”
“Yeah. Why not? She thinks I don’t know how much she does for me because I’m only thirteen, but I see it. I want her to be happy and find someone she loves. And it’s good that it’s you. She and I already had a talk about you. You know she worries more than she needs to.”
“Loves? Do you think?”
Miles laughed. “Dude, I thought you were all cool-hand rock star and stuff.”
“Your mother makes me nervous. In a good way,” he amended quickly.
“She doesn’t bring men around. She doesn’t date much. She lets you get away with stuff she’d shoot someone else in the face over.”
“Christ, she’s going to kill me when she hears you say that. Stop with the shooting-in-the-face references.”
Miles laughed and Adrian realized he’d been playing with his dad the way Brody had with him and hell, the way he had with Brody. “I got it from one of the
Mummy
movies. So you know it’s her fault anyway.”
Mummy
movies. So you know it’s her fault anyway.”
Adrian choked back a laugh. “Fine. I’m going to get your mum alone so I can kiss her and be mushy. I’ll be back in a few. Don’t start without us.”
“Done.”
He headed up the stairs and heard her key in the front door. She came in looking perfectly cool and elegant with her hair tied back, wearing a bright red sweater and gray pants. Her scent hit him when he got close. Just a small hint of flowers and spice.
“You made it.” He swooped in and kissed her soundly.
She licked her lips, enjoying one last bit of him and undoing him in the process. “I did. I even brought you and Miles some leftovers.” She held up a bag that he took from her hands.
“Your son told me he knew we were together and he was fine with it.”
She blinked up at him. “He told me the same thing. That boy of ours is a smart one.”
“Come on. You’re just in time for
Extinction
. Let’s bring back some food and drinks for Miles. Will you sleep in my room tonight?” He surprised himself by asking, and then realized how much he wanted it.
Extinction
. Let’s bring back some food and drinks for Miles. Will you sleep in my room tonight?” He surprised himself by asking, and then realized how much he wanted it.
“Your bed is a lot bigger than the one in the guest room. Though I should warn you I do have to meet my friends at ten for shopping. They believe I need three swimsuits for our trip.” She rolled her eyes and followed him into the kitchen were she began to make plates for both him and Miles.
“I should have mentioned this on Thanksgiving, but I really do love seeing you in my house. In my kitchen.” Something about her presence there, the way she made the room the heart of the house when they were staying over, always pleased him.
She blushed as she worked on the plates and he put away the excess as she was done.
“I like being in your house.” She turned after putting the plate down, sliding her arms around his waist and getting close. “I like being with you.”
“You do something to me. More than one thing. A whole lot of them. Be here with me all the time.” He kissed her and she kissed him back, rising up on her toes to reach him.
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