Wednesday (Timeless Series #3) (4 page)

Which it was.

“Start it up again.”

“But Thanksgiving is next week…”

“If you want to let yourself go now that you’re married, that’s your decision.”

“Shut the hell up.” He ate one of his tacos in just a few bites. “I’m not letting myself go. Are you kidding me? I have a smoking hot wife. If I don’t stay in shape, someone might snatch her away.”

“Give Marie a little more credit than that.”

“But it’s true. Some pretty boy might woo her right off her feet. I have to stay in great shape so her eyes will stay on me.” He pointed his index finger at his chest. “Why do you work out like a beast every day?”

A lot of reasons.

“We both know it’s to get laid.”

“Not completely.” I packed on a lot of muscle once I became an adult. I wanted to be an opponent my father was afraid of, and I succeeded. But I didn’t expect Axel to understand that. “Why don’t you start boxing with me? It’s good exercise and it’s not boring.”

“I don’t know… I don’t want to mess up my hands.”

I gave him a look that told him he was pathetic.

“What? I don’t want to have arthritis when I’m forty.”

I shook my head in disappointment. “You’re right. Marie is going to leave you for a real man.”

He kicked me under the table. “Knock it off.”

It was something that actually bothered him so I let it go.

He finished his food then tossed his dirty napkins onto the tray. “So…do you think you’re going to propose soon?”

I was surprised by the question but I hid my reaction. “Would you be cool with it if I did?”

He shrugged. “Like you care.”

“Actually, I do.” This was a little different than just going out with his sister.

“As long as you treat her right, it doesn’t matter to me.”

I knew he cared more than that, but he was trying to play it cool.

“So, are you?”

“I’ve thought about it.”

“What’s holding you back?”

“Nothing.” Marriage didn’t scare me at all. I would love it if Francesca had my last name and was by my side all the time. If we hadn’t broken up years ago, that probably would have happened already. “I just don’t want to rush into anything unless she’s ready. I know I really hurt her, and I’m still trying to make up for that.”

“It seems like she’s over it.”

“Yeah, I think so too. But I want to make sure. The last thing I want is for her to think I’m only asking because I’m trying to make up for what I did.”

“I doubt that would cross her mind.”

“I’d still rather wait a little while. When I’m ready to ask, I’ll let you know.”

“Cool.” He rested his elbows on the table. “It’s crazy to think you might be my brother-in-law someday.”

“I
will
be your brother-in-law. I just don’t know when.”

Thanksgiving

Hawke

When I woke up that morning, a beautiful woman was beside me.

Her dark hair was sprawled across the pillow like stalks of grass. Her eyes were closed but they still emitted their natural light. The curve of her upper lip was strikingly similar to a bow, and when her lips were slightly parted, they looked absolutely kissable.

She was wrapped around me like I was another pillow on the bed. My chest was her favorite place to sleep, and she always rested her head there and listened to my heartbeat.

She was the love of my life.

That morning, we didn’t wake up to an alarm clock. The sun filtered through the windows and awoke us naturally, bringing light into the apartment and chasing away the cold.

She released a quiet sigh, which she did every morning just before she opened her eyes.

I stared down at her and waited for the moment I’d been anxious to experience.

Her lids opened, and the vibrant beauty of her eyes immediately went straight to my heart. She was an absolute vision in the morning, well rested and satisfied from the previous night.

The morning was my favorite time of the day. Now that I woke up with Francesca, everything was different. No longer did I wake up next to someone I couldn’t remember. There weren’t any empty glasses of booze on my nightstand. And there weren’t used condoms on the floor. All that sadness was replaced with the light Francesca brought with her.

She took me in slowly, distinguishing dreams from reality. Her eyes lingered on my face and mouth, recognizing it from the night before. Her hand slowly moved up my chest before she kissed me where my pectoral muscles met. “Grizzly.”

“Muffin.” My hand slid through her tangled strands.

“Happy Thanksgiving.” Her voice was raspy like it usually was in the morning.

“Happy Thanksgiving.”

She cuddled back into my chest and closed her eyes. “What time is it?”

I glanced at the clock on the nightstand. “Eight.”

“Good.” She released a happy sigh. “We have eight hours until we have to be there.”

I chuckled quietly before I kissed her hairline. “Then let’s go back to sleep.”

***

She removed the pecan pie from the oven and set it on the counter to cool. “Wow, that smells good.”

I leaned over the pie and took a whiff. “It does.”

She grabbed a fork then eyed the pie, desperately wanting to try a piece.

I watched and waited, knowing her desire would never outweigh her need for perfection.

She sighed then dropped the fork. “I’ll wait until dinner.”

I smiled to myself. “Anything else we should bring?”

“No. We have everything covered. And Yaya will take care of everything else. She lives for this sort of thing.”

I was already dressed and ready to go, but Francesca was a little behind because she spent the afternoon making her pies.

“Just let me finish my make up and hair.”

She usually didn’t wear make up, and I liked that. She could be beautiful without pounding on eyeliner and mascara. She was a natural beauty, having porcelain skin that was flawless even though her face was always caked with sweat and flour at work. And everything else on her face was already perfect. She didn’t need to make any changes. “Why make up?”

“It’s a special occasion.”

“You look great without it.”

“I just want to dress up a little bit.”

I didn’t make any more objections.

She removed her apron then glanced at the pie. “Can I trust you two alone?”

I eyed the pie and looked at her again. Then I shrugged.

“Be strong.”

I’d never been a sweet tooth. That changed after Francesca walked into my life with her muffins and delicious cookies. Now treats lingered everywhere, and there was nowhere to escape. “I’ll try.”

She turned around and headed to the bathroom, her ass shaking the entire time she walked.

I leaned against the counter and watched her go, loving the sway of her hips and the arch in her back. She was a diamond in the rough and she didn’t even realize it. Maybe that was why I was so obsessed with her.

Why everyone was obsessed with her.

***

“Happy Thanksgiving!” Axel opened the door.

Francesca stood in front of me with the two pies in her hands.

I was behind her, my hips in perfect alignment with her perky ass.

“Happy Thanksgiving.” Francesca shifted the pies to one hand so she could hug him.

Axel walked around her and embraced me instead. “You’re right on time.”

I patted his back and tried not to laugh at the cold way he ignored his sister.

“Hey.” She gave him a look of death. “It’s Thanksgiving. You have to be nice to me.”

Axel made a talking gesture with his hand and rolled his eyes.

Francesca kicked him in the shin. “Asshole.”

He cringed then rubbed the injured area, groaning under his breath. “I’m definitely not hugging you now.”

“Good.” She marched into the house with her nose in the air. “I don’t want one anyway.”

“Whatever,” Axel said. “My hugs are awesome. Right, Hawke?”

I shrugged. “I’ve had better.”

“Oh whatever.” He hopped on one foot into the house.

Marie emerged from the kitchen and saw Axel limping. “What happened?”

“Your best friend kicked me.” He gave Francesca the stink-eye.

“Why?” Marie immediately turned on her.

“He’s being a dick.” She handed the pies off to Marie.

Marie accepted that explanation without further question. “Let’s get these in the kitchen. Did you just make them?”

“Yeah.” Francesca walked with Marie down the hallway.

Axel stood up straight and shook off the pain. “My lady should defend me.”

“Why? You were being an ass.”

“Dammit. Not you too.”

We walked into the kitchen where Yaya was working endless pots on the stove and in the two ovens. “Everyone is here. Happy Thanksgiving!”

“Happy Thanksgiving, Yaya.” Francesca hugged her then looked down at her apron. “That’s cute.”

“Thanks,” she said. “Marie got it for me.”

“Where’s mine?” Francesca turned on her.

“You aren’t my grandma,” Marie said. “Why would you get one?”

“Because I work in a bakery.”

“That’s like saying I should give Axel money because he works with money,” Marie countered.

Axel put his arm around her waist. “What’s mine is yours, so keep it.”

Yaya turned to me, and instead of being disappointed I was there or having mistrust in her eyes, she gave me the warmest smile I’ve ever seen. “So nice to see you, Hawke.” She gave me a hug that contained more love than I got from either of my parents.

“It’s nice to see you too, Yaya. Thank you for having me.”

“Nonsense. You belong here.”

Those words hit me in a strange way. I never felt like I belonged anywhere, not until I met Francesca. The truth of her statement rang loud in my ear and pierced my heart. “Thank you.”

“I hope you’re hungry. I made way too much food.”

“I’ll eat it all. Don’t you worry.”

She laughed then patted my stomach. “Everything should be ready in a few minutes.”

“Do you need any help?”

“I got it. But thank you, dear.”

***

Axel lay on the ground of the living room, his hands on his stomach. “Dude, I’ll never eat again. I’m so full.”

Marie rolled her eyes as she saw her husband lay on the carpet like a child. “Babe, get up.”

He remained still. “Can’t…move.”

There was nothing Yaya’s grandchildren could do to drop her smile. “Are you guys planning to have kids soon?”

“God, no.” Marie realized how strongly she blurted that out so she backpedaled. “I mean, I already have a baby.” She eyed Axel on the ground.

Francesca chuckled. “Marie has a point.”

“I’m not a baby,” Axel argued. “Babies can’t be sexy.”

“And you aren’t sexy either,” Francesca argued.

“Ha.” Axel moved his hands behind his head. “Ask Marie about that.”

Marie responded immediately. “Right now, you aren’t.”

“Whatever.” Axel stared at the ceiling, his eyes closing. “You’ll say otherwise when we get home.”

Francesca looked at me and rolled her eyes.

It was cute when she did that so I leaned in and gave her a quick kiss.

That wiped the irritation off her face immediately. The glow moved into her eyes, the same one I saw when we made love.

My hand moved to her thigh, and I gave her a gentle squeeze. While I loved being with her family, I always preferred just being with her. Even when we didn’t make love and we just lay together in bed, I was at peace.

Axel sat up, his hair pushed up in the back from the carpet. “Alright. What’s for dessert?”

Marie shook her head. “You just said you were full.”

“I am,” Axel said. “I just need something sweet, you know?”

Marie rolled her eyes but that look of love was still there.

Francesca left the couch and my hand slithered back to my own thigh. “I brought pecan and pumpkin. Who wants what?”

Axel’s hand shot into the air. “Both!”

Marie crossed her legs and adjusted her skirt. “None, but thank you.”

“What?” Axel turned to her. “Are you crazy?”

“I’m not hungry right now.”               Marie was obsessed with her figure. She only ate the bare minimum and worked out like an Olympic runner, at least that’s what Axel told me.

Axel gave her an irritated look before he turned to Francesca. “Bring her a slice of pecan with vanilla ice cream.”

“Axel.” Marie threatened him with just her voice.

“Baby, you’re smoking hot.” Axel said it with complete seriousness, like he wasn’t placating her just to get her to cooperate. “You make all the other girls look like shit—except Yaya.”

Francesca put her hand on her hip and glared at him.

“You can have a damn piece of pie on Thanksgiving.” He turned to Francesca and snapped his fingers at her. “Now fetch it.”

I didn’t have a sibling so I didn’t know if this relationship was normal, but I had a feeling it wasn’t.

Francesca kicked his arm as she walked by. “Coming right up.”

Axel rolled over and groaned. “Ugh.”

Yaya scooted closer to me and grabbed my hand. “I’m so glad you’re here, Hawke.”

She always made me feel welcome with a few simple words and a smile. “Me too.” A necklace of pristine pearls was around her throat, and she wore a cheetah print jacket.

“How are things at work?”

“Good. I had a business meeting a few weeks ago and I took Francesca along.”

“She told me. She said it was the most beautiful place she’d ever seen.”

I smiled at the memory, loving the fact I did something to make Francesca happy. “We had a good time.”

“I’m so glad you two found your way back to one another. Francesca took the break up hard, but after she got back on her feet, she was strong. She pushed on and went through all the motions but she was never truly happy. I could see it in her eyes.”

I knew she wasn’t telling me this to make me feel bad. She had good intentions. “I was miserable too.”

“Now that you two have each other, don’t ever let go. Life has so much more meaning when you have someone special to share it with.”

I learned that the moment I fell in love with Francesca. Suddenly, the world was a beautiful place. There were so many things I wanted to do and experience—with her. Just the sound of a bird or the feel of raindrops was a cherished experience. “I know what you mean.”