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Steps behind us have me twirling around. Charis takes a huge yawn, wrapping her body into her robe.
“Ah, look who’s joining us, Teach.”
She sits down in the chair, and Gibson replays everything from realizing teaching isn’t his passion, to the email from his publisher friend. I sit next to both after I start a pot of coffee, and this is all I’ve ever wanted, sharing my life with two people, but more specifically these two people.
* * *
We sleepthrough breakfast because let’s face it, we were up way too late, taking care of one another’s needs. Charis rushes from her bed, but I’m able to grab her—pulling her back to me. “No, that’s enough of you taking care of us. You’ve cooked two meals. I’m ordering Chinese for an early lunch. You got it, and don’t argue with me.”
I’m leaving at three to get to North Kingstown over to pick up Jett, and Meadow will be home by four with Charis’s parents. Our time together is coming to an end, and I hate it so much.
“Yeah, I won’t argue with you. I planned a huge breakfast, but I’d rather enjoy the rest of our time together without cooking and cleaning.” I pull for my phone, ordering enough food for about ten people, but with Gibson still asleep, I decide to order all the basics.
“We’re only three people, you get that, right, baby?” Charis sasses.
“Yeah, but you’ll have enough for dinner, you won’t have to cook, so there’s that.”
With a wink, she kisses my hand.
“You truly want to take care of us, don’t you?” she asks.
“Ah, you get me, love, you really get me.”
We sit, chatting quietly as Gibson wakes with his stomach grumbling loud. “Don’t worry, I’ve ordered Chinese, and every sort of type you may like.”
“Chinese food, you say? You’ve just spoken my love language.” But it’s not long before lips are locked to one another, and parts of clothes get thrown off bodies again.
“We won’t be able to do this for long. After all the food…”
The doorbell rings and I pull up my jeans, sans boxers, to retrieve it all. Using the front staircase leading to the door, I’m halfway down, yelling back at them. “Get dressed. The food is here, and maybe you’ll all watch American football with me.”
I can’t say when I started loving American football, the kind you don’t normally touch with your foot, but it’s something I’ve enjoyed doing since moving to the States. Katherine loved it so much. The troublemakers are rustling around in the bedroom, teasing me over American football, when I pull back the door, but it’s not the Grubhub with our Chinese delivery.
“What the fuck?” It’s Jimmy. Why the fuck didn’t I look first.
I need to stop Teach from walking down the staircase with Charis. The ex won’t like the idea of two men with the woman he still wants.
“Charis, love, it’s for you, it’s Jimmy.”
Charis’s voice carries down the stairwell. “Ah, fuck.” There’s a back and forth between her and Gibs. I may be able to hear it simply because I’m closer and I know Gibs is there.
“Love, can you come here?” I’m trying to drown out the noise with calling for Charis again. I turn myself around, back to Jimmy. “She has a restraining order against you, arsehole. So, I need you to leave.”
Again, I’m as loud as I can be. “Charis, love.”
She hurries down the staircase, pulling her robe around her body. “Jimmy, you need to leave.” She’s loud at getting her point across.
“Who the hell is this jackass? And why the fuck is he here?”
I stand between Charis and Jimmy, a wall that if he tries to hurt her, he’ll have to get through me, and at that point, Gibson won’t hide upstairs.
“I want to see Meadow.” When he begins to speak, beer and whiskey fills the air around me. It’s not even 11:00 a.m., and he has a good one going.
“First off, Charis has asked you to leave, and second, if you don’t get the hell off her porch, I’ll remove your arse for you.”
“Meadow isn’t here.”
Jimmy keeps staring at me, as if he’s not heard Charis. “It’s ass, man, you are in America. Learn how to be an American, you jackarse.”
