Dirty Toe Drag by Toni Aleo

Chapter Twenty-Six

Wes

“Oh, thank God.”

Beside me, Emery looks relieved as blue smoke and little confetti explode from the puck Aiden just slammed his stick into as if he were trying to score the winning goal for the Cup finals. Of course, his father and father-in-law both look on proudly at his form. Once the blue bursts into the air, though, everyone loses their goddamn mind. The backyard is full of excitement, all the hugging, the kissing, and the loud cheers as the newest grandchild is announced.

A boy.

Shelli and Aiden embrace, and I get this itch in my chest. A pull, really. Almost instantly, my eyes divert to where Stella is standing, a wide, happy grin on her face as her mom and Audrey hold her, both crying. She looks like she belongs on the stage of the Grammys or something, but she doesn’t look out of place here either. She’s beautiful. Perfect, even. I couldn’t ask for a better girlfriend, a better person to hold me and comfort me as I open the closet to my fucked-up skeletons.

“When can we eat? And is it only tacos?” I glance down to Emery, who is no longer relieved but annoyed. “Aren’t you hungry?”

“Almost always.”

“Same,” she says on an exhale. “So, is this done?”

I chuckle. “Aren’t you excited? You’re going to have a nephew.”

“Who won’t be here for like four months,” she says without missing a beat. “Listen, all everyone talks about is this damn gender reveal. It’s finally over, but guess what’s next?”

“The baby?”

“No, the baby shower,” she says slowly. “And, oh my God, it’s going to be so overly planned and extra. Add on to it that my parents haven’t found out about Asher and Ally, and there are endless fucking parties coming. I am so over it.”

“You don’t like parties?”

She glares at me like I’m an idiot. “I’m the only one who wants sushi at these parties, but guess what? Pregnant people can’t eat sushi, my dad is allergic to random fish, and Ally doesn’t like it as much as she should. So, no, until there is a party with sushi, I will not enjoy it.” I grin until she sets me with a look. One of those looks that hits you in the soul and rips it apart. A murderous stare, if you will. “Do you like sushi?”

I nod, though I do take a step back. “I like all food.”

She takes ahold of my arm. “You’re my only chance. Have sushi at y’all’s wedding.”

I snort. “Wait. What?”

She snaps her fingers in my face. A feat for how little she is. “Focus, McMillan. I need you to promise me. All the events for you and Stella will have sushi.”

“I thought you were crazy before, but come on, kid—”

“Oh, are you still at the point in your life where you don’t think you’ll marry my sister? Let me correct that for you, my friend,” she says, moving closer, terrifying me to the depths of my soul. “You haven’t stopped looking at my sister. She moves, you think of a way to be right there with her and to help. She grins at you, and, dude, you basically turn to goo and grin like you’re Ron, high on a love potion from Romilda Vane—”

“I don’t know who any of those people are.”

She looks at me. “Oh, you’re a muggle. I forgot. We’ll fix that.”

“A muggle?” Why am I offended by that?

“Yes, focus. Moving on,” she says quickly, snapping her fingers again. “You are so unbelievably in love with my sister, it’s sickening. I mean, I’m sure if she farted, you’d see rainbows.”

“Wow.”

“Exactly. You’re gonna marry her, knock her up, and we’ll spend holidays together,” she says so matter-of-factly, I actually see myself on one knee with a ring.

“How do you know this?” I find myself asking, and she looks up at me like I’m the idiot.

“You may have thought it was a first date, lover boy, but it was actually the first and last date for either of you.”

I scrunch up my face. “Huh?”

“You blew my sister away.”

“That was the goal. Make sure all guys do the same for you.”

She rolls her eyes. “Wesley, I appreciate that. But my father is Lucas Brooks, my mother, Fallon Brooks. Then you add in all the descendants of all the players from all the Assassins teams, and do you honestly think I wouldn’t know my worth?”

I look around, and as she said, the backyard is full of old and new Assassins players with their families. I may not know them all, but they all treat one another like one big family. It’s one of my favorite things about the Assassins. We are a family. “You’re not wrong.”

“It’s basically shoved down my throat. I actually feel sorry for the guy I find and make mine.”

“We all do, Emery,” I say, and she glares.

“As. I. Was. Saying,” she says harshly. “Stella fell in love, and you’ve been in love with her for like a year. You just fought it. So, really, my request for sushi at all future parties is valid.”

I don’t know what to do with that. I could fight it. I could act as if I don’t think about Stella in a white dress and being mine forever. As if I weren’t just imagining us in this backyard and her with a swollen belly. I know my past is shit. I know I’ve got demons that would love nothing more than to watch me fail, but being with Stella, I feel like I can fight them.

“Request is acknowledged.”

She smiles proudly. “Thank you.”

I hold up my fist, and she pounds it like she has two older brothers. I must have thought him into existence, because Asher comes up then with his beautiful wife, Ally. I hear they used to be best friends, which must make marriage easy. I sometimes feel like that’s Stella and me. Luckily, we actually like each other, not just yearn for each other. Though, if I’m honest, those boots she’s got on have me wound tighter than a taped-up stick.

“Hey, bro. I know we’ve met in passing, but my sister told me you’re her boyfriend. Wanted to introduce myself as her big brother Asher.”

“Oh my God, could you be any more of a loser? Oh, I’m big brother Asher. Rawr, rawr, I’m a man,” Emery says, mocking him.

Ally cracks up, but I keep it together as I shake his hand. “It’s great to meet you. Ignore her. She’s hungry.”

Emery smiles at me. “I am. Thank you for understanding that.”

Asher doesn’t seem to care. “Bit of advice. Emery and Stella are the baby spawns of Satan. I would run while you can.”

Emery’s eyes narrow to slits, but what no one sees is Stella coming up and hearing everything. She moves between Ally and Asher, and she grins up at her big brother. “Hey, did y’all plan on telling Mom and Dad you’re married so I can come to the real wedding with a date?”

Emery grins as Asher glares. Ally glances around as Asher looks back at me. “Baby spawns of Satan.”

He then pulls his wife away as the girls giggle. Stella moves to my side, and I wrap my arm around her. “It’s almost too easy,” she says, and Emery nods.

“They’re no match for us.”

“They’re not.”

Forget the demons trying to take me down; I already have two on my side.

I look down at my gorgeous girl, and she smiles. “Emery called me a muggle,” I tell her, hoping she’ll come to my defense, but she instead pats my chest.

“You are, my love. But don’t worry, we’ll try to find your letter. It had to have gotten lost.”

“Maybe Pigwidgeon lost it?”

I look between them. “I have no clue what any of this means.”

“So sad,” Emery says. “We will fix him.”

“We will,” Stella agrees, a grin on her face. “Ugh, I’m hungry, but they only have tacos. I’m so tired of tacos.”

“And barbecue,” Emery adds.

“Ew, right? Or hot chicken. Like, can we get sushi in here?”

Emery throws her hands up to Stella. “See? That’s why you’re my sister.”

Stella just nods, and I grin. “Okay, ladies. Sneak us out of here, and I’ll get you guys sushi.”

Soon I have two pairs of wide grayish eyes on me. “Really?” Emery asks.

“I am ready. I’ll walk out now.”

“Oh, me too.”

I never thought I would want to sneak out of my best friend’s gender reveal or would enjoy being verbally abused for not knowing shit about Harry Potter, but here I am. Wanting everything Stella will give me.

Even with Emery in tow.

With nothing holding me back, I say, “Then let’s go.”

* * *

Emery falls onto the couch,groaning loudly.

“I’m so full.”

“Same,” I say, dropping my keys on the side table by the door as I turn the lock. Stella is ahead of me with a bag she has packed for tonight, and her purse looks extra heavy. Don’t know what’s in it, but man, if I lean down even a bit, I can see the bottom of her booty. It’s rude, really, that I’m unable to grab her right now. I know for a fact, Emery would probably smack me. As I fall into the chair beside my couch, I laugh when Emery unbuttons her pants.

“Don’t judge me, Wesley,” she demands, but then she laughs when I do the same thing.

“No judgment here. I wish I would have worn basketball shorts.”

“Right?” she shrieks as Stella laughs from the kitchen table. I don’t know what she is doing, but I can’t get up right now to find out. We ate entirely too much. I got us the biggest sushi platter imaginable, along with all the appetizers, and we killed everything. I love a woman who can eat. I already knew Stella could eat, but man, I hope the guy Emery ends up with has money, because she doesn’t know when to stop. When she glances over at me, I smile. “What?”

“I like you,” she says then, and my smile grows.

“Good. I like you too,” I inform her, and she closes her eyes.

“Thanks for letting me hang here for a second. Mom should be by soon.”

“Anytime,” I say as Stella looks over her shoulder at me.

“She’s almost done at the restaurant. There was an issue with two of the POS terminals, so after the reveal, she went to fix it.”

“No hurry,” I say with a shrug. I don’t know why they assume it’s bothersome to have Emery here. I like the kid. She’s hilarious. Plus, I was way too full to drive her all the way home.

“Was she mad we left?” Emery asks. Really, I didn’t think she’d care.

“Kind of. We missed some pictures, but it’s not about us.”

“True that,” she says, closing her eyes. “Do you think Asher and Ally will have kids before you and Wes?”

All of a sudden, I swallow my spit wrong and start hacking up my lung as Stella rolls her eyes. “Stop, Em. You’re gonna freak him out.”

“I know. It’s funny,” she says with an evil grin. “He’s so cute, all red and unable to breathe.”

I hold her gaze. “Have you decided on your murder name?”

Her eyes dance. “Duh, it’s going to be the Water Bottle Killer.”

I blink as Stella groans, her back still to us. “Please don’t ask her why.”

“But I have to,” I say, sitting up and leaning on my knees. “Why?”

“Plan is to kill with a water bottle and leave it in their mouths.”

I eye her, and she’s just grinning. “You really should be a murder mystery writer or something.”

Her eyes widen, and she claps. “I should!”

“Yes, I choose that over an actual killer,” Stella says dryly as the doorbell rings. “Saved by the bell. It’s Mom.”

She heads through the living room, and I watch every step she takes. I can’t wait to get her in my bed. I have never ever waited this long to have sex with someone, and I know damn well it’ll be worth the wait. I stand up, buttoning my pants, as Stella opens the door and Mrs. Brooks comes in, talking with her hands.

“I swear. I wonder why I don’t fire the lot of them,” she complains. “No one listens to me.”

“You act like you’re not used to that,” Emery says, and her mother sets her with that “mom” look that sends a chill down my spine.

Emery isn’t in the least bit affected by it.

“Ugh,” Mrs. Brooks groans, but then she looks at me. “Thank you for taking her to dinner and for letting her hang here.”

“No problem,” I say, waving her off. “She’s a joy and delight to be around.”

When all three Brooks ladies start laughing, I can’t help but grin. “Wow-wee,” Mrs. Brooks singsongs. “Someone is hooked on you.”

She taps her hip to Stella’s, and my girl grins. “He’s a good one.”

“He is,” she says, patting my shoulder. “Okay, we’ll get out of your hair. Emery, come on.”

“Momma, carry me,” she cries out, and Mrs. Brooks scoffs.

“No. I tell you all the time, you have to stop when you’re full.”

Emery groans loudly as she gets up before she falls into me, hugging me tightly. I hug her back, and she looks up at me with those wide gray eyes that sparkle with the promise of fun and murder. “Carry me?”

“Emery! Go!” Stella yells, but Emery just grins at me.

“Thanks for dinner.”

“Anytime, kiddo.”

We all say bye, and once the door is shut, Stella leans into me. I wrap my arms around her, kissing her nose as she rubs it against my lips and jaw. “Thank you for being patient with her.”

“It’s really nothing. I like her, almost as much as I like you.”

She grins against my lips. “Almost?”

“Almost,” I tease, kissing her top lip.

She kisses me back and then whispers, “I got you something. Or somethings.”

“Really? When?”

“This morning,” she says, kissing my chin. “Come on.”

She laces her fingers with mine, and she presses her lips to mine softly. I bring her in closer, squeezing our entangled hands behind us as I hold her. I love the taste of her mouth, I love the thickness of her lips, but most of all, I love that little intake of breath she makes right before our lips crash together. I honestly adore everything about her. Her, her family, everything.

I almost push her into the wall to have my way with her, but she pulls away, leading me with her as she walks backward. “Come on,” she repeats, and I follow like a little dog on a leash. I almost don’t even notice where she’s pulling me, I’m so enraptured by her. She’s all I see. That is, until I see my mom’s face. It’s almost like being hit in the chest by nine hundred pucks, one after another, as I take in all the photos I have of my mom. Each photo in a beautiful wooden frame. I’m suddenly choked up, unable to form any words as I look at the only pictures I could get of my mom from my dad. Emotion rattles me, something the size of a frozen puck clogging my throat.

Stella must have noticed my struggle with words, and she fills the void with her voice. “They’re such gorgeous pictures, and I felt they needed to be in frames. If you’ll let me, I’d love to put them around the house.”

I reach out, picking up the one of my mom in the hospital bed, the day before she passed. I’ll hate that date. The day I lost the first woman I ever loved. I have trouble with God. How could he take my mom and then put me through the shit I went through? That didn’t keep me from praying to Him for help. From asking for peace to help me get through the pain and, ultimately, to heal. I know my mom is sitting beside him, watching me, and I can’t help but feel that she sent Stella into my life.

When I don’t answer her, she reaches for a few of the frames, and I watch as she walks to the entryway table, setting them there. She comes back and grabs more, putting them around my TV. When she comes back again, I notice there is one more frame with a picture of us together on our first date. “I know it’s a little crazy that I got it printed, but it’s such a great photo.”

“It is,” I agree.

“I was going to put this one and that one on your nightstand.” She reaches for the frame in my hand, and I let go of it for her. “Is that okay?”

“That’s perfect.”

She grins at me before heading toward my room, so I reach for her bag and follow her in there. I place her bag on the bench at the end of my bed as she sets up the pictures, moving my charging dock and then throwing my water bottle off to the side. Pretty sure from now on, when I see a water bottle, I’ll think of Emery. When Stella looks over her shoulder at me, she shrugs. “What do you think?”

“I love it.”

“Great,” she says, wiggling her shoulders and looking fucking adorable.

I can’t believe she went to get frames for my mom’s pictures. She also cleaned this morning, leaving me a sweet note saying she couldn’t wait to see me. I opened my soul to her, and she didn’t judge me. She held me. She supported me. Something I’ve always longed for. Everything inside me is set on fire, and I feel that overwhelming need for her. That all-consuming…affection. I fucking adore her. I yearn for her. Fuck, I love her.

Without any warning, I blurt out, “I love you, Stella.”