“Jules!”
She laughed when she heard her nephews call her name and her brother tell them to quiet down so he could hear.
“Listen, I’m sorry to do this to you.”
“Let me get in the house. Marci, can you take the boys?” His voice was serious all of a sudden and she knew he’d most likely figured out she was calling about something bad.
Some moments later he got someplace quieter. “All right. Tell me.”
“I just got a call from Mom. She’s not coming home next weekend.”
“What the fuck? She promised. Connor is excited. And why are you calling about it? You’ll be here, right?”
“Damn right I’ll be there. I’m making the cake! I’ll be in Friday afternoon with a fully packed car.”
“All right, well, good. He’s been talking of nothing but that. Why are you telling me this instead of her?”
“She said she couldn’t get good signals and asked me to tell you.”
“Funny how her signal worked just fine to tell you. She wanted you to tell me because she knew I’d be mad.”
“Probably.”
“What’s so fascinating about Bali? She’s been there months now.” The sadness in Ethan’s voice broke her heart.
“She’s going to Italy to house-sit for someone.”
Her brother got very quiet.
“I know. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t you dare apologize for her shitty behavior. You do it all the time. It’s not your fault. Let her own her shit for once. She’s always trying to hide behind what Dad did to her. As if she’s the only woman on the planet who got cheated on.”
He ranted on for some time and she nodded and said uh-huh in all the right places. He needed to share and she was the best person he could do so with.
When she hung up after talking to her nephews, Cal waited, his face sad.
“I didn’t catch it all, but I think I got the gist. I’m sorry I had no idea it was this bad. Please share with me.”
Because he said please, because he was her friend and because she needed to say it all out loud, she joined him on the couch. “I don’t know if it’s bad or good. It’s just how things are now. It was all right when they first broke up and she traveled. She came back regularly that first year or two and then, slowly, she’s just sort of disappeared from our lives.”
He took her hand and it made her feel better. “I guess I figured she’d be a super-involved grandmother. I’m sorry to hear that’s not the case.”
“I don’t know if it’s that she doesn’t understand the importance of this stuff, or what. My grandparents were a big part of our lives when I was growing up. Heck, I learned to bake from my grandmother! I assumed she’d get over this wanderlust when Connor came along. She came back when he was born, stayed a while. But she was gone again six months later. Wasn’t back for Henry’s birth or even his first Christmas. She comes back less and less.” She said she’d wasted her life. The sting of it still had tears threatening to come.
He stroked a hand over her hair and she put her head on his shoulder.
“Hell, maybe I’m imagining things, wanting a better childhood than I really had. It hurts Ethan so much that she doesn’t pay much attention to the kids. He blames my dad for it. She’s doing damage now. I don’t know if their relationship will ever recover.”
“I’m not sure it should. As for your recollections being accurate? I was around for your childhood, baby. From the outside it sure did look like your recollections are correct. Do you blame your father for this?”
Did she? “I think he’s certainly got his share of blame in the whole mess. But you know, no, I don’t think it’s about him at this point. I get it. She spent her whole life taking care of people. She wants something for herself. She clearly enjoys travel and her time with my aunt. It fills some need she has.”
“But what about you?”
“I . . . As a woman, I get it. Or I try to. It had to have sucked to be traded in for a newer model after she invested her entire adult life in her family. I can imagine she’s got a lot of resentment and she feels like she’s missed out. But as her daughter, as Connor’s aunt and Ethan’s sister, I get mad at her for not wanting us much.”
He knew it made her sad, but he’d missed just how sad. He heard it in her voice. The loss. He wanted to ask her more. Wanted to help her see this mess didn’t belong to her in any way. But this wasn’t a client. This was Jules and he didn’t want her hurting.
“It’s been this bad how long now?”
“Years at this point. Certainly all of Ethan’s marriage. He misses her. I miss her too. But you can’t make someone want you.”
He collared her throat a moment, the excitement at the intake of breath and the widening of her eyes roared through him.
“How could anyone not want you, Juliet? Hm?” He kissed her and made himself let her go and back off. “It’s more than that. She’s got kids and she’s just walked away. That has to hurt, even if you can understand she needed to find herself. She’s being selfish.” Cal couldn’t imagine, not even in his wildest dreams, that his parents wouldn’t be great grandparents. They were totally involved in their childrens’ lives.
Jules was loving, clearly drawing strength and happiness from her friends, who were a great deal like family. To know she’d not only had her father disappear from her life but her mother too broke his heart. He wondered what his mother thought about this mess. He’d have to find a way to bring it up. She had a way about her, his mother. She knew people and Cal bet she’d have some great advice.
“She deserves this time. She raised her kids, ran a family business, worked hard for decades. She never put herself first in all that time.”
How could she actually believe any of this was acceptable? Maybe she didn’t. It certainly wasn’t a very convincing tone she had. She sounded . . . lost.
He hugged her tight, not saying anything for a while. “You deserve to be loved and treated as special as you are. It’s not selfish to want a relationship with your mother.” No. It was selfish of her mother to not want to have a relationship with her kids.
Family law made up about half of his small three-attorney office. He’d seen more than his fair share of fucked-up families. But it was Jules who was so very sad. Jules who tried hard not to cry as he held her.
He loved this woman with everything he was.
The knowledge of it didn’t shock him, but it did rush through him, warm and so very good. He took a deep breath, taking her in to his lungs.
“I love you, Jules. So much it hurts me to see you this way. You have family. You’re being a good sister and aunt. That’s not going to change. Maybe your mother will come back around in a few years. Maybe she’ll settle back in. Or maybe not. But what I do know is that you’ve got to stop carrying the weight of what she does. You do not need to be guilty about her missing Connor’s birthday party. You’re not missing it. You’re baking him a dinosaur cake and dozens of dinosaur cupcakes.” He paused to snort a laugh. The theme had been her idea and she’d been working on the perfect dinosaur design for the last month.
“He loves dinosaurs, duh. Anyway, with my mother . . . I know. I just want to be supportive to her too. But she won’t let me. Or maybe I’m not trying hard enough. I’m trying to understand.”
“Sometimes people do stuff you can’t understand. You’re a good person. Loving. Loyal. You’d give up a kidney for your friends in a hot second. But not everyone is that way. Your mother is making a choice here, it seems to me. She’s staying away of her own free will. It hurts you, and of course it does because you have a big heart and would never do anything like that to your loved ones. Hell, to anyone. You have to find a way to let this go or it’ll eat you alive. You deserve more than that.”
She was quiet a long time. Her body relaxed as she remained in his lap, wrapped in his arms. Letting him comfort her. Because she knew he needed it. Even in that moment thinking of others.
Despite the subj
ect matter, it was good to just be with her, close and easy, their connection solid and strong. He’d worried after their fight the weekend before. He shouldn’t have really; they’d had spats before and had always come out the other side closer. And this time, with Gideon in between them, it hadn’t been difficult to move forward, the three of them in better sync than before.
“Thank you,” she said quietly some time later.
“Anytime.” He kissed the top of her head. “I’ve always got your back, you know that, right?”
She smirked. “I may have noticed.”
“Good. I’m sorry, Jules. I’m sorry you’re hurting.”
Her smile was sad, but at least it reached her eyes this time. “Me too. But it comes with the territory, I guess.”
“And you have me. Me and Gideon. Mary. Gillian, Daisy. Ryan. And that’s just for starters.”
“I’m lucky for it,”
He hugged her tight. “We’re the lucky ones.”
15
She woke up and stretched. Nothing to do that day but the engagement party. She’d spent pretty much every moment of the last week preparing for it, which was good because it kept her mind off what had happened when she’d gone down for her nephew’s birthday weekend.
In the two weeks since she’d confessed the situation with her mother to Cal so much had happened. Thank goodness for him and Gideon to help her work past the bloody strips Ethan’s words had cut into her heart.
They’d all stayed over at Cal’s place. She loved it there. So big and bright. Always a total mess, especially when the three of them were there so often. But his bed was more than large enough for everyone and she felt at home. Her stuff was in his bathroom. That made her smile.
How long had she fantasized about this? He was still sleeping, his dark lashes against the olive tones of his skin. He held her tight, an arm wrapped around her. Gideon snuggled behind, warm and solid, holding her quite like Cal did.
She knew Gideon was awake, given the cock pressing into the flesh of her backside. She smiled and started to turn, but Cal woke up. His eyes snapped open and focused on her.
“Hello, what have we here? There’s a golden goddess in my bed.” He kissed her bare shoulder and looked over it. “A golden god and a golden goddess. I must have done some mighty good shit in a previous life.”
“I’ll be right back and you can show me the proper obeisance.” She scampered to the bathroom to clean up. She had plans for both of them. Once they left Cal’s place she’d be caught up in all the prep for Gillian’s party. This time belonged to the three of them and she had every intention of making the most of it.
When she came back out. Gideon was kissing his way over Cal’s chest. She stood in the doorway, watching. They were unbelievable together. That fear that Cal would suddenly remember he liked penis best eased away a little more each time they’d all had sex. Each time they kissed or held hands. The normalcy of this not very usual situation had settled and she liked it.
“Don’t just stand there like a deviant. Come over here and spread it around.” Cal held a hand out and she jumped back into bed, meaning to get behind Cal, but he plopped her right back in the middle. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“It’s a lot easier to watch you two if I’m off to the side.” Which was totally true. And as it had turned out, they all liked to watch.
Gideon laughed as he bent to lick across one of her nipples. “We don’t want you off to the side. I can get at everything I need with you right here.”
Cal kissed his way over her belly. “Agreed. Access to this sweet cunt and to that cock too. You’re right where we want you.”
“Mmm. Promise to ravish me then?”
Cal looked up her body, into her face. “A promise I gladly make.”
Gideon got up. “I’ll be right back. You can get started on the ravishing and I’ll catch up. I’m a quick study.”
She turned to Cal, grabbing his cock and squeezing until he made that sound that tightened things low in her belly.
“Morning.”
“A good morning to you. I need to be in you.”
She took his hand and put it over her pussy. “I’d like that.”
“Wet. Perfect. You know how I like it.”
She scrambled atop. Fisting his cock a few times because he felt so good in her hand. Hard and real. Ready to deliver whatever she wanted.
“That look on your face would scare a lesser man.”
She smiled down at Cal. “Good thing you’re not a lesser man. I have plans for you. And for this.” She shifted, her back to Cal’s front as he scooted up to lean on the pillows he’d tucked against the headboard.
Gideon came in just as she was sinking down onto Cal’s cock. Cal had moved the mirror in his bedroom so Gideon could watch better. Gideon, who met her gaze as he came back into the room and headed toward the bed.
“Look at you,” Gideon whispered it as he knelt next to them. “Watching his cock disappear into your pussy and come out all wet with you is the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.”
She arched her back to get him deeper, bracing her hands on Cal’s thighs as she did.
Jules watched in the mirror as Gideon fisted his cock a few times. His gaze roved over her and Cal both.
“I love this position. I like to watch your tits in the mirror.”
She smiled at Cal’s reflection.
“They do sway ever so nicely.” Gideon straddled Cal’s legs, his cock brushing against her thigh and apparently Cal’s something because he sucked in a breath behind her.
Gideon palmed her breasts before tugging on her nipples until she squirmed at how good it felt.
“She gets so tight and hot when you do that,” Cal gasped out.
Gideon got closer and Jules grabbed his cock, rubbing it against her pussy and Cal’s cock. The head brushed against her clit, sending ripples of pleasure through her.
“Goddamn.”
She laughed, moving that last inch forward to grab Gideon’s bottom lip between her teeth and tug.
“Make yourself come with Gideon’s cock. But don’t make him come just yet. I have plans for you, Gideon.”
When Cal took over, he really took over. All that genteel reserve fell away and he was utterly and totally dominant. He wanted what he wanted and when he wanted it. It never ceased to make her shiver with delight.
“Gonna be hard,” Gideon spoke through a clenched jaw. “This is so fucking good.”
She moaned, agreeing.
Her clit was slippery and hard against the sensitive head of his cock. Gideon had to think about calling the vet to come out and see to the goats to keep from coming all over that glistening pussy. Cal’s balls and his rested together, the friction sending little bolts of electricity through him. She angled him so that their cocks also slid against each other each time she lifted a little. Even as she brushed his cock over her clit to make herself come.
What they had dizzied Gideon. He wanted more. Each time they touched it led to something deeper and more raw than before. That trust he had for them both only made it hotter.
Jules’s head fell back on a soft sigh and Cal growled, grabbing her hips and holding her down as he fucked hard into her body. Gideon slapped the head of his cock against her clit and she squealed, grabbing his forearm, her nails digging in deep for the long moments of her climax until she went boneless with a sigh.
Finally Cal helped her back to the bed, kissing her soundly.
She opened those blue eyes, still slightly blurred. “You two go on without me. I’m just going to lay here like a puddle of well-satisfied goo and watch you two have sex. This is the best day ever.”
Cal grinned and grabbed Gideon by the back of his neck and pulled him close for a kiss. “Wait here. Be right back.”
Jules laughed. “I’m pretty sure that’s a given, Calvin.” She turned her head to see Gideon better. “Hello.”
He lay back with her, kissing her lazily. “Hello to you too.”
/> Cal came back to bed and after kissing Jules he turned to face Gideon. “I want to suck that cock.”
Gideon raised a brow and grabbed his cock. “Come on and get it then. You know how I like it.”
Indeed Cal did.
Jules moved a little so she could watch better and Gideon gave over to Cal as he saw how comfortable she was.
His fingers slid through Cal’s hair and tugged. Cal grunted and sucked him deeper. Gideon took a deep breath and simply enjoyed how good Cal was with that fucking beautiful mouth of his.
Between a grunt and a snarl, Gideon managed to speak. “Next time my cock is going in that sweet ass.”
Cal groaned around a mouthful of cock as an image of just what that was like flashed through his mind. Gideon had little patience once he got himself worked in to Cal’s ass. He wanted it fast and hard.
And Cal was totally all right with that. The edge of pain worked for him. The way Gideon’s laid-back control shredded as he fucked Cal worked for him. The way Jules watched them both hungrily only made the experience hotter.
He’d worried. He knew Gideon had as well. They frequently took cues from Jules as to how far to go, how fast. Neither wanting to hurt her. Neither wanting to give her reason to doubt.
True to her words though, each time they’d all been together it had been easier. There were no shadows in her gaze, only desire. Only love.
He took Gideon deep, breathing through his nose. Cal palmed Gideon’s balls, fingertips pressing just behind. Gideon’s grunt told him he was doing just fine.
Wet. He kept Gideon’s cock nice and wet as he sucked him off. Gideon’s fingers in Cal’s hair tightened as he began to thrust, fucking Cal’s face.
It was Cal’s turn to groan then as shivers worked up and down his body.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Gideon nearly snarled as he came, his taste washing through Cal. Beside them, Jules expelled a breath she’d probably been holding as she watched the two of them.
“Again, I repeat. Best. Day. Ever.”
Gideon bent and kissed Cal before he lay back down between them. “I totally agree.”