If You Need Me: Chapter 17

“I’ll take these. Can I also have them gift wrapped, please?”

“Absolutely, sir.” The woman behind the counter gives me a megawatt smile and retrieves her wrapping supplies.

I’ve been on the hunt for perfect gifts for my fiancée’s moms since nine this morning. I’ve been to no less than twenty stores. Before I stopped here as a last-ditch effort, I stumbled into a café/bookstore to grab some caffeine and scarf down a couple of fudge oat bars. I also managed to find what seemed to be the perfect gift for her mom who is a general practitioner. And now I’ve finally found something I think will be perfect for mom number two.

I pull out my phone, surreptitiously checking the time. Fuck. It’s already four. How have I been at this for seven hours? Willy specifically said that I needed to be at her place by 4:30. She hates it when I’m late.

The woman behind the counter—whose name is LouLou, according to her name tag—appears to be performing delicate heart surgery, not wrapping pretty jewelry. While I appreciate her attention to detail, I’m already behind. Every extra minute increases Wills’s wrath exponentially. Most days I’m more than happy to take a tongue lashing from her. Before I became her fiancé, I loved it when she laid into me. Her ire was better than nothing. But now I want more of what happened last night. I want her to need me, to rely on me, to trust me to take care of her. It’s a shift in my perspective—hence the gifts for her moms and not wanting to be late.

Seven years later, LouLou is finally finished wrapping the gift. She takes another half decade to put it in a bag and curl the matching ribbon. I thank her and rush three blocks to my car.

I message Wills to let her know I’m stuck in traffic, but I’ll be there soon.

She sends a thumbs-up.

Which is as good as a middle finger. I’m so screwed. My anxiety rears its ugly head in the form of a stupid boner.

I park in the lot across the street from her building. I give my hard-on a rueful glare. “Dude, I took care of you three times this morning.” And twice last night after I got home from servicing my fiancée’s needs. I used my left hand and sniffed the fingers that had been inside her like the fucked up, obsessed man I am.

It takes three minutes for my dick to deflate. I hurry across the street to Willy’s building, managing to catch the door as someone else is leaving.

I hop into the elevator and run my damp hand over my thighs.

Everything will be fine. I will not die tonight.

The doors slide open, and I walk down the hall, the memories of last night are still fresh. I lock those down, because they’re not helpful or appropriate for meet-the-family night.

I take a deep breath and knock on the door. Three seconds later, it swings open. An anxiety boner inspired by an angry Wills would be preferable to what greets me on the other side.

At six foot four and two-hundred-and-thirty pounds, there is nothing small about me. But for some reason, Willy’s brothers look like lethal fucking giants, standing side by side in the doorway.

Neither of them smiles. “Hey! You must be Wilhelmina’s brothers, Samir and Isaac, right? I’m Dallas, her fiancé.” I extend a hand and pray it doesn’t get broken.

Her oldest brother takes my hand first. The shake is firm, but not life-threatening. “You can call me Sam. This is my baby brother, Isaac.”

“He calls me his baby brother because I make more money than him and his ego can’t handle it.” Isaac elbows Sam out of the way and takes my hand in a mildly bone-crushing grip.

My smile does not waver. “It’s great to meet both of you. Wilhelmina talks about you all the time.”

“Probably about how we annoy the hell out of her,” Sam says with a grin.

“Or how loud we are. She took up debate in third grade so she could win arguments.”

Suddenly, so much about Wills makes sense. “That sounds like Wills. I’m sorry I’m late.”

Sam gives me an inquisitive look as he steps aside. “You’re early, not late.”

“Right. Yeah.” I nod a couple of times.

Isaac smirks. “Let me guess, Hemi told you to be here at four thirty to ensure you’d make it by five.”

I rub the back of my neck. “She might’ve done that.” I’m already lying about enough stuff, and these two look like they’re good at sniffing out bullshitters.

As soon as I round the corner, I’m engulfed by two women. Apparently, Willy’s moms are huggers. Sandhya—who goes by Sandy—is a petite thing, at least a head shorter than her daughter. She’s dressed in jeans and a T-shirt with waist-length dark hair pulled back in a complicated braid. I briefly wonder if her wife does it for her, and if Wills would let me braid her hair. I learned how to do it for my great-grandma Bippy after she developed arthritis in her hands. Her other mom, Georgie, is tall and willowy. She wears white linen pants and a flowy tank top. Everything about her screams poise and elegance. They’re an interesting couple, and I love them already.

“Dallas! My goodness! The last time I saw you in person you were a teenager. You have definitely filled out!” Sandy smiles up at me and pats my chest. “Oh wow. You’re solid.”

“I spend a lot of time in the gym and on the ice.”

“That is absolutely true, isn’t it?” She laughs, and Georgie joins in.

“It’s amazing what a few years of professional hockey will do.” Georgie squeezes my biceps.

“Yeah, I’m pretty dedicated to the sport.”

“We watch all the time,” Georgie’s voice pitches up dramatically.

Sam snorts a laugh. “You mean you watch the thirty second highlight reel on the news.

“That’s not true!” Georgie’s voice is so reedy she sounds like she’s channeling a dog whistle.

Isaac smirks. “You’re literally the worst liar in the world, Mom.”

A minute later, Wills appears. Her lips curve into a smile, and she smooths her hands over her hips. She’s wearing jeans that hug her curves and a Terror shirt. “You’re early!”

“I couldn’t wait to get here.” I move toward her, wrapping my arm around her waist, remembering just how good it felt last night to finally touch her in ways I’ve fantasized about for years. I can’t help myself; I drop my head to her ear and breathe in her shampoo. “Thanks for making sure I got here on time.”

She smiles wryly. “I know what you’re like.”

Her gaze shifts to my mouth, and then jumps back to my eyes, like she’s remembering last night, too. I quirk a brow, silently asking permission. Her tongue sweeps out to wet her bottom lip. It’s all the encouragement I need.

I brush my lips over hers. It lasts maybe a second, but I feel that brief connection everywhere in my body—including very inconvenient parts that would like this kiss to escalate. I pull back, mostly so the hard-on I’ve been battling doesn’t resurge in front of her family.

Post introductions, Willy pours us all drinks, and we move to the living room where artfully displayed appetizers sit on the coffee table. A cheese platter, various cured meats, some fruit, and a bowl of chakri are waiting for us.

Her brothers load up their plates, which are the size of my palm, and take a seat next to each other on one of the couches. Willy’s moms take the love seat, leaving the barrel chair for Wills and me. If we were two average-sized people, the barrel chair would be fine, but I’m tall and broad. I take up seventy-five percent of the chair on my own, which means Willy either has to perch on the edge or sling her legs over mine. I pass the gifts to her moms and help make the decision for her by tucking my arm under her legs and arranging them so they hang over my left thigh. She hooks her feet around my right calf. I’m in fucking heaven.

“You didn’t need to get us anything,” Sandy says as she pulls the ribbon free from the small gift bag.

“I was out running errands, and I stumbled across them,” I lie smoothly. No one needs to know I spent seven hours shopping and was almost late as a result.

Willy gives me a sidelong glance, but I just smile and rub her hair between my fingers, so I don’t give in to the urge to stroke the side of her neck.

Sandy opens hers first, carefully unwrapping the small box. She lifts the lid and her eyes flare. “Oh my goodness! Oh wow. This is…” Her fingers go to her lips, and she looks like she’s on the verge of tears. That is the opposite of what I wanted to happen. “How did you know?”

She lifts the earrings from the velvet cushion, and Georgie gasps. “Oh my! The resemblance is uncanny!”

I just sit there smiling, since I have no idea what the hell they’re talking about.

“Hemi must’ve said something.” Sandy passes the earrings to Georgie, who helps her put them on. It’s an incredibly sweet moment between these two women. “This is so sweet. So thoughtful, Dallas.”

“I saw them, and I thought they were perfect.” It’s not untrue. I did see the earrings and think they were pretty awesome. I was also running out of time and figured I should go big or go home.

Sam and Isaac both look confused.

Wills pipes up, probably to help me understand why everyone is so emotional about earrings. “Mom was looking for Ajji’s earrings a couple of weeks ago and couldn’t find them.”

Sandy nods. “I don’t know if I misplaced them or left them somewhere by accident, but I was heartbroken when I realized I couldn’t find them. These look almost exactly the same as my mother’s. They’re beautiful.” She crosses the room, and I untangle Willy’s legs from mine so I can accept the motherly affection. “I can’t thank you enough, Dallas.”

“I’m glad you love them.” I pat her on the back and avoid adding lies to the already huge pile I’m sitting on.

Georgie waits until Sandy is sitting next to her before she unwraps her gift. I worry it’s going to fall flat in the wake of the accidental replacement of the treasured family-heirloom earrings.

“That’ll be a hard one to top.” Isaac smirk. “Ajji would be proud.”

I swallow my anxiety, because the earrings were seriously some dumb luck. Maybe I overheard Willy mention that her mom had misplaced them recently, and that knowledge was sitting in the back of my mind when I bought the gift. It sure as fuck wasn’t conscious, though.

“I’m sure it’ll be lovely and thoughtful.” Georgie gives Isaac a pointed look before carefully peeling the tape away to reveal the contents. “Oh!”

She flips the book over in her hands and runs her palm over the cover.

“It’s signed by the author,” I say.

“Are you kidding?” Georgie opens the book and caresses the page with the author’s signature. “Oh my goodness! How?” Her mouth is agape, her eyes welling. “I can’t even…” She shakes her head. “I was supposed to see her speak at a convention two years ago, but something came up and I couldn’t make it. I thought I’d be able to attend another event and get a book signed. But then she passed and…” Her hand goes to her heart. “She is my favorite author, rest her beautiful, intelligent soul. Her studies on pollinators and saving the bees have inspired me so much.” She sets the book on the couch and rushes across the room.

I untangle myself from Willy again—she automatically slung her legs over mine when I sat back down—and wrap my arms around Georgie, accepting another hug.

“Thank you. You’re just so thoughtful. Hemi is so lucky.”

“I’m the lucky one.” I pat her back.

“I had nothing to do with these gifts. This was one-hundred-percent Dallas,” Willy declares. I can see every single question on her face.

“With or without your help, these gifts are lovely. And they will absolutely be cherished,” Georgie assures me.

My dumb-luck gifts seem to soften up Sam and Isaac a little. Isaac is some sort of CEO, billionaire guy. From what I glean, he basically owns half the world because he started an online business that millions of people use every day. I have no idea what Sam does, but I would not be surprised to find out he disappears people, either for fun or for his job. He’s intense.

The ensuing conversation is loud. Willy’s brothers talk over each other, her moms interrupt them constantly when they think they’re saying something inaccurate, and Willy sits back and listens, occasionally giving her two cents.

In a handful of hours, I understand better why she is the way she is. Here, when she’s surrounded by her family, she’s the quiet one. But when she’s in the Terror office, she’s a different woman. She’s the one people listen to; she gives the orders and tells us how things are. She’s the glue for our team. She grounds us and reminds us to be humble and use our advantages for good.

I was already hopelessly in love with Wills, but seeing this side of her, how hard she and her family love each other, elevates those feelings to a whole new level. She has so much love to give. She’ll make a great partner and a patient, determined mom—if that’s what she wants.

“What?” She nudges me with her elbow.

I arch a brow. “Eh?”

She arches one back. “You’re staring.”

“Just admiring the view.” She wouldn’t believe the truth.

Eventually, we move to the kitchen. Like everything with the Reddi-Grinst clan, preparing dinner is a loud, boisterous affair. Georgie barks orders, and we all follow them. I mostly try to be helpful and stay out of the way.

At the end of dinner, I still have no idea what Sam does for a living, but I’ve heard a million stories about Willy’s childhood. Her family is intense, and I feel like I’ve spent the evening with fifty people instead of five.

After dinner, I clear the table and help load the dishwasher, while Sandy and Georgie prepare dessert.

Willy gets started on the pots and pans while Isaac takes a call and Sam follows orders from his moms. I step up beside Wills, fingers grazing her lower back. “Why don’t you let me handle the dishes? That way you don’t ruin your pretty nails.”

“It’s okay. I’m getting them done early next week anyway.” She blows a wayward strand of hair out of her face, but it sticks to her glossed lips. She puffs out another gust of air, trying to free it, but it doesn’t work. She tries again with the back of her wrist but her hands are sudsy.

“Let me help you.”

She turns toward me, lips pursed.

I use my sleeve to wipe the suds away, then free the hairs from her lip.

Her fingers graze the back of mine. The diamond catches the light, and I capture her hand. “I can’t stop thinking about last night.” I kiss her knuckle.

Her breath catches. I can’t read her expression, but her lips part as her eyes find mine.

“You gonna let me take care of you again?” I trail the fingers of my free hand down her side.

“Dessert is ready!” her brother calls from the dining room.

“Maybe. If you can be a good boy.” Willy gives me a sultry smile as she steps around me.

I would do just about anything to earn that privilege. I follow her back to the dining room, where everyone else is already congregated. They stopped by an Indian market on their way over to pick up Sandy’s favorite sweet, burfi. Her mom used to make it for her on special occasions growing up.

Once again, the conversation is loud and boisterous, filled with laughter and good-natured ribbing. When dessert is over, her brothers get ready to head back to Isaac’s condo. It’s in one of the exclusive high-rise buildings overlooking Lake Ontario. Last I heard, the penthouses were going for eleven million because of the view and the amenities.

“Why don’t you stay there instead of here?” I ask as her family stands near the door, putting on shoes, making sure everyone has their phones and purses, and that her moms have their gifts.

Willy shakes her head. “It’s four-thousand square feet of minimalist-decorated penthouse. It’s massive. I can’t afford a cleaner. Also, it would be incredibly lonely and sterile. I like this. I have a roommate to share the load with, and our schedules make it so we’re not in each other’s hair all the time.” She motions to her apartment. “It’s cozy, it’s the right price for me to keep saving, and I can walk to work.”

I hear all the other things she doesn’t say, like she can take care of this on her own, and it gives her the autonomy and independence she’s so fond of.

Willy’s moms hug me and thank me again for the gifts.

“We’re planning to hit the escarpment first thing in the morning. You up for a hike tomorrow, Dallas?” Sam asks.

Willy digs her nails into my arm and mutters, “Say no.”

So I do the opposite. “Bruce Trail?”

“You know it?”

“It’s been some years, but I’m totally up for it.”

“Awesome.” Sam fist-bumps me. “Hemi can send your number over, and we’ll make a plan.”

“Sounds great. I’m looking forward to it.”

I get a fist bump from Isaac as well, and everyone hugs Wills before they’re out the door. She lets it fall closed and peeks through the eyehole for a second before she turns to me. “You should fake sick tomorrow.”

“It’s a hike. How bad could it be?”

“Isaac climbs mountains for fun. When he says he’s going for a hike, he’s not going for a leisurely stroll in the woods to enjoy nature. He’ll turn it into an expedition, and you’ll be hiking for hours.”

“Babe, I’m a professional hockey player. I have stamina for days. I’ll be fine.”

“If you say so. And don’t call me babe.”

I try to wrap my arms around her, but she steps out of reach.

“Aren’t you going to let me take care of you? I was a good boy tonight, wasn’t I?”

“Save your energy. You’ll need it for tomorrow.” She opens the door.

“I want to give you an orgasm before I leave.” I want the smell of her on my fingers and the taste of her on my tongue.

“Not tonight.”

“Why not?” I stand in front of her, trying to read her expression.

“Because my roommate will be home any minute.”

I nod. “If tomorrow goes well, I expect to end it with you sitting on my face.”

“We’ll see.” She pushes me out the door, but she’s smiling when she closes it.