Infinity. (Infinity Series) (32 page)

“Car’s leaving in… five… four…” I yell as the twins race each other to see who can get their tennis shoes on the fastest. Ainsley waits patiently by the front door, and Charlie grabs her purse and work bag. “Three… two… one… Let’s go people.”

I give Pancho a goodbye pat on his head, and instruct him to watch the house. I swear the dog all but jumps to attention.

My family is walking ahead of me. That’s really not accurate. I don’t think the twins have the ability to walk anywhere. Run, jump, hop, skip? That’s what they do. Walking? Not so much.

The boys are dressed in shorts and T-shirts for gymnastics and are now racing each other to the car. Ainsley is dressed in her bathing suit with a pair of bright pink shorts. She’s carrying her blue-sequined swim-team bag, complements of Guncle’s Brad and Carter. Charlie’s dressed for work, and is attempting to instruct everyone on what we need to pack for Ohio.

Just then, Ainsley must find a hole in the yard, because she trips and falls, tumbling over herself. Panic grips me. Just as I’m about to race over and make sure she’s okay, her two little brothers, who heard her cry, stop dead in their tracks, turn around and run back to her.

Ainsley is sitting on her bottom, gripping her knee to her chest. She’s trying to be brave, but I watch her bottom lip tremble as she fights to keep the tears at bay. The boys kneel down beside her, so concerned about their big sister. They begin examining her knee and checking for other injuries. Liam, because he’s in the orange T-shirt, kisses her scrape, while Jax rubs her arm as if reassuring her that it’s going to be okay.

It’s such a tender moment that Charlie and I both keep our distance, watching our boys take care of their sister.

Before I know it, the twins help Ainsley to her feet, each offering her a hand. Jax picks up Ainsley’s swim bag and carries it the rest of the way to the car. All three are laughing and teasing again, as if nothing happened.

Was leaving football at the top of my career worth it? Yes, if for no other reason than this moment. If I were still playing I’d be at training camp right now, working to get into season-ready shape. Instead, I woke up and made love to my wife. Now, I’m off to take my kids to their activities and then spend the rest of the day playing with them. We’ll probably do tricks off the rope swing before dinner. My boys know how to take care of their sister, because I taught them. Not Brad. Not a nanny. Me. I’ve modeled that behavior for them. And I couldn’t be prouder. A smile breaks across my face as my body grows warm with pride for my family.
This moment is PFM.

Bertha is parked in our garage next to the family car. I give her a good slap on the tailgate, silently reassuring her that I’ll take her for a drive soon. Damn truck is still running, and does a fine job of hauling supplies for the compound.

We climb into the minivan, and before the arguing can begin I remind the boys that they watched their show this morning, so it’s Ainsley’s turn to choose. I also remind her to pick something that all three will enjoy. Fortunately, she chooses an episode of
The Justice League
, so everyone will be happy.

I don’t necessarily believe in TVs in cars, however, we live forty-five minutes from just about everything. The TV buys Charlie and I a few minutes of adult conversation.

The way I situated our home on the property was done with security in mind. Our home is across the lake from the entrance to the land, off of the main road. Once you’re on our property, it’s almost a mile drive to our front door. The road is curved with switch backs. Aiden teases that there’s no way anyone could drive it drunk. It’s not that bad, but it’s a challenge the first time someone new visits us, which isn’t all that often.

We pass by one of the lake cottages that we built for guests. We have three on the property. Each one can sleep up to eight people. This particular one is where I put the double-wide trailer that I bought for us to live in after the twins were born.

As soon as I retired from football, Charlie and I finally got serious about building our vacation home, which has become our permanent residence. Before the twins were born, I had the land cleared for a road and utilities run.

We stayed in Dallas just long enough, so Charlie could be close to Doctor Starr. Once the twins were healthy enough to come home from the hospital, I hammered a
For Sale
sign in the front yard of the McMansion inside of the gilded cage, and we got the hell out of Dodge.

Strangely enough, it was purchased by the hotshot first-round draft pick that the Cowboys took. What does a twenty-one-year-old kid need with that much house? Probably the same things that I wanted it for when I was first drafted. Fortunately, Charlie and my parents talked me into a condo instead.

The five of us lived in a three-bedroom, two-bathroom mobile home while we built our dream house. Looking back on it, I don’t know how we did it. We could have fit eight of our trailers in the McMansion, but I’ll say this: it was a relationship solidifying two years. Charlie and I were just focused on each other and our family.

“I talked to Brad yesterday,” Charlie says while she’s turning up the volume on the kid’s show.

“Oh yeah,” I state, not taking my eyes off the road.

“They’re excited about the trip to Ohio, and asked if they could take the kids for a couple of hours. Maybe get lunch or find a park. I think they’re missing them.” Then she reminds me that is has been almost four months since we last had Brad and Carter for a visit.

“I’m sure that will be fine. But suggest they stay in the hotel. It’s got the security that Jenny says is trustworthy.” I inwardly cringe, and it has nothing to do with Brad. I make a mental note to check with her about security for my family when we leave the hotel.

Once I retired from football, Brad helped out Carmen in Houston for about six months, and then he and Carter moved in together full-time. Charlie no longer needed an assistant, so he’s remained our kids Guncle that we share all holidays with. He’s just Charlie’s friend now, and we’re cool. Will Brad and I ever be fishing buddies? No, but I appreciate how much our kids mean to him and Carter, and feel blessed that they’re a part of our lives.

I reach over and grab Charlie’s hand, giving it a squeeze. Her skin is so soft compared to my calluses. I can’t get enough of our contact. “Speaking of the hotel, have you talked to Rachael?”

Charlie drops my hand and cocks her head, raising an eyebrow. “Seriously, you’ve got to play nice. Don’t be an asshole.”

“What?” I ask, acting very innocent. “Jenny just needs to know if Rachael requires a crib for her room?” I can’t keep my shit-eating grin off of my face.

She gives my arm a gentle punch, and I grab my bicep and gasp dramatically in pain. “Colin, lots of women date much younger men.”

“He’s what, twenty-four? That’s much, much younger, babe. Like, she-could-be-his-mother young.”

“Thanks for reminding me,” she says with a pout while she crosses her arms over her chest. “You know he plays for the Yankees, right? That means he can throw much harder than you.”

She didn’t just question my throwing abilities… “Is that a challenge? Tell Rach to bring her child over one day to play.” I do emphasize the word “child.” “We’ll just see who has the stronger arm.”

Charlie rolls her eyes at my pissing contest, and grabs my hand.

We arrive at Charlie’s building just as the kid’s show is ending. She gets curbside service. Only the best for my girl. I put the car in park while she grabs her purse and work bag. She checks and double checks to make sure that she has everything that she needs. I’ve known her almost twenty years and she’s still just as beautiful as the day that she walked into Jack’s office.

Her caramel-colored hair is a bit shorter now, and she highlights it to cover her grey. Apparently, she doesn’t think grey hair makes her look more distinguished. Her skin is still clear with a touch of light olive. She complains about the smile lines around her mouth, but I love them, because I like to think they’re proof of the great life that I’ve given her.

Charlie’s eyes are the same eyes that locked with mine so many years ago. When I look into those eyes, I see our past and the years we spent not talking. I remember looking into them again when the elevator doors opened at the hotel in Los Angeles. They’re the eyes that locked with mine when she walked down our makeshift aisle to marry me by our swimming pool. Those eyes pleaded with me to be her partner when Ainsley was born. The same lavender eyes filled with terror and fear when the twins were being born via C-section way too early. However, my favorite emotion in her gorgeous eyes is love. Love for me. Love for our kids and dog. Love for our family. Love for the life that we’ve made together.

“Why are you looking at me so strangely?” she asks as she cocks her eyebrow up. Charlie leans over to give me a goodbye kiss.

I grab her face with both of my hands and pull her to me, giving her much more than the usual peck on the lips. We’re mugging down over the armrest in the minivan.
Oh! How the times have changed.

The kids start making gross out, gagging sounds, but I could care less. This is my girl. She’s always been my girl, and will always be my girl. I hope that before I die, her gorgeous lavender eyes are the last thing that I see. Then I’d die a happy man.

She breaks our kiss, and gives me a reassuring rub on my arm. Staring into my eyes, she says, “It’s going to be okay, Colin. Quit stressing. In two days, we leave for the festivities in Ohio. I want you to enjoy this huge honor. You deserve it, sweetheart.”

I flash her my panty-dropping half-smile. “No worries, Professor McKinney. I love you to infinity.”

She reaches up and touches her necklace and smiles. “Infinity.”

I watch her walk into her building on Texas A&M’s campus where she’s a Biomedical Engineering Professor. She only teaches one class, because she’s pioneering research on how to better construct the rods used to stabilize bones after compound fractures. I have no idea how she got interested in it.

Does she love her job as much as she did practicing medicine? No, but she often reassures me that it’s very fulfilling, and she adores working with her students.

She’s wearing a lavender dress today. I choose to believe that she picked it out on purpose. Charlie complains about the last five pounds of baby weight that she needs to lose, but her ass has never looked better. I watch it sway from side to side as she makes her way to the building’s entrance. Her long, toned legs look even sexier in the black heels that she’s wearing. I start fantasizing about having her legs wrapped around my waist while those heels dig in my ass. Tonight. The heels are staying on tonight.

“We need to go, Dad. We’re going to be late,” Ainsley pipes up from the third row, sounding just like her mother, deflating my cock.

“Then we’ll be late. It’s rude to leave before you make sure that the person that you’re dropping off makes it inside safely,” I explain to the crew. If the truth be told, I’m hoping for a look back and a beautiful smile.

Wait for it…

Wait for it…

There it is. My gorgeous girl looks back over her shoulder with her face glowing. As she raises her hand to wave, her wedding band catches the sun.

The double doors close behind her, and I feel a sudden pang of loneliness. If I didn’t have a car full of kids, I’d chase after her and plant one more kiss on her cherry-red lips.

God, I’m just one boy, loved infinitely by one girl. Luckiest son of a bitch alive.

~ The End ~

“Hi, baby girl. How’s everything?” I ask, leaning back in my office chair and propping my feet on the desk. Lake CharCol is so smooth that it looks like glass today.

“It’s good.” Then there’s a long pause. “But Daddy, there’s something that I need to talk to you about,” Ainsley says in a tone that indicates that she’s a tad scared to discuss this with me. I know what she has to tell me. She’s already talked to Charlie, who was kind enough to prepare me last night for this call.

It went something like, “Remember, Ainsley is twenty-one years’ old. I was nineteen when we began dating. She loves you so much, and wants your approval. Just go easy on her.” Charlie was smart enough to tell me this while I held her after making her come multiple times. She can play me like a fiddle.

I grab a bottle of water off of my desk, and twist open the lid. “You can talk to me about anything. You have my undivided attention.” I pat myself on the back for sounding like such an awesome parent.

She begins to say something, but changes her mind. I’m not going to make this too easy on her, so I let her stammer for a couple of seconds.

“It’s easier if you just spit it out,” I coax.

I hear her taking in a deep breath and letting it out. “I’ve met a boy.”

No. I’m not going to make it too easy on her at all. “That’s great, sweetie. I just assumed that you met boys every day. You do go to a co-ed school.”

She lets out a frustrated sigh, and I can imagine her rolling her lavender eyes just like her mother does. “This isn’t just any boy. This is a guy that I really think I like.”

I stare at the framed picture of Ainsley on my desk. It’s her graduation-from-high-school picture. Dear God, she’s gorgeous. Charlie’s caramel-blonde hair with waves and lavender eyes. My tall, athletic frame and olive complexion. Yes, our daughter is a knockout, and fortunately, she’s stayed away from boys—apparently until now.

“Does this guy have a name?” I ask. Charlie didn’t tell me who the boy was, just that Ainsley had been seeing someone for a few months.

“He does have a name…” she replies, obviously not wanting me to know what it is. I can hear the trepidation in her voice.

“Well, do I have to tickle torture you to tell me, or are you going to spit it out?” I coax, motioning for her to continue.

“His name is Royce,” Ainsley is clearly terrified to say his name out loud, and I detect a slight tremble in her voice.

I scan my brain as to where I’ve heard that name. Royce. Do we know any Royces? Friend’s kids? No. Guys from church? Doesn’t ring a bell. The twin’s friends? Nothing. The only Royce that comes to mind is Dallas’s new hotshot quarterback, Royce Barber.