Page 25 of Until Presley

“I’m so sorry for your loss,” Liz says, and Presley thanks her before stepping back.

“Let them in, babe,” Trevor tells her, and she steps back so we can enter the house. It has an interesting U-shaped design with a pool in the center of the home.

“That’s so cool.” Presley smiles up at me, pointing to the pool.

“Yeah, Hanna snagged this place before I could.” I chuckle.

“That’s not true, he moved into a condo at first when we moved out here.” Hanna catches my fib, and I just shrug.

“I likeyourplace too,” Presley says, putting emphasis on “your.”

Walker hands me a beer, and we all step outside to the poolside, where a table is set up for a small lunch.

“What was that all about?” Walker asks, clearly noticing Presley’s tone when she mentioned my house.

“The FBI wants to question Presley, and I told them they could at our house. She’s trying to prove the point that it isn’t ours.”

“Going to lock that shit down?” Trevor asks, and I turn to see Presley holding Landon while she talks with Hanna and Liz. My sprite loves children, but she’s worried she wouldn’t be able to give them the attention they deserve. The thought of knocking her up and changing her mind fills my head. “How long you been seeing her?” Trevor asks, and I turn back to focus on him.

“Since the moment I saw her for the first time three weeks ago, but she’ll tell you only two weeks.”

Walker chuckles, and Trevor tips his beer to me.

“What?” I look between them.

“Does she know you’re never letting her go?” Walker asks. “Because she told Hanna that you were seeing where it was going.”

“That’s what she thinks. I told her, and I keep telling her. She keeps thinking I’m going to interfere with her doctoral studies. I won’t.”

“What do you want with her?” Trevor asks, and I turn back to look at her as she moves side to side, rocking Landon. His head is resting on her shoulder, and his thumb is in his mouth.

“Everything,” I say, and look back to see Trevor and Walker nodding at each other. “Okay, what now?” I take a deep swallow of my beer.

“Boom,” Trevor says, and Walker chuckles.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’ll figure it out,” Walker says and tips his chin toward the women. “I think we’re ready.”

Presley walks right to me, and I slide out my chair so she can sit on my knee. Landon is still in her arms.

“Who was the guy at the funeral today who walked up to give his condolences? You seemed pissed off by something he said,” Hanna asks, and I wait to see if Presley offers an explanation.

“He’s a professor I met my freshman year. He advised me several times, but that’s all. I was honestly shocked to see him there. Leah really didn’t care for him.” Presley stands up to hand Landon off to Liz, who takes him inside.

“What happened to make him mad? I noticed him staring you both down.”

Presley turns to Hanna. “He told me I should focus on my studies instead of having a boyfriend. It’s none of his concern. Besides, other than the time off I’m taking while the lab is closed due to Leah’s death, I haven’t had a break at all. I haven’t been to Australia to see my parents in six years. My stepmom came to Florida last year for a visit, and my dad came up the Christmas before that.”

“You haven’t seen your dad in a year and a half?” Trevor asks, and she nods.

“Does your family have a place to stay when they are up here?” Walker asks, and I already know the answer. It was one of the things we talked about last night when we played twenty questions. I avoided asking her the question I really wanted to, though, about being bullied.

“Yeah, they have a townhouse in Miami. My stepsister stays there,” she says, not offering any further details.

“You have a sister? I always wanted one, but I have a lot of girl cousins to make up for it. My brother, Cobi, is amazing, but he’s not a girl.” Hanna looks pointedly at her father.

“Don’t give me that look. You’re lucky I let you and Walker get together. You promised me when you were little that you wouldn’t ever get married, that I was the only man you needed.”

---