Page 26 of Belonging to Them

When Ella comes to my place at the end of the day, she’s practically vibrating with energy, tight as a piano wire.

“Be right back,” she says, pressing quick kisses to King’s and my cheeks before racing for the guest-room-turned-studio.The skirt of her sundress flounces as she goes, giving us tantalizing glimpses of her upper thighs.

“I wonder what’s up with her?”Kingston says.

A moment later, music floats out through the open door of the studio.The melody is raw and romantic, passionate.I can imagine it accompanied by a bass drum in the rhythm of a heartbeat.It repeats a couple of times before moving into a new melody for the bridge.

It’s long been my opinion that a bridge can make or break a song.

She fucking aced the bridge.

I don’t even need to hear the lyrics to know this song is going to be amazing.

A couple of minutes later, the music dies and Ella emerges from the studio, looking triumphant.

“Hey,” she says.“Sorry I had to rush in there.It all came together when I was on my way home.I wrote down as much as I could, but I was afraid of losing the melody before I could record it.”

“It sounds incredible,” I say.

Looking back and forth between the two of us, she says, “And I came to a decision.Which may or may not have been the key to unlocking that song.”

King and I wait.

“I’m going to quit my job at Maids in Heaven,” she says slowly, as if bracing herself for our disapproval.

There is zero chance of us disapproving.I have to fight the urge to pump my fist in the air in victory.

Kingston goes to her first, pulling her into a hug.“You know we’rehappyabout you quitting, right?”

“Yes?”she says, sounding not at all certain.

“You tell us what you need, anything you need, and it’s yours,” Kingston says.

“And even if you decide you want to kick us to the curb, we’ll make sure you’re taken care of as far as having a place to live and whatever else you need while we separate,” I say.“But I have a feeling you won’t need any of that kind of help because you’ll be making your own money.”

She makes a self-effacing sound and grins.“Yeah, Helena said I might be out-earning you in five years.”

“I’d be shocked if she were wrong.”

“That doesn’t bother you?”she asks.

“Not in the slightest,” I say.

“Okay,” she says.“Well, I’m going to give Melinda my two week’s notice tomorrow.”

“We’ll have to preemptively celebrate,” I say, “because I’m leaving in the morning for Vegas.”

“That’s right,” she says, looking stricken.“I can’t believe I forgot.I’m going to miss you both so much.”

“I’m not leaving quite yet,” Kingston says.“My flight is Sunday evening.”

“Well, I’m still going to miss you,” Ella grumbles.

We cook dinner together, all three of us, making breakfast for dinner.Ella makes omelettes, Kingston fries up sausage and bacon, and I make french toast.Schrödinger winds between our legs to the point where we debate whether he has a death wish or whether he’s trying to kill us all.

After the extra food is put away and the kitchen is clean, I snag Ella’s wrist and whirl her around until she’s pressed against the table.She’s been looking so sexy all evening, in this tiny slip of a dress.White with little pink green flowers printed on it, the skirt flaring out enough to tease me with her legs and giving me dirty ideas.

Ella clings to my biceps and grins up at me.“Do you want something, Daddy?”