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Page 20 of Until Presley (Happily Ever Alpha World)

CHAPTER

THIRTEEN

PRESLEY

S tanding in the kitchen with Flo, I watch my brother and Ham playing video games.

But that’s not the reason I’m fidgety and hiding in the kitchen.

Clara is here. After Ham called my father and told him we were going to stay with him and that he better get used to him, my father informed him that Clara would be here for Thanksgiving.

I couldn’t figure out why she would leave Miami and all her droves of friends to come down—until now.

She’s been mooning over Ham all day since she arrived.

She keeps touching him, and I really want to rip her hands off.

Even now, as they sit on the sofa, she’s practically on his lap. She didn’t come to spend time with Griff. She came to try to steal my boyfriend.

I reach out and grab another carrot off the veggie platter and snap it between my fingers.

“Oh, Ham, that’s so funny. You’re so good at this,” Clara coos and touches him again.

“He doesn’t even care about her. Watch him,” Flo says next to me, and I look up at her in shock. But she points, and I watch as Ham moves. He stands up and moves to the other side of Griff, putting him between them.

“Here, buddy, sit with your sister,” Ham says, and when he turns to look at me, I smile softly.

“I’ll be right back.” Ham stalks to me and pulls me into his arms. “How much longer?” he whispers in my ear as he nibbles my neck.

I’m so glad he’s not taken with her at all.

Most guys fall at Clara’s feet with her beautiful red hair and curvy body. He pulls back and kisses me deeply.

“Ugh, you guys, stop, there’s a kid present,” Clara says as she stomps over to the counter.

“It’s okay. He’s always kissing Leylee.” Griff walks over to the counter just as the doorbell rings.

Flo walks to the door and opens it up for Walker, Hanna, and her family. Her parents came back down for the holiday. Otto walks in behind them. I help Liz with the tray she’s carrying.

Ham introduces everyone, and we proceed to have a wonderful dinner.

I love the feeling of family with everyone around.

This is what I missed growing up. Even before my mother died, we never had friends over for dinner like this or spent time together.

My father was always busy working over the holidays.

He’d say that whales don’t know it’s Christmas—or whatever holiday it was.

As I walk out of Flo’s pool house with the medication she forgot, I’m stopped when I see Clara sitting on one of the loungers.

“How long do you think you can keep him from realizing you’re a clingy bitch, Elvis?”

I didn’t always hate that nickname, now I do. I have for a long time, but she makes it worse.

“I’m not clingy.” My voice doesn’t sound as confident as I wish it did.

“Yes, you are. You’re staying here to make sure no other girl is coming home with him.”

“No, she’s staying here because this is her home.

She is staying here because I want her here.

And, Clara , don’t ever call her Elvis again.

She’s not the clingy one; I am.” Ham’s voice comes from the darkness, and I see him step out of the bathroom by the outdoor shower.

He walks right over to me and pulls me into his body.

“Walker, Hanna, and their crew are getting ready to leave.”

“Okay.” I tip my head up to look at him, and he leans down to kiss me. He turns to walk into the house. “Give me a moment,” I tell him and watch as Clara walks toward me. I hold up my hand to stop her. “Clara, please don’t mess this up for me,” I beg her.

“You’re such a spoiled bitch.” She pushes past me, and I decide to let it go.

We say goodbye to everyone, and I head for the kitchen to help Flo clean up. I notice my phone sitting on the counter near Clara, and she’s looking at stuff on her phone.

“I was wondering where I left that.” I pick up the phone and slip it into my back pocket.

“Well, I’m going to bed,” Clara announces and heads for the spare room Ham said she could stay in.

Part of me hates that she’s staying here. She’s already cornered me once after Ham got mad at her. She squeezed the crap out of my arm and told me she’s pissed I made her look like an idiot. It was on the tip of my tongue to tell her she didn’t need my help to do that.

I need to learn to stand up to her, but I can’t.

It’s just so hard. Even after all these years and all the pain she’s caused me, I still can’t do it.

Besides, I don’t want to upset my parents, not when they already are mad that Griff is staying here with us.

I want to point out that they got pregnant with Griff before they got married, so they can’t judge me.

But again, I don’t want to rock the boat more than it already is swaying.

Ham

H aving Griff stay with us for the two weeks was a lot of fun. He’s a cute kid and loves his big sister a lot. I noticed at Thanksgiving he’s not as close to Clara as he is with Presley.

I pull Presley into my side as we wave goodbye to Griff. He takes the flight attendant’s hand, and we watch them walk down the jetway toward the plane.

“He’ll be back for another visit after his second term.” I kiss the top of her head as she looks up at me.

“I’m going to miss him.”

“Yeah, me too.”

We took him to my dive school and started scuba lessons with him.

He’s a natural, like his sister, and loves to be in the water.

He also went with us to visit Winslow after Thanksgiving.

The kid just craves being around family.

I wonder if after Presley gets her doctorate, she’d like him to come stay with us on a more regular basis.

We return to the Jeep, and I kiss her long and deep after getting her into her seat. We head home, where I proceed to lead her upstairs and make love to her before we head over to Walker and Hanna’s for dinner.