The Kings

24

Jo

"Can you guys chill?"

I straightened out my shirt and looked at Adora and Dad through the mirror, cocking an eyebrow up.

"We're grown," Dad said, "and married."

"I'm grown," I said, "and you still tell me to chill."

"Well, that's my job, to stop you from getting someone pregnant," he said, slapping the back of my head.

I felt little arms wrap around my leg, and I looked down. Arabella smiled up at me and I picked her up, hugging her close to me.

"Too bad Fred couldn't come," Adora said.

"He had plans with Alexis," Dad said.

I just cleared my throat with a smile, pressing a kiss to Ari's cheek.

She wrapped her arms around my neck and I just smiled, rubbing her back as I walked around the restaurant's waiting area.

"Mr. King!"

I knew that had to be the people we were meeting, so I tried to act some kind of professional.

"Dennis, it's nice to see you," Dad greeted, shaking his hand, "God, kid, you're grown!"

Dennis's daughter just wrapped her arms around Dad for a hug. She had to be about my age, she was absolutely stunning.

"You haven't met my son, this is Josiah," Dad said, nodding towards me.

I stuck my hand out and she just looked at me, shaking my hand as she bit her lip. "I'm Lorelei."

I just smiled, noticing Arabella was asleep and currently drooling on my shoulder.

"Pretty name," I said, making her smile and tuck a chunk of her dark hair behind her ear.

"She looks just like you," she blurted, grinning up at me.

"Oh, she's not mine," I said, chuckling.

"Had me fooled." She lightly rubbed her back and I just looked down at her, an eyebrow cocked up.

"Let's get our table?" Dad suggested, his eyes on me.

"I'll take her, love," Adora said, grabbing Arabella from my arms.

I smiled as Adora grabbed her, folding my arms over my chest. "So you're from Chicago?"

Lorelei just looked up at me. "Yeah. Different vibes here, definitely."

I chuckled. "Yeah, I can only imagine."

We began walking to our table and I rolled my sleeves up, occupying Lorelei's eyes. Her eyes were fixated on my forearms, making her run into a chair. I wrapped my hand around her arm before she could fall, cocking an eyebrow up at her. "You good?"

She just looked up at me and bit down on her bottom lip, making me smirk.

"I'm fine," she said, smiling a tight smile.

We got to our table, and I pulled her chair out for her. She just looked at me with raised eyebrows, sitting down.

I sat down next to her, grinning at Arabella in Adora's arms.

"So you're eighteen?" Adora asked, smiling at Lorelei.

She nodded, clearing her throat. "Actually just turned eighteen yesterday."

"Legality's fun," I said, grinning over at her.

She just looked at me, a smile tugging at her lips.