“Do you think you could leave us with these for a bit?”
“Of course. Take your time. Why don’t you call me in a few days, Dylan?”
Dylan huffed out a sigh. “Fine.”
John shook our hands and left.
Dylan stood beside me, frowning.
I traced the design. “I’m surprised you don’t see it.”
His voice wasn’t impatient or upset but weary. “Don’t see what, Alex?”
“Look again, Dylan. What are you trying to make here?”
He looked over the drawings. “Your dream house, Alex. A home for us.”
I smiled up at him. “We already have that at the Gables. You’re trying to recreate your favorite parts into another house.”
He stared at me, then at the plans. “Oh my God, I am.”
I leaned against the table. “Dylan, we all love it at the Gables. Why are you insisting we move?”
“Because the bluff was your dream, Alex. I want to give it to you.”
“You already gave me my dream, Dylan. I have you.”
“But the house . . . the bluff . . .”
“I have another bluff now. You built me a lovely place to sit and spend time. You know how much I love my sun-house.”
“I wanted to give you this dream.”
I shook my head. “I’ve been trying to tell you for months, Dylan. You already have. I wanted a home, love, and to feel safe. The bluff was my hideaway. It was where I went when I needed to feel centered. I have all that at the Gables. Our home—you—center me. The kids love it there. We have plenty of room, it’s easy access to Edgewater or Halifax. You love your office, and I enjoy running the cottages . . . when they’re not full of company, that is.”
He chuckled. Most of the time, they were filled with personal guests. Arlene and Simon, their family, and George were constant visitors. We took guests on occasion, and even those were regulars.
He looked at the design. “So, you don’t want to move?”
“One day, when we’re older and the kids are gone and we want a smaller place. Change the design and build it as the honeymoon cottage, Dylan. Fill it with people in love. Let that soak into the walls for the next thirty years, and we’ll move in and finish our lives there, together.” I smiled up at him. “We can even rent it and have dirty weekends away when the kids drive us crazy.” I nudged him in the ribs. “I know the owner, you know, I can get us a good rate.”
He burst out laughing, wrapping his arms around me. “That would work. I can have John keep the private road, and the people renting the cottage have access. It gives them privacy. Then when we’re ready—in forty or fifty years”—he cocked an eyebrow at me—“we can make it ours.” He glanced back at the design. “A bungalow, two bedrooms, and the back wall all glass so we see the view from every room.”
I leaned up on my tiptoes and kissed him. “Perfect.”
He pulled me closer, bringing my mouth to his for another kiss. “Yes,” he whispered. “You are.”
I glanced over at my sleeping wife. She had been so exhausted when we arrived home last night, she hadn’t even moved as I lifted her from the passenger seat and carried her inside. The one time she stirred was when I tugged her shirt over her head and tucked her into our big bed. She half smiled at me, attempting to pat my cheek and missing totally, falling right back to sleep.
I should have left her at home when I flew to Toronto. I knew she didn’t like the big city—it frightened her still, even with me beside her, but since she had told me she was pregnant, my protectiveness had kicked into high gear. I hated not being close—she seemed to feel the same—and agreed to come with me since it was only for two days.
I rested my hand on her already rounded stomach. After we were married that New Year’s Eve in front of the fireplace with friends, and had a perfect—but too short—honeymoon, we started our life together.
We went home, moved into the Gables, and became a family. After a long discussion, I adopted Noelle and Seth, who had surprised me when he told me he would like to be a Maxwell as well. Like Noelle, he had never known his father, and he felt his mother would be pleased he was part of a new family.
I still got a warm feeling in my chest when I heard my Little Owl call me Daddy. Seth waffled between calling me Dad and Dylan, depending on what he wanted at the time. On the rare occasion, he’d mutter “Asshole,” but luckily they were few and far between—he was a great kid, and I was proud of him.
I was thrilled the day Alex threw out her birth control pills. It took us a few months before she was pregnant, but we did it thoroughly, and she was expecting twins. My masculine pride knew no bounds, which made Alex laugh.
I slid out of bed to leave her to sleep, dragged a T-shirt over my head, and headed down to the kitchen. I was still hopeless at making coffee or doing anything else in the kitchen, but Alex kept a Keurig on the counter for me. So, I made a cup of coffee and carried it over to table, sitting back and enjoying the view. George insisted the view on the bluff was the most scenic, but I actually preferred my current view. The vast expanse of openness from the bluff was wild and isolating. The view from the Gables was tranquil and welcoming. Farther inland, the water kissed the rocky shore in gentle swells, and at low tide, my Little Owl and I loved to walk together, searching for new treasures. The more protected cove made it a great place for swimming and boating.
I loved the house. The moment we’d stepped inside, I loved it, and I knew I’d buy it. It was everything we wanted and together, we had made it a home.
Alex was right—I didn’t want to move. We were so happy at the Gables. Friends and family often occupied the five guest cottages, but in the busy summer months, Alex loved having new faces to introduce to her beloved province. It kept her busy, and with a slight smirk, I had to admit, it gave her a break from me. She was an excellent assistant, and she worked hard to keep me in line, never taking any of my shit. I loved working with her, and I’d be lying if I didn’t confess I pouted a little on the days she had “other things” to do.
Edgewater was a booming success. After much thought, and many plans, I changed my mind on the scope of the project. It was still a high-end destination, but not as large as I had originally projected. I kept the main building smaller and added more cottages, catering to both families and couples looking to get away somewhere private. I used the land to scatter them around, and the place was booked year-round. And heading it up . . . was none other than Amy. She flew down with Arlene one trip, met one of the contractors, fell in love, and moved to Pinegrove. While she was there, she showed a remarkable aptitude for running the show. Whereas she failed at taking orders, she was amazing at issuing them, and she ran the guest services to perfection. She also ran Michael, but he seemed to enjoy it. She and Alex hit it off and had become fast friends. Amy and I had finally found a plateau on which we could both function, and to my surprise, we got along well too.
But knowing the magic of the place, nothing should surprise me anymore. It had certainly changed my life—for the better.
The sound of tiny feet heading my way made me smile. I turned in my chair, holding out my arms as the feet sped up.
“Daddy, you’re home!”
Seconds later, I was holding my Little Owl, subjected to her usual greeting of wet little kisses all over my face. They were my favorite.
Her teeth were back, her lisp gone, and her vocabulary much larger. Silence was her enemy, but she was still my Noelle. She had remained tiny, her hair wild and curly, and my knee still her favorite place to sit.
“Hey, Little Owl. Miss me?”
She giggled. “Yes! Seth is too bossy.”
I grinned. Seth had grown up. Now nineteen, his eyes were on the future. Unlike Alex, he loved going to Toronto with me, and I took him quite often. He had taken a year off after graduating, unsure what he wanted to do. Finally, he came to me for one of our talks, and he told me he wanted to go to the University of Toronto and get his business degree. Then, s
hyly, he informed me he would like the chance to work with me. The thought of him by my side, learning from me, had filled me with pride. With eyes for his Cindy alone, he was thrilled when she decided to follow him to Toronto to study nursing.
So, come the fall, he would be leaving us and starting a new life. Granted, he would have it far easier than most kids his age. I had never sold my condo, using in it when I was in town, so he and Cindy would be living there, and on occasion when I was in town, I would be their guest. I also insisted on paying for his tuition. He’d been through so much at a young age; I wanted to make it easy on him. Cindy’s parents struggled financially, and I slyly found a way of paying her tuition as well without insulting them. Both Alex and I adored Cindy and were sure, when the time was right, she would be part of our family too.
We were also both certain, given the love Seth had for the hustle and bustle of the big city, that he would remain there. I already envisioned him taking over my company one day, and then passing it on to his son or daughter.
Noelle tugged on my arm, bringing me back to the present. “Can we go find some shells today?”
I nuzzled her head. “Sure.”
“Will Mommy come with us?”
“Probably not. She’s pretty tired.”
“Maybe we can make her breakfast?”
I grinned. “Maybe lunch would be better.” Sandwiches, I was good at. Plus, Alex always had soup in the freezer, and I could reheat things really well. “Maybe Seth will be awake by then.”
She giggled, leaning back into my chest. “He likes to sleep.”
“That he does.”
Noelle tilted up her head. “Did you pick a house?” she asked, and for the first time, I noticed the lack of excitement in her voice. Alex was right about the whole thing. None of us wanted to move.
I brushed the wild hair back from her forehead and pressed a kiss to the soft skin. “Mommy and I decided we would rather stay here. Is that okay with you?”
Her face lit up, brighter than the sun bouncing off the waves out in the ocean. She bobbed her head, looking excited. “I love my room! And the beach is fun!”
“Good. Then this is where we’ll stay.”
“Can we make a nursery now?”
I thought of the room at the end of the hall Alex kept wandering into each day. She would lean against the wall and look around, but she had never said a word. She wanted that room as the nursery. She wanted our children in that bright room with the big windows. And I would make sure she had it.
I grinned down at my daughter. “Wanna go do some fun stuff with Daddy?”
She nodded.
“Okay. Go get dressed, and we’ll go see Jodi.”
She clapped her hands. She loved Jodi.
“Okay!”
Alex was at the table when we got back, her hair damp from her shower. A cup of weak tea was in front of her—it was all she could stomach lately. She smiled at us as we walked in, our hands filled with bags.
“I wondered where the two of you were. I was sure you’d be down on the beach, but I checked and you weren’t there.”
I dropped a warm kiss on her upturned mouth, then sat beside her, resting my hands on her rounded stomach. “My Little Owl and I had things to do.”
She laughed. “I figured you’d be together. I just wasn’t sure where.”
“We had some things to pick up.”
“I see.”
“Is Seth in the land of the living yet?”
She nodded as she took a sip of her tea. “Cindy came and got him. They went into Halifax to look for some school stuff.” She sighed, a sad smile on her face. “I’m going to miss him.”
I lifted her chin, smiling into her teary eyes. “You have to let him live his life, my darling girl. And I’ll keep an eye on them. He’ll be back for Christmas.”
“I know.”
“I’m here, Mommy!” Noelle called out. “I’ll help with the babies!”
I scooped her up, sitting her on my knee. “You’re gonna be the best big sister ever,” I teased her, loving how she spread her tiny fingers across Alex’s stomach.
“Are they playing today, Mommy?”
“They were, but I think they are having a nap.”
“Ooooh,” Noelle whispered. “I’ll be quiet.”
I grinned against her head. She was still beyond adorable. “Don’t you wanna show Mommy what we got?”
She clapped her hands. “Can I, Daddy?”
“Yep.”
Alex smiled. “What have the two of you done now?”
“We went shopping!” Noelle crowed.
I met Alex’s gaze over Noelle’s head.
She smiled tenderly at me, shaking her head. “Dylan . . .”
I lifted one shoulder. “We enlisted Jodi’s help.”
“That’s even worse.”
I laughed and handed her a bag containing her favorite chocolates. She loved the new outfit Noelle had picked and chuckled over the multicolored sneakers that lit up when Noelle walked on them. Noelle’s sweet laughter drifted down the hall as she ran to hang up her new dress and no doubt stand in front of the mirror, tapping her feet.
When I handed Alex the flat bag, she frowned in curiosity, then gasped in delight at the contents. Jodi had found websites with lots of baby furniture and designs and printed them out. She also typed up links for places that carried the hundreds of items it seemed babies needed. Part of taking Alex to Toronto with me had been to take her shopping there, but between my work and her exhaustion, it never happened. Thanks to the internet, though, I could bring the shopping to her. Jodi knew Alex’s tastes, and she helped me choose some sites that carried the sort of items she knew Alex would like.
I leaned forward and kissed my wife. “We’re staying here in our home, so decorate the room at the end of the hall for our children, Alex. Whatever you want for them is yours. Jodi will come to help you if you want, and Michael will make any changes you need made and paint it. Okay?”
She cupped my cheek and nodded, her eyes brimming with tears. “Thank you, Dylan.”
“Thank you, my darling girl, for knowing what was right for our family. For knowing me.” I turned my face to press a kiss to her palm. “You’re my everything, Alex. I love you.”
She smiled—the warm, wonderful smile I so loved to see. The one she had for me and me alone.
“I love you too.”
Thick, white snow swirled outside our windows, the wind ferocious in its intensity. Wet, heavy clumps of drifts surrounded our home, the storm so intense, I couldn’t see the ocean and beach that normally greeted me. I knew tomorrow I would be using the huge snow blower I purchased, and that once again, I would be grateful for investing in the massive SUV we owned. It was the closest I could get to a minivan without actually having to drive one. Alex still did, the one big difference being it was new, well-serviced, and very safe. It held the most precious cargo in the world—my family.
Inside our home, it was warm, safe, and dry. The storm that raged was muted by the heavy building protecting us. My Noelle slept soundly—completely unaware of the storm outside, her wild curls spread on her pillow, making her odd snuffling sounds. I grinned as I tucked her feet back under the covers, knowing ten minutes after I was gone, she would have kicked them off again. Leaning down, I brushed a kiss to her forehead and left her room, leaving her door ajar in case she did wake and was frightened.
I passed Seth’s room and paused in the doorway. His bed was neatly made up, the room spotless—everything in its place, except for the boy. Happy and busy in Toronto, he loved his new world. Even though we spoke almost daily and Skyped all the time, I missed his cheerful disposition and our easy camaraderie. And I really missed having another male in the house—I was entirely outnumbered now.
I moved down the hall to my intended destination. In the nursery, I checked on my two tiniest daughters. They were both asleep, their little fists curled under their cheeks, the storm not bothering them in the least. I traced
my finger over the downy cheek of our eldest twin, Joy. Born ten minutes ahead of her sister Hope, she weighed a whole pound more, and she was already the ruler of the nursery and the house. Her cry was distinctive and loud, and her temper rivalled mine. Her younger, tinier sister, rarely cried, seemingly content to let Joy take the lead and make sure someone looked after all their needs.
I couldn’t stay away from either of them.
Hope’s little arm shifted, her fist opening, and she bleated a tiny sound. Without a thought, I scooped her into my arms and sat in the rocking chair, holding her close. She nuzzled into my chest, her warmth seeping into my skin as we rocked. I knew she was fine, but I couldn’t resist any opportunity to hold her or her sister. Alex often came in to find me dozing in the chair, both the girls nestled on my chest as I slumbered.
The tenderness I had for these tiny beings was overwhelming at times. I didn’t think I could love anything or anybody more than I loved my wife, but their birth proved me wrong. It was as if my heart expanded—and the happiness and devotion they brought forth strengthened and grew the love I was capable of giving. The love Alex had helped me discover.
A quiet squeak of the floorboards had me looking up. Alex was leaning on the doorframe, a gentle smile on her face.
“I thought I’d find you in here.”
“Just checking on the chicklets.” I kissed Hope’s head. “Noelle was obviously fighting dragons again, but I tucked her back in. Joy was good, but Hope was a little restless and fussing. I thought I could settle her down.”
Alex crossed over, standing in front of us. Leaning down, she ran her finger over Hope’s downy head. “Dylan,” she murmured. “We have monitors you know. I heard her, ah, ‘fussing.’”
I grinned, not at all upset she caught me.
She bent down, brushing her lips over mine. “You’re such a good daddy. But you’re going to spoil them.”
“I want to spoil them, Alex. I never want them to doubt how much they are loved.”
“They never will, Dylan. They will never experience the kind of neglect you did. You’re too full of love for us to let that happen.”
Christmas Sugar ~ Melanie Moreland Page 15
