"Why don't we just go somewhere and play with your little boy?" the woman asks, batting her lashes at Xavier.
He looks disgusted right now, which isn't a big surprise. I have lunch with his assistant, Seriyah, sometimes, and although they butt heads all the time, she says he's ultimately a good guy, and dotes on his little boy. I can't imagine he would've brought this woman here if he'd known she would treat her kids this way.
"Did you just say we should play with my son, while you're pointedly ignoring yours? Because, that is beyond my comprehension."
"I gave up my rights to them," she says, still trying to pull away from the boys.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Xavier looks like he wants to kill the woman now, and I don’t blame him.
"She's not," Keir tells him, walking into the room.
"Daddy, look! Mommy's here!" the little one tells him, and I can tell he's barely holding it together.
What? If he's their dad, then Ainsley's his sister. Oh my God. No wonder Miles was amused. They were all laughing at me. I have to get out of here as soon as I can, because I’m even more humiliated now.
"I see that, Con. Why don't you go hang out with your Auntie A for a minute, okay? You too, Trev."
The older boy looks resigned, while his brother just looks sad. Ainsley takes both their hands, and leads them to the other side of the room.
"Alone, Keir? Still miss me too much to move on?” the bitch asks him.
"I was over you the moment you insisted on giving up your rights to our children."
"If you'd been a better man, I wouldn't have left."
"Get. Out."
It's Xavier who says the words, and as fierce as he looks right now, I wouldn't fight with him. This...woman...doesn't seem to get it, though. She's obviously seeing dollar signs, and nothing more.
"This has nothing to do with us, X."
"Us? There is no us. You pursued me, and I agreed to bring you to this game, so you'd finally leave me alone. Now, I'm telling you to leave."
"Why? Who cares about Keir? He can't even get a date!"
Harlow is in her face immediately. "He had a date with me."
My day keeps getting better and better. I've been laughed at behind my back, and now I find out Keir had a date with one of the hottest Foundation women. I know today's worse for him and his boys, but I need just a moment for my own pity party.
"Whatever."
Reina steps forward now. "I'm going to give you one more chance to leave on your own, before I have you physically removed."
This time, she gets the message they've all been trying to give her. I don't know if it's the look in Reina's eyes, the glares from everyone surrounding her, or Xavier's look of disgust, but she gets it. Without another word, she stomps out the door, leaving Keir to deal with the fallout.
The boys come running back over, with Ainsley on their heels. They see their mother gone, and lose it. Keir pulls the older one into his arms, but the younger boy isn't having it. He runs around, dodging Ainsley, Sierra, and the other women, before coming to a stop in front of me.
"Pretty," he says, holding his arms out to me.
I have no choice in this moment. For some reason, the little boy wants me, and even though I'm not happy with his dad, I bend down and pick him up into my arms. He buries his head in my neck, sobbing quietly now, and my heart melts.
7
Keir
I have Trevor next to me on the couch as we watch Zack and his team play. He's calmed down a little, but I know Jacky did damage I'll be dealing with for at least a week, if not longer. It's Connor who has me intrigued. He's still in Grace's arms an hour after he reached for her, but they're on the other side of the couch from us now, instead of standing up.
He's always been a friendly kid, but climbing into a stranger's arms is different than saying hi to a new kid at daycare. And she's blowing my mind by letting him attach himself to her like this. There's no way her arms aren't getting tired, yet she keeps rubbing his back, and whispering to him, while wiping away his tears.
"Pretty, I'm hungry. Can I have ice cream?" he asks, speaking for the first time since this all went down.
"That's up to your daddy."
"Yes, you can have ice cream, but you should call Grace by her name."
"I don't mind a handsome young man calling me pretty," she says, smiling down at him.
Of course, she doesn't. If I referred to her that way, I'd get my ass handed to me, but my kid can say it all he wants. And yes, I'm officially jealous of my four-year-old.
"I'm Connor," he tells her, holding out his little hand. "You can call me Con, if you want."
"It's wonderful to meet you, Con."
"Does your mommy love you?"
Oh, God. Now, I'm not jealous, I'm heartbroken for my kids. Again.
"Yes, she does."
"I want my Mommy to love me."
"I know. Your daddy, and brother, and everyone in this room loves you, though. They're the smart ones, because they know you and your brother are awesome."
Holy hell, this woman just keeps getting better and better. I already thought she was spectacular, but this right here makes me want to fight even harder to get a second chance.
"Let's go get that ice cream," I say, because I am so close to losing it right now.
He stands up, and waits for me to join him. Trevor walks over to Grace, and introduces himself, before walking with us over to the dessert buffet. My kids are the literal best.
"Hey, man, I am so sorry," Xavier says, joining us at the table.
The boys are too busy looking at the choices to pay attention, which I think he noticed. His son isn't with him right now, either.
"You didn't know."
"No. I wouldn't have brought her."
"She likes attention, and money. This was a perfect storm for her."
"I wasn't interested in her before, and I'm sure as hell not now. I cannot believe how she was with your boys, though."
"We're too boring for her, I'm afraid. You're glamourous."
"Fuck that. Us dads need to stick together."
"Thanks for that."
"We should hang sometime. Alone, and with the boys."
"Definitely. Speaking of them, I need to check on what they're piling on their plates."
"Gotcha. Talk to you soon."
I get the boys sorted, and Connor insists on bringing something to Grace, so I help him pick out what I think she'll like. When we get back to the couch, Connor climbs up next to Grace, and Trevor sits closer to them, so I do too. Thanks, kid.
"I brought you dessert. Daddy said you like brownies."
"He's right. Thanks," she tells him taking a bite.
"I made your shirt wet."
I look over, and notice the wet spots, from where he was crying on her. I'm glad she's wearing blue, and not white, or I'd feel even worse.
"It'll dry."
"Auntie A likes Wonder Woman too."
"That's because your aunt is super smart, and knows Wonder Woman is the best superhero."
"Better than Iron Man?"
"Yep."
"Daddy, can boys have a Wonder Woman birthday party?" he asks, looking at me expectantly.
"If that's what the boy wants."
"I want that. Pretty, will you come if I have a Wonder Woman party? I'm going to be five!"
"I'd come even if it wasn't Wonder Woman, and if it was okay with your daddy."
"Daddy, please!"
"Grace is always welcome to spend time with us," I tell him, meeting her eyes so she knows I mean it.
"I'll be there. Just tell me where and when."
"Daddy will give you an invitation. You can come to Auntie A's house with us after the game, too."
"I'm not sure she wants extra people coming to her house, Con," she tells him, and I can't help but smirk, because I know what's coming.
"Auntie A!" he yells.
She comes right over, even though Zack's running down the field. "What's u
p?"
"Can Pretty come to your house after the game?"
"I'm assuming that's you, Grace."
"Yes."
"We'd love to have you join us."
"Really?"
"Yes, really. Once you get to know me, you'll realize I don't say things I don't mean."
"I don't know that I'll be getting to know you so well, but since Connor wants me to be there, I'll go."
"Just like that?"
"Yes."
"We're going to be friends, Grace. Whether you think so now or not, it's going to happen."
"We'll see."
"Yes, we will."
Ainsley winks at me, before going back to her spot at the window. My sister is smart, crazy, and simply the best.
"Grace, can you be my friend too?" Trevor asks her, and I almost stop breathing as we both wait for her answer.
"Of course."
"What about daddy?" Connor asks.
"Your daddy and I have to have a talk before I decide if we can be friends."
"He's nice," Trevor tells her. "He doesn't know how to cook, but he can do laundry and math." This kid's getting extra dessert later.
"Good to know."
We all watch the rest of the game, yelling when Zack scores. The Legends win, which will make the party at my sister's house extra fun. I just need to figure out a way to get Grace alone, so I can talk...and explain.
Grace
I cannot believe I agreed to this. No, that's not true; I would've done anything to make things better for Connor and Trevor. I can handle being around people who laughed at me if it means they might smile a little. After what their mother did to them, it's the least I can do.
Since everyone's arriving at the same time, I don't have to wait to be let in. Harlow smiles at me as she holds the door, and I force myself to smile back. Keir and I hadn't even met when they went on their date, so it's not fair for me to be rude to her. No matter how much I want to be. Petty, party of one, over here.
"Pretty!" Connor yells, running up to me and wrapping his arms around my legs.
"Let's let Grace walk into the house, Con," Keir tells him, shaking his head.
"It's fine."
"Do you want to go sit outside with us?" Trevor asks.
"Actually, I need to borrow Grace for a few minutes. I'll send her out to you when we're done talking," Ainsley tells him.
"Do I have a choice?" I ask.
"Yes."
I could tell her no, but this talk is going to have to happen sometime, and it might as well be now. I motion for her to lead the way, and trail her down a hallway, and into a totally cool office. It's a mix of sports, and computers, unlike anything I've ever seen before.
"Wow."
"Chole outdid herself."
"I love that woman."
"Ditto."
I sit down in a chair, and wait for her to speak. She seems to be waiting for me to do the same, but this is her show, and she's going to have to lead it.
"You can yell at me if you want."
"I don't want to yell."
"What do you want?"
I have to take a moment to gather my thoughts, because I don't want to cry. "Why would you laugh at me like that?"
She looks taken aback. "I didn't laugh at you! I was amused by the situation, and I laughed at Keir, but not you."
"Oh."
"Listen, Grace, I love my brother more than I can ever express to you or anyone else. He went through hell with his bitch of an ex, and I would do anything to see him happy again. I tried to set him up with Harlow, and when that didn't work, I wanted to keep trying. He shot me down, and told me he was happy just hanging with the boys every night. My nephews are great, but I knew he was lying. Maybe I should've pushed harder, but I'm glad now that I didn't, because he found his smile again on his own. With you."
"I don't know about that," I tell her, because I'm still lying to myself about how strong our connection was.
"I do. Before you walked over, he told me he had a date, and he was smiling. A genuine smile that lit up his whole face. He likes you a lot."
"I like him a lot too. I just don't understand why he didn't tell me you were his sister. It seems so small, but it feels so big."
"I know what he told me, but he needs to explain it to you himself."
"That's what Miles said, the bastard. He knew from the moment I said your name, and he just played me. I mean, he even told me I should wear Zack's jersey today."
"Oh my God, Zack would've died. Hell, I would've died. And our friends would've been cheering for you."
"They all know?" I ask, feeling embarrassed again.
"Yeah, but they're all on Team Grace."
"Even before I apologized for complaining about all of you?"
"Yep. We get it, you know. It seems like we have all these perks no else gets to have, and an unlimited budget, but we really do earn everything we have."
"I believe you. If I'm being honest, I might have been a little jealous, because I felt like I was working harder than the men, and here were a bunch of women just breezing in and out like the queens of the building."
"Reina's name means queen, but none of us are like that unless we're provoked. Our job is to help people."
"I know, and I just feel stupid now for complaining. Not only because I have no doubt you do so much good, but also because Miles told me I have some of the perks. I never read past the health and vacation benefits online to see it all."
"Oh wow, I can totally show you all the fun you can have as an employee of C&C. Matt is really the best CEO in the world, and not just because of his business savvy."
"I'd like that, thanks."
"You're welcome. Now, what are you going to do about my brother?"
"I don't know. I'm attending a Wonder Woman birthday party for his son, so we're going to have to talk sometime."
"Connor wants a Wonder Woman party? Seriously?"
"Yeah. He saw my shirt and said you liked her too, so he asked for it."
"We are going to rock this. My friends, and you too, of course."
"I don't want to intrude, especially since things are up in the air with Keir."
She waves a hand at me, like it's nothing. "Please. Keir's world revolves around those boys, and they are both half in love with you already. Whatever they want, he'll do. As for planning, this is a perfect way for you to get to know us."
"If you're sure, I'd love to help."
"I'm sure."
"Okay."
"I'll check everyone's schedules, and plan a meeting for the party, and let you know. We can also plan a time for me to give you the rundown on everything else."
"I really appreciate this, Ainsley."
"No biggie. We should probably get back, though, because Keir might think we killed each
other."
8
Keir
Ainsley and Grace come back with no visible wounds, and smiles on their faces, so I think they're good. I don't know how soon I can get there with Grace, but I'm planning to make it happen sooner, rather than later. Not surprisingly, Connor runs for her as soon as he sees her, practically knocking her over when he slams into her legs.
"You're back!"
"Connor Martin, did you really think I'd steal your new friend away from you?"
He nods. "Uh-huh, Auntie A. She likes Wonder Woman."
"I know. I heard you're changing your party."
"Yep! Are you happy?"
"So happy. Grace is going to help me plan it."
"If it's okay with your daddy," Grace says, looking at me for confirmation.
"Yes, please."
"I'm going to have the best birthday ever!"
"I know! I've got to go kiss my husband, but come see me later for a kiss goodbye."
"K."
She kisses him, and Trevor, and hugs Grace. I get a punch in the arm, which hurts more than I'm willing to admit.
"Let's eat, Pretty."
"We just ate a few hours ago."
"I'm a growing boy."
"Yes. I suppose you are."
He takes one of her hands, and she holds the other one out to Trevor. Once they're all together, with me walking behind them, we head outside to load up our plates. Grace talks to me when she has to, but it's all about my boys for most of dinner, and I love every minute of it. Sitting back, and watching them interact is like watching what a family should look like. I know I need to put a halt to thoughts like that, because we're nowhere near that place, but it's true. She fits perfectly with us.
"Thank you," I tell her when Connor and Trevor go to the bathroom, giving us a few minutes alone.
"Your boys are wonderful."
"They are."
"After meeting your ex, I know it's all because of you."
"I appreciate you saying that."
"It's the truth."
"I'm sorry for not telling you about Ainsley."
"Not today, okay? We don't have time to talk about it now, and I don't want to rush through something that's important to me."
"It's important to me, too. You're important."
"We'll talk."
"When?"
"Keir."
"I don't want you blowing this off, and never giving me another chance. I was stupid, but I don't think what I did is so bad I don't deserve the chance to explain myself."
He's right. In the grand scheme of life, what he did wasn't horrible. Not great, but not worth ending something that was starting out so good, either. "Are you free tomorrow evening?"
"I can ask Ainsley or Sierra to watch the boys."
"Why are they watching us?" Trevor asks, as Connor once again climbs onto Grace's lap.
"Grace and I need to have a talk about some things."
"She can come over, and we'll play upstairs."
"Yeah! Pretty, come over to our house! I can show you my room," Connor tells her, looking at her with his patented puppy dog eyes.
"We can order dinner. We're good at ordering," Trevor adds.
Her face goes from freaked out to smiling. "Oh, no. If I'm coming over for dinner, we're cooking."
"We don't know how."
"I'll teach you."
"You don't have to cook for us," I protest, because I'm already at a disadvantage right now.
Unexpected Company: #2 of Company Men Page 5
