31 Days of Summer (31 Days #2)

by C. J. Fallowfield

  ‘You’ve done nothing wrong having a few hours away,’ Dan stated as he kissed my temple. ‘You need some you time, some us time.’

  ‘I know, but now I’m missing him.’

  ‘Me too. So how about we get going and we can go and watch him sleeping for a while?’

  ‘If he’s sleeping,’ I replied. ‘He might be screaming the house down.’

  ‘Rubbish,’ laughed Dan. ‘My boy loves his sleep as much as I love fucking. Trust me, he’ll have been out like a light.’

  ‘You think?’ I asked, as I raised my concerned face to look at him.

  ‘I know so,’ he smiled and pulled his iPhone from his pocket and played me a voice message. “Hello Daniel, just to let you know that Master Oliver has gone to bed and is sleeping soundly. He was a bit fussy, I think he misses his parents, but he was as good as gold when I read for him and soon went out like a light. I hope you’re having a good night and please don’t rush back on my account, anything to keep me away from my husband and his night of war films.” See, he’s fine. I got the message while you were spark out on me.’

  ‘You could have woken me up to tell me.’

  ‘You were like the proverbial sleeping baby yourself and you needed it. Come on then, let’s get you home before you have real withdrawals.’

  ‘Home,’ I smiled.

  ‘Home,’ he nodded. ‘For real this time.’

  ‘For real,’ I agreed. I reached up and traced his lips with my fingers and felt my heart swell as I looked at the man I loved, the father of my child and my home. ‘I love you, Oliver Daniel Davenport,’ I whispered as my eyes filled with tears. ‘So much and I’ve had the most amazing evening.’

  ‘I love you too, Ellie Baxter and we’ll have plenty more, though if we have them here I need to have sliders put under the feet of the furniture. We’ve fucked up the floor,’ he advised with a flick of his head to where the moving armchair had scraped off all the white paint, as it made its way across the room. I started laughing and he joined me, before clasping my face and kissed me with his heart, body and soul.

  Day Twenty One

  Saturday 26th July – Year Two

  Ellie

  I left Dan and Oliver playing upstairs as I headed down to the front door. My two weeks trial of living with him had gone fast. It had been amazing, we’d spent quality time with Oliver and were thrilled to both witness his first roll onto his tummy, though he threw a mini tantrum when he couldn’t roll back again. Mrs. McAdams had looked after him for us a number of times so we could go running and hiking and at the insistence of Theo and Florie, I’d visited with Dan a few times so they could meet Oliver themselves. I think having lost not only their daughter, but unborn grandchild, they were thrilled to be able to see him and play with him. I thought I’d find it odd, but what was odd was that I didn’t. They were a huge part of Dan’s life and while he was going to come here for a few hours a day, five days a week, that meant a huge part of our lives too.

  We’d flown back to London on Friday afternoon and had spent the evening and all day yesterday packing up most of my belongings, leaving some clothes and toiletries behind for when we came to stay, along with a lot of Oliver’s stuff too, except most of his collection of teddy bears which were coming back with us. Dan had already equipped the kitchen on the island with all my preferred gadgets, had a TV installed in the lounge and made a temporary office for me in the lounge area of the master suite. I’d placed an order for all my preferred cosmetics and perfumes and some new outdoorsy clothes, including some proper winter gear along with official snow boots. We were pretty ready to go and start our new lives. I’d invited Brooke, Molly, Captain and Edward over for a late lunch / early evening meal, as they hadn’t officially met Dan, and I wanted all my family around me for my last night and to have the chance to play with Oliver before his bedtime.

  ‘Hi,’ I beamed as I opened the door to see Brooke and Molly arm in arm. Brooke screamed and let go of Molly and launched herself at me, knocking both of us to the floor. We laughed as Molly stepped in and closed the door, shaking her head.

  ‘Anyone would think she’s missed you,’ she laughed.

  ‘I did miss her, terribly and my little tyke, where is he?’ Brooke asked as we picked ourselves up.

  ‘Dan has him upstairs,’ I advised, as I brushed myself down.

  ‘Fuck me sideways,’ uttered Brooke as she stared behind me.

  ‘Right there with you babes, I may turn my back on this whole lesbian deal,’ nodded Molly with the same look on her face. I turned around to see Dan standing at the bottom of the stairs, with Oliver in his arms.

  ‘Hands off les and bi-girl, he’s my man,’ I stated proudly as he strode over, looking simply divine in his indigo jeans and a pale blue pinstripe shirt rolled up at the sleeves.

  ‘I was concerned when I heard the scream,’ he smiled, as he handed Oliver to me and gave me a kiss. I heard Brooke groan as she heard his deep voice and gave her the O yeah, see why I’ve got it bad? look. Dan turned and held out his hand to Molly first.

  ‘Oliver Davenport, otherwise known as Dan. Pleased to meet you, Molly.’

  ‘You too, how did you know I was Molly?’

  ‘You didn’t have the potty mouth,’ he smiled and we burst out laughing, as Brooke looked offended.

  ‘Well you do,’ I protested.

  ‘Miss Hanson I presume.’ Dan turned to face Brooke, who at five foot four, looked dwarfed by his six foot five frame.

  ‘Guilty as charged,’ she nodded with a gulp, as she looked up at him. He held her shoulders and kissed her on the cheek making her go as red as her tight naturally curled hair.

  ‘I believe I owe you big time for this happy state of affairs.’

  ‘You sure do,’ she nodded. ‘I’m still really sorry about the verbal abuse I gave your secretary.’

  ‘I think he’d rather another six calls like that, than to be called a secretary,’ Dan laughed.

  ‘What’s wrong with secretary? It’s a very responsible position and he was the best I’ve ever duelled with on the phone, for holding me off.’

  ‘I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to hear that, but would prefer the term personal assistant to secretary, which tends to bring up connotations of a female.’

  ‘Hmmm, sexy secretary I could go with that visual,’ she nodded and earned herself a thump on the arm from Molly. ‘What? That’s one fantasy I’d like to play out at home, babe.’

  ‘Me too,’ I nodded. ‘Not your home, I’m not saying I want to be all sexy secretary for your lesbian strap on shenanigans, not that you use strap ons. Actually I have no idea if you use strap ons. Do you?’

  ‘Ellie,’ laughed Dan. ‘Inappropriate.’

  ‘Please,’ replied Brooke with a roll of her eyes. ‘I know all about your tongue twisting oral technique, wonder cock and Superdan power fucks, sharing that we use strap ons is hardly oversharing. In fact, I think the knowledge is more weighted on my side and I should give you some more of our ins and outs, so to speak.’

  ‘I give up,’ he groaned, as he covered he eyes and shook his head. I rubbed his arm as the rest of us laughed.

  ‘You wanted to meet them. Why don’t you open a bottle of champagne, while I let Oliver’s aunties fight over him.’

  ‘Excellent idea,’ he nodded, as he shoved a hand through his hair and strode off to the wine fridge in the utility room.

  ‘Fuckkkkkkkkkkkkkkk,’ mouthed Brooke as she looked at me. ‘Even hotter in person.’

  ‘Isn’t he?’ I agreed, as I handed Oliver over to Molly and he squealed with delight as she kissed every inch of visible skin. ‘I’m well aware how lucky I am.’

  ‘I hope so, because if you’re not, I may invite him to our bed.’

  ‘Over my mother’s bloody grave you will,’ uttered Molly with a scowl. ‘He may be hot enough to make me take notice, but I don’t do real cock and if you don’t want me to leave you, neither will you.’

  ‘Spoilsport,’ Brooke moaned and held
out her arms for cuddles with my boy. I smiled as Dan reappeared with a champagne bucket full of ice and two bottles, quickly uncorking one and pouring everyone a glass. I’d deliberately expressed enough bottles to see Oliver through until lunch time tomorrow, I wasn’t planning on getting pissed, but I wanted to let my hair down with my friends. Plus John had told me that he had an announcement to make that would be cause for celebration too. I made them all go upstairs so I could check on the Coq au Vin I had on low in the slow cooker and get the rice ready. I’d made a fresh smoked salmon pate to start, with homemade melba toast and a huge fresh fruit pavlova for dessert, as well as canapés for everyone to eat while I finished off. I wiped my hands on a tea towel and went to answer the door again.

  ‘Ellie.’ John’s greeting was bright and breezy, but less hazardous to my health than Brooke’s.

  ‘John, great to see you,’ I smiled as I gave him a big hug. ‘Edward, still keeping him on the straight and narrow?’

  ‘Definitely not on the straight,’ he laughed.

  ‘Or the narrow,’ John winked.

  ‘What is it with everyone discussing their sex lives as they walk through the door?’

  ‘No idea,’ he replied as his eyes went wide, ‘but I’m more than happy to discuss yours,’ he nodded, as Dan came running down the stairs. I laughed and shook my head again, feeling kind of proud that everyone wanted him, but he was mine.

  ‘Dan, this is John my boss and his partner Edward.’

  ‘Pleased to meet you, I’ve heard a lot about you.’

  ‘Captain Cranky a lot, or new and improved John a lot?’

  ‘New and improved John, though anyone subject to her mood swings would be forgiven for turning cranky now and again.’

  ‘Oi,’ I protested with a slap to his arm, as he winked at me, then dipped his head and planted a kiss on my lips. ‘Come on up, Dan’s opened a couple of bottles of champagne and if we don’t grab a glass now, Brooke’s liable to inhale them both in seconds.’

  We sat around the table laughing, it was so great to see my friends and Dan getting on so well, he was really changing from the monosyllabic guy I met nearly two years ago, to the funny and relaxed guy he said he used to be, the guy I was beginning to see more and more of. He squeezed my hand under the table and leaned over and kissed me.

  ‘You ok?’ he whispered in my ear.

  ‘Fantastic,’ I replied as I gave him a kiss back. ‘All the people I love under one roof, how could I not be?’ There was a cough and the sound of cutlery on glass and I looked up to see John standing up.

  ‘Can I have everyone’s attention please?’

  ‘No, you haven’t got Edward pregnant have you?’ teased Brooke and earned herself a clip around the ear from Molly.

  ‘No, but I do have some thrilling news. We have a potential best-selling author in the house,’ he smiled as he looked at me.

  ‘What?’ I exclaimed. I’d handed over my completed manuscript months ago and he’d not said a word. I’d figured it was no good and he didn’t know how to tell me.

  ‘I’m sorry it’s taken so long, but given the genre, and the fact that we’re not a publishing giant, I didn’t feel we were in the best position to represent you. So I’ve been in negotiations with a major international publishing house and have landed you a deal that I think you’ll be very pleased with. I have the initial offer in my bag and they’d like you to fly to New York to negotiate the finer points.’

  ‘Are you serious?’ I gasped, as everyone started clapping.

  ‘Very and it’s a great deal. Read it over tomorrow and naturally if you want me to come with you for the meeting I’ll be happy to.’

  ‘I don’t … I don’t know what to say.’

  ‘Don’t make out like I’m all selfless, I get a fee for referring you and the firm get a cut of the profits.’

  ‘He’d sell his own child if he had one,’ Edward jested.

  ‘As long as we don’t lose out by you taking it elsewhere I have no problem with that at all,’ I laughed.

  ‘Well I guess that calls for a toast to my clever, hot and sexy girlfriend,’ Dan grinned as everyone rose their glasses then started firing questions at me. I was saved by the door being knocked again.

  ‘Who’s that?’ Brooke asked as she looked at me.

  ‘Do I look like I have X-ray vision?’ I laughed as I headed over to open it.

  ‘Brooke Hanson?’ asked a man in overalls, with a clipboard.

  ‘No,’ I frowned, ‘but she’s here.’

  ‘I have a delivery for her.’

  ‘Ok,’ I replied puzzled. ‘Brooke,’ I called over my shoulder, ‘it’s for you.’

  ‘What?’ she called.

  ‘I’ve no idea, there’s a man here with a delivery you need to sign for. Did you order takeout in case I ran out of food?’

  ‘No,’ she gasped. ‘As if I’d do such a thing.’

  ‘You did last time,’ reminded John and was shot down with a trademark glare as she flounced over.

  ‘So, what you got for me?’ she asked.

  ‘Here’s your keys, it’s outside. Do you need a demonstration?’

  ‘Keys? Demonstration? What are you on about? What’s going on?’ she demanded, as everyone got up and walked over to find out the same.

  ‘You ordered a new car to be delivered at exactly seven p.m.’

  ‘A what?!’ she uttered, as my mouth dropped and I turned to look at Dan. He smirked and shrugged. She grabbed my hand and dragged me outside and screamed. Sitting on the cobbles, was a brand new MX-5 convertible in black with chrome accents. ‘You did this?’ she gasped as she looked at me.

  ‘Nothing to do with me, promise.’

  ‘Molly?’

  ‘Like I have that sort of money to spare on my salary,’ she scoffed.

  ‘It was ordered by a Mr. … Davenport,’ the delivery guy advised.

  ‘Seriously?’ Brooke spun around to look at Dan amazed.

  ‘I said I owed you,’ he shrugged.

  ‘I thought you meant a holiday or something, not a new car,’ she uttered.

  ‘Do you want me to return it then?’ he asked.

  ‘Are you fucking kidding?’ she choked as she threw herself at him, hanging from his neck, dangling from his body. ‘No, no, no. I love it, but you didn’t have to go to all that expense.’

  ‘Trust me, I was reserved. You reunited me with Ellie and gave me a chance to be in my son’s life, a car hardly seems worthy.’

  ‘It’s worthy, it’s very worthy,’ she squealed as she plastered his face with kisses, just like she did to Oliver. Dan went red and carefully lifted her off him and set her down.

  ‘So, you want this car or what?’ asked the delivery guy, as he stood holding out the keys.

  ‘I want,’ she nodded and snatched them off him and scribbled on his paperwork. ‘No tour required, I’m very familiar in the ways of Maisie.’

  ‘Find another name,’ I warned, ‘there’s only one Maisie in this family.’

  ‘You’re not having Molly either,’ Molly said firmly, as Brooke opened her mouth.

  ‘Does it have to begin with M?’ asked John.

  ‘Yes,’ she nodded looking at him as if he were stupid. ‘She’s a Mazda, therefore it has to be an M. If she were a Beetle, then she’d begin with a B.’

  ‘How about Mandy, as in I’m Mandy, Fly Me?’ offered Edward.

  ‘She’s a car not a plane,’ Brooke replied rolling her eyes.

  ‘He’s,’ corrected Dan and John at the same time.

  ‘She’s,’ said all the women and Edward which made us all laugh.

  ‘I’ve got it, Megan the Mazda,’ Brooke nodded proudly.

  ‘I guess you’ve all got it covered,’ announced the delivery man, with a strange look at us all as he said his goodbyes.

  ‘Let’s go for a spin,’ Brooke exclaimed as she clapped her hands. I snatched the keys off her immediately.

  ‘No way, you’ve had at least a bottle of champagne all on your
own. You can take her out in the morning as you’re staying over.’

  ‘O, Mum,’ she moaned.

  ‘Ellie’s right, you’ve had far too much, babe,’ Molly told her with a kiss to her cheek.

  ‘Here,’ I offered, as I activated the doors. ‘Go and sit in her and check out all the pretty dials, but you’re not having the keys, I’m hiding them until the morning, possibly tomorrow night dependant on how hung-over you are.’

  ‘Fine,’ she sulked, but soon brightened up as she opened the driver’s door and sunk into it. John and Edward went to look as Dan slipped his arm around my waist.

  ‘You’re naughty,’ I scolded, as I looked up at him. ‘I was joking when I said she’d like a car.’

  ‘For God’s sake, Ellie. I told you it’s nothing, I paid for it in the time we sat around the dining table. They don’t have a car, she loves yours, so it was the obvious thank you gift.’

  ‘Most people send flowers or chocolate,’ I retorted.

  ‘Are you mad because I didn’t get one for you?’

  ‘No, of course not. I don’t really need a car living here, I’m so close to everything. It will be really helpful to the two of them living further out.’

  ‘You’re not officially living here anymore, only part time,’ he reminded me.

  ‘I know,’ I sighed. ‘I think what you’ve done is amazing, but I don’t want you thinking I’m taking advantage of your generosity and wealth.’

  ‘I know you’re not and you need to get used to me buying the odd thing as a gift, or because it’s needed to keep my family safe and happy.’

  ‘Your family,’ I smiled as I looked up at him. ‘I like that.’

  ‘I love that,’ he whispered against my lips, as he took my mouth in a possessive kiss. We were interrupted by the simultaneous scream of Brooke as the roof went down and Oliver from his play mat in the dining room, obviously upset to be missing out on all of the fun. Dan went and got him and I couldn’t keep the smile off my face as I watched him throwing him up in the air and catching him as he squealed with laughter. Dan was right, the price of a car was nothing in comparison to having him in our lives. Everyone eventually headed back in and I let them all say goodnight to Oliver.