"Okay Liv. We will see them tomorrow. We have our dinner reservations to get to." Her eyes lit up.
"Oh I forgot you were taking me to dinner and without the kids!" She blew us all a kiss and they left. The three of us looked at each other one by one and it was Caleb who busted up laughing first and Grayson and I joined in.
"Grayson, I promise you that your Aunt Olivia isn't that emotional. Yes she's sweet but she's pretty cool and funny. She'll get used to the similarities between you and Jeremiah so don't worry about her staring at you all of the time."
"Oh it's cool! I really like her and she gives really good hugs." He looked up at me and smiled. "Like you do."
"Well come here and give me another one before we go eat. I could use one of your hugs right now." He ran into my arms and we held each other and then he was gone. Caleb pulled him into his arms and picked him up and pulled me close.
"I say we have a group hug because big old Caleb here could use one too." We all three held onto each other for a few minutes and then realized how funny we must look and busted up laughing. It was good while it lasted having both of my guys in my arms.
**************
A few hours later I'm sprawled across my king sized bed taking in the comfort of my own bed. I spread my legs and arms out up and down remembering the snow angels I used to make when I was a kid growing up in Kansas. Oh the fun times that Olivia, Derek and I used to have growing up.
"Am I interrupting? I can always sleep on the couch if I have to but I'd prefer to sleep next to your warm body." I jumped because I forgot all about Caleb taking a shower. I reached up and grabbed a pillow and threw it at him to which he ducked and smirked at me.
"How is it that you are always scaring me when I'm so deep in thought?" I forget about how scared he made me and stared at his beautiful physique in nothing but a towel around his waist. He noticed me watching him and gave me that seductive look of his. Dimples and all which had my heart melting.
"Oh stop it Nerd Boy! I'm not in the mood tonight. I just want to be held so if you're wanting to do more than cuddle tonight you might go sleep on the couch. Or you can sleep with Grayson because I doubt he'll notice you're in bed with him. He's OUT! I think we wore him out tonight!" He threw his towel in the hamper and pulled some boxers out of the drawer and put them on and walked over to the bed and crawled in beside me and pulled me into his arms.
"Cru, the look you just gave me wasn't the look of 'I'm not in the mood' but cuddling is okay I guess. You do realize that this is the first night home as an official couple and yes... I was hoping to make love to you all night in a way of celebrating our engagement."
I looked down at my ring finger to see the faint lines of my initials that he wrote on it and grinned. I hadn't realized what a romantic he could be at realizing we had never officially christened the house that we've shared for the past year as friends. Although if Cash and Olivia hadn't have shown up when they did that Saturday morning we definitely would have christened it that morning.
"When you put it that way how can I resist your charms? Are you as terrified and as happy as I am right now?" I looked up at him with tears in my eyes and he grabbed my chin and leaned down and gave me a soft kiss across my lips and pulled me in closer to where my head was against his chest.
"Why are you crying baby? I'm truly happy but not terrified. Why are you terrified and you're shaking baby what's wrong?"
"I just... I've NEVER been this happy but this whole nonsense with Roger and Meredith has me scared to death! Why are you not terrified?" I looked up at him and I could tell that he felt the same way but had been hiding it well.
"Oh I am and I'm not taking their threat lightly but I refuse to live in fear Cru. Cash and I are taking all precautions and he's hired an extra security guard for their house and right now we have one sitting outside the house so don't worry too much. I will do whatever needs to be done to protect my family so have a little faith in me alright?" He seems quite offended at the moment.
"I do have faith in YOU it's the crazy people that want to hurt my child that I don't have much faith in. Why do people have to be so evil? How in the world did they get out of jail for what they did to him?" I rose up and realized I was yelling and lowered my voice so as not to wake Grayson up. "Why did Mattie have to tell an innocent child that there are evil people in the world trying to do harm to us and are trying to get him back in any way possible? That's too much for his little shoulders and he has been through enough shit this past year to think about any of that mess." He pulled me back down next to him and pulled my hair back away from my face and started rubbing my forehead.
"Shhh.. You don't want to wake Grayson up but if I remember correctly your stubborn son refused to stay longer than a week because of his dreams in thinking his father doesn't want him to. Speaking of fathers." His voice seemed pained all of a sudden. "Do you think he'll ever call me Dad? I love it when he calls you Mom but I'm not going to deny the fact that I'm a little jealous." Oh no! Here I've been only thinking of myself and bonding with my son and I haven't even thought about his desires of wanting the same thing. I turned my head up to him and kissed him.
"Caleb... I've been so jealous of yours and his relationship that I hadn't even noticed that he hadn't. He absolutely adores you and I know he will when he's ready. Maybe when we get married it'll just feel more natural to him." He let out a big sigh and nodded.
"Maybe you're right." He pulled me on top of him and my hair cascaded down to his chest and he pushed it back over my ears and gave me that smoldering seductive look of his that turns me to mush. "How about we push all of our worries aside and pretend that this is our wedding night?" He flipped me over and was on top of me and started kissing my throat which had me moaning in his ear.
"Sounds like a plan Nerd Boy but as much as my mind is working right now it might take you awhile to make me forget about my worries. Are you up for the challenge?" He chuckled against my mouth.
"Oh challenged accepted Cruella. Challenge accepted! I hope you're ready for this baby because you're in for a long night and I plan on you not being able to walk in the morning."
"Oh I love it when you talk dirty to me! Game on Nerd Boy! Game on!"
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The next morning after we finished our breakfast and was cleaning up the kitchen we had a knock at the door and it happened to be Lucas, Cash's limo driver. He was dressed all professional and actually bowed and tipped his hat at me. I couldn't help but giggle.
"I hear we have some long lost relatives moving into the castle for a while. I'm here offering my services to help in any way that I can and to give you all a ride." Caleb ran around me like a kid and pulled Lucas into a big bear hug and slapped him on the back.
"Lucas my man! It's so good to see ya! How are Carmen and the kids doing?" Lucas chuckled at his excitement and winked at me as he pulled away from their hug.
"Good to see you too Caleb and the kids are great and you know how Carmen is before a big holiday. 'Lucas do this and Lucas do that.' Haha. We are definitely going to have a lot of people to feed this year and we all have a lot of reasons to be thankful for." He looked behind me and grinned at Grayson. I pulled him around me to stand in front of me to introduce them with my hands resting on his shoulders.
"Lucas, I'd like to introduce you to my son Grayson. Grayson, this is Lucas. He's Cash and Olivia's limo driver but he's family as well. His wife Carmen is their cook and runs their house like a prison warden but is just as sweet as Lucas here." He extended his hand to Grayson and he shook it in return.
"Nice to meet you Master Grayson and Claudia's right about Carmen but if you learn the house rules quickly you'll have no problems and it's mainly rule Number 1 that you have to worry about and that's to stay out of her kitchen. If you need anything at all like something to drink or a snack just tell her and she'll get you fixed up real quick."
"Well thanks for the heads up and nice to meet you too." He looked over Lucas and outside and h
is eyes lit up. "Are you taking us to Cash and Olivia's in THAT?" I realized that he had driven here in the limo and I looked at Lucas questionably.
"I thought Caleb and I would run to the office real quick and just drive there ourselves. What's up Lucas?" He got a shy guilty look on his face and grinned back at me.
"I was too impatient to wait to meet Grayson and the boss man wanted me to help him in spoiling his new nephew and mentioned how cool it would be for me to pick him up and arrive at the castle in a limo." Caleb laughed as did I because that is so typical of Cash to be a little grandiose.
"Oh Cash and his grandiose way of living. Well.... We still need to take one of our vehicles so that we won't be stranded without a car to drive." Caleb took care of any worries that I had by speaking up.
"Oh please Claud.. You know we can use any of Cash's cars or even Olivia's for that matter. What do you think Grayson? Have you ever ridden in a limo before?" I knew as soon as he looked at me that we would be riding in the limo for the day.
"Nope but I've always wanted to. This is AWESOME and pretty COOL! I'll hurry up and go pack." He was off as quick as lightning to his bedroom. Caleb and Lucas were both beaming from ear to ear at me and I let out a big sigh.
"Oh I guess I'll go hurry up and pack as well. Caleb, we do need to run by the office and check up on your mother and see if there's anything pressing that can't wait until tomorrow."
"Not a problem and I was planning on staying with Mother and have her drive me to Cash and Olivia's when the day is over since we will be having dinner there. I don't think she'll let us get away with her not meeting Grayson this morning. I'll go pack as well. Lucas? We have some coffee in the kitchen so just make yourself at home and we will be ready shortly." Lucas' face lit up at the mention of coffee and he headed towards the kitchen.
****************
The meet and greet with Amelia went exactly how I figured it would. There were lots of hugs and tears and even laughter. Grayson seemed ecstatic when he realized he had a grandmother in his life to spoil him because that's exactly what Amelia told him she planned on doing and that was to make up for the time that she didn't know him. His eyes lit up when she told him she had already started Christmas shopping for him. His next questions of course were if he had any other grandmothers and did he have a grandfather. He beamed when I told him one more grandmother and not 1 but 2 grandfathers. I'm sure he was thinking of even more presents which had me rolling with laughter at his 10 year old mind. Even though my parents are dead Elizabeth and Henry definitely stepped up for Derek and I in being our honorary parents and the first thing I wanted to do was to thank them for their role in my lives that I've taken for granted all of these years.
"Oh my GOD! Is THAT the CASTLE?!" I looked out the window and saw the castle and nodded my head at him but I'm not sure that he noticed because he still had his bottom lip hanging down to his chin. All I could do was laugh at him.
"Yep! That would be it. Pretty big huh?" He finally blinked and nodded his head.
"Big? I've seen libraries smaller than that! Heck! My school is smaller than that if you put all of the buildings together. How many stories is it?" His question made me pause because I wasn't exactly sure but Lucas stepped in for me.
"There are 7 stories and yes there is an elevator and a stairwell to get to each floor. Grayson you're going to love the house and I can already picture you and Gideon getting into a bit of trouble together, haha." Oh boy! Grayson and Gideon together in this monstrous castle?! Oh boy if we aren't ALL in trouble now.
"I can't wait!" He looked over at me with a shy look on his face. "Do you really think Gideon and I will get along? Ya know. Be friends? I've never really had very many friends since I was home schooled and well... I was hoping that my cousins would have been nicer to me but that didn't work out too well." Oh my poor baby. I never realized that he never talked about any of his friends other than mentioning a couple of classmates. I put my arm around his shoulders and pulled him into a hug.
"Oh trust me, you and Gideon will hit it off and you are both so much alike it's a bit scary. You're a couple of years older than he is but I bet you end up being best friends and will end up getting upset like Olivia and I do when we're apart. I bet you end up as close as brothers." That perked him up a little bit.
"Brothers? I always wanted a brother. Hmm. Brothers! That would be awesome! Hey! Do you and Caleb plan on having kids because I want to tell you right now. I'm all for it! I would love to have some little brothers and sisters."
Whoa! Where in the hell did THAT come from?! He's still staring at me waiting for my answer but I'm so shocked I don't know what to say. Thank God Lucas distracted him.
"Okay. We're here. Grayson? Are you ready to meet everyone because I know they're ready to meet you!" I looked up and realized that Lucas was smiling at me and purposely announced our arrival to keep me from answering Grayson's question. I nodded my head at him and grinned to thank him to which he nodded back. Lucas got out and opened the door for us and Grayson wouldn't move toward the house. It was like his feet were cemented to the ground and he looked like he was going to be sick at any second.
"What's wrong? You seem more nervous than when you met me and you handled that pretty well. Come on. You've already met the hardest person to get along with AND the meanest one in the family so I think you can handle this."
"I did? Who was that?" I winked at him and grinned and bowed to him with a little curtsy which had Lucas holding his belly while he roared with laughter.
"Me goofy!" At first he seemed shocked but then started laughing as loud as Lucas.
"You? But you're not mean."
"Ha! Let's see what you have to say about that when girls start wanting to date you. I'll be the meanest baddest momma around! Ha! Trust me because I can be mean." He shook his head and continued to laugh but Lucas knew I was telling the truth.
"Oh Grayson you don't know it but you are probably the best thing that's happened to this family since Olivia walked into our lives. Things seem kind of right and balanced now because of you."
I was taken aback by what he said and at first seemed offended but I guess he was right. If it weren't for Grayson I'd probably still be acting like the barracuda I tried to pretend I was. I probably would still be pining over Caleb and not giving him a chance at showing me what happiness could feel like because I was living in my own misery. I looked at Lucas and he tipped his hat at me while I grinned back.
"You two go in while I grab your luggage. I think they're waiting for you."
I nodded back and grabbed Grayson's hand and walked up to the massive door that you could only have for a castle. I looked around and chuckled because I've always been so surprised that Cash didn't have a moat around the place as big as it is.
We walked in the foyer and I heard nothing but chaos and I absolutely loved it and realized how homesick I had been. I heard Cassidy crying and Carmen telling everyone lunch would be ready in 30 minutes. Olivia was telling everyone to settle down because we would be arriving any minute and then sighed when Hank started crying along with Cassidy. I burst out laughing when we finally reached the living room and kitchen.
"Well if this scene doesn't make me feel like I'm finally home I don't know what would."
Olivia stopped in her tracks and grinned and shook her head and rushed over to hug me and threw Hank into my arms who immediately stopped crying when he looked into my eyes.
"Well hey there Hank! Now if you aren't the cutest little Mohawk wearing dazzling deep blue eyed baby I've ever seen." I gave him a big blow kiss on his cheek and he immediately started giggling and tried to pull my hair.
"Oh here I am trying to make everyone look and act presentable and as soon as you walk in it seems that time has stopped. No more crying babies and everything seems right in the world. How in the world do you do that Claud?" I laughed at her question because I had no clue what she was talking about but it sounded like we showed up at the right time.
"I'm just being me O! Crazy Aunt Claudia! For some reason babies love it." I heard running footsteps coming in my direction and then the banter of laughing children.
"Aunt Claudia! You're here! I missed you so much!"
"Eden! Oh look at you my sweet girl! You look like you've grown an inch since I've seen you! I squat down and give her a hug and look into her beautiful brown eyes and immediately see Vanessa in then which always has my eyes mist up a little every time I see her when it has been awhile.
"That's what Daddy said this morning. He said he's going to find a way to stop me from growing up." She seemed worried and a little upset by the thought of it and she whispered to me to where no one could hear. "Do you think he would really do that?" I stifled the laugh that I wanted to let go of but whispered back to her.
"I don't think so baby girl but if I know you're daddy he'll try to find some way to do it. Don't worry though. If he finds a way to do it I'll let you run away with me okay?" She put her arms around my neck and gave me a tight hug and whispered thank you and grinned at me. I looked up and Gideon was patiently waiting for mine and Eden's hello to end. He kept looking over at Grayson and he was nervously looking around. I got so distracted by the craziness that I forgot that I had introductions to make. Olivia pulled Eden away and took Hank out of my arms and I reached out to Gideon and gave him a hug and kissed him in his cheek.
"I sure missed you my sweet boy! Have you been staying out of trouble?" He sheepishly looked over at Olivia and she laughed out loud. There's no telling what he's been up to while Caleb and I have been gone.
Found by Love Page 22
