“Congratulations, son,” she whispers teary-eyed, then looks at me with a smile.
“I didn’t get a cake when I got engaged,” Asher whines.
“Actually, I think you did, you big baby,” Willow reminds him.
“No, I’m pretty sure I didn’t. I think I would remember getting something as important as a cake. Can you make me one when we get home,” he asks, giving her puppy dog eyes.
“Uh . . . yeah, you did get a cake, but I’ll bake you one anyway,” she replies.
After cake, there are kids passed out on just about every sitting surface in Samantha’s family room. One by one, everyone collects their children, says their goodbyes with kisses and hugs, and leaves. Aiden and I are the last ones here.
Aiden disappeared a little while ago, but I’m not exactly sure where he went. I take a seat at the table, and look around at Samantha’s large, family dining room table and smile. Someday I hope to have my own large, family dining room table, and have my children and their spouses and my grandchildren all gathered around for Sunday dinner. I look down at my engagement ring and smile. I’m positive one day that will happen to Aiden and me. Samantha pulls out a chair next to me and has a seat. She takes my hand in a warm squeeze and smiles.
“Have you seen Aiden?” I ask her.
“I think he’s in Samuel’s study. The kids like to spend time in there. I think they feel the closest to their dad in there,” she replies in a broken whisper. “I’ve never seen Aiden so happy. Have you two thought about where you’d like to get married?” she asks in a more chipper tone.
“Gosh, we haven’t. I have no clue where to begin. Where did you and Samuel get married?” I ask. Her eyes instantly glaze over, and I think I may have asked her something I shouldn’t have. After about thirty seconds her lips turn up into a smile.
“Samuel and I got married at Elliot Bay Marina here in Seattle, at a restaurant called Palisade. It was just beautiful. For extra cash while Samuel was in college, during the winter months he used to care for a few of the boats down in the marina. One of the boat owners owned the restaurant and gave us an incredible deal. He also gave us an incredible and beautiful wedding. The food there is just outstanding. We snuck out of the reception and stood hand in hand by the waterfront, and there was the most spectacular sunset that night. The hues of pinks and purples were like none other I’ve seen before. It was the most magical night of my life,” she says, remembering her special day like it was yesterday. “Samuel took me back there every year on our anniversary for dinner.” A single tear rolls down her cheek. She quickly wipes it away, then looks at me with a smile. “Oh, just listen to me carrying on like an old fool.”
Aiden walks down the hall into the dining room, leans down and kisses me on the lips, “You ready to go home?” he asks in a soft voice.
“Sure. You don’t need any more help cleaning anything up do you Mrs. W?” I ask.
“No, you kids head on home. Congratulations you two, have a good night,” she says, standing from her chair. She pushes her chair under the table, then looks down to the head of the table with a loving smile.
“I’ll see you soon, Ma,” Aiden says, bends down, and kisses his mom on the cheek.
Aiden and I walk hand in hand to Jade. He opens the door, then turns me against the car. His thumb comes to my cheek and his eyes sparkle in the moonlight.
“I love you, Savvy,” he whispers, then kisses me softly on my lips.
“Aiden Wellington, I’ve collapsed in love with you,” I reply, roll up on my tip toes, and return the kiss.
Pulling away, I give him one last peck on the lips, then he opens the car door for me. As he gets in his seat, he reaches to start the car but stops. He rubs his hand up and down his thighs, then he turns his body toward me.
“I was just in my dad’s study, and I was doing some thinking. I was sitting in his favorite cigar chair, and I was thinking about him and how much my life has changed over these past few years. I know we haven’t talked about where we’d like to get married, or even when, but an idea hit me. But I’d like to hear your thoughts on it first before I tell you mine,” he says in a hushed, shaky voice.
I strain my eyes in the dark to get a better look at his face. Hearing him talk about his dad makes me tear up. “No, really, you go ahead. Tell me what you were thinking,” I reply. It doesn’t matter what I was thinking about for our wedding. I’d do anything Aiden asked. I’d go down to the Justice of the Peace dressed in a potato sack if he asked.
“I . . . I need to hear what you think first,” he says again.
I’m surprised by his hesitation. He’s a lot like his sister, Ava. They’re both so calculated and on top of everything they say and do.
“Alright. Actually, I had no idea up until about fifteen minutes ago. I was sitting at your mom’s dining room table by myself, looking around at all the chairs. Some of the family has to sit in folding chairs or mismatched chairs from around the house, because there are just so many of you. None of that matters, no one minds. As long as you are all together, it’s like you’re all sitting in the palace with the Queen. You’re all just one amazingly happy family. It felt happy, I felt happy. It felt like something I needed to make happen with you and our family one day. In our house in the future, I need a huge, big ass, table that can fit twelve . . . no twenty people. And the chairs don’t even have to match. I want it full with our children and their spouses and our many, many grandchildren. I want to have food fights and laugh until I pee my pants because I’m old and incontinent, not because I did it when your mom dumped water on your head,” I say, looking in his eyes.
“What?” he asks, confused, with a smile on his face.
“I was sitting there thinking all of those things when your mom sat down with me. She asked me if we’d thought about where we wanted to get married, too. I told her I had no clue where to even begin. Then I asked her where she and your dad got married. Her eyes glazed over, then they filled with something magical. The way she described their wedding melted my heart. I was thinking we could get married at the same marina at that same restaurant where they got married, if it’s still around that is. I don’t know, it just seems right somehow. You’re the last of the Wellington siblings to get married, why not finish it at the first place where it kind of all started,” I finish. I look up at Aiden’s eyes, and they sparkle with what I’m sure are unshed tears.
He wraps his hand around the back of my head and pulls me to him as he takes deep breaths.
“Aiden,” I say, pulling away from him. “Was that the wrong thing for me to say?” I question.
“No, not at all. That’s exactly what I was going to suggest. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard my parents tell us kids about their wedding day. I think I can recite their vows word for word,” he says, chuckling. “Then it’s settled. We’ll get married at Palisade on the marina. Now, what about the when?” he asks.
“I have no clue how long it takes to get this sort of thing planned. I don’t know, two months?” I reply.
“That’s perfect timing, you’ll be out of your cast by then. I doubt you want to get married in an orange cast,” he says, taking it in his hand.
“What! Are you kidding? I can picture it now: me, wearing a beautiful white dress, my awesomesauce orange engagement ring, and an orange cast. What a conversation piece. I’d love to get married with it still on.”
“You’re a nut! Alright, then it’s full planning ahead. I’m sure my sisters will be dying to help. No, they’ll most likely insist on helping. Scratch that. Actually, I’m sure they’ll take over the second they find out.”
“That’s fine by me. I wouldn’t want it any other way,” I tell him.
Chapter 12
Aiden
The next morning, I wake up next to my beautiful girl and groan. It’s Monday, back to work for me and back to school and work for Savvy. I’ve always been so eager to get up, get ready, and get into work early. Now I just want to snuggle in and stay
with Savvy in bed all day long.
Savvy rolls over on her side, her eyes open, and her smile lights up her face. “Good morning,” she whispers.
“Good morning, beautiful,” I reply.
“What time is it?” she asks.
“Just a little after seven.”
“Can you drop me off at school this morning on your way to work?” she asks.
“Sure. What time do you get out?”
“The usual,” she replies.
“Do you have to work at the bar tonight?” I ask, but she doesn’t answer. Her eyes turn away from mine and look up toward the ceiling. Then she does that finger picking thing she does when she doesn’t want to talk about something.
“What is it? You can tell me anything,” I encourage.
“Oh, it’s nothing. I’ll just go get in the shower,” she says and starts to get up.
I gently grab her right wrist before it leaves the mattress. She turns around and looks at me. “Do I need to tickle it out of you? Because, I can do that if I need to.”
“No, don’t do that! I have a weapon, remember?” she shrieks, holding up her cast. She slides back in bed, snuggles her backside into my front, and wraps my arm around the front of her.
“I’ve been doing some thinking,” she starts.
“Thinking? About us getting married?” I ask, shocked.
“NO! Oh, God, no! Not about that,” she says, turning her face to look at me. She turns back around and takes a deep breath. “About the bar,” she says and pauses.
“What about the bar?” I ask, giving her a squeeze.
“I don’t want you to think this has anything to do with being carjacked, or Reno, or not feeling safe, because that’s not at all what this is about. And I feel extremely guilty for wanting to do this to Gary. I’m thinking about quitting at the bar.”
“If it’s not about what happened, then why?” I question. I’m excited she wants to quit, don’t get me wrong. I hate Savvy working at that bar.
“I love working at that bar and I love Gary. He gave me a chance and hired an inexperienced bartender when he probably shouldn’t have. I’ve made so many amazing friends. That’s where I first met Max. It’s where I met Chloe, and how I met you. I owe so much to that bar. Part of me is being selfish. I don’t want to work nights anymore because that means not spending that time with you. I was thinking of asking Max if my old job is still available and maybe I can work part-time as his receptionist again. I need to save up some money for a new car. Well, not a new car, but a new to me car,” she finishes.
“First, I know for a fact that Max will give you your old job back. He hounds me all the time to talk you into coming back to work for him.”
“He does?” she asks, surprised, looking at my face again.
“He does. Second, you don’t need to buy a car that’s new to you. We can buy you an actual new car. You’re going to be my wife. What’s mine is yours now, not after we say I do. And third, I have to admit, I’m a little too happy you don’t want to work at the bar anymore. I have mad respect for Gary, and I know he loves you like a daughter. And don’t think I’m a chauvinistic pig or anything, but I don’t like all the men looking at you like they do.”
“Oh, stop it, no one looks at me like anything,” she says, swatting my arm wrapped around her.
“You don’t see it do you?” I ask, turning her over so I can see her face.
“I don’t see what?” she asks.
“Savvy, you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. Everywhere you go, every man in the room stops what they’re doing just to stare at you. Hell, most women stop and look at you. ”
“They do not!” she insists.
“Yeah, they do. And I have to say, you lying here with your naked body pressed to mine saying that, makes me want to be late for work. You just have no idea how beautiful you are inside and out, do you? And I think that’s a fantastic quality about you, among other things.” I lean down and kiss her, bringing my body over the top of hers. Her arms go behind my head as she deepens the kiss. I remove her left arm and set it to the side, shaking my finger at it. She growls on my lips and starts squirming underneath me.
“Damn it, get off!” she yells.
“Why, what’s wrong?” I ask getting off her, thinking I’ve hurt her wrist.
She gets off the bed and heads out the bedroom door. “I’m cutting this cast off right this second! It’s torture not being able to touch you!” she shouts, and heads down the hallway towards the garage.
I quickly get out of bed and run after her. I catch her half way down the hallway and stand in front of her. “You’re not going to cut your cast off,” I tell her.
“Watch me!” she says, then tries to go around me.
I slink my arm around her waist and pull her back into my body with a thud. I turn her around in my arm and back her up against the wall, then cage her with my body.
“I’m . . .” she starts to say.
I kiss her hard, stopping her before she can say another word.
“Cutting . . .” she pulls away and continues.
I sink my lips back down on hers, then tear them away. I palm her jaw and turn her head to the side, kissing down her neck as my other hand comes to her breast. She gasps and moans. With my hand still on her jaw, I take myself in my hand and rub my tip on her slick entrance. God, she’s so ready for me. I slide forward and enter her slowly. I grab her hips and pull her onto me at a slow, torturing pace. I pull out all the way as she gasps, wanting more.
I turn her around, then she places her forearms on the wall and sticks that sexy ass out, needing me back inside her. I slide my dick down the crack of her ass and she gasps with pleasure. I rub my tip up and down her ass as she moans. She removes her right hand from the wall and brings it between her legs. As she works herself, I place one hand on her hip and the other on her breast. I continue to stroke up and down her ass. Her moaning gets louder, her left leg starts to twitch uncontrollably as she comes. I slip all the way inside her.
Her hand slaps the wall in front of her and she shouts, “Yes.” She again, places both forearms on the wall, and uses them for leverage to push back into me with every inward stroke.
Her ass smacks with a crack on my legs with each push into me. I feel myself on the edge as she comes a second time on my dick. I take a step backwards and rest my back on the opposite wall, and hold her hips tight to me as I come.
Savvy takes a step forward, then turns around and walks into my arms and kisses me. “You’re not buying me a car,” she says.
“Yeah, we’ll see about that,” I say, turn her around, and spank her hard on the ass as she walks away toward the bedroom. Just as she gets to the door, she turns around and smiles, biting her bottom lip. Right before she disappears into the room, I see a nice red hand print on her ass cheek. Oh yeah.
I head into the kitchen to grab a garbage bag so I can wrap her wrist and help her take a shower, a non-sexual shower, Scout’s honor.
Savvy
After our shower, I start thinking about Gary and what I need to say to him. I need to talk to him about more than just work. I don’t want to leave him high and dry. I’d like to give him a two week notice and help train a new bartender for him. I also need to go and talk to Max. I really should go to the condo and bring clothes and stuff back here. Ugh, the condo. I hadn’t even thought about going back there again. I had already put most of my good things in the back of Ruby when . . . well we know what happened next. I need to go and see what clothes I can scrounge up. I think I’m going to play hooky from school today to get some major crap done.
I glance out of the corner of my eye at Aiden as he shaves. “I think I’m not going to go to class this morning and go and talk to Gary, then Max. I also need to go to my condo for clothes and stuff. Can I borrow Jade today?” I ask. I hate asking if I can borrow his car.
“Sure you can. It looks like a beautiful day. I’ll take the Harley to work. I can work a half a day if you want
to go to class this morning, then I can come with you if you need me for moral support.”
“I always need you for moral support sugar britches, but I think I need to do this on my own. You don’t mind if I borrow Jade though?”
“No, not at all. And I’ll tell you this again, what’s mine is yours. Plus, it’ll be nice to ride my bike to work,” he says, grabbing the floss. He sets the floss back down, turns to me, leans his hip against the counter and continues, “I was attempting to say that nicely, but what I meant by moral support is I don’t want you to go to your condo alone the first time. I’m coming with you. I’ll work a half a day while you go talk to Gary and Max, we can grab some lunch, then we can go to your condo together.”
God, he’s such a good man.
He turns back around, takes a long piece of string out of the floss, then starts to floss his teeth. Funny, I remember not that long ago watching Aiden floss his teeth and I had that crazy thought, floss together, stay together. I don’t think I was that far off base. I look above the mirror, and still written in eyeliner above my head are the words I am beautiful. If we ever move out of this house, I’m going to the hardware store and buying a glass cutter and taking that part of the mirror with me.
I blush thinking about the mega hot sex we had that day, right here on this counter. I smile, grab the floss between us, and floss together with Aiden.
I sit on the bed as I watch Aiden get ready for work. I could live the rest of my life sitting on this bed just watching Aiden get dressed. It’s just that damn sexy. He takes out a black three piece suit and sets it on the bed. He walks back into the closet and takes out a multi colored purple polka-dot tie and matching purple socks, a belt, cuff links, and a heavy silver watch, then sets them on the bed next to his suit. My mouth waters and I think I could drool just watching him get dressed. Aiden doesn’t disappoint as he puts on a show of getting dressed for me. I feel my insides quiver when he grabs hold of the cuffs of his dress shirt and snaps them out of the jacket.
Unexpected Chance Page 15
