Once inside, I walked over to the sink and turned on the water, sweeping my hair over my shoulders so I could splash my face, hoping to buy a little time.
"Hey, if you're not gonna go, I am. I had your head on my lap for an hour and a half. I also had three cups of tea with Mom, so my bladder is bursting," he complained as he went to the urinal. I dried my hands and face, looking at myself in the mirror.
I was unprepared to break the heart of the man I loved, but it was better for him to hear it from me than Cara. I was wrecked at seeing the excitement on his face over the birth of the baby. Taking that look away went against everything inside me.
"Come on! I can't wait to see her. I'm going to have so much to do. Thankfully, Cara's room's ready, and we can take the baby in our room with us for a while. I'll get up with her, Derek. You don't have to…"
"Baby boy, about that," I interrupted.
"Look, I know you're not exactly looking forward to having a baby and your sister living with us, but I promise you, I'll do all the work…"
"No, baby, that's not it. I talked to Cara before and she…"
"I'm almost finished with my classes for the summer and I'll take myself off the roster at the Center for a while. I can get Ethan to handle things until we get a schedule worked out, but I won't…"
"Gray, baby boy, it's not that Cara doesn't love us. It's just that…"
"And I'll be able to look after Cara while she recuperates and take care of the baby so she can rest. I mean, an abdominal incision isn't easy to…"
I grabbed his face and turned him to look at me. "Baby, she's decided to stay in Waco. She's going to take a year off law school and live with Mom and Dad, and they're going to help her with the baby. She told me when I was in her room earlier before she went to the operating room. I'm so…"
He pulled away and smiled at me. It wasn't even close to being genuine. "Okay, uh. That's great. I mean, that's really the best news, isn't it? Mom must be really happy about it. That's great. I'm gonna run down to the cafeteria and see if I can get a coffee. I've got a long drive back to Houston. We have a staff meeting tomorrow I don't…"
I grabbed him and pulled him into my arms. "I'm so sorry, Gray. I know how excited you were to take care of the baby and help Cara, but we have to respect her decisions," I told him as I held him in my arms.
He sniffed and pulled away. "No, you're right, Derek. I'm really happy about this, honest. I'm only nineteen, after all, so there’s plenty of time for babies. I'm gonna get on the road home. You take time with your family, and I'll see you at the apartment. Tell Mom I’ll be sending a bunch of stuff to her within the next few days.
“You take your time coming home. I'll be there when you get there," he told me as he walked out the door.
I covered my face with my hands and fought my own tears. Truth be told, I was kind of looking forward to having Cara and her baby with us. I was disappointed, but I knew my husband was devastated.
I washed my hands again and hurried out of the bathroom, heading to the waiting room to find Gray had meant what he’d said about leaving. I started for the elevator when I saw my father standing in the hall. "Let him go, Derek. I saw him, and I know he's heartbroken, but at the end of the day, it's for the best. He's so young, and you two are just starting to make a life for yourselves. It hurts now, but you'll both get over it, I promise," Dad told me as he wrapped an arm around my shoulder, leading me down the hall.
We stopped in front of a large window, and when I looked up, I saw it was the nursery. I remembered being in the same place some eight months prior when Mari had the girls. I looked into the room and saw a little pink bundle in a clear plastic bin. The card in the slot read "Baby Girl Valentine."
I turned to my father and we both smiled. "She's a beauty. We're gonna have our hands full keeping the boys away when she gets older."
I laughed a little and when the nurse looked up, I pointed to the bin. She nodded and walked over to it, picking up my niece. She walked over to the window and held her up, much like Quinn had held up Tina and Nita after they were born.
It was then I remembered something my sister had said at the time. "I'll never have a man cry over the baby I'm carrying."
I also remembered what my then-boyfriend had told her. "Cara, I'd cry over the baby you're carrying, and I'd keep it safe until you decide what you're ready to do. If you carry it to term, I'll be the baby's guardian. And if you decide you don't want it, then I'll take care of it for the rest of my life. I know I'm young, but I'm not stupid. I'd take very good care of your child."
He was so damn happy about the baby, and I knew he was crushed regarding the change of plans. As much as I wanted to stay and support my sister, I had my own family to worry about. I needed to get to Gray Valentine as soon as possible.
"Dad, I need to find him. He's likely a wreck, and I'm not happy about him being on the road in that condition. I'll call you when I find him. Tell Cara it's all fine. We'll come back in a few months to greet that little angel properly. My place is with Gray, right now."
I found Gray in the parking lot and took him to Quinn and Mari's. They asked us to take Michael home with us for a month to meet with a specialist in Houston regarding his speech and physical challenges. In my heart, I'd always believe that month with Michael at our home did more for Gray than I'd have been able to do on my own. I'd always be grateful for the situation that led to Mikey staying with us. I think it saved us all.
Sila laughed at what I'd said about the daily beatings. "Uncle Derek, she tied me up and put me in the closet last night." It was a game we played, and I loved the little girl's sense of humor.
"Derek, knock that off! People will overhear the two of you and think you're serious," my mother scolded. Sila looked at me and rolled her eyes, which made me laugh.
Cara giggled. "Mother, we are serious. If I don't beat the girl on a daily basis, she'll end up like you." That brought a laugh from all of us and a dirty look from my mother before she laughed along with us.
Mom had mellowed with age…and having a baby in the house for a year after Sila was born had helped as well. Eventually, Cara took the two of them back to Dallas in order to finish law school, but that first year was tough.
There were many shaky times right after the move to Waco because my sister determined she wasn't equipped to care for a baby so Mom did all the caretaking while Cara stayed in bed or lounged around the house.
When Gray and I went to visit at Sila's one-month birthday, Cara tried to get us to take her back to Houston with us because Mom had put her foot down. It was Cara's baby to care for and my sister didn't like the tough love, but it all worked out for the best.
Sila was going to start kindergarten in the fall, and my sister was a successful lawyer in Dallas…not at the same firm where she'd worked when Grant Keyes knocked her up. She had a wonderful nanny named Serena who helped care for Sila during the weekdays, and she was happy with her life, based on what she told us.
"One of these days, you're going to be looking down at me in a casket and you'll be sorry for those things you've said about me," Mom shamed. That particular form of guilt had taken root when Mom turned fifty a few years prior. I just shook my head. That woman was so bossy the Grim Reaper wouldn't dare take her before she was ready.
"Mother," I began as the graduates filed onto the field. Just then, Craig pecked me on the shoulder. I smiled as I stood up, handing him Sila so I could get pictures of my graduate.
When I returned, everyone had moved down, and Sila was on Craig's lap in the chair next to my empty one on the aisle. "Where's Ethan?" I asked.
Since I'd left the 16th Precinct, Craig had been promoted to Sergeant. He was doing more desk work, but he didn't hate it like we used to back in the day. He told the LT after I left the department he didn't want to be partnered up with a newb, and someone had actually listened to him. He still did field work on occasion but mostly he was a desk jockey, supervising the other detectives.
E
than was finishing up law school in New York. He and Gray had finished undergrad together two years prior. They'd taken summer classes and night classes to graduate early, and they'd both accomplished it. Ethan was accepted at Columbia, and Gray took some time off, working at The Rainbow Center full-time to give himself a break from school before he started grad school.
He'd been instrumental in assisting the Center to achieve its non-profit status so it could file for State and Federal grant monies, and when he gave them his notice we were moving to Austin, they had a huge party for him. Lots of the kids he'd helped over the years came back, and he was quite touched. Hell, we both were.
"His plane was delayed, but he's going to come straight from the airport. He got stuck at the firm last night, so he missed his earlier flight. He's not a happy boy," Craig informed.
Just then, the ceremony started. Sila and I played "Rock, Paper, Scissors," and her giggle was incredible, though it brought a lot of reproachful looks from the others near us.
My mom actually snapped her fingers at us, bringing a laugh from Sila and me. I turned to see Dad and Cara covering their mouths as well. I was convinced my mother had her sense of humor surgically removed because really? Who the fuck listens to the speakers at a graduation? The keynote was some politician, and I definitely didn't want to hear the blowhard State Senator. I had enough of them to deal with in Austin.
Finally, they started calling the graduates forward, and they weren't actually in alphabetical order. I grabbed Sila. "You're gonna have to sit on my shoulders so we can see when Uncle Gray's almost up to the stage to get a good picture," I told her.
She nodded and I put her on my shoulders as I stepped into the aisle and began walking closer to the front. "There! He's over there," she pointed out.
I saw him in his robe with a black tassel and his maroon hood. He looked very distinguished, and I was feeling a little misty-eyed.
Gray Carson was still one of the most handsome men I'd ever laid eyes on. Over the years, he'd grown a little taller…he was actually five-ten. He'd sculpted his body into a mighty fine male specimen, working out with a vengeance had changed him from the slim-built guy I fell in love with to a more defined, toned sex machine. He was still my bottom, but the man knew what he wanted in the love department, and he wasn't afraid to go after it. I damn near melted when he seduced me. He still loved to have me in charge in the bedroom, but he damn well wasn't shy about letting me know when he wanted it and if I wasn’t giving it to him like he wanted.
I walked through the aisle between where the graduate seating ended and the family seating began. Sila and I got over to the side in time to see Gray stand from his seat and look at us with a glowing smile. I took several pictures of him with my camera while Sila used my cell phone to capture him in a video.
The proceedings were controlled chaos, so he slipped out of his row and walked over to us. "Hello, my lovelies. What are you doing over here?" He pulled Sila off my shoulders and held her, kissing her cheek before he blew a raspberry and she dissolved into giggles.
"Why are you at the end of the line? I thought these things went by height," I teased.
He gently punched my arm. "Very funny, big man. The master's graduates are at the end. All these kids get to go first. Who's here?"
"Mom, Dad, Cara, Craig. Ethan's trying, but he's having flight issues. If he doesn't make it to the ceremony, hopefully, he can make it for the party," I explained.
Suddenly, a girl with a maroon tassel and a gold cord around her neck approached us. "Gray, are you gonna be able to come to the party at my house? My parents are bringing a truckload of barbecue. I know they're dying to meet you because I've talked about you non-stop since the beginning of this year," she gushed.
He was holding Sila in his arms, and I could see my niece was as happy about the girl as me. "Who are you? We're having a party for Uncle Gray and you're not invited."
"Sila! Don't be rude. This is Dena. She was one of the undergrad students in a study group I ran this semester." He turned to the girl and smiled. "Dena, this is my niece, Sila. They're having a party for me at our place, so thank you for the invitation, but I've got my own family to entertain."
I cleared my throat and cocked an eyebrow at him. He smiled and took my hand, pulling me closer. "This is my husband, Derek Valentine. Derek, this is Dena M-Mo…"
"Dena Morris. Nice to meet you, Mr. Valentine. I wasn't aware it was legal for men to marry in Texas," she responded with a bit of venom in her voice. It was obvious to me she had a crush on my man, and she wasn't at all happy about me being in the picture.
"Pleasure, young lady. I realize my husband captures the attention of young women and men alike. Don't feel bad for falling for his charms. I was swept under over five years ago," I told her.
Without a comment in return, she walked away and got into the line. I looked at Sila, and she smiled, asking, "She's a bitch, right?" Gray scolded her, but I just nodded. The sooner the child learned to spot it, the better off she'd be.
Three
Gray
I was sitting on the couch in our living room, trying not to look around at all the shit we needed to pack over the next two days. Derek was set to report to headquarters on Tuesday, so we had Sunday and Monday to pack up our entire life and get on the road to Austin. We'd actually bought a house, having grown tired of apartment living, and I was anxious to be settled before my job started the first of June.
It had been a long road to get me graduated, but I was glad it was behind us. The house we'd purchased in Austin was nothing extravagant, but for two civil servants, it was nice. It was an older ranch style with three bedrooms, a living room, dining room, eat-in kitchen, and a small office off the master suite on the main level. There was another full bath in the hallway, and then a powder room near the kitchen. There was a mud/laundry room off the kitchen which I was happy about.
Downstairs, there was a family room, another bedroom/bathroom, and there was storage. We were both thrilled with the house, even though it was an older home and needed a lot of work. I had plans for painting and refreshing it, but there was plenty of time to put our mark on the property.
I felt hands over my eyes, and I immediately jumped. "Guess!" The voice was high pitched, and I didn't recognize it at all.
"Ethan? You dick," I complained. I pulled the hands down and turned to the side, seeing Tim Watson and Beth Allen. Beth was the best friend I ever had, and she bailed me out when I really needed it. They'd moved to California to attend UCLA, and we'd lost touch over time, but I was so happy to see them.
"Oh my God!" I hopped over the couch and wrapped them both in hugs. I looked up to see Derek standing off to the side with a tender smile and a wink.
I pulled away and looked at them, seeing they were much more polished than they used to be. California had changed them. "God, how'd you know?" I asked.
Beth walked over to Derek and took his hand, leading him over. "Your husband remembered how pissed I was you didn't invite us to your wedding, so he made certain we knew about this party. We both got a couple of nights off from the hospital so we could be here. You've changed," Beth observed.
I laughed. I'd filled out a little, but as far as changed? No, I was the same guy. I could fight my own battles, which I hadn't exactly been proficient at when Beth and I were living together, but many experiences later, I'd learned how to take care of myself. It didn't mean my husband, the Texas Ranger, wasn't still as protective as he'd always been, but we'd reached a truce. I'd let him know if I sensed trouble, and he'd let me handle it with a watchful eye from the sidelines. In turn, if I really needed him he was on speed dial. He, or someone he knew, would be there in a heartbeat.
"Not much. Oh, the package might be a little different, but I'm still the same guy on the inside. Well, maybe I'm a little surer of myself, but at the end of the day, I'm still me, Beth. Tell me about Cali," I requested.
We talked for over an hour, and it was wonderful to catch up. The rest of the
afternoon and early evening was spent accepting congratulations and saying good-bye. Derek's old boss, Carla George, stopped by to offer congratulations and extend them from Judge King and his wife. He was the kind man who’d married us in Key West. It was really nice to hear about them.
After everyone left, we had Addy, Rick, Cara, Sila, Craig, and Ethan. He'd shown up at four that afternoon, apologizing all over himself for missing the ceremony. I was just happy to see my good friend.
We were cleaning up the dishes and packaging up the leftover barbecue. Addy, Cara, Rick, and Derek had taken care of refreshing the food and drinks all afternoon. I'd only had one glass of champagne when Derek made a toast. I wanted a glass of wine and a plate of food.
"Mom, where are the ribs? Are there any left?" I asked as I slipped off my tie and shoes, unbuttoning the collar on my dress shirt.
Derek had shed his tie a long time ago, but I'd been so busy with guests, I hadn't actually given it a lot of thought. Wearing a tie would be my new normal and whether I liked it or not, I had to adjust. My job required it.
Addy walked over to the fridge and pulled out a foil packet. She turned on the oven and turned to me. "You didn't eat all day, did you?"
I felt Derek's hands on my shoulders, and I dropped my head to absorb the heaven of his shoulder massage. "No, Mom, I didn't. Derek and I shared a bagel this morning, and then the day got away from me. I'm starving now if that makes you happy," I joked.
Derek leaned over and whispered in my ear, "I'm starving too, baby boy. Not for ribs, either."
I placed my hands on the top of his and turned to look into his gorgeous eyes. "I've gotcha covered, Ranger." We both laughed.
By eight that night, everyone had left, though Sila begged to spend the night. Derek told her she could stay the next night while the family helped us pack the apartment which seemed to appease her.
After he closed the door when Craig and Ethan left, he turned to me and smiled. "Well, Master Carson, you had a big day," he purred. Yes, he actually purred. He was definitely a predator when it came to our sex life, and I welcomed it. The man knew how to play me, whether it was making love, playing, or just a hot, quick fuck. He had a big cock, and he knew how to use it.
A Valentine's Loves (The Valentine's Trilogy Book 3) Page 2
