Sitting at the dining table a few days later, I’m folding washing with what I’m sure is a dopey smile on my face. “Come on; spill.” Millie pleads through the phone held between my shoulder and ear.
“Not until you spill the goss about whatever the hell we walked in on when we got home.” I stand, stacking the piles when I’m done. It’s something she’s refusing to talk about. I’m thinking severe denial has something to do with that.
“Not fair. That didn’t even happen; your eyes were deceiving you.”
I scoff. “Right. So if I ask Seb, then he’ll say he didn’t witness you two making out like high school teenagers on my kitchen counter?” I pick up the stack and place it into the basket before hoisting it to my hip. “Which, incidentally, I’m avoiding like the plague now when I prep food, skank,” I tease.
Mil guffaws into my ear. “Shut that dirty trap of yours, Miss ‘I can’t think of Seb like that; okay, so I like Seb, no, no wait, but he shouldn’t want me, but I want him, I can’t have him, okay I’ll take him’ … fucking finally.”
I laugh quietly, imagining her eyes rolling on the other end of the line. Opening the drawers in my room, I put my clothes away then move into the nursery as quietly as I can as Rose is napping in her crib. I wait until I put her clothes away and exit the room before continuing. “The same can be said for you, you know.”
“Yeah, yeah. Whatever. So seeing as you’re being a snot face and not dishing the deets on your date, when are you seeing him again?”
I put the basket back into the laundry room. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to look at that washing machine without feeling flushed at the memory of Seb’s touch and his lips on mine.
“You know he comes over almost every day anyway; I saw him last night. We watched some more Supernatural then a movie, it’s just … kind of the same as before.”
“Except it’s ten times better now that you can make out or bump uglies.” She laughs.
“Taking it slow, Mil. For now.” Even if we have kind of done things ass-backward. But I wouldn’t take any of it back. Having Seb’s friendship and support is what led us to this turning point in the first place. I don’t think I would’ve been able to take a risk like this so soon, or ever, if it hadn’t been for the unconventional progression of our relationship. If that’s what we even have. Great. Now, I feel like we’re in high school all over again, and I don’t know if he’s my real boyfriend.
“Well, don’t wait too long. Wait, have you been doing your Kegels?”
Like mad, not that I’m telling nurse Millie that. “On that note, I’m now hanging up.” As soon as the words leave my mouth, there’s a knock on the door.
“Oh, don’t be a bitch. I’m just looking out for you,”
“No, really Mil. Someone is at the door, gotta go.”
“Oh.” She laughs. “Okay. Bye, Mama.”
“Later.” I place my phone down on the dining table on the way to the door. Looking through the peephole, I see two faces that I wasn’t expecting, but they put a smile on my face nonetheless.
“Hey, guys,” I swing the door wide.
Grace comes straight at me while Greg closes the door.
“Come here, darling.” She swoops in and wraps me in a tight hug. “My, my, no more baby belly. Where is she?” She immediately lets me go, sets her bag down by the door, and starts to wander through the house.
Greg chuckles. “She hasn’t shut up about getting to meet Miss Rose. Hence why we’ve come to visit a little sooner than we had planned. You must’ve really made an impression on her.” He leans in and pecks my cheek. “How’ve you been doing?”
I smile. “Good, actually. It was tough for a while there at first, but with a bit of routine and adjusting, it’s all been going pretty well lately.”
He smiles—almost exactly the same smile as his son—and my heart warms at the familiarity of it. “Good to hear. Let’s go find trouble before she—” The sound of Rose crying cuts him off, and he winces.
I hear Grace coo through the baby monitor. “There, there, little one. Come here, you gorgeous thing.” Rose’s cries settle by the time we make it to the nursery where we find Grace holding her in the crook of her arm and rubbing her little tummy while smiling so wide it looks like her face might split in half. She looks up at us as we enter. “Oh my Lord, Olive. She is just divine.” She breathes.
Greg moves next to her, reaching out to touch Rose’s tiny hand. She grips his thumb, and a striking smile lights up his face, that familiar dimple appearing. “Hi, Miss Rose,” he says while gently moving his thumb around. She blinks up at them, probably trying to figure out what the hell is going on. She’s taken to them well, considering she was just woken up, too. I wouldn’t say she’s fussy about who she goes to, but she has her preferences.
“I’m going to get her bottle ready before she turns into a grizzly bear.”
Grace smiles down at Rose. “Nonsense, not this precious thing, you wouldn’t dare.”
I smirk as I make my way out to the kitchen. Oh yes, she dares.
When I’m done, I find them seated side by side on the couch with Rose curled up in Greg’s arms this time. “Okay, baby girl. Hungry?” I lean over and smile at her. She kicks her legs and shoves her fist in her mouth in response. “May I?” Greg asks. I nod and hand him the bottle while he props her up a bit in his arm. “God, it’s been years since we’ve done this.” He smiles at his wife, who passes him a burp cloth as she’s getting up from the couch. “I know, and soon, there’ll be another one. Sienna and Dan found out last month that they’re expecting a little girl, too.” She smiles gleefully.
“Wow, that’s awesome. I bet you two will have fun shopping.”
Greg snorts. “They already have. I’ve now hidden the credit cards.”
“Spoilsport.” Grace laughs.
“Coffee?” I ask.
“Please. I’ll come with you.”
I get the mugs out and prep the machine as she grabs the milk for me from the fridge.
“You keep quite a tidy house, being here on your own with a young baby and all,” she remarks as she leans against the bench and waits for me to finish making the drinks. I put the milk in the frother and ask, “Sugar?” She nods. “Two for me, one for Greg.”
“I’m still on maternity leave, which is actually starting to bug me a little. So I have some time when she sleeps to clean up, and she still naps quite a lot. Plus, like you said, it’s just the two of us.” I smile over at her.
“You’re supposed to rest when she does, missy.” She quirks a brow at me as I pass over her mug.
I laugh. “Well, some nights she only wakes up once for a bottle now, so I’m getting a lot more sleep than I was a few weeks ago. Plus, your son is here quite a lot, and he dotes on her when she’s awake, so that frees up a little time for me to get stuff done if I need to, as well.”
She pauses with her mug halfway to her mouth as if just remembering something. Placing it on the counter, she pins her gaze on me when I turn to head to the living room with Greg’s coffee. A feeling of unease—something I thought I’d never feel in the presence of this woman—runs up my spine. I place the mug back down when she starts talking.
“Seb doesn’t know we’re here yet. He wasn’t expecting us until next month. But Greg managed to get a couple of days off, so here we are.”
“Okay,” I say, not entirely sure of where she’s going with this and feeling more nervous with every second that passes.
“He called us a couple of nights ago. He was telling me about how you two were going on a date. Which, don’t get me wrong”—she holds up a hand—“is just wonderful.” I remain quiet, waiting.
“As his mother, you have to understand that as much as I’m happy for him, being that I’ve known how he’s felt about you for some time, it’s been painfully obvious”—she smirks—“but” there it is “I’m also feeling wary about the whole situation.” She lets out a breath. “You’re lovely, Olive. I couldn’t envision my son with anyone else, really. But you have a baby. And as much as my son is a big part of that gorgeous girl’s life, he’s not her real dad. I know what that man did to you, and I know it’s bound to have left some deep wounds that you’re starting to finally let heal. I’m thrilled about that, for you, I really am. But I’m also worried about my son and what he stands to lose if you decide that this is too much for you or that he isn’t it for you.”
Well, fuck. I rub my head, taken aback just a little. I can appreciate her honesty, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t sting, though. Sighing, I lean back against the opposite counter and cross my arms.
“I don’t know what to tell you, Grace. Except that your son means a lot to me, and he has meant a lot to me for some time now. I just wasn’t ready, and up until this last week, I didn’t know if I ever would be. But the way I feel about him, everything he’s done for us, the kind of man he is and how much he cares for us, has me wanting to take a chance.”
She turns her gaze to somewhere off behind me. So I look away for a minute and stare out the kitchen window where the late afternoon sunlight is shining in and dancing across the clean dishes and glassware on the dish rack. I stare in a daze, racking my brain for a response that might soothe her worries but is also honest at the same time.
“I’m not going to stand here and promise you something when you and I both know that some things just aren’t guaranteed in this world. No matter how much we wish they were. But I will say that I’m falling for your son; whether I wanted to or not, it started happening a while ago. Against my will but not against my better judgment because he’s … Well, he’s everything I didn’t know I needed. And my heart didn’t make that decision lightly with all the damage that’s been inflicted upon it. I …” I blow out a breath that stirs some hair from my face. “Is he it for me?” I shrug. “After everything I’ve endured because I once believed that before, I can’t promise that, not now. But if I’m fortunate enough to be that someone for him, then maybe I’ll start believing in forevers for myself again someday.”
She just stares at me, a tiny smile pulling at her lips before she clears her throat then walks over to rub my arm.
“Then that will do for now, darling.” Then she’s walking off with the coffees.
I run my hands through my hair, letting out a ragged exhale. Once I think I’m good, I turn to grab my coffee and join them. Only to stop mid turn when I see Seb leaning against the wall outside the kitchen, hands folded over his black t-shirt covered chest. Shit. Did he hear that? If the way he’s looking at me, and the way his mom was looking off behind me as I talked is any indication, then yes. Yes, he did.
Oh, my God.
“Uh, hey.” I wave stupidly. “How was work?”
He ignores me. Just stares. I feel my face turning hotter by the second.
Then he’s moving. He doesn’t stop, just keeps coming until I’m backed into the corner of the counter, and he’s standing over me, his breathing picking up as he searches my face.
At a loss for what to say, I blurt, “No glasses today?”
“Work. Contacts,” he whispers absentmindedly as his eyes dart all over my face.
Then his hands are diving into my hair, and his lips are on mine, taking them in a brutal kiss that has my body instantly singing. I wrap my arms around his waist as his tongue strokes mine, sucking it into his mouth like he wants to keep it and every inch of me for his own. I break away, panting.
“Um, you heard that?”
He nods, a smile slowly curling up his lips. “I did.”
I search his features, waiting … “But you’re not saying anything.”
He grins. “Okay, I’ll say something.”
He brushes his lips against mine and leaves them there as he starts talking. “I’ll say that one day, Olive Sawyer, the strength of my love for you is going to embrace that damaged heart of yours so damn tight that any remaining broken pieces will have no choice but to fuse back together. But until that day arrives, I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere.” His eyes meet mine. “I’ll make you believe again, Liv.”
I feel the sting of tears as I swallow thickly.
“Seb,” I whisper.
His eyes dance with amused affection. “No crying, just give me more of those lips. I’ll have words with my dear mom later.”
I shake my head with a watery laugh but do as I’m told.
Brushing my lips against his, I whisper, “Don’t get mad at her. She’s just looking out for you.”
“That may be so, and even though hearing those words come out of your mouth …” I watch his lashes as his eyes flutter closed briefly. “Shit, you have no idea what they did to me, Liv. But that still doesn’t mean she can just put you on the spot like that, especially not here in your own damn home.” He kisses me softly, quickly before pulling away.
I grab his arm before he can leave the kitchen. “Just go easy on her.” I smile up at him. He looks at me for a beat then nods as he comes back to kiss my forehead before making his way out to the living room. I grab my coffee and take three large swallows before I follow him.