Chapter 33
The phone's incessant ringing woke Nolan up the next morning. He stumbled out of bed and picked his jeans up off the floor, trying to figure out which pocket he had left his phone in.
"Lo." Nolan answered, his voice gravely from sleep still. "Yer here? What time is it? Shite. Give me a minute."
He walked over and touched her shoulder giving it a gentle shake. "Love, love. C'mon baby, we overslept. Rob's here already."
Caitlyn rolled over trying to peel her eyes open. "Here?"
"Remember he's coming to me Mum's house with us?" Nolan asked pulling clothes on.
"Yeah, oh shit. How late are we Nol?" Caitlyn jumped out of bed frantic.
"We were supposed to leave thirty minutes ago." He said rushing out of the room.
Caitlyn ran to her suitcase and pulled out the gauzy white button down shirt with the black window pane pattern, a black tank top, and a pair of jeans. She hopped into the bathroom still zipping up her jeans. Splashing water on her face she gathered her hair up in a big bun on top of her head. Realizing that her toiletries hadn't made it in there last night she ran back into his room and found her toothbrush. Less than five minutes since Nolan walked out of the room Caitlyn emerged, looking far more put together than she should have considering how fast she got ready.
"Good to see you again Caitlyn." Rob smiled at her.
"You too Rob. Sorry we overslept, its pretty unusual for me to do that."
"Jet lag will kick anyone's ass." He said with a straight face.
Caitlyn smiled a thanks at him that he was giving her an out when they both knew that jet lag probably wasn't the reason for the late start.
"I'll get yer bag love." Nolan said walking back into the bedroom.
"That's right, we are staying at Cora's for a few days. I was rushing around to get ready and forgot." Caitlyn shook her head at herself.
"Not a problem, ye didn't unpack anything did ye?" Nolan asked.
"Thankfully no, I just reached in and pulled clothing out at random. I'll put some makeup on in the car." Caitlyn said slipping her feet into the black flats with sassy pointed toes. Winter in Ireland was much more mild than what they had just left back home in Michigan, so Caitlyn could wear the pretty shoes without having to worry about trudging through piles of snow in them. She was pulling on the navy woolen pea coat as Nolan held the door open for her.
"Mum won't mind. I'll call her from the car once we're on the road." Nolan whispered reassuringly in her ear as they stepped into the elevator.
Once the back of the Range Rover was loaded with their luggage, including Rob's, they headed to Galway. Nolan called his mother after navigating through the Dublin traffic, and he was right, she didn't mind they were late, so long as they were still coming. Sitting in the front seat Caitlyn pulled the visor mirror down. She put a pair of pearl studs in her ears. Her face looked a bit washed out and pale thanks to the lack of sun in Michigan recently, so she dabbed a little cream blush on her cheeks, swiped on a generous coat of mascara, and a pretty berry lipstick. Checking her reflection she decided the over all look was classy, but still not over done.
Flipping the visor back up she saw Rob had his hand out between the seats. "I'll put it back in your bag so you don't have to hold it up there the whole ride, if you'd like."
Caitlyn handed her makeup bag back to him with a grateful thanks. Glancing over she saw Nolan was grinning as he drove. "What?" She asked leaning into him.
"Just waiting for yer hand love." He said linking his fingers through hers.
"Its yours any time you want it Nol. You just gotta ask." Caitlyn said running her thumb affectionately along the side of his pointer finger.
"Is that so? Did ye hear that Rob? All I've to do is ask for her hand and its mine." Nolan said winking at Rob in the rear view mirror.
"Sure did Nolan." Rob smiled back. "You're a lucky man."
"Am I missing something?" Caitlyn asked glancing at Nolan. He just picked up their linked hands and kissed her knuckles. Glancing back at Rob he just shook his head at her. He wasn't going to tell her anything either. Caitlyn didn't worry over it very long though, she was to excited to finally be meeting Nolan's mom.
They pulled in to the looping turn-around driveway of what could only be described as a mansion. Caitlyn sat up in her seat gaping at the house. "You grew up here?"
Nolan laughed, the sound bouncing around the interior of the car. "No, love. I'll show ye the house I grew up in while we're here." He got out of the car, and she watched him rounding the hood.
"You bought this place for your mom didn't you?" Caitlyn said once he had opened her door, realizing what he wasn't saying.
Nolan nodded his head, "seemed the least I could do for the woman who brought me into this world."
Touched beyond words at the sweet gesture Caitlyn laid her head on Nolan's chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I really love you Nol."
His arms automatically came around Caitlyn, holding her to him. She felt his shaky intake of breath, and knew he was battling deep feelings. Caitlyn was still holding on to Nolan when Cora all but floated out the front door.
"Leave her be for a moment Nolan Michael, I've a mind to finally hug the woman." Cora laughed. She was even more lovely in person, her eyes smiling in the exact same way Nolan's could. This was where he had gotten his warmth and natural charm.
Caitlyn stepped away from Nolan, and into Cora's open arms. "Its so good to finally see you in person." Caitlyn said while they embraced.
"So it is, so it is." Cora said giving her a squeeze. "Any time ye want to bring those lads of yers over I'm well up for it."
"Well, Nolan got them season passes to watch football here, so I'm thinking you'll see more of them than you'd like soon enough." Caitlyn let go of Cora so she could hug Nolan. She watched the look on her face as his arms wrapped around her, and knew exactly how Cora felt. It didn't matter that Nolan was twenty five years old, he was still the baby she had rocked to sleep at night, and she missed him terribly while he was away from her.
"Good to see ye again Rob." Cora said smiling at her son's security guard.
"Always a pleasure Cora." He said pulling their luggage out of the back of the Rover.
"Come on, I'll show ye to yer room while the men grab the bags, it makes them feel so strong after all." Cora laughed linking arms with Caitlyn and leading her in the house.
"You have a lovely home Cora." Caitlyn said looking around.
"That I do. Nolan's a good boy." Cora smiled proudly.
As soon as Cora opened the bedroom door Caitlyn knew it was Nolan's room. There was a guitar on a stand in the corner, and a signed football jersey, the same team he gifted to the boys framed and hanging on the wall. He was everywhere, little things like the guitar picks sitting on the dresser, a leather notebook on the bedside table. The room itself was spacious, with a big bed, an over sized chair in the corner, and a french door leading out to the balcony. Caitlyn could see that it had it's own bathroom too. Turning she looked at Cora, "this room is Nol's."
Cora's blue green eyes twinkled and she said, "and now its the both of yers." With a laugh. "Yer both adults, if yer not having sex it would be a shameful waste of all the chemistry even I can see. Nobody knows how long they are for this world, and ye have to enjoy everyday while ye can after all."
Caitlyn blushed until even the top of her ears were pink. "We're not wasting it." Caitlyn managed to squeak out.
Cora hugged her laughing, "I don't need to put ye in separate rooms darling, being together makes the two of ye happy, and that's all I want. Its so good to see my boy so in love."
Nolan walked into the room while the two women were embracing. "That's a lovely shade of pink yer wearin love."
Cora let Caitlyn go, patting her back and walked out. "I'll get the tea around while ye unpack yer bags."
Caitlyn whispered to Nolan, "she said that I get to sleep in here with you because she didn't want us wasting the chemistry she could see we have. I'm serious Nol!" She said when he laughed at her.
"Me Mum's not daft love." Nolan shrugged.
"Have all your girlfriends gotten to share your room like this?" Caitlyn asked unzipping her suitcase and digging out her toiletries bag, carrying it into the bathroom.
"Yer the first one." His voice carried into the bathroom.
"Maybe you weren't old enough for her to be comfortable with it before then." Caitlyn said pulling more items out of her bags and putting them away.
"Caitlyn, love, look at me." Nolan said. She turned to face him before he spoke again. "I've not brought a woman home with me to visit like this ever. Yer the first one." He repeated.
Caitlyn stood there staring into the bottomless ocean depths of Nolan's eyes. "Nol."
Nolan closed the distance between them. He caressed her cheek. "Nobody else was important enough before." He leaned down and pressed the barest kiss to her forehead. Caitlyn held on to his waist, until the all of the butterflies dancing in her stomach settled.
The next few days were filled with laughter, and flew too quickly by. Cora took Caitlyn out for a girls lunch and some shopping on the second afternoon just the two of them. Cora was an absolute treasure, and Caitlyn was blessed beyond words at everything Nolan had brought into her life. The next day he showed her the little house right in town he had grown up in, stuck in a row of identical ones attached on either side. The four of them went out for a couple of pints at Cora's favorite pub, and they convinced Nolan to get up and play a song. He surprised Caitlyn with his versatility by playing a traditional Irish song for them instead of one of his own. While he sang the whole pub got up and danced, and Caitlyn took picture after picture. On the very last day before heading back to Dublin Nolan took her to the Salthill Promenade. Caitlyn could tell it was a special place for him, as they walked hand in hand. Rob was there with them, but he stayed unobtrusively a few yards back. Standing there next to Nolan staring out across the Atlantic Ocean as the cool wind danced through her hair, nobody else in the world existed but the two of them. The sun sinking towards the horizon, its last rays shimmering on the water.
"Its lovely here. I want to come back here every year, and stand in this exact spot." Caitlyn sighed leaning her head against his shoulder. "Counting all of my blessings from the last year, and collecting hope for the upcoming one. Tell me you'll bring me here each year, Nolan. To watch the sunset just like this."
"I'll bring ye here each and every year if its what makes ye happiest, love." Nolan said resting his head atop hers.