Accidental Love

by Ford, Mia

  We were all in a good mood when Brin arrived for dinner with Ryan. Mom was making shrimp and steak with a few sides and Celia was helping, glowing with some hidden joy. I helped set the table, choosing to do it inside with the windows open. “Hello, Rem,” Brin greeted me as I hugged her and kissed her cheek. “How’s work?”

  “Back to normal,” I replied with a grin, nodding at Ryan. I wasn’t sure about him at first since he was an actor, but he adored my sister. That much was obvious. He got a beer, and we sat on the deck, chatting about work and life. I noticed that he kept smiling at Brin and holding her hand tightly, and I checked her finger for a ring. They looked like they were ready to burst.

  We went in to eat as Celia and Brin helped Mom plate everything. It was a lot of food. We settled around the table and piled our plates with food. I loved my family and my life. I still took a look at real estate on my own now and then but kept it to myself. We’d have that in time.

  Halfway through dinner, Brin settled back and grinned at Ryan. “We have some news for you guys.” I stared at her, knowing that something was up. She wasn’t wearing a ring, and I looked at Celia before looking at Ryan.

  Holy shit.

  “It wasn’t in the plans but I’m pregnant.” She said as Mom gasped and started crying. Dad ran a hand through his hair and stood to hug them both.

  I walked over and hugged her tight for a long moment, telling her that I was going to be there for her every step of the way. I shook Ryan’s hand and told him to take good care of her as he laughed, assuring me that he would. We sat back down, and I gave Celia a raised brow as she blushed. She knew the last time the girls were acting weird, and I was going to quiz her later. Mom asked them all kinds of questions and I saw her wheels turning as she started making plans.

  “Mom, I am early in so we’re not going to tell the world. I want to get to twelve weeks and we’ll still have plenty of time to plan.” Brin told her with a serious look on her face. “I don’t know how my body is going to take this and I just want to be secure with the news. Is that okay?” I was impressed with her thought into this and sat back to watch.

  “I completely understand. I felt the same way.” Mom assured her as she stood to get dessert. The food was gone, and I teased Brin that she was going to be eating everything in sight, making her look like she was going to cry.

  “No. I am going to be careful. We’ve been trying to eat better, anyway.” She smiled and then Mom walked out with a chocolate cake. “Oh my God. That looks so good.”

  “What was that about watching what you eat?” I teased as she giggled.

  “I meant moderation.” Mom sliced the cake as Celia went in to get plates. We ate it and sat on the deck, talking about the baby spending time on the beach as he or she grew up. I smiled as I imagined Celia spending time down there with our baby along with Brin’s future child.

  Not there yet.

  The pair stayed late and decided to spend the night since her bed was still in there. I took Celia upstairs as she giggled, carrying her to bed. “How did you keep that from me?” I asked as I tossed her to the mattress, closing her in.

  “I had to. She wanted to surprise you guys.” Celia told me, trying to move away from my fingers that were trying to tickle her. “She also wanted to tell Ryan first. She found out here with me.”

  “I think they’ll do great. Brin has settled down a lot since she met him.” I told her as she smiled.

  “She’s happy. He’s great. I think it’s going to be so fun.” Celia pulled me down for a kiss and I let it deepen slowly. “I am almost a little jealous.”

  “Are you?” I asked as I dropped between her legs. “I think we can arrange it for us.’”

  “Let’s wait a bit for that. I think there’s other stuff that needs to happen, though I wouldn’t be surprised if Brin moved back in. Your mom is going to be amazing.” Celia looked like she was thinking about something and I pressed my forehead to hers.

  “What’s on your mind?” I asked her as she smiled.

  “You.” She told me as she kissed me hungrily. We ended up making love slow and deep, memorizing every sensation. When we were curled up together, Celia asked if I’d be down to go check out a new beach she came across online in the morning. I told her sure as I closed my eyes, comfortable against my pillows with her in my arms. She told me that she wanted to leave about ten and maybe get some lunch together.

  “That sounds like a great date,” I murmured as she kissed my neck.

  In the morning, I woke up to hear the shower running. Glancing at the clock, I saw that it was quarter of nine and stretched. She was excited to get out of the house and I assumed it had to do with my sister. I went to get coffee while she finished, and Mom asked me what I was doing up. She was sipping coffee and working on her laptop at the table “Celia has something in mind. It’s beautiful out so why not? I think it killed her to hold in the news.”

  “I’ll bet.” Mom laughed as she shook her head. “She had to feel like she was going to burst.”

  “There’s going to be a lot happening this year.” I said as she smiled. I saw Celia headed down the stairs and poured her some coffee, kissing her cheek before I went to get ready. I made it quick, dressing in shorts and a t-shirt and finishing my coffee before taking the cup to the sink. Celia was wearing a long skirt and a fitted tank top with sandals and looked nervous and happy. I led her to my car and helped her in, loving the feel of her lips on mine.

  I drove based on her directions, seeing the water but surprised that we turned into a neighborhood. It must be one of those beaches at the end of a street and I drove forward, waiting for the next instructions. “Turn into this driveway.” Celia told me softly, and I did, looking at her as I parked behind a fancy sports car.

  “What are you up to?” I asked as she smiled beside me. I looked at the house and realized where we were as my heart started to pound. “This is the beach house.”

  “It is.” She said as I stared at her. “I got a hold of my parents’ accountant and made some plans for some money. I checked to see if this was sold and Brin came to see it with me last week. Now it’s your turn.”

  “Holy shit.” I murmured as I looked around slowly. It was better in person and I leaned over to kiss her. “Let’s go see it.” We hopped out of the car and I walked past the car to see an older man waiting for us at the front door.

  “You must be Remington. I’m Bill.” We shook hands, and I liked his easy smile as he welcomed me into the house. I walked inside, thinking about the pictures I looked online a few times recently.

  There was a small foyer that opened to a spacious living room. The floors were hardwood, and it was in an oblong shape with plenty of room for furniture. The walls were a pale gray, and it offered a gorgeous fireplace with a colorful tile around the gas fireplace. That opened to a large kitchen that would be great for us to cook in together and entertain our family. I glanced at the deck which reminded me a lot of my parents set up and it led to a gorgeous and private beach. So far, I loved it.

  I walked down the hallway, peering into the three bedrooms along the way. They were spacious, and all had a view of the water and their own decks. The master was as big as my room at home and offered a large deck that wrapped around the house and offered a lot of nooks to relax in. I walked out the main door and leaned over to see a gorgeous view of the water and beach, shaking my head. She pulled this one on me well.

  There was the deck and steps that led to the beach out in the back and a large low maintenance yard in the front. It was perfect, and I turned to see Celia headed towards me. “How did you do this?” I asked as she threw herself into my arms.

  “I have been thinking about it since that awful night. I kept looking online and thought about the money that was just sitting in the bank. I could put a big down payment on this and still be fine with the interest I’m gaining. We’re both working and can afford the other stuff.” She walked to the edge of the balcony and looked down. “It was my paren
ts’ dream and I want to live it. I was part of the dream too.”

  “You were.” I said, wrapping my arms around her. “I love it.”

  “Same commute for you, close to family, and our own beach to walk on.” She pressed back against me. “I am tired of being scared. I love you and I want to start our future, Remy.”

  “I think it’s perfect for that. When do we move in?” I asked as she giggled.

  “I just have holding money on it right now, but we need to sign some stuff and pay some money. It should be ours pretty soon.” She replied as I turned her to me for a long kiss.

  “I love you.” I told her as she pulled me closer.

  “I love you.”

  We went to talk to Bill and made an offer right on the spot. He assured us it was a good one and said he’d be in touch as I took one more look around. I couldn’t help but think that her parents gave her the money, so she could have a beach house. They wanted her to still live their dream, and I smiled. I was honored to be sharing this with her.

  We went to lunch and made plans for the house despite not knowing about our offer yet. There wasn’t a lot of work to do on anything, but we had ideas for decorating. The house was only two thousand square feet as opposed to my parents’ four thousand. There may come a time when it might be too small, but beach houses sold well and often increased in value.

  We lingered over the meal and left holding hands. I asked if my parents knew and she shook her head, wanting it to be a surprise like the baby was. I actually didn’t want to tell them until we had the house. Mom was already excited, and she didn’t need the possibility of more on her plate.

  We made our way home slowly, needing to contain ourselves for a few more days. We went about our weekend as usual and kept things casual, so Mom wouldn’t notice anything. She was spinning over the baby, so I thanked Brin for that. She spoke to Celia more than I knew and they knew everything about each other, within reason. I knew that Celia was too shy to tell anyone too much.

  We heard from Bill on Monday and since we offered a generous amount, our offer was accepted. Celia took the first call and then called me, practically screaming. We made the necessary arrangements to get stuff done, and I told Rick about the purchase over lunch down the street. He congratulated me, teasing me about when he was going to meet my mysterious girlfriend.

  Since he was now seeing Grace and happy with her, I suggested a double date. I would have never suggested that with Amy. She had dropped out of sight and I was glad, needing my life simplified. We talked through the meal and headed back to the office as the news raced through my mind. I needed to get with Celia and find a way to tell my parents the news. We might not close for a few weeks and have the keys to show it off, but I didn’t want to wait that long.

  We planned to take them to dinner along with Ryan and Brin. They already knew and were a part of the process but also wanted to really surprise my parents. Celia kept in touch with Bill and decided to pay cash for the house which would leave her with plenty left in the bank. We could afford the bills on our wages and probably still save money.

  I planned to go to my dad’s favorite steakhouse for dinner with the excuse of celebrating the baby. We ate more at home, so this was a treat for all of us, apart from Brin. She was eating everything she wanted all over town. Mom and Dad agreed to that and offered to drive Celia with them and meet me after work.

  We got through the week by working and doing a lot of shopping online. We had close ideas for the decor, but she held off on ordering until the cat was out of the bag.

  Friday came, and I left the office and walked over to the restaurant. I invited Rick, but he had a date with Grace and we planned to do something together soon. I walked through the door and told them my name, following the hostess to a round booth in the back. I slipped off my jacket and folded it beside me as I ordered a drink. They should all be here soon, and I sipped the whiskey, enjoying the feeling of it sliding down my throat.

  I noted the blonde across the room with some young guy, narrowing my eyes at Amy. She’d had a couple of calls about her work and Rick told them that she was productive. That was all we heard about her, but I looked her over slowly. She looked healthy and smiled at something the guy said to her. They were seated at a table by the front, so I had little chance of running into her. I settled back and watched as my sister walked in with Ryan walking near her. They sat down, and he ordered a beer while Brin asked for water with a scowl on her face. Everyone else arrived after that and Celia slid in beside me, kissing me softly as she stared into my eyes.

  We let everyone order and then I smiled as I looked around at everyone. “Celia and I have an announcement to make.”

  Mom set her wine down and stared at me. “Another baby? Dear God.”

  “No, not a baby.” Celia giggled and pulled something up on her phone. I saw the house and grinned at the sight of it. “We’re moving out.”

  Mom started to cry as Celia handed Dad her phone to look at. He whistled as he scrolled and smiled at his wife. “Look, baby. It’s beautiful.” She wiped at her eyes and glanced at the screen, allowing Dad to show her all the pictures. Something crossed her face, and she stared at us.

  “A beach house?” She asked as Celia nodded.

  “A few blocks from yours. We’re close.” I assured Mom as she smiled.

  “You went for their dream.” She told Celia, and I watched as she shrugged in response.

  “It was mine as well. I think it’s going to be a perfect place to live.” I wrapped an arm around her shoulder and smiled at Brin. Mom kept looking at the photos and smiled wider with each one. We lingered over dinner and left when it was dark, walking languidly to the parking lot. I was holding Celia’s hand and leading her to the parking lot of my office when I heard my name.

  I turned to see Amy standing a few feet away. She looked nervous and I could see by Celia’s face that she knew who this was. “Hello, Remington.”

  “Amy,” I said as she shuffled her feet back and forth for a moment.

  “I’m sorry for everything. I have been doing a lot of work on myself and I’m going to be better. I have a job at a small firm, but they are willing to work with me.” Her eyes were large with sincerity and I nodded. She looked at Celia who was silent beside me and offered a smile. “Hi. He loves you, you know.”

  Celia smiled at me and I squeezed her hand. “I do.”

  “I just wanted to wish you the best and apologize. I caused a lot of pain for you over time.” Amy licked her lips. “Goodbye, Remington.” She turned to leave, and I pulled Celia to my car.

  “Do you think she meant that?” Celia asked as I mulled it over.

  “I hope so. She did have something going on with her that I didn’t see in the beginning. She has a lot of potential though, so I hope so.” I walked across an intersection and breathed in. “I am moving past it. I was a long time ago.”

  “I know.” Celia admitted as I looked down at her. We finished the walk and got into my car, driving home. Everyone came over and we talked about babies and houses as Mom kept crying. Ryan mentioned buying something before the baby came and Brin beamed at him. He laughed and said it wouldn’t be a beach house yet but something bigger than the apartment.

  We celebrated the twelve-week mark what seemed like the following week and the announcement was made to friends and family. Everyone was excited, and Celia suggested having the baby shower at our house. We’d be moved in by then and set up. We were set to close in three weeks and planning the move.

  When the move came, Ryan and Rick helped us. We didn’t have too much, but I had furniture in storage from my grandparents. We were planning to move that in and decide what we were going to keep. Celia was shopping, and beds was delivered the afternoon we moved in. She got a King for our room, a Queen for the guest room, and trundle for the office. It offered two beds if we had guests and room for everything else.

  The first night after everyone left, we walked out to the balcony and looked over th
e water. The moon was shimmering on it and she smiled as she snuggled closer to me. “This is all ours.”

  “It is,” I agreed as she moved to kiss me. “I love you.”

  “I love you and our future. We’re going to make this the home that your parents always wanted as well as what we want. I can’t wait until it’s all set up and we can start having everyone over for dinner.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Celia

  I shopped a little at a time for the house. We loved having the place to ourselves and I learned just how loud I get during sex. It reminded me of our first night together and now that was a fond memory for me that led to so much more.

  We ended every night making love in our room with the windows open. Remy insisted on installing a good security system since I worked from home and I agreed. It was great to feel safe as I wandered the beach in the morning and wrote out on the deck. Melinda filled our fridge the first time, and I was stunned at the amount of food in the house. It was enough to feed us for a while and I was eager to find out what Remy liked.

  We eased into our new life. Remy had someone working for him that allowed him a normal life and that he loved teaching. I was loving writing and having my own house on my little beach and creating a life with my first crush. We cooked every night, learning as we went and ordering out a lot when we messed up. I learned his grandma’s favorite recipes since she died when he was ten and I worked hard to copy them. I got a hold of my mom’s cookbooks and her mom’s, working on making them during the day to give me a break from writing. I realized that as much as I loved Remy’s parents, I felt at home now. My family pictures were all over the place and I felt them here most of the time. I was grateful to everyone that gave me a home when I needed one, but I was meant to be here with Remy.

  We were in the house for five months when we bought our first Christmas tree. He set it up and strung it with colorful lights as I unpacked my family ornaments from the garage. Mom stopped using them after Dad died, opting to make the holiday a much smaller event. I told Remy the stories about them as I hung them, laughing at the memories I didn’t realize I suppressed. When I was done, I stepped back and was taken to Christmas in my house when I was little. I threw myself into Remy’s arms crying and he held me tight on the couch. The light from the tree was beautiful as I took it in, pressed against him.