9 Ways to Fall in Love

by Caroline Clemmons

  I retrieved the pills from my bag and realized that I had started my period. So much for timing. It was my first one since the miscarriage, and I know Grayson hoped that we would get pregnant immediately. I didn’t look forward to disappointing him.

  I found myself on the bed, swallowed up by emotion in a flood of tears. I don’t know how long I’d been there, but I fell asleep. Grayson woke me when he came through the door yelling my name.

  “What on earth is going on? Are you sick or something? Did I poison you with the fish?” He gave me a big grin and was trying to be cute, but he quickly realized I was serious from my expression. I shook my head no.

  “No, babe, I started my period. Not only is the timing shitty, it means that we aren’t pregnant.”

  I looked up at him and glimpsed his hopes diminishing. He didn’t hide it very well either, but he tried. “Damn, and I was hoping for a repeat of that red outfit tonight!” he said, trying to muster a smile. Then, he turned serious, “I really wanted it to happen right away, but let’s be real.” He took in a deep breath and sighed. He sat down on the bed beside me. “It’s going to take some time, maybe several months, but we’ll have a baby by this time next year, I promise.” He wiped my face and held me until my sobs got quiet. “We have a change of plans, we’re going to go parasailing. You decide if you are up to it or not, or if you just want to ride in the boat with us.”

  He was like a teenager when it came to being an adrenaline junkie. “You bet, I’m game! I’d better do this now, because once I do get pregnant, one of us will have to be the sensible one!” I did manage to laugh back at him. I couldn’t let this one disappointment ruin our wonderful time, no matter how big a disappointment it was.

  We gathered our things for the boat trip and he grabbed me in his arms and whispered, “I want you all the time. I’ll leave tonight up to you.” He rubbed his nose to mine before releasing me.

  Out on the water, the twins had fun tormenting Monica and me about parasailing because we were both afraid of heights. Harrison decided that they would go first and show us how it was done. I was glad that they didn’t force me to go out first, since this way I could see what I was up for. Man, that thing takes you 600 feet in the air.

  I wasn’t looking forward to our turn, but I sucked it up so that I didn’t become fodder for the twin’s jokes. Fastened in the harness, Grayson grabbed my hand because he knew that I was practically tied up in knots. “Trust me, you will enjoy this. When it’s over, you’ll have bragging rights!” He no more than got that out of his mouth, than our ascension started. Wow, he was right. It was fun, yes, a bit scary at first, but once we got up in the air it was breathtaking.

  I couldn’t believe I was doing it. So much for giving in to peer pressure, but I was glad I did. Bragging rights, absolutely. Harrison and Monica took several photos of us so I would have something for my scrapbook. Anyone who knew me would never in a million years believe that I would do something like that. Amazingly, I wanted to do it again.

  We split off and took turns and the twins went up. While they were suiting up, Monica asked if I was okay back at the hotel. “Yes, just disappointed that I started my period. Not excited about the timing and even more so that we aren’t pregnant.” I gave her a disheartening sad face.

  “Being an only child, I dreamed of having a large family one day.”

  “You will, I’m sure. And I know that Harrison definitely wants children.” I gave her hand a squeeze.

  I pulled the hair from my face and held it so that I could watch the guys up in the air. “Harrison and I can’t have a family, Alex.” Her voice almost cracked.

  I whipped around and met her eyes with mine. “What are you talking about? He’s crazy about you and I know you love him too.” I searched her face, her expression for answers.

  “I suffer from MRKH, a birth defect where I was born without a uterus. I can’t have children.”

  My heart went to the bottom of the ocean. I felt horrible. I’d been so consumed with myself and my worries about a baby that I never realized that she didn’t talk about having any.

  “I’ve never heard of that. What do the doctors say about it?”

  “I have ovaries, just no uterus. They’ve told me that when the time was right, I could have my eggs harvested and use a surrogate, but there’s a bigger issue. It’s possible that I could pass the bad genetics, or missing chromosomes, to my daughter if I had one. They really suggested adoption. I’ve known since I was about fifteen.”

  “I’m really sorry. I’ve been self-absorbed about my own issues and I feel awful. Does Harrison know?”

  “No. I’ve been scared to death to tell him. My ex-fiancé said it wasn’t a big deal to him, but obviously it was, because I came home early from a work trip and found him cheating. His angry excuse was that he needed a whole woman. So I showed him my manly side and threatened to beat the shit out of him, and her. You’ve never seen two people dress and scatter so quickly.”

  I was awed by the way she seemed to handle the issue, but I could see the pain through her eyes. She had dealt with the issue, but she wasn’t ready to lose Harrison over it.

  “What are you going to do?”

  “I haven’t told Harrison yet, but I will when we get back home. Harrison and I’ve been talking about a future together. He knows that I almost married Stuart, but he doesn’t know about why we really broke up or the MRKH. I don’t know how he’ll feel about it. Some men don’t want to adopt.”

  I didn’t know what to do except hug her and show my support. “Harrison loves you, he told me. When he first talked about moving to Dallas, he wasted no time in getting a loft rented that is big enough for you both. I think the sooner you come clean with him, the better he’ll understand, but I certainly don’t see him running away for something like that. He’s not like that. But don’t you think you would rather know his reaction sooner, rather than later?”

  She shook her head, “I’ve just been scared. I realize that I have to get everything off my chest before I burst.”

  I saw her eyes swell with tears. “Monica, it’s going to be okay.”

  She looked back over my shoulder and pointed to Harrison, “I love that man, more than anything I’ve ever felt in my life. I can’t lose him.”

  “Then just tell him tonight. Get it over with. It will either make or break your bond. I did that with Grayson when I told him about being raped when I was sixteen. I told him the first night. I needed to know if he could accept me broken or if he would move on, before I became emotionally invested. Every guy I dated bolted either when I confessed my past or when I couldn’t have sex with them. Grayson was different. He held me that first night and we’ve managed to make it through the rough patches ever since, although I still fight the urge to run every time it gets hard. It’s never easy, but its love. Tell Harrison tonight, when you are alone. Tell him all of it, so he understands. He will love you through it, I’m sure of it.”

  The guys returned finally from what had to be the longest ride in history. Monica and I saddled up and took another spin. This time, we were both able to really enjoy it. She said she felt like she was chasing air, trying to fill her lungs. I had never heard that before, but I nodded my head, I understood what she meant. I was ready to go in; my skin was beginning to feel like a french fry. Redheads and sunshine aren’t the best of friends, although good sunscreen and a hat were a must.

  Grabbing a shower was exhilarating. We’d been confined to a tub for several days. I think I overstayed my time, because Grayson came to join me. “Did you enjoy yourself up in the air?” He was still grinning like a little kid getting candy.

  “Yes! It so much fun! The second time was more fun, though because I was more relaxed, knew what to expect.”

  “You and Monica are getting really close. I’m glad you have a gal pal, even happier that she’s great for my brother.”

  “I’m very fond of her.”

  “You must keep this a secret. Swear to me that you wo
n’t tell.” He looked at me, waiting for an answer.

  “Okay, okay, I swear. What is it?”

  “Harrison is going to propose right before Christmas. That’s what we were discussing up there.” His eyes were like fireflies dancing, all lit up with excitement.

  “Oh, honey, that’s wonderful! I love them both, I’m so happy for them!” It was then that I realized just how important it was for Monica to come clean with Harrison if she was going to. I couldn’t imagine him having issues with it, but the secret was bothering her and could potentially destroy their relationship. She had to tell him, and soon.

  “Has he planned the proposal yet?” Now I wanted the dirt! Who could blame me? A girl always wants to know details! Nothing was as romantic as Grayson’s proposal to me, it was amazing, but knowing them and competition, Harrison would try to outdo him.

  “He has two ideas, I’m not sure which one he is going with. He was thinking either a villa in Cabo, or a cabin in Aspen. What do you think?”

  “Hmm, if you’re asking me, I would say Aspen, since they’re doing the beach thing right now.” I shrugged, not able to make up my mind because Grayson was so sexy standing naked in front of me.

  “Honey, let’s focus on us right now, hmm, mainly, that!” as I touched the velvety skin of his lively manhood flaunted in front of me.

  “See something you like, do you?” he asked, lifting an eyebrow at me.

  “Yes, I do, and I have an idea” I replied, as I dropped to my knees and took care of him, leaving him panting and calling my name.

  “And what would my angel like in return?” he asked while leaning against the shower wall holding me tightly in his arms.

  “I’ll let you know later. I love you, Grayson.”

  ***

  The beachside luau and pig roast were absolutely incredible. The staff went to painstakingly difficult efforts to make sure all of the guests had a great experience for hours on end. The food was delicious and we had so much fun trying to dance the Polynesian dances. We played limbo and before it was all said and done, we were rolling around in the sand. Kaliegh, Kane’s fiancé, was by far the best limbo player. I noticed that Monica had been a bit subdued the entire evening. When I had time to ask her about it, she said that she hadn’t told him yet and was just stressed. I encouraged her to get it over with, so she took Harrison for a walk on the beach. They were gone a long time.

  When they returned, I could see that she had been crying, but they were in each other’s arms and she was smiling. When she winked at me, and I knew then that everything was going to be okay.

  The family decided that we would try to make this a bi-annual tradition at Thanksgiving for as long as we could, before our families got too big and the hotel couldn’t accommodate us any longer. Wasn’t that wishful thinking on our parts! This next year was going to be a big year for us. We had Kane and Kaliegh’s wedding, Harrison and Monica’s wedding, I was sure, and maybe a baby for us, and something told me that Zoe and Brent might toss a baby into the mix. Wow, the future looked busy for the Morrison and Brooks families.

  We said our goodnights and made our way to our bungalows. Harrison and Monica joined us on our deck for a while. Grayson went to grab some drinks and Monica went to their bungalow to get a wrap, since the night air was chilly, which left me alone with Harrison.

  “Thank you for being there for Monica. She finally opened up to me about something that has been bothering her.”

  “She’s become like a sister to me.”

  “I want to marry her, Alex.”

  “Congratulations! You asked her to marry you?”

  “Oh no, not yet, but I’m planning it very soon. Can you keep it a secret?” He elbowed me.

  “Sure, you can trust me.” Cough, cough.

  “Alex…”

  “Okay, fine. I won’t tell. Do you need me to pinky swear too?” I laughed.

  “Nope, I trust ya.”

  “Grayson and I love this place so much that we want to come back every other year for a Thanksgiving celebration. I hope you and Monica will join us.”

  “Sure. I hope by this time next year, you and Monica are both pregnant and having Brooks babies! We’ll have much to be thankful for.”

  What the heck did he just say? Monica pregnant? She didn’t tell him. Oh no, what on earth?

  Monica and Grayson returned carrying drinks and a tray of desserts for us. While they were there, I decided to show them the fish picture and back up Grayson’s bragging rights. We had so much fun laughing at the pictures, even the bubble bath! I wanted to pull Monica aside and ask her what in the hell was going on, but I couldn’t blow her cover and she seemed to be really happy or succeeding in her Oscar winning performance.

  “Hey guys, it’s late and I want to spend some time alone with my girl. We’ll catch you all in the morning.” Harrison took Monica’s hand and winked at her while he helped her stand. They hugged us before saying goodnight. She acted like nothing was wrong, but she wasn’t making eye contact with me. I knew she was up to something, but I had to let her do things her way. I sure hoped it wouldn’t backfire on her.

  Finally alone, Grayson and I looked out at the lagoon from our bedroom. “Thank you for the most romantic honeymoon a girl could ever imagine. It was spectacular, sweetheart, and I loved every minute of it.”

  “You’re very welcome, but we both loved it. I will never forget our time there on our private beach. But more importantly, I saw you let go of the past and become comfortable sexually as a woman. I knew eventually you would if I was patient and supportive enough, but you really surprised me this week.” He held me in his arms, stroking my hair.

  “You know, over just a few short days, I’ve skinny-dipped, screwed my husband in a hammock outside, had sex on the beach, swam naked in daylight with fish and stingrays, been handcuffed, used a vibrator and some crazy G-spot stimulating gel and finally, locked my husband up with these while I screwed his brains out!” I said, as I held up the handcuffs.

  “Yep, amazing stuff. You have definitely stepped out of your comfort zone and turned into a full-blown sex minx. As for those handcuffs, hand them here. I promised to take care of you, didn’t I?”

  “Hmm, why yes, yes you did.”

  Chapter 15

  Monday mornings are never fun and returning to work was no pleasure ride for either of us. Reality bites when you have to leave paradise. Plus, we had to immediately get ready to leave for a convention to San Antonio the next day. We were adjusting to being married, to living together in our apartment, and me working out of there as well. I still had not made my decision to leave PMC and join my dad’s company. The timing was difficult, with so much going on in so many directions.

  I was in the closet trying to pick out clothes to pack. Grayson came up behind me and wrapped me tightly in his arms. “I know this is a tough choice you’re having to make. I wish that I could just come along and make it all better.” He kissed the top of my head.

  “I’ve been so torn about which way to go. Both jobs offer me the role that I want.”

  “I’m sure you’ll figure it out. You about packed?”

  “I wish. I need to call Dad. I’ll do it while I finish packing so that we can get on the road.”

  I knew that PMC had been looking for additional investors. It’s possible that Dad could help the company financially.

  While speaking with Dad, I was taken aback with some news that he had which was confidential and not ready for release. Seems that while Grayson and I were at the cabin, he had time to visit with Drew, Phillip and Harrison at length about financial opportunities at PMC. Apparently, they struck a deal that still required board approval, but it involved dad joining PMC as an investor and board member. Since it was a private company, there was less of an issue about my employment and my relation to a board member. I could stay on with PMC and still work with my Dad to some degree when he joined the company as a board member.

  The announcement wouldn’t come until be made
until the first of the year, but everything was working out in the end. Dad decided he could sell Morrison Industries to the buyer he had waiting in the wings and our family home in Chicago would be put on the market. He already had a crew packing everything to move to the Rockwall house. One thing about my dad, he doesn’t waste time. He makes up his mind quickly and acts upon it. He knew I wasn’t ready to leave PMC. Worrying about a decision to join MI was fruitless, since everything always works out in the end.

  The drive to San Antonio took a little over four hours. We’d never spent so much time in the car together before. Grayson decided my car was easier for all of the luggage and show booth supplies. I thought he wanted to drive it because it was new, and sure, it was a very comfortable ride.

  We were staying at the Hyatt Hotel right on the river walk and it was definitely beautiful. There were shops, boutiques, spas and restaurants all around the convention center where the breast cancer conference was being held. We set up the company booth for PMC and decided to take an early dinner. Walking up and down the river walk, we breathed in the ambiance. It was buzzing with activity and there were Christmas lights in all of the trees.

  Someone told us about this fantastic new restaurant called Bliss that was in the Southtown area, so we decided to go there and check it out. Chef-owner Mark Bliss definitely delivered, like we had been told. We both thought the food was amazing. Grayson kept stealing bites of my potatoes.

  “Hey, I thought you didn’t eat potatoes?”

  “They’re delicious.”

  “I’m going to stab you with my fork if you steal anymore.” I laughed.

  “Fine, I’ll stab you with something hard when we get back to the hotel.” He raised his eyebrow at me.

  “Tease. You better deliver.”