by CJ Azevedo
Oh, I’m a fuckin’ client now? My jaw clenches and breathing accelerates.
“That’s her boyfriend, Greyden, it’d do you good to remember that,” Allison says softly as she lays her hand on my arm, which was so tense it almost hurt.
“Okay, sweetie. I’ll try to make it. If I’m not there by the time you have to leave then I’ll meet you at the restaurant. Just have a glass of wine waiting for me; it’s been a long morning.” Macie laughs at whatever he says then says goodbye. I can’t help but notice that she didn’t tell him she loved him before getting off the phone.
She’s smiling again when she walks back over to us, leading me to believe that maybe he really does make her happy. I honestly don’t know if that made me feel better or worse.
“Sorry about that. Where were we?” Macie asks as she joins us.
Allison hands her the samples of the granite. They’re like night and day. I don’t know how she could be so confused—it’s like choosing apples or oranges.
“Right. Thanks, Allison. Okay, so here’s my dilemma. We have the white-ish cabinets and we can go with this beautiful tan granite, Bianco Antico, all over with a tan tile backsplash and go with black wood on the island, keeping the same granite there, too.”
“That actually sounds badass.” I love the black island idea.
“It will be. Or we can do the same cabinets with this Black Galaxy granite throughout and keep the island the same as the rest of the kitchen with a lovely black backsplash. What do you think?”
“You’re brilliant, Mace,” I enthuse, because she is. “I like them both, but I think the first idea is the option to go with.”
“Great choice.” She’s grinning like she just won a major award.
“You weren’t struggling with that at all, were you?”
“No, I wasn’t,” she responds, only a bit sheepish. “I needed you to make some decisions of your own, though. You did well.”
That makes me laugh and without thinking, my arms go around her like it’s the most natural thing to do—for me it is the most natural thing.
Macie quickly pulls back and shoots a sideways glance over to Allison, then starts putting everything back into her trunk. “Okay, great. We’re all set then. You guys go have a good lunch. I’m sorry I had to delay it. I’ll call you tomorrow to show you the floors.” She drops that little tidbit as she’s opening her car door, smiling her devious smile at me.
“Floors? Seriously?” I shout out as she laughs and closes her door. Just a few changes my ass.
Without saying a word, Ally stalks off to my car, getting in immediately once I click it unlocked, without waiting for me to open the door for her. She knows that Macie is off limits. She’s known this since day one and that didn’t even come from me, it came from Declan when he overheard her throwing a fit about me talking to Macie at one of his parties. She’s made snide remarks on occasion since then, but mostly holds her tongue, knowing she’ll always lose that battle.
A few weeks ago, when I called her back after she told me she always knew I belonged to Macie while Mace was in the car with me, she apologized profusely and swore that she just had a weak moment and didn’t want to lose our friendship. That I understood. I didn’t want to lose her friendship, either, she’s a great girl. I could stop having sex with her today and be fine, but I would miss her if she stopped coming around altogether. In all the years we’ve been friends, though, she still can’t understand that Macie comes first.
“It was like I wasn’t even there the whole time, Greyden. The one time I did make a suggestion, you blew me off so hard my head spun. That’s not fair, Grey. You can’t treat me like that just because she’s around.”
“You tried to claim me by calling me ‘baby,’ Allison.” I peel out of the parking lot and head straight for her house, not even offering to take her to the lunch we’d planned. She’s picking a fight and I don’t have time for this shit.
“Really? That’s what your problem is? I call you that all the time,” she huffs as she turns in her seat to really look at me.
“In the bedroom. Not in public.” My words are ground out through clenched teeth. I know better than to lose my cool, period, especially with girls, but Allison is making me lose it right now.
“Or do you mean not in front of Macie? You do realize that whatever the hell has happened with the two of you in the past is way over in her eyes, right? She’s moved on, Grey. It’s time for you to do the same.”
Swallowing down the anger that has risen from the pit of my stomach, I take a deep breath, then release it slowly. “Macie is not negotiable. She never will be. It’s time for you to get over that,” I say as calmly as I can manage.
Allison sinks back into her seat and looks out her window. “It’s not fair of you to expect me to accept that you have a relationship like that with another woman. How am I supposed to compete with something like that, Grey? I can accept the non-exclusivity between us for now, but you have more of a relationship with her than you do with me and she’s in a relationship of her own. I don’t know what to do with that.”
“What Macie and I have is strictly between me and her. It’s none of your business and I will not discuss it with you. If you can’t accept things the way they are, then we won’t be carrying on the way we have. There is nothing for you to compete for. For the last fucking time, I cannot do a relationship with you or anybody else.” I can’t handle anymore of this shit, so I turn the radio on and crank it up.
Allison doesn’t look my way again until we get to her house. There, she leans over and kisses my cheek and apologizes, asking me to give her a call in a few days, once I’ve calmed down.
I don’t know how long it’s going to take me to calm down. I’m pissed as hell at the world right now, not just Allison, and I don’t know what to do with it. Why the fuck can’t I get my shit together and manage a relationship already? People carry way more shit than I do and get married on top of that. Granted, most of those marriages don’t last, but at least they try, right? Is that what I’m supposed to do? Just try?
Chapter Nine
July 24, 2007
Macie is 18 years, 3 weeks, and 2 days old
Last year, having made a sudden decision to fly home from her study abroad program in time for Greyden’s birthday, she had Samantha pick her up from the airport. Her parents weren’t happy about her change of plans and their inability to be there to pick up their daughter after her extended stay away from them, so when she expressed her desire to have her boyfriend get her from the airport this year, they refused profusely and Greyden rode along.
When she arrived at baggage claim, Greyden didn’t give her the chance to reach them. With a determined stare across his handsome face he reached her in four long strides, picked her up, and swung her around, causing her and her dad to laugh and her mom to gasp in disbelief.
“No more out of the country trips.” He kissed her deeply with both arms wrapped tightly around her small waist before setting her down carefully. “You can play nice right here in the US.” He kissed her again, burying his fingers in her hair.
She missed him so much she felt the tears swell behind her closed lids as she melted against him, completely ignoring her parents standing just three feet to the side.
Her mom had been hesitant to jump on board the Greyden-Macie love wagon. She didn’t think it wise for her young daughter to date a college boy, even if she did love him like her own child. She saw inevitable heartbreak in her daughter’s future by dating someone so seriously at such a young age. Macie tried to reason with her, even explained that Greyden refused to have sex with her (that conversation was a bit awkward), but Nancy was still leery of their relationship and very strict about what Macie was allowed to do as far as dates went. That was, until she turned eighteen. Now it’s a different story.
“Mi sei mancato, mon grand,” Macie whispered around a thick throat, her eyes still closed as she stroked his face lightly with her fingertips and rested her forehead
on his chin.
“Butterfly,” Greyden whispered back as he bent down to get eye level with her, his hands gliding down her back in slow motion, caressing her, resting on the curve of her lower back.
Macie didn’t want to reveal how upset she was. The whole flight over she was a ball of nerves; it was finally taking its toll on her. She was afraid they would misinterpret her emotions, that her parents would take her tears as being upset to being back in the States maybe, or worse, Greyden might take them for her not wanting to see him. She couldn’t formulate her feelings or her words, so she just crushed herself to his chest. She was going to make sure he knew she was right where she wanted to be.
“I don’t know what you said. It sounded hot as fuck, though,” he said in a deep, gravelly voice close to her ear so only she could hear. A small burst of laughter hit his chest and Macie’s tense posture once again relaxed into him. “I kinda think you called me fat.”
Macie whipped her head up in shock, a gust of air whooshing out of her O-shaped mouth. “What?”
Greyden’s left eyebrow quirked up and in all seriousness he replied, “Mon grand? You are the worst nickname giver ever, Butterfly.”
“I said ‘I missed you’ in Italian but then I switched it up because the French term of endearment ‘mon grand’ was so perfect for you! It means ‘my big guy.’ With all the working out you’ve been doing while I was away, I knew you were bulking up and I was right. Look at you.”
Greyden smirked and shook his head defiantly. “I don’t want to. I’m too busy looking at you.” He had nothing but love in his eyes. They had yet to say the words, but she knew and so did he. They were deeply in love with one another.
“All right, give me my daughter, Greyden,” Macie’s dad teased good-naturedly as he attempted to break them apart, but not before Grey got one more kiss in.
Fresh tears sprang free and this time Macie didn’t stop them. Her mom came up on the side of them and joined in on the hug, as if they hadn’t seen each other in years. Really it had only been about seven weeks.
Finally they walked closer to the luggage carrousel to retrieve her cases and she was back in Greyden’s arms.
The area was busy and since she didn’t walk right over to get her belongings they were stuck waiting in the back for everyone else to grab theirs first. Macie was leaning against Greyden with her back to his chest and he had his arms wrapped around her waist. Her head rested right at the curve of his shoulder.
Standing against Greyden, she screamed “good girl.” Her parents both had a thing about flying in appropriate attire; they didn’t feel like ninety percent of the rest of the population that flew in comfy clothes. They still deemed flying as a privilege and one should treat it as such. Which is why Macie was wearing nude heels and cream slacks with her coral and cream knit sweater set. Grey was wearing a fitted t-shirt and jeans.
Greyden’s right hand disappeared from her waist and a few seconds later reappeared presenting a small box in front of her. She twisted her neck around in order to see his face and asked, “What?”
What’s he thinking? She knew jewelry boxes and this was a ring box! He couldn’t do this. Not here. Not like this, not right now! Oh my God! Oh my God! As much as the protests were flying, the excited jitters were coming equally as fast.
Before he could respond to her question, they were interrupted by a fuming Mrs. James. “Greyden Michaels, you put that away right now. You will not do this; I won’t allow it. I love you, but that is going too far.” Nancy was heaving and pointing a finger in their direction when Macie spun around, putting her arms firmly around Greyden, and got ready to set a good backlashing towards her mother. How dare she? This wasn’t her choice to make and it wasn’t a scenario for her to control—she didn’t get to do this.
Her dad stepped in and wrapped her mom into his body, calming her shaking frame. “Greyden, don’t you think you and I should have talked about this, son?” he stated calmly, always the reasonable one, and Macie’s heart soared at hearing him call Grey “son.”
Greyden smiled brightly, showing all of his teeth and both dimples, barely containing his laughter, but he managed it. Macie just stared up at him, absolutely confused to his reaction. “Yes, sir, we definitely would have spoken if I were going to propose. This is just a cute ring I found for her birthday.” He sucked in both of his lips and bit down when he looked over at her.
Nancy threw a heavy hand to her own forehead while her husband glared unhappily down at her.
Greyden popped open the box with his thumb and showed her the gift. It was a thick platinum band with pink sapphires all the way around. She didn’t know how or if he could afford something so beautiful without his parents’ money, but she knew better than to ask. She crushed her mouth against his and thanked him over and over again.
He slipped the ring onto her right ring finger. It shone with perfection. She was completely aware of how her next question was going to sound coming out of her mouth, but she didn’t care, because it wasn’t how she meant it. “Where’s my bikini?” She wasn’t about to let him switch up their tradition now. By this time, her mom was holding her hand, admiring her ring and apologizing for jumping to conclusions when she heard Macie sound like a spoiled brat. Greyden laughed immediately but her mom, not so much.
“Macie Marie James! I don’t know who raised you! I most certainly didn’t teach you to act that way.” She glared at Macie.
“Yeah, what’s wrong with you?” Greyden chuckled, then released her to follow her dad to grab her case now that the traffic around the carousel had cleared up.
Macie wasn’t fazed in the least. She needed to know. He was going to get her the bikini whether he liked it or not. It was tradition.
They walked out to the car together, Greyden rolling one suitcase and holding Macie’s hand in the other while she held out her right hand and admired her new addition. She still hadn’t gotten an answer about the bikini, but she was too happy with her current present to fret about the missing one.
“It’s at my house,” he whispered, his breath hot against her neck as they climbed into the back of her parents’ SUV while they loaded the luggage in the back.
Macie was instantly filled with desire for him. She was filled to the brim with longing, not wanting to wait another minute for their ultimate connection. Once she was across the seat and he was seated, she climbed up onto his lap and grasped the back of his neck, caressing the shell of his ear with her fingernails of her newly-adorned hand. The new sparkly addition just barely caught her eye as she drowned herself in his heated deep green eyes.
“I knew you wouldn’t change that tradition on me.”
“Never, baby.” Greyden lightly shook his head, his words holding so much meaning. They might have only been “together” for nine months, but they had a history of years and bikinis were a huge part of that history.
He never called her “baby” and although it wasn’t her favorite, like Butterfly, she really liked it. For some reason, right then, it really worked for her. Macie lowered her head and kissed him lightly and slowly, keeping her body as close to his as she could.
“Time to detach yourself for a bit there, Mace, and buckle up, baby girl,” her dad said as he laughed and patted her mom on her leg.
“We’re having family dinner tonight at six-thirty. Greyden, I’ll give your parents a call and invite them over as well,” Nancy announced in a snooty tone. She was usually so easygoing and fun-loving, but since Greyden had been around with Macie and not Declan, he’d been seeing a different side to her. He’d been meaning to talk to Mace about it.
“Can we please do that tomorrow, Mom?” Macie asked kindly. She knew better than to whine to her mom. She could only get away with it with her dad and it worked to perfection every time. With her mom, however, she needed to be more precise in her need, more mature with her wants and definitely more refined in her approach.
“Absolutely not, Macie Marie. You can go frolic about tomorrow. Tonight i
s about family,” Nancy replied as she stared straight ahead, sitting with her back stiff as a board, completely ignoring her husband’s calming motions on her thigh.
“Ok. Well, do I get to go back to first name only status tomorrow while I’m ‘frolicking about,’ or am I forever stuck with Macie Marie when you address me?”
Greyden squeezed her knee and shook his head with a scowl just as Nancy let out an exasperated sigh right into her window, shaking her own head and grabbing on to her husband’s hand.
“Macie, I think we can handle dinner tonight just fine, don’t you?” her dad said soothingly as he glanced up at her through the rear view mirror. “We all missed you very much and I know Declan and the boys are anxious to see you as well.”
“Sure, Daddy. Do you need my help cooking, Mom?” Macie asked in a much softer voice, leaning into Grey’s chest for extra support and strength.
Nancy swallowed deeply before responding. “No, darling, I’m having it catered. You and Greyden go have some alone time just please don’t be late.” Her mom was struggling. Macie knew this; she just didn’t know what to do about it. She couldn’t not grow up just because her mom didn’t like it.
Greyden kissed the top of her head and they rode the rest of the way in absolute silence.
When they arrived at Grey’s, they had the house to themselves. Macie wondered immediately whether or not that was planned. They hadn’t spoken much on drive from the airport and not at all on the five minute drive from her parents’ house, since her mood had been totally altered by her mother (she tended to do that).
Greyden got out and walked around to let her out. He had her pinned up against the car, his hard body pressing against hers, within seconds. His hands trailed the length of her arms to interlock his fingers with hers before working their way behind her back, locking them there. He buried his face in her hair, moving down to the hollow at her throat, his knees bent just a bit to give him the perfect angle.
Macie’s head dropped back with a soft thud to the car door. Her pulse quickened by the second and she wished with all her might that she could transport them to his bedroom right then and there. And then it happened. Right there, under the bright light of day, with a neighbor out watering his lawn, another walking her dog… Greyden’s tongue found its way to her bare skin and traced its way up to just underneath her jaw, where he stopped only to gently bite her.