by Jean Joachim
"So there's nothing I can do?"
Carrie continued down the stairs, intentionally putting her foot down hard on each step to make noise, alerting Emma and Fran of her arrival. When she reached the bottom, the two women standing by the front door had turned to face her. Emma had her coat over her arm.
"I'd like to apologize to Grey," Emma said, moving toward the stairs.
Carrie stepped in front of her, blocking her way. "Grey's sleeping, Emma. He's not to be disturbed."
Emma backed away and turned her gaze to the floor.
"I…I…I'm sorry, Carrie. I didn't mean to harm Grey."
Carrie stood silently, frowning at Emma.
I should forgive her. It would be the honorable thing to do. Don't feel like it.
Colin sauntered in from the living room. "Emma, don't push it. I'm sure in time, Grey and Carrie will forgive you. Maybe the best thing would be to give them some time…some space," he said.
Emma looked at him and nodded. She reached out to touch Carrie's arm. Carrie flinched and stepped back.
"You saved Grey…that's…that's fantastic." Emma raised her gaze to Carrie's face.
Carrie nodded and forced a tight, smile on her face. Emma smiled back and put her coat on while Colin held it for her.
"Good bye, dear," Fran said, opening the door.
As Emma walked out, Colin put his hands on Carrie's shoulders and turned her toward the living room.
"I think brandy is in order," he said, steering her toward the sofa in front of the fire.
Before she could sit down, Colin shoved a brandy glass in her hand and Jenna hugged her, then Barbara, too. Carrie wasn't surprised by hugs from Grey's sisters but the bear hug from John caught her off guard. When she sensed a slight tremor go through him as a smidgeon of bottled up emotion appeared to break through his defenses, her eyes watered. Blinking furiously didn't help as a few tears escaped down her cheeks. When she broke from him, Carrie wiped her face with her palm and looked up to see his eyes bright with unshed tears. He turned away as she cast him a questioning glance and cocked an eyebrow.
"Got kind of used to having Grey around. Thanks, Carrie," John muttered before taking his seat again in a roomy wingchair.
Carrie nodded not trusting her voice as emotion raced through her body. She plopped down on the sofa, fatigue sapping her strength. Colin leaned over and poured a healthy dose of good brandy into her snifter.
"Here's to Carrie!" Colin said, raising his glass.
Everyone joined in. After the brandy was finished, the doorbell rang. It was four o'clock and Gavin, Jason, the Deputy Sheriff, and a few other friends were at the door. It was time for the backyard touch football game.
Colin showed everyone in and told them about the near-disaster with Grey and the lake. At twenty-nine years old and healthy, Colin bounced back quickly after the ordeal. The guys went out in the backyard while John dug the football out of the back coat closet.
Carrie went upstairs, took off her jeans and shoes and snuggled into bed next to Grey. Note to my love list, never leave lover alone with his ex-girlfriend, even for five minutes. He threw his arm around her in his sleep. She rolled on her side and backed up against him, gave a sigh and fell asleep.
Chapter Eight
It was almost seven o'clock in the evening on Christmas Day when Carrie and Grey woke up. The room was dark and Carrie was disoriented for a moment.
"Carrie?" The fuzziness of sleep thickened his speech.
"Grey? Are you all right?" Carrie lifted her head off the pillow.
"Of course. Sleepy, that's all."
He sat up and switched on the small lamp on the nightstand next to his side of the bed. He had ripped the gloves off his hands while he slept and the hat had fallen to the floor. Carrie shielded her eyes from the glare with her hand. He got out of bed, feeling a rush of cold through his clothes and opened the door. The scent of ham, cauliflower and cheese casserole wafted up from the kitchen and Carrie heard Grey's stomach rumble. Hotter air floated up from the first floor and gradually warmed their bedroom.
"I'm starved. Come on. Something smells good." He reached for her hand.
Carrie left the bed, slipped on her jeans and joined him, yawning as they descended the stairs.
"Another item for the love list..." she began, stopping on the stairs.
"Oh?" Grey lifted his eyebrows as he faced her.
"An important one." Carrie placed both hands on his shoulders.
"They're all important."
"When your lover tells you she won't go down to the lake, because you asked her not to, believe her. I wouldn't violate your trust like that."
Grey paused and hung his head. "You're saying if I had believed you I wouldn't have gone down there, wouldn't have almost died?"
"'Bout sums it up." Carrie stepped closer and slipped her arms around his waist.
"Damn…correct on that one, too."
"List is growing fast."
"Question is, can I remember them all?"
"Betting you can."
Grey smiled at her vote of confidence. "Afraid to think how long it's going to be by the time we get married." His fingers played with the ends of her hair.
"You've got a few more months…think you can make it?"
"I will…or die trying."
"Not funny!"
Grey shot a grin at her. "Thought it was." He leaned over and gave her a slow kiss.
****
The house was quiet. When they reached the first floor they hesitated at the archway into the kitchen. Grey peeked his head in and noticed the kitchen table was set for five. Obviously Fran expected them for dinner. John and Colin sat in their usual seats drinking beer from bottles while Fran bent over the stove. A big casserole dish rested on the oven rack.
"John, could you help with this, please?"
Her husband went to the stove, donned two heavy-duty oven mitts, lifted the heavy dish out of the oven and placed it on the trivet on the table. Fran retrieved serving spoons from a drawer. Her face broke into a big smile when she looked up and noticed Grey and Carrie.
"Where is everybody?" Grey ran a hand through his hair.
"Jenna and Bill, Barbara and Earl all went home."
Grey scratched his stubbly face and smiled. Fran wiped her hands on her apron and crossed the room to give her son a hug.
"I'm so glad you're okay. You are okay, aren't you?" She looked up at him, her brow furrowed.
"Fine, Mom." He gave his mother an affectionate squeeze before releasing her.
"Please visit the doctor this week to make sure…"
"I'll make sure he does, Fran," Carrie put in when she saw Grey raise a hand in protest.
"Missed the football game," Colin remarked.
"Crap! I slept through football?"
Colin nodded.
"Who won?"
"Jason and I tied Gavin's team. Cause you weren't there!"
"Love how it's my fault even when I don't play."
"Here we go," John put in, "Let's eat."
Grey held out a chair for Carrie then sat down next to her. He leaned over to whisper in her ear. Her eyes widened a little, then an impish smile crossed her lips. She nodded to Grey before taking the bowl filled with the delectable casserole Fran handed her and setting it down on the table.
"Grey, whispering at the table is rude."
"I'm thirty-four, Mom. Needed Carrie's okay on something. I'm going to make it public."
"Still breaking the rules." Colin grinned at his brother.
"School is out until the day after New Year's, right?" Grey turned to look at Colin after setting down a bowl filled with the savory casserole. He toyed with the food with his spoon while it cooled, keeping eye contact.
Colin nodded, taking a small spoonful of food to his mouth.
"Carrie and I were wondering if you'd come back to New York with us tomorrow. The backseat in the Jag isn't great, but it can hold your sorry as…uh…butt. Why don't you come and stay with u
s through New Year's. Carrie has the guest room almost ready, right, hon?"
"The guest room is in better shape than our room. Come, Colin. Come back with us."
"Through the New Year?"
"Carrie's aunt Delia is throwing some fancy party on New Year's Eve. Be lotsa hot chicks there…"
"Grey…" John put in raising his hand.
"Sorry, Dad. Anyway, wadda ya say?"
"Come, Colin. We'll have fun." Carrie scooped up another spoonful of the cheesy concoction.
Colin's gaze bounced from Grey to Carrie and back. A smile crept over his face.
"Why not? Beats anything happening here."
"Great!" We'll leave right after breakfast tomorrow," Grey said, trying to speak with a mouthful of food.
****
Colin Andrews' story continues in the next novella, The Dating List.
Haven't read "The Marriage List" yet? Here's a peek
The Marriage List
Chapter One
Envy burned in Grey's chest as he walked through the door at Blondie's, the sports bar on West 79th Street. His three best buddies had it all, great jobs and great wives, while at 30 years old, Grey was still working night and day, saving every penny and sleeping alone…most nights. Tonight he faced the challenge of listening to them brag without letting the smile slip off his face.
The bar was beginning to get noisy with baseball games on three TVs and rowdy laughter. Grey wondered when it'd be his turn for happiness. He got a table and downed a drink before his friends arrived, brushing a careless hand through his sandy hair.
His hazel eyes swept the room for eligible women. There were a couple at the bar, talking to each other, looking pretty hot. Later, he'd try to drum up some action. One looked over at him, her gaze moving over his body slowly and her broadening smile indicated she approved of what she saw. Her blonde hair and ample chest made it hard for him to turn his gaze back to the door, where Will was entering, followed by Spence.
Grey raised his hand in greeting to his buddies as they made their way to his table. This was their quarterly get-together for a couple of beers and dinner. Though they were eight years out of college, when they were together it was like old times hanging at the fraternity. Practically inseparable in college, they called themselves the "Four Horsemen". When Bobby arrived, they motioned to the waitress for another pitcher of beer.
After placing their food orders, the Horsemen settled back in their chairs. Grey opened the conversation.
"So how's married life treating you guys?"
"Thinking about tying the knot, Grey?" Bobby asked.
"That would be news," Will put in, before taking a swig of beer.
"Yeah, yeah, 'Grey Andrews, tired of screwing different women every night sets the date'" Spence said, making quotation marks in the air with his hands.
"I'll drink to that," Will said, raising his mug in a mock toast.
"You'll drink to anything!" Bobby piped up.
"So who is she?" Spence asked, narrowing his eyes and gazing at Grey.
"No one. There's no one," Grey said, his shirt collar feeling suddenly tight. He reached up and unbuttoned his shirt then took a deep breath.
"Sure, sure. You don't have to tell us, but we'll find out eventually," Will said.
"Come on, guys, I'm serious," Grey continued.
"So you've stopped working sixty hour weeks and sleeping with whatever you could pick up at a bar?" Bobby asked.
"Maybe."
"Gonna kick out your roommate and squeeze a wife into that cramped place you live?" Will asked.
"I'm looking."
"So the nest egg is fat enough now, got enough cash and you're ready for the next step? Grey, you plan like a girl," Spence chuckled and the other two laughed with him.
"So marriage isn't so great for you guys, huh? Is that what I'm hearing?" Grey said, smirking.
Grey, the only unmarried one, wanted to hear how married life was treating his friends. Although he wasn't in love or even dating one woman exclusively, he was thinking about taking the plunge himself…time to start looking for Ms. Right. Spence was right, Grey was a planner.
Will took a gulp of his beer before he turned to Grey.
"Your crazy job giving you time off to get married?"
Grey had spent the past eight years working sixty hour weeks to achieve success; his job at an investment firm kept him busy watching his clients' money and his own. He lived on practically nothing, took girls on inexpensive dates, shared an apartment, all to save up for freedom and marriage, the way he wanted it.
"Still the master of the cheap date, Grey?" Spence asked him, putting down his empty beer glass.
So what if he was inventive enough to master the art of low-cost dating: picnics in Central Park, free concerts, trips to the Bronx Zoo on free entry days, long walks. The women he escorted didn't mind that dates with him were unusual instead of costly. Grey wooed his women on as few dollars as possible, saving every cent and it was paying off as he watched his money grow, multiplying at a rapid rate.
"I'm still careful with my money, Spence. How's your marriage, by the way?" Grey asked, lounging back in his chair.
Grey was on a mission, gathering data, information, formulating his plan for wedded bliss. After two pitchers, tongues started to loosen up.
"My wife is a pain in the ass with her decorator and her cook. The living room is white, can't wear shoes there. Can't put my feet up on the coffee table. And food! Tiny portions, salads. Give me a good meatloaf any day, I eat like a rabbit," Will complained, refilling his glass.
The table was silent for a moment.
"Bobby, how's that sexy lady you married?" Spence asked, his eyes glittering with either desire or envy, Grey couldn't tell which.
"Watch it, Spence. Just because she has big boobs…"
"Man, she must be hot," Spence continued.
"I said watch it!" Bobby got halfway out of his chair before Grey put a hand on his arm to stop him.
"What's the matter, Spence, not getting any?" Bobby teased.
"Susan's a great talker. She loves to talk. Very smart. Intellectual, in and out of bed. But the action I want in bed doesn't involve talking," Spence said, gazing down at his beer.
"I wish Tiffany would talk a little more. She says lawyer stuff is boring. I tell her 'yeah that lawyer stuff is what pays for your wardrobe, honey' but she doesn't get it," Bobby said, signaling the waitress for another pitcher.
Grey didn't hear anything like what he'd expected. He had steeled himself to hear enough bragging to make a strong stomach retch, but it never materialized. Instead his friends continued to complain about their wives, what their seemingly perfect wives lacked and what the Horsemen were missing. His frustrated pals killed his taste for the women at the bar and the discovery of their dissatisfaction caused Grey to wonder if married life was a good idea for him after all.
The Marriage List is available where ebooks are sold.
Table of Contents
Preface
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter One