He stood up and she stood up beside him.
She wiped a stray tear from her cheek and he watched her, thinking somewhere in the back of his mind that it was possible that she might be the loveliest woman he had ever seen.
She reached her arms around his neck again and hugged him, and he hugged her back, this time feeling her body as it pressed lightly against him, and her soft lips as they delicately touched his cheek when she brushed it with a kiss.
Grace stood back and looked at him and his heart tightened in his chest.
"Thank you so much," she said with utter gratitude.
"You are so welcome," he told her with a smile. He led her to the door and walked her down the hall towards the front door. When they reached it, he held it open for her, waving at her as she walked out to her car and he watched her pull off down the driveway.
He closed the door and leaned his back against it, wondering what he had gotten himself into, and knowing that it didn't matter. He was going to make sure that Grace and her baby were taken care of, and he promised himself that nothing was going to change that.
Chapter 2
Grace did indeed move in, though it was two days later. Oliver had her room ready for her, and it was an unbelievable breeze to her when the moving company came in, carefully wrapped her things, boxed them, and took them to the mansion. She told them she would unpack, as there weren't that many boxes, and she settled comfortably into her new room.
It was a spacious bedroom on the main floor; a guest room with a large, full private bath and double glass doors that opened up into the garden. There was another large room that shared a wall with it, and Oliver had given her the choice of either room, but she loved the one that opened up to the garden, and so that was the one which became hers.
Oliver made sure he was home when she arrived, and he checked on the moving truck, and then he left her to herself to settle in and get comfortable. She appreciated the way he handled it; she felt supported by his presence and assistance, but she felt a little relieved when he gave her the privacy and space she needed to unpack and acclimate to her new home.
She hung her clothes in the big walk in closet in her room, all the while wondering at how her life had changed so fast. It was incredulous to her that things could have altered so profoundly in so little time; one moment she was scraping by in her small apartment on her own, trying to make ends meet and then finding out that she was pregnant, which at the time had seemed a disaster. Now she was standing in a walk in closet that was bigger than her bedroom had been, in a bedroom that was bigger than her apartment had been, and she had every reason to believe she would be staying there at least a year, if she wanted to.
Grace didn't know how Lance was going to react to her being there, but Oliver had assured her that she was wanted there, no matter what Lance might say, and that he would come around. Oliver explained that his brother had just been in shock about the news and needed time to adjust to it. It was a big life change for him.
She could understand that, it was a big life change for her as well. She hadn't planned on getting pregnant, she hadn't planned on being laid off from her job when the flower store closed. She hadn't planned on being alone in her life at that point with no family to help her. Getting used to all of that had been hard for her, and she knew that some people adjust differently than others do, so she believed Oliver when he told her that his brother would come around in time.
She was thinking through all of these things when she heard a soft voice behind her, and it startled her. She turned swiftly, drawing in her breath and saw Oliver standing in the doorway; one hand in his pocket, one hand on the door frame. He smiled at her.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to surprise you." The smile on his face reached his sparkling green eyes.
She smiled back at him. "I just didn't hear you. I was putting these away and thinking about things and... I just didn't hear you." She laughed a little.
He wasn't surprised that she hadn't heard him. He'd knocked on the main bedroom door, which was open, and gotten no answer, but he saw the light on in the closet, so he walked to it, and as he walked toward it, she came into view. Her back was to him. Her hair was pulled up into a twist on the back of her head, except for one long tendril that hung delicately down the graceful curve of the back of her neck. The strand reached between her shoulder blades and fell just to the small of her back where her hips curved.
She was wearing a light lavender dress that hugged her body, and hinted teasingly at the lines and swells beneath it. At first he had only gazed at her, but then he found himself entranced by her; the way she moved and stood, the way her dress shifted over her, and the one strand of hair laying down her back was so close to her lower curves. It made him hold his breath for a long moment before he blinked and shook his head and told himself to go to her with his purpose for being there.
When she turned to him in surprise, her dark eyes were so wide and she made a little squeaking noise that made him laugh a little. It was cute, he thought.
"I came to let you know that dinner will be ready soon. Are you hungry? You've been working in here most of the day. You must be." He found himself wanting to take a step closer to her, to breathe her in and see if she smelled like the jasmine that had drawn his attention two days before, but he stayed in the doorway and held it firmly in his hand.
She smiled shyly. "I'm starving. I just wanted to finish this, and then I thought I would get something to eat, but it's too early for dinner yet, isn't it?"
He shook his head. "It's six o'clock." Then he stepped forward and took her hand in his and she her breath caught a little. "Come on. This will wait. Come eat. You'll need the sustenance for the rest of whatever you're going to do to your room." He gave her a friendly wink and turned, walking out the door and leading her out of her bedroom.
Her hand felt good in his, warm and soft, and she was a little disappointed when they entered the hall and he let her hand go. They walked together to the dining room, and she saw that a beautiful dinner had been arranged for them. It looked intimate, as they were the only two at home. Oliver's father hadn't yet made it back to the house and was expected the following morning, which left just her and Oliver.
He pulled her chair out for her and she sat down, and then he sat beside her. It was surreal to her to be there with him having dinner.
"I wanted to let you know that I went to our family bank today and opened up a spending account for you. Use it for whatever you like. Don't worry about how much you spend, all of it will be taken care of. There's a very high limit on it." He handed her a bank folder as she stared at him in shock. She shook her head. "I don't need this. I don't have to have this. Please don't think that you need to—“
Oliver touched her hand lightly to pause her, and he smiled at her. "It's necessary. You'll need things, the baby will need things, and you need to take this time off to prepare for the birth. So, this is just the family taking care of you and our little one growing inside of you. I insist. It is yours for the duration of your stay in this house, and it is up to you to do what you will with it." He looked at her earnestly. "Please accept it."
There was nothing for her to do but smile and say thank you.
"I want you to know how much I appreciate this, and all of the things you have done for me. You've been so generous, so kind... it means the world to me. Thank you."
He smiled and nodded. "You're part of the family now. It is my pleasure."
He sipped his wine and let himself watch her for a lingering moment as she ate. She had such a sweet and gentle loveliness about her, and it was charming to him.
"I also contacted our family doctor, and he recommended an OB/GYN doctor for you. He comes very highly recommended. He will be coming to the house tomorrow to meet with you and give you your first examination." He grinned at her. "I'll admit I'm quite excited about it."
She laughed a little then and tilted her head curiously, looking at him. "Are you? It's such a big change.
It was unexpected."
Oliver nodded and smiled at her, loving the way the light reflected off of her dark eyes. "It is unexpected, but it is no less wonderful, and all the more a precious blessing. I could not be more delighted to have you here in the house with us, so that we can experience it. Only father has experienced having a pregnant woman in the house. Lance and I are both brand new at this."
He grew thoughtful. "There hasn't been a woman in the house since my mother passed away, and we were teenagers then," he said quietly.
Grace's eyes grew sad as she looked at him. "What happened? May I ask?" Her voice was gentle.
Oliver nodded. "Yes, of course." It was never easy to talk about, but he knew she must be curious, and it certainly wasn't an invasion of privacy.
"She developed cancer, and it grew throughout her body rapidly, though it did not take her rapidly. It took its time killing her slowly and painfully, and no amount of money or efforts that we made could deter it or stop it, and a long time after she was first diagnosed, it finally claimed her. The house has never been the same since, nor have any of us. It was difficult for Lance and I. We lost our mother, but my father has had it the worst. He lost his wife and life partner. He wanted to be with her all of his life, but I suppose he got to be with her for all of hers, at least, since they were married. I don't think he is ever going to heal from losing her."
He had been speaking his thoughts without really realizing it until he saw the hurt look on Grace's face, and then he stopped suddenly.
"I didn't realize I had gone on so much. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that. Please forgive me. I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable." He gave her an uplifting smile.
She gave him a smile back and sipped her tea. "She must have been an incredible woman."
Oliver nodded and in his mind he thought back to her. "She really was. I'll tell you more about her sometime."
Grace squeezed his hand. "I'd love that," she told him honestly.
He sat up a little in his chair and looked at her with a little more brightness.
"What about your family? How is it none of them are close to you here?" He had been curious about it, but had guessed that they must not be close enough to help her.
She shrugged. "My father was never around and my mother is in a nursing home a long way from here. My uncle looks after her there. I thought if I wasn't able to find a job soon that I would join them, but they're on the other side of the country. It's so far. This is my home, and it's where I want to be. It's where I want this baby to be born and raised, and where I want to spend my life, but I thought I was going to have to leave it all behind and go to my uncle's house to ask for help there."
Grace looked at him with eyes filled with wonder. "Then you stepped in and changed everything. Thank you so much. You've given this baby and I such tremendous gifts. It means everything."
Oliver looked away from her eyes and smiled. "As I said, it's my pleasure. You are family now. We're here to help you."
"You are here to help me," she corrected him.
He looked up at her, and for a moment, he was caught in her gaze; locked there, unable to turn away.
"I am here to help you," he said anew, his voice quiet and steady.
For a moment there was something in his green eyes as they gazed at her, something that felt so familiar, yet so new and different. It drew her in, like a magnet, and it made her want to never take her eyes from his.
Then he made himself look away from her and the moment slipped away into the shadow of silence. Lightly changing the subject, he said, "So, tell me what happened with the flower shop you said you were working in."
She took a bite of the soup before her and closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying its deliciousness. Then she answered him.
"Maya's. It was a sweet little flower shop. It was owned by Maya. She is a wonderful old woman. I started working for her when I was seventeen years old. I was out on my own, just a kid trying to make it, and she gave me a chance and hired me. I spent nearly every day there, working so hard and learning everything she would teach me, and as the years passed, I got to be pretty good at what I did, and I loved doing it. I loved the creativity and the customers, and of course all the flowers, but the economy took a big hit, and she lost all her money and she lost her store. We just couldn't keep the shop open. She had to close it, and that left me looking for work. Then, just a couple of weeks later, I found out that I was pregnant." She sighed and absentmindedly placed her hand on her stomach.
Oliver watched her and felt a lump in his throat. "It must have been so scary for you. I can't imagine it. You must have a lot of strength."
She nodded and raised her eyebrows as she smiled a little. "I didn't have a choice. I had to be strong."
He reached for her hand and held it, feeling her soft fingers beneath his. "You're not without choices now, and you don't have to do it on your own."
Grace nodded and smiled at him. "Thank you. It's so nice to have a friend to hold my hand." She meant it literally and metaphorically, and he agreed with her.
She felt such reassurance and confidence being there with him and hearing him affirm for her that she had a home and a new family to help her through what had become the most difficult situation of her life. It was looking to become the greatest blessing of her life, and that possibility gave her tremendous hope.
Their dinner conversation moved to lighter topics and they discussed the house and the grounds, different stories about themselves. When the meal was over, he walked her to her room and she hugged him goodnight, her arms snug around his neck, and his close around her, his hands on her back. He closed his eyes and let himself breathe in her scent. Lavender, it was like her dress. It smelled incredible to him, and he moved his mouth closer to her ear and neck to breathe it in a little more. His breath touched her skin and she felt her stomach tighten slightly.
Oliver let her go and took a step back and she smiled at him lightly and told him goodnight. He walked away and she closed the door and walked to her bed, wondering in amazement at her new life. It would take some getting used to.
Chapter Three
The next morning she did not hear or see anyone, and she went to the kitchen on her own to make herself some breakfast. Wilson appeared out of almost nowhere and nodded pleasantly at her.
"Good morning, Miss. May I get breakfast for you?" he asked politely.
Other than being in a restaurant, she was unused to having people wait on her, and she felt nervous about it. "That's alright," she told him gratefully. "I'll go ahead and get it myself. Thank you so much, though."
"Very good, Miss." he told her. He nodded his head again and showed her where all of the food and dishes were, and then he turned on the kettle so she could have hot water for her tea, and he left her.
Grace tied an apron over her sundress, one she was glad to wear because it was finally going be a warm and sunny day, and she set about to making breakfast for herself.
Ten minutes later, she had begun to sing to herself an old Ella Fitzgerald jazz tune that her grandmother used to sing to her, and she had breakfast well under way. There were eggs cooking slowly in the pan, there was fresh cut fruit laid out on a plate, and she was busy buttering toast and singing Ella at the top of her lungs when she heard a deep baritone voice chime in and finish the last verse of the song with her.
She was startled and she turned around to see who had come in, and found herself face to face with an older man who had to be Lance and Oliver's father. His silvery hair was combed back away from his face, and he wore a neatly trimmed beard and mustache. He had dark eyes like Lance, but his twinkled merrily, and beneath his white mustache, Grace could easily see a big grin.
He came to her and held his hand out to her. "I'm Henry Carter. My son Oliver has told me all about you. You must be Grace. It is wonderful to meet you, and I want to welcome you to our home, and to our family," he said warmly.
She took his hand and he shook it and then wrapped her in
a gentle hug and released her. "This home is yours as long as you choose to live here. Please feel free to make it your own."
"Thank you so much, Mr. Carter," she began, but he frowned slightly and shook his head.
"Please, call me Henry." Then, with that, his broad smile returned and she grinned shyly back at him.
"Thank you, Henry, I can't tell you how much I appreciate all that you are doing for me, and for the baby."
He brightened immediately. "Our baby! Yes! How are you feeling? How is the little tyke today?"
She could see that he was excited about the baby, and the prospect of becoming a grandfather.
"The baby is good! I didn't have much morning sickness, and what I did have seems to be gone, so it's easier now," she told him happily.
"Well that's wonderful!" He looked around at the meal she was preparing. "It looks like you have found everything you might need and you are eating healthy and that's very good. Do you need anything else?" he asked her helpfully.
"No, I think I found everything alright." she told him. Then she tipped her head a little and gave him a grin. "So you like Ella Fitzgerald?" she asked.
He rocked back on his heels a little and settled his hands into his pockets, grinning at her under his beard. His white cheeks had turned pink with his joyfulness.
"I do love the bygone age of jazz. Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong; there are so many to love. It's a favorite style of mine, and when I came in here to meet you, I found that you were singing one of my old favorite tunes!"
He gave his head a little shake and looked sentimental. "It's been a long time since anyone sang in this house, or since there was any music played." He looked at her kindly. "I'm so glad to hear it. You've brought it in with you and I hope you play what you like, and play it often. It's like there's a fresh breeze of life in here now, instead of the stuffy quiet men who were growing older by the minute. I'm so pleased you're here."
The Baby Shower Page 57