Liza, on the other hand wasn’t so silent. She said, “Um, Renee? I mean have you taken a look at where you live and how you live?” She then took Renee’s phone, found Elliott on speed dial and called him. “Elliott, its Liza. Got a quick question. Are you and Renee strapped for cash? Yeah, that’s what I thought. Okay, here she is.”
Renee glared at Liza as she took her phone from her. Elliott was telling her that she could have whatever she wants, money was not an issue. Renee said, “Okay, okay, I just felt like I was going a little overboard. We’re going to meet your mom at the bridal salon and then we’ll be home after that. Okay. Love you, too.”
When Renee ended the call, she glared at Liza again and then they all burst out laughing. Renee said, “Liza, why did you do that?”
“Because you need to realize how much Elliott loves you and wants you to have whatever you want, because you really can have whatever you want. I knew at some point you would bring up money.
Renee said, “You know me, Liza. I’ve never been one of those women who spends money just for the sake of spending money.”
Liza said, “I know and I’m not saying you should start doing that, but what I am saying is that you have someone now that wants to provide you and his children with the best life. He wants to do it and he can do it.”
When Renee and Liza got out of the car at the bridal salon, Renee pulled her friend into a hug.
When they walked into the salon, they found that Lena was already there. She said, “You three look so beautiful. I know it sounds strange, but that makeup makes you all look like you’re not wearing makeup. “Renee, won’t you please try on that last gown we didn’t get to see? I bet it’s stunning on you.”
“That gown just didn’t do it for me. Besides, it cost twice as much as the dress that we all fell in love with.”
Kayla scoffed and said, “Here we go talking about money again.” Kayla recounted to her grandmother the earlier event of Liza calling Elliott about money.
Lena said, “Your dad has made plenty of money and is still making it. Renee’s skin care and hair care lines are extremely successful. Money is no issue for these people.”
By this time, Renee and Amy were coming out of the dressing room to give the ladies one more inspection of the dress before the wedding. They all agreed that the gown was indeed beautiful and that Renee had made the right decision in choosing that dress, even though they still wanted to see the last dress.
After they left the bridal salon, Lena went to meet some friends for an early dinner, as Ben was working late at the hospital that night, and Liza and Renee took Kayla back to the makeup studio so that she could retrieve her car and go home. Kayla made them promise to come over to her house later that evening for dinner because Joe and Liza had not yet seen it.
Liza said, “Yes, we’ll be over in a bit. Just need to finish up a couple of things first.”
On their drive back to Elliott’s and Renee home, Liza said, “Well, are you ready for Vegas? I can hardly wait until we get there. There are so many things to see and do at the Bellagio.”
As she was parking the car in the garage, Renee said, “I really want to see Celine Dion while we are there. Do you think we can see her show?”
“We can do anything your little heart desires. This trip is all about rest and relaxation. I know Elliott is not at all looking forward to your being away, even for just a few days, but when you get back you’ll be all rested up for the wedding . . . and the wedding night.”
As they walked from the garage into the kitchen, they were greeted by Elliott and Joe. Elliott kissed Renee and said, “Did you ladies finish everything today? E and I were hoping that if you finished up today, we could go out for dinner tomorrow night. You know, before you two leave.”
“That sounds great. Tonight though, Kayla wants us to come over so that she can show Joe and Liza their new place,” Renee said. “I just need to freshen up a bit and then I’ll be ready.”
“Okay, I’ll be right in,” Elliott said before finishing the glass of orange juice that he was drinking.
Liza said, “Joe, we may as well go find something on television to watch. Every time they go in that bedroom and say they’ll be right out, it’s never true. I guess people who are about to be married have a different definition of what ‘be right back’ means.”
Joe nodded his head in agreement and said, “Mmhm, that’s right. Remember how we were, though? Always telling people we would be somewhere at a certain time and then showing up an hour later?”
Renee walked up the hallway, shaking her head, saying, “Ten minutes. I’ll be out in ten minutes.” Elliott was not far behind.
While Renee was sitting on the bed changing shoes, Elliott sat next to her. She said to him, “So, did Kim talk to you and Joe about the fitting for your suits? I think you’re scheduled for tomorrow afternoon.”
He pulled her close to him and gave her a deep, seductive kiss and said, “Yes, it’s all taken care of.” He continued to trail kisses down to her neck and chest.
Renee sighed and said, “Elliott, let’s not start something we can’t finish right now. You know Liza is out there timing us. The sooner we get over to Kayla’s and Mik’s, the sooner we can get back. I’m really beat from today.”
Elliott pulled her up with him and said, “Okay. Let’s get moving. Do you have anything you need to do tomorrow? Any last minute details or anything I can do for you?”
Renee replied, “No, everything is pretty much under control. Kim is taking care of things at this point and if she needs anything she can call us or she can contact you.”
He said, “Good. Then you can sleep in tomorrow and take things slow. I’m going to go into the office for a bit. Everyone is really happy for us, baby. Is it okay with you if some people from work come for the wedding? I already asked Kim and she said it should be okay, but I need to let her know something by tomorrow so that she has a head count for dinner.”
“As long as it’s okay with Kim and won’t be a hassle for catering, I’m fine with it. Genie and Maya, and a few people from New York are coming, too. Wow, I knew this would turn into a production once Liza was given the green light.”
Renee and Elliott were laughing as they were walking back into the living room. Liza said, “Well, would you look at that. They actually made it out in nine minutes. This has to be a first.”
Renee shook her head as the foursome headed out the door.
~~~~
Liza exclaimed, “Kayla, your home is beautiful! Have you had the chance to call Mariah to tell her about it?”
Kayla thanked Liza and said, “I did finally get a chance to call her a couple of days ago. We’ve just been so bogged down with getting ourselves situated. Mariah did say that she has a few vacation days coming up and that she is going to come out here for a visit.”
Renee said, “I really like the way you rearranged some of the furniture. It’s so nice and relaxing here.”
“I know,” Kayla replied. “It’s great to come home in the evening to peace and quiet. It’s busy and noisy on campus. This will give us a chance to sit back and relax.
Joe and Elliott were out on the patio. Joe asked, “So, you ready for the big day? Looks like everything is all done. You ready for Renee to leave for Vegas tomorrow?”
Elliott said, “Yes, I am definitely ready for next Saturday, but as far as Renee going to Vegas right now, it’s a no to that. But it sounds like she and Liza have some fun things planned for them to do. But no, I’m not looking forward to her being gone for a whole week.”
While everyone was carrying on their respective conversations, Mik came walking through the door. After saying hello to everyone, he said to Joe and Liza, “We’re so glad you could come over tonight. Kayla has been so excited for you to see our home.”
Liza said, “I can certainly see why she’s so happy about it, Mik. This place is beautiful. You two certainly did a great job of finding something so nice.”
Mik said, �
�Well, I can’t really take any credit for that. Kayla really did all the leg work.” By this time, Kayla was walking over to Mik. He slipped his arms around her slender waist and kissed her softly on her full lips, eliciting a soft moan that only he heard from her.
Elliott cleared his throat and said, “Kayla said you’ve started seeing patients already and that your boards are coming up soon.”
Mik said, “Yes, I’m seeing hospital patients as well as private patients. Once I pass the board exam, I will be able to take on more patients at the hospital as well as at the office. I will be able to better divide my time between both places.”
Elliott, still slowly getting used to the idea of Kayla and Mik living together, smiled and directed his attention to Kayla. “If you need anything, just let us know.” The room went momentarily silent and Mik stole a quick glance from Kayla.”
Renee quickly said, “Kay, honey, what smells so good? Did you make stuffed shells? I sure hope so, because I have a craving for them.”
Kayla, somewhat miffed and hurt that Elliott would insinuate that she and Mik might not be able to make it on their own, quickly brightened. “I sure did, Mom. I even used organic pasta. I just need to toss the salad and then we can eat.”
While the ladies were in the kitchen helping Kayla to put the finishing touches on dinner, the doorbell rang. It was Matt and Sonya.
Renee ran to the front door and both of them. “We thought you weren’t getting here until Sunday.”
Matt said, “Well, when we found out that you and Dad are getting married and having a baby, we decided to get back as soon as we could.”
Sonya said, “Yeah, we left a day early and drove straight through. Congratulations, to you and Mr. James.”
Kayla hugged Matt and Sonya and said, “I’m so glad you were able to make it back tonight. Did Mom tell you she and Aunt Liza are leaving for Vegas tomorrow?”
“Yeah, she mentioned it the other day when she told me to expect a call from a lady named Kim about suits. That’s the other reason we wanted to get back, so I could go with Dad and Uncle E to get suits,” Matt replied.
Sonya said to Kayla, “The place looks and smells great. I’m starving. When do we eat?”
Kayla laughed and said, “Everything is ready. I just need to get everyone to the dining room.”
After dinner, everyone complimented Kayla on the delicious stuffed shells dinner and chocolate cake.
Joe asked Matt, “So, now that you’re here, you’ll have to start looking for a job and place to live pretty soon. Maybe your old man will be able to give you some leads.”
Matt and Sonya looked at each other briefly. Matt said, “When I told my company that I was moving here, they told me that I could just do a transfer, with the same job title, so I’ll actually start work in a couple of weeks. I called Grandma and Granddad and told them that I’m moving here. They offered us to stay at the beach house until we find something else.”
The room was silent for a few moments.
Mik broke the silence by saying, “That’s great, man. Did you say you start in a couple of weeks?”
“Yeah,” Matt said. “I did think about starting right away, but then decided to just take the extra time so I can help Sonya with a few things.”
Renee said to Sonya, “Do you have a lot of things to move or put in storage?”
“Not too much. My sister and I were sharing an apartment, so she’ll keep all the furniture.”
Liza, never one to mince words said, “So, what did your parents say when you told them you would be moving in with Matt.”
Everyone was silent again.
Sonya looked at Matt before speaking and said, “Well, they know that I’m grown. But you know how parents are. My mom is more okay with it than my dad, but he’ll be okay after a while, too. He’ll have to be.”
Kayla said, “Yes, I’m sure he’ll come around. The sooner, the better, though.”
After about an hour of more conversation, Joe said, “We should probably get back to Elliott’s and Renee’s. What time is the flight tomorrow?”
Liza said, “Yeah, we should. We don’t leave until 1:00, but a good night’s sleep is always a good thing.”
Once they were back at Elliott’s and Renee’s and had said their good-nights, Elliott and Renee went to their bedroom.
After Renee had finished getting ready for bed and had slid into the covers beside Elliott, he pulled her on top of him. He attempted to slip her sleep wear over her head, but she was just sitting on top of him, looking at him.
“What?” Elliott said. He knew by the look on Renee’s face that she had something to say about his earlier comment to Kayla.
“Why did you say that, Elliott?” she asked. “Did you see the look on their faces? Kayla looked truly hurt and Mik looked so disappointed. I felt bad for them.”
Elliott adjusted himself so that his back was against the headboard and Renee moved to her side of the bed. He said, “I didn’t mean anything by it. I just wanted them to know that if they need anything, they can come to us, that’s all.”
“No, that’s not what you meant, you and I know that, and so do they. So, basically what you indirectly said to them is that you believe that they will need to come to you for money because you don’t think they can take care of themselves. You also indirectly said that you don’t believe Mik is capable of taking care of Kayla.”
Elliott protested. “That is not what I meant. Look, California is an expensive place to live. I was just saying that I’m here if needed.”
Renee countered, “Living in New York isn’t exactly cheap, Elliott. Come on, now. They were taking care of themselves in New York, so I’m sure they’ll be able to make it here. Admit it. You still feel some kinda way about them living together and you wanted to throw a jab at Mik, but you hit Kayla, too.”
Elliott took a deep breath and said, “I really wasn’t trying to be mean. And yeah, I do feel a certain way about their living together.”
Renee said, “Well, tell me this. How do you feel about Matt and Sonya living together? I didn’t hear you offer to help them. I mean, Kayla and Matt are adults. They are young, but they are capable of making their own decisions. Have you paid attention to how happy Kayla is with Mik? Do you see how she lights up when he is around? Do you see how treats her, how much in love he is with her? That man will move mountains to make sure she has what she needs and wants. Oh, by the way, you do know he is a doctor, right?”
Elliott conceded. “Okay. I’ll talk to them next week. The last thing I want is to push Kayla away. I just want her to know that her old man is here for her.”
Renee softened and said, “I’m sure she already knows that, baby. She loves you so much and just wants you to be proud of her, but she wants you to see her as an adult and to trust her decisions.”
Elliott pulled Renee close to him again and said, “You’re right, and I do know that she’s got a good head on her shoulders. Forgive me?”
She looked into his eyes, smiled and said, “Of course I do.” She kissed his sensuous lips, eliciting a deep moan from the back of his throat.”
“Renee,” Elliott said. “Please let me love you.”
She said, “Elliott, I’m so tired from today. I think I should get some rest because tomorrow is going to be busy as well.”
“I know, but it still doesn’t take away from the fact that I want you so bad right now that I feel like I’m going to explode. You sure you want to make me wait until our honeymoon?”
Renee said, “Believe me, I’m feeling what you’re feeling right now. But I am exhausted. Besides, time will go by so fast. I think we’ll be okay.”
They kissed and stroked each other they were just at the point of no return. Elliott had fondled and caressed Renee until her nipples were as hard as rocks and her nether regions were open, hot, and juicy. Elliott’s erection had grown thick, long, hard, veined, and with a very red head that was shiny with ejaculate. Renee said, “We have to stop now.”
Elliott protested, but respected Renee’s wishes. They fell into a restful sleep.
~~~~
The next day, after an early breakfast and meeting with Kim to go over last-minute wedding details, Elliott and Joe drove Renee and Liza to the airport. Liza was like a child going to Disneyland. “This is going to be so much fun. I have something planned for every day that we are there. The room in the brochure looks beautiful, but we’ll see when we get there. I mean, it is the Bellagio, so I expect nothing short of perfection.”
Elliott glanced in the rearview mirror and said to Renee, “Do you have everything you need? If you need me to stop for anything, we have some time.”
Renee said, No, I have everything. I ate some crackers and drank some ginger ale before we left. Hopefully I won’t get sick on the plane, but if I do, I’m sure they have some on the flight.”
Joe said, “You could also buy some once you get inside the airport. You probably won’t need anything though. The flight isn’t that long.”
Liza said, “Yeah, it’s just over an hour, but we’ll buy some when we get inside, just in case.”
Once they reached the airport, Elliott and Joe summoned someone to assist the ladies with their carry-on luggage. Elliott pulled Renee’s body close to his and kissed her passionately, his tongue slipping into her mouth, eliciting a soft moan from her. He said, “Call me as soon as you land, okay?”
Renee, ran her fingers through is thick hair and said, “You know I will. I love you.”
He said, “I love you, too. Have fun, but take it easy.”
Liza and Joe hugged, kissed and said their good-byes. Liza said, “Okay, you two. We’d better get going. We’ll call as soon as we get there.”
Once they were settled into their seats on the plane, Liza said, “So, Elliott still not feeling Kayla living with Mik? That comment he made last night seemed kinda cutting.”
Renee said, “Yeah, sometimes he seems to be okay with it, but then he will slip up and say something that lets everybody know how he really feels about it. I did tell him that he needs to make peace with it. He said he would apologize to them.”
A Couple of Forevers (This Time Forever Book 2) Page 5