Saving Our Hearts

by Velvet Reed

  “You just worry about your family, Regina. We’ll work something out here,” Dad reassures her.

  She turns and hugs me next. “You take care of that family of yours, sweetheart,” she tells me.

  With one last hug for my mom, Regina walks away leaving my parents and me in the corridor. Dad and I watch Mom with wry amusement.

  “Well, that’s sorted,” she declares matter-of-factly, and Dad and I burst out laughing. “What?” she asks innocently.

  “Nothing. Come on, my little warrior. Let’s go have some lunch.” Dad wraps his arm around her waist and pulls her right in beside him while Mom looks up at him with love and adoration in her eyes. I watch as they walk down the hall ahead of me, and my heart squeezes at the sight. They really are perfect for each other.

  “Are you coming with us, darling?” Mom calls over her shoulder. I simply smile and nod thinking if Gracie and I are even half the parents my parents are, our kids have it made.

  Chapter 32

  Grace...

  Cole organized with Olivia and John to watch Cooper while we’re out, and Dad jumped at the opportunity to see his grandson as well. We order them a meal from Olivia’s favorite Italian restaurant as a treat and a thank you.

  The men are sitting around while Olivia and I finish setting up the dishes; she’s regaling us with a recap of what happened in John’s office today with Miranda. “So you pulled her away, by her hair?” I ask for clarification. I can’t imagine Olivia getting physical with anyone, but then again, Miranda seems to have that effect on people.

  “I most certainly did. The little whore was saying such vulgar things to John. There was no way I was going to stand back and let her speak to my husband like that,” Olivia confirms. “I mean, for goodness sake, she ripped her shirt open and had her goodies on display.” She leans in and conspiratorially whispers, “And let me tell you, honey, from what I could tell, that chest was the definition of Silicon Valley. Honestly, I wanted to punch her in the boob just to see if she could feel it.”

  My laughter bubbles free as I imagine Olivia going all Rocky Balboa on Miranda’s fake tits. “God, I love you, Mom,” I tell her, just because she’s pretty damn amazing.

  When I glance over at my dad holding Cooper, my heart melts at the sight of Ruby sitting on his lap. She’s signing every minute or so between touching Cooper. She’s fascinated by her baby cousin. When she touches his hand, he curls his finger around hers and the startled look on her face is priceless. She’s so careful and loving that I know if given the chance, she would be an amazing big sister one day.

  That turns my thoughts to Charlie, who Dad tells me is spending more and more time with Allison since driving her home from the hospital after the Troy incident. I’ve spoken to them both since then, but neither has shared this little detail, so I can only assume they aren’t telling anyone while it’s new. Allison is such a sweet person, and the fact that she can already speak sign language is a huge bonus; I think they’d make a great couple, but I’ll leave that up to them to sort out.

  A kiss on my bare shoulder has my attention turning to the left. “You look gorgeous, Sweet Cheeks. Good enough to eat,” he murmurs next to my ear causing his warm breath to float over the sensitive spot behind my ear. Goose bumps pop up, and a shiver rolls down my spine as he places a wet kiss on the same spot, igniting a fire in my belly like it does every time.

  “T-thanks, babe,” I stutter as his tongue makes a tantalizing path from my ear to my collarbone.

  A loud clap echoes behind us, and Olivia shouts, “Dinner.”

  Cole moans low into my neck, and I sigh in relief as he moves away. If he continued, I know exactly how things would end, and from the cheeky smile on Olivia’s face and the sly wink she sends my way, I know she was thinking the same thing.

  Before they all sit down for dinner, we say goodbye, and I fuss over Cooper. I want to go out, but at the same time, I don’t want to leave my baby boy.

  “Gracie, he’ll be fine. Go! I think with all the parenting experience between us, we can handle Cooper for a few hours,” Dad says.

  “Fine. Fine, we’re going. His diapers are in the nursery and—”

  “Gracie!” Olivia interrupts, not letting me finish telling them where everything is. “Go and have fun. Have a drink. We know where everything is.”

  One last quick kiss to my baby boy’s forehead and Cole takes my hand to lead me away. I only get a few steps before I feel my dress getting pulled from behind. I turn back; Ruby’s there and she starts to sign. “I love Cooper. He’s my friend. I’ll baby sit him too.”

  Bending down, I pull my beautiful little niece into a tight squeeze. I’ve missed not seeing her as much as I used to and it’s only now that I can see how much she’s changed and grown up. Letting her go, I sign back, “I love you, Rubes, and Cooper loves you too.” Happy with our interaction, she smiles, and then skips away, her auburn curls bouncing along as she goes.

  “Ready now?” Cole asks as I stand and pick up my purse.

  “Yep. Let’s go,” I confirm, and we walk hand in hand out to the car.

  The moment we walk through the door of Pitch & Tone, I’m pounced on. “Hey, there, sexy momma. We’ve missed you,” Tone shouts before grabbing me in a bear hug.

  “Hi, Tone. It’s good to see you too.” I return his hug, amused by his exuberant greeting.

  “Ashley called today and told us you were all coming in so we have a table ready,” he says and turns to Cole to shake hands.

  “That’s great. Thank you,” I say as we follow him across the room.

  “So how’s your little guy? I heard life’s been pretty crazy, guys.”

  “You could say that,” Cole answers, “and Cooper is fantastic.”

  Arriving at the table, he waits for us to slide in. “How could he not be with a mom as gorgeous as Grace here,” Tone smirks.

  Cole takes the opportunity to whip out his wallet and shows Tone Cooper’s photos.

  After a few minutes of baby talk, Tone asks us what drinks we’d like and is just about to walk away when he asks, “You going to let us hear that beautiful voice of yours tonight?”

  I giggle and shake my head. “I think I’ll leave that up to Ash.”

  “We’ll see.” Tone smiles and winks at me, then disappears in to the already forming crowd.

  Cole slides right in close to me and rest his arm along the back of the booth behind my head. Placing a finger on my chin, he turns my face to him and kisses me softly. “I think I might have to convince you to sing something, just for me,” he murmurs against my lips.

  His other hand moves to my thigh, gliding up to the hem of my dress. My thighs clench and awareness awakens my core. As his lips touch mine once more and his fingers inch higher under my dress, I slowly lose myself to his public seduction only to be rudely snapped out of it by my best friend.

  “Hands and lips off her, Tierney,” Ashley exclaims. “Tonight’s about fun, not a reenactment of the first night you met her.”

  Cole moves away with a chuckle and stands to hug her hello. “Damn, Ash, when did you become a cock blocker?”

  Sam gives a small snort from his side of the table, and Ashley shoots him a glare. Oh no, that can’t be good. He looks away and then leans over to me, giving me a kiss on the cheek. “Hey, darlin’,” he greets me.

  “Hi, Sam,” I reply along with a questioning stare.

  “You can have her later, Cole. But for the next few hours, she’s all ours,” Ashley goads.

  She takes her seat beside Sam, but there’s something off between them. I feel like a terrible best friend because all we’ve done recently is talk about everything that’s been going on in my life. I know they’ve been seeing a lot of each other, but going by what I just saw, maybe they haven’t taken their relationship all the way. In an effort to break any tension, I say, “So you’re singing tonight, right, Ash?”

  Her smile brightens. “Like anyone could stop me. I put my name down on the way in and a
dded yours as well.”

  Cole starts laughing. “She’s already told Tone she’s not getting up there, but I think we can convince her.”

  “Absolutely,” Ash replies with a wink for me just as a waitress brings over the drinks we ordered from Tone and a couple for Sam and Ash too.

  Charlie and Allison arrive together not long after, which further fuels my suspicion that they are seeing each other. More hugs and hellos are exchanged, and then they’re sliding in to the booth with.

  “So is there any more news about the wedding yet?” Allison inquires; her features calm and carefree. We’ve spoken since the ER saga, and I know she’s talked about it with Cole too. She saw a counselor a few times and seems to be doing great now. I wonder how much of that has to do with my big brother who is currently looking at her like the cat that got the cream.

  “We’ve got all the information and since Cole was away, we’ll be going through everything tomorrow and making decisions. As soon as we’ve got the dates, we’ll let you all know,” I answer.

  “Well, I can’t wait, that’s for sure. I for one am in desperate need for a getaway,” Charlie comments.

  We all catch up for the next few minutes, talking about this and that and generally catching up. Charlie’s just about to order another round of drinks when April finally shows up. “Well look at this. I guess I’m the seventh wheel,” she addresses us jovially, and sets off another round of hugging.

  “A toast,” Charlie announces when everyone has drinks. “To my little sister and my soon to be brother in-law. You’ve been through hell and back lately, and you’ve taken us all with you,” he smirks. “But you’ve come through it and given us Cooper, so I guess we’ll forgive you for all the stress you caused.” Chuckles ring out around the table, and Allison slaps him playfully. “Seriously though. If I could wish for anything in the world, it would be for you two to finally get your happily ever after free from the psychopaths of the world. To Cole and Gracie.”

  “To Cole and Gracie,” our friends and siblings declare in chorus, clinking glasses and taking a drink.

  “Thanks, Charlie,” Cole acknowledges while I blow my big brother a kiss.

  “Speaking of psychopaths,” April interjects, “Dad just filled me in on what happened today with Miranda. I would have paid good money to see Mom take the bitch down like that.”

  “What happened with Miranda?” the others all ask at once and Cole proceeds to retell the events from earlier today.

  I end up singing even though I really don’t want to, but with the promise of certain favors from Cole once we get home, I cave. The people performing before me all sang boppy upbeat numbers, which has the audience pumped, so when I get up and slow things right down, there are some disgruntled heckling. I don’t let that deter me; I am singing for one man and one man only, and that’s who I’m focused on.

  My eyes don’t waver from Cole’s throughout the entire song, and by the time I’m finished singing “All I Need” by Christina Aguilera, the crowd is silent before the applause blasts through the club.

  I don’t even make it back to the table before Cole has me in his arms, and is claiming my lips in a scorching kiss. “You just wait until I get you home, Sweet Cheeks. I’m going to show you that all I need is every single inch of you.”

  Hell, his words alone are enough to ignite passion in my belly. I’m close to jumping him now, but I don’t think I’d be able to get away with it. Somehow, I don’t think we’re going to be staying here too late at all.

  “How am I supposed to get up there and sing after that?” Ashley jokes when I slide back in to my seat.

  "Like you always do, Ash.”

  “Please... you guys were practically having sex just by looking at each other. Why do you think the whole club went quiet?” she continues.

  “Can we please not talk about them having sex? I’m still having nightmares about the poor Camaro,” Charlie pleads.

  “Not that I want to think about my brother having sex either, Charlie, but you can’t deny it would have been hot as hell,” Aprils adds, making Charlie scowl and shake his head in denial.

  We watch more performances, have a few more drinks and finally get to Ashley’s turn. She got the last song for the night, and Cole and I have already decided we are going to head home after she sings. There’ll be no dancing for me. I’m too damn eager to jump my man’s bones.

  When Ashley gets up on the stage, some regulars start calling out enthusiastically. She’s performed so many times before, they know who she is. Watching Sam, I can see he doesn’t like the attention she’s getting. His features have become tense and his eyes tight.

  The moment Ashley sings, she has the audience in her palm of her hands, with people clapping along and dancing. Her raspy voice belts out the classic “Betty Davis Eyes” by Jodie Mitchell, and she sounds incredible. I get the feeling she’s picked this song as if it’s about her. Not once during the first part of her performance does she look in Sam’s direction, but his gaze is riveted on her.

  When she sings about knowing how to please him and how to make a pro blush, she meets his stare straight on and the message of her words is clear even to me.

  The crowd hoots and hollers when she sings the last note, and she’s stopped by a few people on her way back to us. “You knocked their socks off, Ash,” I praise and am rewarded with her gorgeous smile, when the others all agree. Sam pulls her right in beside him and keeps a possessive arm around her. Watching them share an intimate moment, I see exactly how smitten they are with each other. They’d be great together if they would just let their own issues go.

  The club starts getting things ready for the DJ to start the dancing, so Cole and I take that as our cue to leave. “We’re going to take off now, guys,” he informs everyone.

  “Don’t go yet,” Ashley, April and Allison say in unison.

  “It’s late and I’m sure Olivia and John want to get home soon. Plus my legs aching a little. I’m in no shape for dancing just yet,” I shrug.

  The girls pout, but reluctantly get up to say goodnight, with the guys following suit. Realizing we didn’t ask them about being in the bridal party, I turn and whisper to Cole, “What do you think about having everyone over for lunch on Sunday?”

  He smiles and nods in agreement. “Sounds like a great idea, baby.”

  “Lunch is at our place Sunday, everyone. Make sure you’re there because we’ll have some wedding stuff to discuss with you all,” I announce.

  They all readily agree, except Allison. “You’ll have to count me out, guys. My mom’s going out so I’ll have my little brother at home.”

  I know her brother, Nate, is only eleven; their mom had him very late in life, and Allison helps out with him a lot as he’s hearing impaired also. “You should bring Nate with you, Allison; it would be great for him to meet everyone,” I suggest.

  Allison looks at Charlie, who smiles at her and then back at me. “Are you sure?” she asks uncertainly.

  “Of course. The more the merrier,” I confirm.

  “Okay, we’d love to. It would be great for Nate to meet Ruby too,” she adds happily.

  With that all set, Cole and I head out. “Did you have a good night, baby?” he asks when we’re settled in the car.

  My head’s resting back on my seat, so I turn it lazily to face him. “I did but I’m exhausted. I guess our partying days may be well behind us now that we’re parents,” I smirk.

  “We can party in other ways.” Cole wiggles his eyebrows up and down suggestively.

  Moaning, I whine, “There will definitely be no more partying tonight. I just want to climb in to bed and curl up in your arms.” Thoughts of lacy lingerie and a still-packaged pair of fluffy handcuffs filter through my mind, but even the thought of hot and kinky isn’t enough for me to stifle my yawn.

  “We’ve always got the morning,” Cole chuckles, and I can’t help but join in with him.

  When we arrive home a few minutes later and enter our ver
y quiet house, Cole closes the door while I take my shoes off and put down my purse. “Mom and Dad must have fallen asleep,” Cole muses and heads off toward the kitchen.

  Following him, I glance in to the living room, but its empty and figure they must have decided to stay and use the guest room. Cole yelling, “What the hell?” has me scrambling after him into the kitchen, almost colliding with him as he makes a hasty retreat. I continue on even after he walks past me in the opposite direction. When I cross the threshold, my eyes pop out of my head, and my feet stop in their tracks.

  I don’t know whether to laugh or run and hide when I take in the sight of Olivia pulling her cardigan on and adjusting her shirt, while John fixes his pants.

  “Gracie, honey, you’re home earlier than we expected,” Olivia says calmly, even though her face is flushed and her lips swollen.

  When I stand there still staring and not responding, John looks at me and his face flushes bright red.

  “We...uhh... we didn’t want to be too late so you guys could get home,” I finally reply nervously, then have to bite my lip to stop the giggle that’s dying to escape.

  “Ah, yes, well. Did you have fun?” she asks, her clothes now intact.

  “Yeah, it was great. What about you guys? Did you have fun too?” the moment the words come out, I realize the double meaning, and John somehow turns even redder.

  “Yes, it was lovely. Very exhilarating,” Olivia quickly replies, but now she won’t meet my eyes.

  Awkward silence fills the room, before Olivia speaks again, “Well, we’ll be off then. Cooper had a bottle at about eight o’clock.”

  They walk past me, Olivia's head held high, while John stares at his feet like a schoolboy caught by his parents. As they get to the front door, the usual hugs and kisses goodbye are forgotten, but Olivia does turn and say, “There’s something seriously wrong with that kitchen.” I raise my eyebrows and wait for her to continue. “It’s like a freaking aphrodisiac, Gracie; you should really get it looked in to.” And with that, she turns and leaves with John following quickly behind her.