Ellie stood, feeling slightly bolstered. “Thanks, Mom. You guys head up, I think I’ll make myself some tea and wait for Devlin.”
With a hug for both her parents, Ellie watched them head upstairs to the guestroom.
"You handled him pretty well." Gabe said, following her to the kitchen, Ronnie just behind them. "I'm proud of you."
Ellie snorted putting the kettle on the stove. "You wouldn't be so proud, if I told you that he pushed me into a corner and kissed me and I just stood there and took it."
"Ellie…"
"Before you start prepping your lecture, let me just say that it meant nothing. There was nothing there, no sparks, no rekindled feelings, just his lips and mine and a whole lot of nothing." And wasn’t that the biggest load of crap she’s ever spouted?
She could lie as many times as she wanted, but the truth of the matter was that Nicholas's kiss left an impression, a very long lasting one that even now still tingled across her lips. And it may not be tonight, or tomorrow, or even the day after that, but soon, Ellie would have to own up to those feelings her ex-lover evoked.
"Just make sure that at the end of the day, you remember who makes you happy." Gabe said gravely.
Leaning against the kitchen sink, Ellie her arms across her chest and frowned. "You think I still have feelings for him?"
"I think you should be careful. History has a nasty way of repeating itself and I won't see it happen to you."
"It won't. Nicholas has stopped meaning anything to me a very long time ago. The only things he and I have left between us are the children.”
"Good, I'm glad to hear it. Now all we have to do is get your daughter to realize it too."
"God. I don't understand her anymore. She was never like this!"
"It's called being a pre-teen, Ellie. Soon she'll be filled with teen angst and rebelling, yelling out things like how much she hates you and the world. That's when the real fun begins."
Ellie glared at her grinning godfather. "This isn't funny, Gabe. That's my baby girl up there, talking back to me, trying to get me back together with a man who broke both our hearts. I just don't get it!" She released her frustrations in a drawn out sigh.
"Maybe you should explain to her exactly how that bastard broke your heart, that might knock some sense into her."
"It's not like I haven't tried. She just won't listen to me. It's just so strange that she has this unbreakable bond with Nicholas, I mean for gods sakes, she was just a baby when they met!"
"As much as I hate saying this, I think that might be it."
"What might be it?"
"Sophie was only a baby when she met Nicholas right? Well maybe she feels so attached to him because Nicholas is the only father figure she's ever known."
Sighing, Ellie chewed the corner of her bottom lip, before saying. "I think you might be right. It's not like Tony was around long enough for Sophie to remember him as her dad. But Nicholas was and I'm starting to think that this was all my fault."
"Why do you say that?"
"Well, if I hadn't fallen in love, then Soph wouldn't have been so attached. I mean, this isn't the first time I've wished I'd never met Nicholas and seeing as he's going to be a permanent fixture in my life now, it won't be the last time either. I just wish that Sophie hadn't been caught up in my stupid romance."
"As much as I'd love to agree with you there, I can't say that you being with, Nicholas was entirely bad. Sure the asshole put you through hell but he gave you Bella and Dylan in return. Making mistakes is part of life, it's what makes us human, Ellie, and that includes falling in love. You've kissed your share of toads before and now that you have Devlin I think it's time you let yourself be happy."
"I hate it when you're right."
Gabe grinned. "You should be used to it by now, kiddo."
Ellie stood. "It's sick that you're happy picking on your goddaughter this way."
"Let me have my moment goddaughter, it's rare that I get to be right about anything, living with such a perfect wife." Gabe waggled his eyebrows at Ronnie, who grinned despite herself.
“Much as it pains me to say it, Gabe is right, Ellie. Regardless of what’s happening with, Nicholas, you deserve to be happy and if Devlin brings you that happiness than I think you’re set.”
Ellie smiled, thoughts of her fiancé putting it there. “He makes me very happy.”
“Well then, to hell with Nicholas Grayson. At least where you’re concerned.”
“I’ll drink to that.” Gabe said, having retrieved a bottle of Heineken from the fridge.
~*~*~*~
Saturday morning dawned dreary and somber in the Holbrook household. Outside of Ellie's living room window the rain continued its torrential spiral towards earth, pelting and soaking anyone unfortunate enough to be caught in its wake. Every now and then the grey skies flashed white from noiseless lightening while the resonating boom of thunder inevitably followed. Every time the thunder roared Bella raised her hands to her ears, beneath the Afghan, seated at her mother's side on the couch, she anxiously waited out the storm.
Ellie remembered the first time they'd done this. Bella had been three and the storm had been loud, incessant and frightening to a child so young. The claps of thunder had roused her from sleep and not knowing what else to do she opened her mouth and screamed her frenzied mother to her bedroom. Ellie had entered her daughter's room expecting the worse, but only found a red faced Bella screaming bloody murder.
After reassuring a concerned Sophie that she was alright and putting her twin brother back to bed, Ellie had lugged Bella to the living room and comforted her through the worst of the storm. Ever since that night, thunderous rainy days for Ellie were spent on her living room couch, entertaining her daughter and relaxing.
Breakfast had been made and eaten, relatives were kissed goodbye and shown the door. Dylan and Sophie were spending the day with Gabe, giving their sick sister some time with her mother.
"Here we go hot chocolate all around." Devlin had arrived in the middle of night, drenched and cold from the rain. He'd divested his clothes and very thoroughly loved Ellie into exhaustion the rest of the night.
He awoke hours later and made them all a hearty breakfast. The parents had been pleased, Ronnie had told Gabe to take lessons and the children had happily eaten. It was as if the events of the evening before had never transpired. But, as much as Ellie wanted it to be so, things never worked out the way she wanted them to.
Much as she hated to be a pessimist, she had a feeling that a certain someone was going to drop by and ruin it all for them. Ellie felt as though Nicholas had that innate knowledge of pinning down the exact moment she was happy and voila! He comes in and ruins everything, indifferent to anyone else's feelings but his own he takes whatever he needs and leaves.
"Ellie?"
"What?"
"You're frowning, what's wrong?"
The tray held tightly between large hands was topped with three colorful polka dotted mugs that Ellie had bought two years ago at a flea market for a very good price.
Bella pulled away from Ellie's side long enough to grab hold of her brown and pink polka dot mug, before snuggling back against her mother's side, careful not to spill.
"It's nothing, just thinking about my lesson plans for next week." She hated lying. She hated when her kids lied and yet Ellie always managed to lie when it came to her fiancé. Lie after lie and it bothered her, because the irritating fact was that the lies always spewed forth when her thoughts strayed to Nicholas...always that contemptible man.
"It must be some lesson plans if it has you scowling so much."
"Grammar can be very challenging." and you're full of shit, Ellie's mind supplied
Devlin's face mirrored Ellie's thoughts and when he set down the tray and took a seat adjacent to her and Bella, Ellie worked hard to put a smile on her face. "Much as I love seeing you concentrate on work, I'd love it more if you gave us your attention right now." He gently tugged Bella to him and drop
ped a kiss on her head.
Ellie grabbed her own mug, dappled with green and lavender polka dots and took a sip. "You both have my undivided attention."
So Ellie, Devlin and Bella snuggled on the couch like a well contented family. They played games, Devlin told stories, and they watched movies to take Bella's mind off the storm. Approximately two hours later, while the movie played and the three occupants napped, the doorbell rang, and instantly roused Ellie from the odd little dream she was having. With a soft kiss on Bella's warm cheek, she told Devlin she'd answer the door before groggily making her way to the foyer.
Chapter 12
Nicholas seldom doubted himself. Being who he was did not afford him room for indecisiveness and yet the entire evening before and through his morning meetings, he'd been trapped in a limbo of irresolute thoughts. All revolving around Ellie and the discovery of the children he didn't know he had until now.
Being sleep deprived was a hindrance he'd learn to cope with since his teenage years. It was only when he was feeling exceptionally tired did Nicholas give into his body's desperate plea for sleep. But last night, he'd deliberately ignored the call of slumber and instead sat in the warm comforts of the office in the cabin, the very same cabin that held a torrent of memories and always managed to overwhelm him whenever he stayed with his godfather.
A master sadist at heart, Nicholas loved indulging the limits of his masochism and allowed himself to be haunted by the memories embedded in the oaken walls of the small cabin. Memories that hurt as much as it pleasured. Memories of a time long past. Memories of what he'd lost. It was nothing new, though the pain he felt was as fresh as the first night he'd returned to the cabin. But now, Nicholas no longer spent his evenings floating between fantasies, with his left hand wrapped around his cock and Ellie's name slipping past his trembling lips.
She'd been stunning, even more so now, years later, surpassing all of Nicholas's imaginings. Seeing her again, had been like the very first time Nicholas had met Ellie all those years ago. Sitting on the hood of her car, as carefree and uninhibited as the curly locks on her head, unrepentant humor and all. Ellie had caught Nicholas off guard that long ago afternoon. Last night, the emotions Nicholas had felt the very first time he'd seen her had slammed back into his body with such force that he'd been stunned.
Left breathless and gaping, he'd recovered quickly upon Ellie's snide remark to Devlin and it had been all Nicholas could do to stop himself from acting on his male pride when realization finally came to him. It'd been Ellie's engagement party he'd been invited to. Ellie and the man who he'd been contemplating making a part of his team. It had been their engagement party and Nicholas had felt the blow resonate through every fiber of his being.
He hadn't expected a warm welcome or even reconciliation, but somewhere deep inside, Nicholas had yearned for the impossible, had hoped for it. But, seeing Ellie in the arms of another man had quickly obliterated that flicker of hope and Nicholas had been left feeling the frosty fingers of bleakness grip his heart. That feeling hadn't abandoned him. Which was why he was now musing on whether to ring Ellie's doorbell or scamper back to his metropolitan office and resume whatever work he had waiting his approval.
He felt like an idiot and probably looked like one too to anyone staring outside their windows right at this moment. He was surprised no one had called the cops on him yet. If he was a kid and saw a strange man standing outside, dressed in all black, standing next to his pitch black limousine, holding onto his large black umbrella and looking like the grim reaper, he'd be phoning the authorities in a heartbeat.
Nicholas however, wasn't a child. He was a man who owned a multi-billion dollar corporation. He was a man who faced far more dangerous situations dealing with both reputable and shady people in his line of work than a disgruntled ex-lover who had a tendency of smacking him. He was a man, who no longer had the affections of said ex-lover, but he did have his children and today's impromptu visit was the reason why he was here. Isabella and Dylan would be the focus of his attention.
Ellie...Ellie was another tale. Sophie, after all, was rooting for their happy ending and Nicholas was intent on making Sophie as happy as he was going to make his biological children.
Mind finally made up, Nicholas began his trek up the cobbled walkway. Putting finger to bell, he pressed the black button twice and waited.
~*~*~*~
Ellie hiked the legs of Devlin's sweat pants from beneath her socked feet and tied the strings around her waist in hopes of keeping the overlarge pants on, before turning the brass handle of the door. It wouldn't do at all to greet whoever was on the other side with a full frontal scene of her goodies. Ellie wasn't sure about the other person, but Devlin sure as hell wouldn't appreciate it.
"Hello, Ellie."
Nicholas did always enjoy her goodies, Ellie mussed as she stared owlishly at the father of her children.
~*~*~*~
"Hey squirt." Gabe tugged on Sophie's braids before occupying the seat beside her. Sophie gave him a noncommittal response while her gaze remained on the flat screen, the Wii controller held in her hand. She leaned forward, arms resting on her thighs; she scowled and sucked her teeth as her player lost a fight.
"Shit." it was barely audible, but Gabe heard it all the same. "Watch it with that kiddo, wouldn't want Ronnie to hear you, we'd both get an earful."
"Sorry." Put off guard by Sophie's offhanded response, Gabe appraised his goddaughter, there was tension in that body, wound tighter than her hold on the controller.
"You're alright, Soph?"
Sophie turned her head and spared her godfather a look. "I'm fine."
With an inward sigh Gabe mourned the days when bogeyman could be scared away by nightlights and a good tickle attack or even when the slightest scrapes and bumps were alleviated by a trip to the ice cream shop and a walk around the park.
Sadly, those days where long gone. They were now entering a new era, where the teen angst seemed endless and the parent bashing was as natural as breathing air. Gabe thanked the heavens that he was spared a few more years before his own children entered that inevitable stage.
"You know your Mom used to say that a lot when something was bugging her and she didn't want to talk about it?"
Sophie continued to play, heedless of the words her godfather spoke and for a moment Gabe thought she was ignoring him and would've been prompted to say more, only Sophie's next action immobilized his move. Settling the controller down, Sophie flopped back against the couch with a resigned sigh and pursed her lips.
Silence reigned, stretched and choked, before Sophie opened her eyes, turned her head and gave Gabe a pointed look. "Did Mom ever get bothered by not having a father? Because I am, it bothers me every day and I hate it. I don't know my real Dad...I don't even remember him,"
"Sophie…"
"But I remember Nicholas. I remember him being a really nice to me and mom. He made us happy. I don’t understand why Mom refuses to see that. He belongs with us...we're not a family without him." Sophie tilted her head and stared up at the ceiling, Gabe did not fail to see the mist of tears in her eyes.
That had come out of left field. Gabe hadn't expected Sophie to come right out and say it. Sure he had hoped to get down to the root of his goddaughter's problems and rectify it, but this---this was just---
"Bella and Dylan deserve to know how good a father he is. Mom needs to give him the opportunity."
In that instant, Sophie sounded far older than her twelve years. Gabe had never credited her as more than a good, oftentimes spoiled kid with an impending attitude problem. Now, Sophie displayed a perception that no child her age should be able to grasp until they were maybe in their mid to late teen years. Gabe was proud.
"You're right," Receiving Sophie's gaze, Gabe elaborated. "Your brother and sister deserve a chance to be with their father. I know you don't want them growing up not having the chance to realize the sort of man he is and your Mom wouldn't want that either. But have you stoppe
d to consider that the reason why your Mom doesn't want him back into her life is because Nicholas isn't such a nice guy? You have this image of Nicholas that is so hard to shake, but maybe what you see isn't exactly all that he is."
Blinking tears away Sophie frowned and asked. "What do you mean?"
"Nicholas has brought nothing but pain in your Mom's life from the very moment they met. He's a selfish, cruel egoist who only sees your Mom as nothing more than a possession, a pretty prize he needs on his arm to make him feel better about himself. Someone like him only brings trouble wherever he goes. I'm not saying he can't be a good person, but he's far too jaded and corrupt to give you guys anything but a fat child support check every month. He's not the fatherly type, Soph."
"That’s not true! You don't know what the hell you're talking about!" Towering over her godfather with fist clenched at her sides, Sophie looked on the verge of smashing Gabe's face or having a mental breakdown.
Ronnie came running with the children, with Sabrina at her hip, she hurried to where Sophie stood and looked between Gabe's calm expression the coil of tension that was Ellie's eldest daughter. "Gabe what's going on?" She really wanted to know why Sophie looked ready to leap and claw her husband's face off.
Gaze still anchoring Sophie's, Gabe spoke. "Just letting, Soph here know why it wouldn't be such a good idea to let Nicholas back into our lives."
Sophie shook her head fiercely. "You don't know him! You don't know why he left us!"
"Could it be that he got bored of playing house with you and your, Mom? Because that's what people like Nicholas Grayson do, Soph. Once you've served your purpose, you cease to matter to them. That's what he did ten years ago and that's what he'll do again if you let him back in your life. You Mom doesn't want to tell you the truth, but I know that you'll be better off hearing it from me, then getting your heart broken again when he leaves. And he is going to leave, Sophie, mark my words.”
"Gabe, that's enough." Ronnie warned, having heard quite enough from her tactless husband.
Redemption (The Bet) Page 14