She looks up at me and rests her chin on my chest. “I love you, Rory. I’m not going anywhere.”
We make love again, and this time it’s slow and lazy. When we eventually find our release, it’s together and full of so much more than love. It’s a joining of hearts from now until the end of time.
It’s much later when I’m holding her in my arms and thinking of how I can convince her to marry me this weekend, that I hear my phone ring. It’s the ringtone I have assigned for Apollo, so I get up and grab my cell out of my jeans.
When I answer it, I have to grab onto the bed so I don’t collapse. With one sentence, my whole world is turned upside down.
“Mr. Crew. Your son’s been in an accident.”
Chapter Eleven
Anna
I stand outside Apollo’s bedroom door like a creeper. I can’t help myself. Celeste isn’t my little girl anymore so I can sneak into her room and sit on the end of her bed. She’s a woman now, and I’m going to have to get used to it.
When I hear my daughter’s giggle from the other side of the door, I close my eyes for a long moment and smile. I should be all bent out of shape that my daughter is shacked up in her boyfriend’s room, but the last few weeks have put everything in perspective.
Life can be short.
I’d never been more terrified than when Rory got the call about Apollo being in an accident. A car slammed into the passenger side where Celeste was sitting. They had to pry her from the car, but thankfully she’s okay. Apollo was banged up too, but it was Celeste that suffered a major head injury. We’d all been lucky.
That night put everything in perspective. For the first time I let go, and Rory was there to catch me. Everyone’s walls came tumbling down, and Rory has been at my side ever since, making sure I don’t try and rebuild any of them.
I’d even gotten to see another side of Apollo. He was dripping blood everywhere and was still fighting to get to Celeste. It was clear more than ever he loved her and that she came first.
Since then, I’ve taken a step back and let the two of them find their own way together. My and Rory’s bullshit wasn’t going to come in the way of Apollo and Celeste. Enough of our stuff had already been affected, which is another reason I’m not upset that she’s been in Apollo’s room since we left the hospital.
“You know I hate when you sneak out of our bed.” Rory wraps his arms around me from behind and kisses my neck.
“I was checking in on them,” I say as he spins me in his arms.
The nights are numbered for me to be able to walk down the hall and check on her. As hard as it’s been to let go, I'm happy my daughter found a good man.
“Apollo isn’t going to let a hair on that girl's head get hurt.” I smile, knowing that’s the truth. I thought I could be overprotective, but he takes it to a new level.
“I know.” Rory talked with Celeste to clear the air between them, and it went a long way to make all of us a family. “She’ll always be my little girl. I’m just trying to learn to loosen my grip.”
Rory’s face softens in understanding. I didn’t think there were men like Rory in the world. Men that could care about their children on the same level as a mom could. It’s clear I’ve met a lot of shit men in my life because Rory and I have this understanding and bond of what our children mean to us.
“We’re not going to let them get too far.” He leans down, pressing his mouth against mine, and I slide my hands up his chest to wrap around him. Going back to bed might be a good idea.
“Can’t you two make out on your side of the house?” Celeste teases me. She’s got a bright smile on her face, and I’m thankful all the bruises and scratches have faded.
“Sorry.” My face flushes with heat because I’ve been caught making out by my own daughter. I’m too old to blush, aren't I? Celeste knew I would lead men on, but she also knew I never crossed a line and brought men into her life. There had never been any to bring.
I thought I was too old for a lot of things, but Rory is making me second guess that. I suppose I’m only thirty-five, but I still have an eighteen-year-old daughter. That will put some age on anyone.
“Why don’t I make you girls breakfast,” Rory offers.
“I can make my girl breakfast.” Apollo steps out of his bedroom behind Celeste. He’s got both of their backpacks in his hand.
“I can make my family breakfast.” Rory pushes right back, taking the bags out of his hand. “You're still on light duty, Lo,” he reminds him.
Celeste might have been the initial big scare in the accident, but Apollo’s had some lasting effects with his injuries that will take a few weeks more to heal. Celeste is all but healed at this point, but we have to make sure they both take it easy.
“Fine.” Apollo takes Celeste by the hand and leads her down the hallway to the kitchen.
“It’s only going to be us soon.” Rory kisses me again, and suddenly I wish he hadn’t promised everyone breakfast. I want to pull him back to our bedroom and finish this. “It will be bittersweet, but I won’t mind having you all to myself.” He tugs on the tie of my rope, and I know he’s thinking about us being naked all around the house.
“You have a house staff,” I remind him as we head toward the kitchen.
“I can give them weekends off,” he grumbles. “We need to soak up our free time before grandkids come along.”
“We have time.” At least we better have time.
Family has never been big for me since mine was crap. Both of my parents were addicted to drugs, and I honestly have no idea where they are today. Nor do I care. My mom used her body to feed their habits, and my childhood had not been a good one to say the least.
I guess the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. I used my body to my benefit too, but I didn’t only target men. I targeted anyone with money. Telling people their fortunes hasn't been hard for me. All you have to do is read a room. People give away more than they realize with their own questions and comments. Oftentimes I told people what they needed to hear. I’d learned to read people early in life, and it helped keep me safe at a young age.
My Celeste is different. She longs for family and to be a mom. I want her to have that, but there’s no rush. I put her on birth control when she turned sixteen and she promised she’d talk to me if she ever thought it might be time to have children. I’ve never been a traditional mom, but I hope she waits until she tries the whole college thing and walks down the aisle to get married. There is no reason to rush.
But there’s a little part of me that knows it will be exciting to see what kind of grandbabies Apollo and Celeste will make. It will be amazing because they will be a part of Rory and me.
A sudden thought hits me, and the idea of breakfast makes my stomach turn. What if I got pregnant? I almost want to smack myself because the thought never crossed my mind. I’m only thirty-five.
“Waffles?” Celeste asks when Rory and I enter the kitchen. Apollo is already making her a cup of coffee, and Rory heads to the fridge to get me some juice. Coffee has never been my thing.
“Waffles it is,” Rory says, handing me my juice before he starts breakfast.