Leather and Lace - A Lauren Woods Spinoff (Part 3 in series)

Chapter 18

"Look who his father is," Glyn smiled.

"And his step father," I pointed out.

"Yeah, well..." he said sitting back in his chair after finishing his food.

I got up and started cleaning and then when I was finished I worked on some designs and started planning things for the grand opening.

"Will there be any music at this event?" Glyn asked me.

"I haven't decided on that yet," I said smiling, "do you have any artists that might be interested?"

Tom was always around and I knew he would do it in a heartbeat but I wanted someone with even more star power.

Since my best friend Stevie would be on tour, I knew that meant she was out of the running. She was not that excited to take off for Asia and Australia and wishes she could stay back here with us.

"I'll find someone," he then said.

I forgot sometimes just how important my husband was. There's a world of musicians out there and he's connected in some way to them all. He's the biggest and most well known music producer in the world.

....

The next day came quickly and Glyn and I went to pick up my kids from their fathers for the week.

Annie and Darry were excited to back home with me but Ollie wouldn't come downstairs from his room.

George gave me a sympathetic look.

I went up to see what was wrong.

"Ollie," I said sweetly, "are you wanting to stay here with Dad?"

"It's not that I don't want to be with you," he said, "it's just that I don't want to be going back and forth. I am older, more mature and I want to be with Dad."

I understood.

"I know the back and forth all these years has been hard, I would do anything to make things easier for you," I told him.

"It's a little late for that," he said, "I am growing up and..."

"Honey," I said to him, "you are thirteen years old, far from being grown up."

"Can I stay here?" He then asked.

"Well yes," I nodded, "I won't force you to come home with Glyn and I."

"This is my home," he said.

Oh boy. Here we go.

I went downstairs after telling Ollie I loved him and hid my tears from my husband and from George.

"Any luck?" Glyn asked.

I shook my head no.

"Is he good to stay with you?" I asked George.

He nodded and gave a sympathetic look.

"What if we took a trip together?" I asked George.

We haven't been somewhere just me and him and the kids in a while. When we were in Greece we had a lot of people with us.

"Us and the kids you mean?" He asked.

"For Ollie," I said, "it's breaking my heart that he doesn't want to be with me."

"Our son loves you," George assured me, "I will talk to him."

"No," I said to them both, "I understand that he wants some permanence and wants to stay put. I just selfishly wish it was me he wanted to stay with."