Tend To My Heart

48

"I'm new to handling a severed relationship just as I am new to loving you the way that I do. I'm sorry I didn't acknowledge that you're learning too" she says and god, to have her strength.

She's so good at making people feel seen and understood that it makes me feel even more shitty that she's so willing to apologize to me when I'm the one being a jealous prick. She's too good for the world and I'd much rather shield her from it while I burned it to the ground because no one, myself included, deserves her.

But I have her and being the selfish bastard that I am, I'm going to keep her.

"Don't ever feel sorry for me, I'll give you whatever you want and you just keep doing whatever it is you want and I'll just be here, you're willing servant. Forever." I groan and pull her down for a kiss which earns me a laugh.

"I don't think that's healthy, Tristan" she smiles against my lips.

"I don't care" I tell her and she giggles some more which warms my whole chest.

"You'll be okay, baby, I promise" I assure her when she rests her forehead against mine, her fingers absentmindedly playing with the hairs at the nape of my neck.

God, I want to marry this woman. Give her everything she asks for. I've never cared about another person so much and it both scares and excites me.

"Thank you" she smiles and cuddles into my chest some more.

After a while, Evangeline falls asleep and I'm more than happy that she does given her history with sleep. I carefully lay her in her bed and press a kiss to her cheek before heading out to see what there is for dinner.

I know she'll freak out about sleeping and not having dinner made so I'm more than happy to do it for her.

I was told everyone was at work and Hayden would be home soon, his grandfather being the one to drop him off. I take advantage of the alone time to snoop around the apartment while I cook.

While I wait for the potatoes to boil, I'm admiring the family photos. When the chicken is baking, I'm admiring Hayden's handy work that covers almost the entire fridge. And when I'm cooking the asparagus, the front door swings open and I'm greeted by a grinning Hayden and a surprised older man that I'm assuming is his grandfather.

"T!" Hayden beams and attacks me with a hug that I don't hesitate to return. When I straighten up again, I off a polite smile and hold my hand out to the older man.

"Hello sir, I'm-"

"Tristan" he smirks knowingly and I can't swallow the nerves stuck in my throat.

I've only ever heard good things about Evangeline's grandparents but that doesn't strike away the nerves of meeting them.

"Please, call me Ben" he grins and grasps my hand with the firmest handshake I've ever received in my life.

"Where's V?" Hayden asks.

"She's taking a nap, thought I'd help take some of the load off of her and make us dinner" I smile and ruffle his hair.

"Smells delicious" Ben compliments.

"Thank you, will you be joining us?" I ask and it takes him a moment before he chuckles.

"I think I will" he nods.

"I'm guessing that's going to be a surprise to everyone"  I laugh.

"No one enjoys making my family awkwardly uncomfortable more than my wife and I" Ben grins and Hayden snickers to himself, clearly in on his grandpas scheme like it's a normal thing.

"Hayden, go change and get started on your homework" he orders his grandson who's smile is wiped immediately before he's trudging to his room.

Ben begins taking out dishes to set the table and I can feel his eyes on me as I finish up dinner.

"This isn't how I imagined to meet you but it's much more our style so I'm not mad about it" Ben says and I offer him a smile.

"Yeah, I've noticed you Carters are quite chaotic" I tease and earn myself a hearty laugh.

"Stubborn as shit too" he nods.

"Oh, that one was obvious" I grin.

We laugh a bit more and then finish setting the table together, Ben pinning me with a look that seems like he's going to give me a stern talking too about his one and only granddaughter.

"I want to thank you"

Well that's not what I was expecting at all.

"For what?" I can't help but ask, my eyebrows shooting up.

"For loving our girl" he shrugs and I gain the sudden urge to rush into the room of said girl just to hold her in my arms again.

"She hasn't been this way in a long time and I think you have plenty to do with that, son" he nods and claps a hand on my shoulder.

"Well I'm doing a pretty shit job now considering the moping she's doing over Cooper" I sigh.

"They'll get over it. She once sobbed because a squirrel she thought she built a bond with ran from her after stealing an acorn from the pile she'd gathered for it" Ben chuckles and my chest explodes with warmth to have heard a childhood story of hers.

"When Evangeline loves, it's with her entire being, so the Cooper thing is going to take time, but as long as she has you, I think she'll manage just fine"

Well if that didn't just feed my ego to the brim.

Before I can say anything, Ben and I's head snaps in the same direction at the sound of a door being thrown open and footsteps running down the hall.

Evangeline comes scurrying out of her room, hair messy from her nap and eyes wide in panic before she spots us, panic melting into full blown confusion.

"Grandpa?"

"Hey, Bub. How was your nap?" He beams.

Evangeline flicks her gaze in my direction and I just grin and gesture to the table.

"I made dinner" I say and now, she's just completely thrown for a loop.

"W-what is going on right now?" She blinks, her voice a bit hoarse from her nap and kind of turning me on.

Not in front of her Grandpa, jackass.

"Go get cleaned up for dinner" her grandfather orders and waves a hand in a shooing motion making her eyes widen some more before they look over at me again.

I offer a shrug, a cheeky smirk and then repeat Ben's shooing hand motion just to rile her up.

"But, grandp-"

"Evangeline" he cuts her off, his tone stern and warning her to choose her next move wisely. Evangeline's mouth snaps shut and I'm now very entertained.

I bring a fist to cover my mouth when I watch the woman I love slouch in defeat under the scolding of her grandfather before turning on her heels and trudging away to obey his orders.

I let out a snort when I realize she and Hayden trudge away to same way and don't miss when she whips her head to shoot me a glare before disappearing into the bathroom.

"She's going to kill you for having witnessed that" Ben smirks.

"I will die a happy and satisfied man" I grin.