The Baby

twenty six

"Anyways," I cleared my throat. I took my laptop from underneath the stroller, using it to look up all the venues Elena had listed.

As much as I love my mother, I don't know what I would do without Elena. She was fully raised in this world and knows everything about it. It's a blessing she's so sweet and welcoming me into their family with open arms.

"I was thinking the beach," Elena suggested but I immediately disagreed.

"Grayson would hate the sand everywhere," I looked up more of the venues listed and finally found one that actually caught my attention. It was outdoor in the forest. Pictures of prior weddings looked beautiful with the large green trees. The dark bark and the emerald green leaves contrasted perfectly and I was already imagining how our wedding would look like. "I like this one." Reading up on the website, it showed all the accommodation they had. They had beautiful cottages and farmhouses we could use for our family and wedding party. It was the perfect venue.

"Cedar Lake Estate. I was afraid you'd like that one. It's my favourite too. They're fully book for the next two years. I'm trying to get in contact with the owner but I haven't heard back yet," she sighed. I've seen the connections the Astor family has and it felt wrong to use their connections to get what I wanted. But I genuinely couldn't imagine the wedding being anywhere else.

"Why don't we just wait to hear back from them? In the mean time we'll book a back up venue and start planning for the engagement party," my mother suggested which was a good idea. I can't put all my eggs in one basket. So I searched for a venue just as nice. It was outdoors as well and in a garden.

"The engagement party needs to be at the Plaza Hotel. It's tradition. Their grand ballroom is breathtaking," Elena immediately insisted then used the laptop to show pictures. I couldn't argue with her because it was beautiful. It looked like it's used for lavish galas and I couldn't believe my engagement party would be held here.

We finished up further details and established we would meet again next week. We had gotten quite a lot done despite them getting sidetracked. But I was happy to leave. Amelia had fallen asleep and taking her from the car to house was easy. I changed her into a different onesie then made sure her baby monitor was on before going downstairs.

I was downstairs snacking on fruit while walking around to find Grayson who was in the second living room with the fireplace on. He stood in the middle of the living room, doing movements I knew were his weekly yoga routine. He's tried to get me to join him a few times, but I've always preferred just watching him.

When I first learned he does yoga I was in shock because he's not the type of man I ever would have thought to do yoga. When I laughed at it, he told it was "good for cardio and circulatory health; increases respiration, energy and vitality; and helps maintain a balanced metabolism." He was extremely defensive and that's when I realized yoga is off of my short list of things I can joke about with him.

I grabbed a throw blanket, getting seated on the couch to watch him. He's always so focused and his muscles are defined and distractive. Finishing up, he took a deep breath then turned to me.

"How was wedding planning?" Grayson took a strawberry from the bowl of cut fruit I had in my hand.

"It was okay, I guess," I couldn't hide my dissatisfaction with the situation. I'm happy we were able to work things out for the engagement party. But all I could think about was the wedding venue.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Grayson questioned, fixing the chess board on the coffee table. "Come play," Grayson grabbed two pillows for us to sit beside each other. I let out an exasperated breath while I went to sit beside him.

"It's like you enjoy seeing me humiliate myself," I commented just as our chess match began. Not only am I terrible at the game, but Grayson is an expert. I don't understand why he insists on playing with me. I'm terrible competition.

"I like winning."

"Clearly," I pinched his shirtless and half sweaty arm.

"Tell me about the wedding planning," Grayson was able to play and talk all at the same time but I needed to think. One wrong move and he would destroy me.

"The venue I want is taken." I sounded like a spoiled brat. But words couldn't describe how perfect everything looked. Having my wedding there would make everything magical. "It's not a big deal. Elena said she'd see what she can do, but I doubt it. It's fully booked for the next two years. It's fine though. The back up venue is just as good." I went to move a piece.

"Are you sure you want to put that there?" Grayson looked up at me. I put the piece back then decided to move another one. "Not a good idea."

"Well, fuck," I complained knowing he couldn't help me while playing against me. But I really must've been doing a terrible job if he felt the need to say something. Either way, he would beat me so I don't know what the point of helping me out is.

"What's the venue?" He knocked one of my pieces down and I quietly cussed under my breath.

"Cedar Lake Estate," I waved my hand over my pieces, looking at Grayson for sign of direction. He gave a curt nod, allowing me to move a piece.

"It's a family business. I know the husband of the wife who owns it. I'll talk to him. He owes me a favour," Grayson said like it would not be an issue at all.

"Really? Are you sure? I hate thinking about taking the venue from someone else," I watched him knock over another one of my pieces as he laughed. "And I hate this game, Gray." I was fully out of moves and hated playing knowing I would lose.

"Do you want the venue or not?"

"I do, I really do," I admitted just as I watched him capture my king. I rolled my eyes at his stupid smile.

"Then you will have the venue. Problem solved," he rearranged the pieces and my glare showed him I was not interested in another match.

"What about you? How was work?" I went back to enjoying my fruit. He took a deep breath and I knew it was not be a good sign. "Is it Blake?" They don't see each other everyday, but days where Grayson has to see Blake are always the days he's more tense and irritable.

"It's nothing," he ran his hand through his hair. "He just shared his opinion about our engagement." I was worried to ask him what Blake said, but I knew I had to.

"What did he say?" I nervously asked. Blake wouldn't have anything good to say about me and I wondered whether Grayson would freeze up the same way he usually does when his father disrespects him.

"He feels I'm making a mistake." When he says mistake, he doesn't mean mistake in marriage but a mistake in the woman he's choosing to marry.

"Of course he does. He doesn't accept Amelia," I reminded him. Blake has never even made an effort to see her. Since she was born, Grayson and I haven't had dinner at their family home. It's always been Elena coming here. I can count on one hand the number of times he has seen Amelia.

"It's not Amelia. He just...he wanted me to have a boy."

"That's not even something you can control," I spoke in shock of his father being upset over something like this. My head went down.

"I know. He feels marriage to you would be useless and I should marry someone else with the hopes of having a boy. His logic is skewed," he played with my curls in fascination. Blake was just using this boy idea as an excuse for Grayson to not be with me. "I told him if he ever speaks ill of you or my daughter again, I would make sure he regrets it." I looked up at him, shocked Grayson would say such a thing to his father.

"You did?"

"You're going to be my wife and I won't tolerate anyone speaking poorly of you. Especially not my father. So, yes Lani, I did say that. Or rather, a more explicit version," he stroked my cheek with his thumb. I moved forward, bringing my arms around his neck.