Always You (Oak Woods Book 1)

14

Annaleigh's alarm sounded, and she groaned. It was seven already. She got up, changed into workout clothes and went into the basement. There she did ab exercises, ran five miles on a treadmill and started her yoga.

"Mama?" Rebecca called, coming down the stairs wearing her own workout gear.

"Came to join me for yoga?" Annaleigh asked. Rebecca nodded and pulled out her own yoga mat. After they arrested Wesley, Annaleigh took Rebecca to a therapist. She was worried about what she'd witnessed affecting Rebecca. The therapist suggested yoga as a way for Rebecca to center herself and be able to handle any large emotions that came through her. That had started them doing it daily. Not only did Annaleigh see it helping Rebecca, but it gave her a way to face the day.

"Okay, Poppet put in your DVD and we will get started." Annaleigh watched as she picked her favorite yoga for kids DVD and put it in the player. The two followed along for about twenty minutes when they heard Connor.

"Hello?"

"Down here," Annaleigh called, she'd ask how he got inside when he came down.

"You might want to move the spare key from under the mat," Connor suggested he stopped short when he caught sight of mother and daughter standing in a yoga pose.

"I need to change the locks today," Annaleigh replied, stepping over to kiss him hello.

"What are you two doing?"

"Yoga, Mama and I do it every day. It helps me feel good," Rebecca answered. She bounced over and Connor scooped her up in a hug.

"Do you do it every day?"

"Almost, mama works out every day and I join in for yoga."

"Fun, are you hungry? I brought over some items from Jenny's Bakery. Your mama had a soft spot for their strawberry peach scones," Connor shared.

"Mama eats sweets?" Rebecca gasped, and Connor gave Annaleigh a confused look. She shook her head, letting him know now wasn't the time, nor the place for that discussion. Connor nodded, but gave her a you'll tell me later look and carried Rebecca up to the kitchen. Annaleigh watched them and felt her heart swell. The two looked like father and daughter as they went up together. She threw some coffee on and watched Connor grab plates for everyone and milk for Rebecca.

"What time is Pop-Pop and Mimi coming for you?" Connor asked Rebecca, setting a glazed scone in front of her.

"Nine thirty, they are taking me shopping and Pop Pop promised me a game of chess," she answered. Annaleigh set a cup of coffee down for Connor and took her seat by Rebecca. Connor passed her a scone, and she smiled. She had sworn off sweets after having Rebecca. Wesley had called her fat and out of shape the day after she gave birth. Annaleigh worked hard but never could get her body into post-baby shape. Taking a bite, she moaned her pleasure, she'd forgotten how amazing these scones were.

"These are even better than I remember," she gushed.

"Can I have another one?" Rebecca asked, polishing off her scone.

"Half of one," Annaleigh replied, and Connor gave her half.

"Want the other half?" he offered to Annaleigh. She shook her head no. One scone was already more calories than she ate in two meals. Connor arched his brow and set the half on her plate.

"Please eat, you are much too thin for your frame." Annaleigh's head popped up, and she gave him a surprised look. No one said that to her ever. Taking a bite, she savored the scone.

"I need a shower and Rebecca needs to get dress. Are you okay with waiting down here?" Annaleigh asked once she'd finished the scone.

"Need me to do anything?" he asked, cleaning up the plates and pouring himself another cup of coffee.

"I need the old furniture placed on the curb, I have a junk service coming to remove them," Annaleigh suggested. She wasn't sure what else to ask him to do. She hadn't come with a lot because of the expense of the move.

"I will get on it right away." Connor kissed her and winked at Rebecca as he went out into the backyard.

"I like him, Mama, can we keep him?" Rebecca asked as they went up to change.

"Mama is thinking about it, Connor and I will try to take things slow. I don't want him to turn out like daddy." Annaleigh replied although she knew in her heart Connor would never be like Wesley. Brushing Rebecca's hair out of her face, the two went into Rebecca's room to pick out her clothes for the day.

"He isn't, my jaguar, and I have talked about it and we know he is the one for you Mama," Rebecca remarked and Annaleigh paused in pulling out a dress for her to wear.

"You and your jaguar?" Annaleigh wasn't sure what to say. How had her four-year-old been able to talk to her jaguar? She hadn't shifted yet.

"She showed up when daddy was hurting you. She is the one who told me to call the police," Rebecca replied. Her response so matter-of-fact Annaleigh dropped onto the bed shocked.

"Have you shifted?"

"No, she said I needed to be bigger." Rebecca changed out of her clothes, and into the dress her mother held.

"I've never heard of that, you are truly an amazing little girl. I know you've only known Connor for a day, but would you be okay with him becoming part of our family?" Annaleigh watched her daughter go through her closet to find a pair of sandals to match her dress. One of the many things mother and daughter had in common, their love of shoes.

"I want Connor to be my daddy," Rebecca stated, putting on her shoes.

"I will take that into consideration. How about we let Connor take us out on a date next weekend and make sure he is right for us?" Annaleigh pulled her daughter in for a tight hug.

"Yes, I want him to take us to the fair. I saw the sign when we drove to Aunt Maddie's house," Rebecca requested and Annaleigh nodded.

"I'll ask him once I am showered." She stood and left to rinse off the sweat from her workout. She took a little time to think about what Connor had said about her being too thin for her frame. Did he like the way she looked in high school with a little extra in the waist, hips and thighs? She stepped out and put on a pair of shorts and a shirt she would be fine painting in and went back downstairs. It surprised her to see Clint and Nora sitting at the kitchen counter listening to Rebecca tell them all about her bear Bumble. 

"I got him when I was born and haven't spent a night without him. I love going on adventures with Bumble and he never hibernates like real bears. I would miss him too much if he slept all the time. Do you hibernate?" she asked.

"What?" Clint said, caught off guard by her question.

"Well, Connor is a bear shifter and since you are his parents you have to be bears too, right?" Rebecca asked, looking up at them with her bright blue eyes innocence clear on her face.

"No, we don't hibernate, but we do slow down in the winter," Nora replied with a laugh.

"Rebecca, you can't just ask people about being a shifter," Annaleigh admonished, completely embarrassed her four-year-old asked if they hibernated.

"It is fine Annaleigh, she is four," Clint assured her and stood.

"Ready to go, ladies?"

"How are you going to take Rebecca with you?" Annaleigh asked, reaching for her car keys to let them take her car.

"We bought a car seat this morning and had the local fire station install it for us," Nora replied, like Annaleigh's question had been stupid.

"You didn't have to do that, they are expensive and I would have let you take my car," Annaleigh replied, these people shocked her every time she was around them.

"Nonsense, she is our granddaughter and should be able to go in any of our cars without worry." Nora waved away Annaleigh's concern and left with Rebecca bouncing up and down, excited for a day out with her grandparents. 

A/N: Please let me know how you like the story, any suggestions or feedback would be much appreciated. Don't forget to vote!