By the time we made it downstairs, grandma had already opened the door and started talking to him in the living room. He looked up when he saw me and his smile did make my heart stop for a second, it is the most beautiful smile I've ever seen, and then those dimples! He is a walking GQ ad. When he noticed what Ava was wearing his smile got bigger if that's even possible.
"That's so cool, she looks adorable." he said.
"Yes she does and it fits perfectly so thank you." I smiled up at him.
"These are for you and this is for Ava."
He handed me a bouquet of white roses and held out one baby pink rose for Ava.
"Emmett, stop!"
"Not at all, gotta show all the love to my girls. Grandma Morgan got hers too." he whispered in my ear.
"Grandma?" I asked, turning to see her arranging a vase of tulips on the dining room table.
"She insisted that I call her grandma Morgan too. She likes me." he smiled.
"Okay, off with the three of you. Let me enjoy my tulips in peace." she said, cheesing up too.
"I've gotta get the car seat base from my . . ."
"No, you don't." Emmett said.
"Yes, I need the base to . . ."
"You're not understanding me. You don't need the base because I have one." he smiled softly this time.
"You what?"
"Aren't you the sweetest thing ever! Okay, here's Ava's blanket, the three of you go enjoy a nice dinner." grandma Morgan said.
"Emmett . . ."
"I want her to be safe and hopefully, this isn't the last time we go out together. It makes no sense for you to have to keep moving it from one car to the other." he said as he helped me into my grey coat. "Hey, it just hit me, we almost match."
He was wearing a grey shirt and jacket as well, but he paired with it dark jeans and black and white sneakers.
"You look very handsome, Mr. Cullen."
"You look absolutely beautiful." he replied. "Let's go."
I grabbed the baby bag and placed Ava Rae in her car seat. Before I could grab it though, Emmett did and he grabbed the folded carriage as well. Showing off the muscles because he can and I'm definitely not complaining.
"Val, you're giving yourself a heart attack." Emmett chuckled when I closed the front door.
"I'm calm." I argued.
"My bionic ears can't deceive me, calm down beautiful. I'll tell you that Esme is just as nervous as you are."
"How is that? Why?" I asked, feeling slightly better.
"Because she wants to make a good impression on you and Ava Rae." he smiled, locking the car seat into the base.
"How did you know which one to get?" I asked.
"I had Alice look at your car and figure it out." he smiled at me, flashing those million-dollar dimples.
"You did?"
"Yeah, I wanted to make sure that I had everything that you would need."
"You're so much, Emmett Cullen."
"Does that so much get me a kiss?" he asked, wrapping his cool arms around my waist.
"I don't think this is the place for that hot lips." I smiled.
"This is the perfect place! Let me show all of your neighbors that you're not on the market anymore."
"I'm not? Since when are we exclusive that I didn't know?" I asked him.
"Since the first time I spent the night, you're everything that I want and then some. Ava is just the topping on the cake."
I know that he means every single word and that overwhelms me in a good way if that's possible. He wants and accepts me with my child, that's a blessing.
"One day I'll get old and you won't want me." I argued, just for the sake of arguing.
"Not if you decide to be like me." he said, nuzzling my nose.
"Emmett . . ."
"Too soon, I know, Ava's too young." he smiled and that understanding is another blessing.
Yes, I brought up the topic a couple of days ago and he was ecstatic but that's not something I can even think about right now. My daughter needs me and I will not do anything that would endanger her.
"Can I get that kiss, though?"
"You can get the kiss." I smiled, getting on my toes for a quick kiss.
"Hey! That's not enough." he complained.
"Grow up."
"I can't."
"Smartass."
"You like me like that." he said, opening the passenger door for me.
"I absolutely do." I smiled.
Ava was super quiet during the ride because Emmett put a toy on the arm of her car seat, like the sneaky man that he is. She baby babbled at it but no crying at all.
"Quick question." I said.
"Shoot."
"Are we going to your house or your family's house?"
"The family house if you're okay with that." he replied, taking my hand in his and kissing my knuckles.
"Of course, let's go meet your family." I sighed.
"Valentina, calm down." he chuckled.
"I'm trying." I said, smiling when he flashed his dimples.
"You're safe with my family, so is Ava. If there were any sort of threat or risk, I wouldn't have asked you to come." he softly said.
"I know, that's why we're here." I told him.
The house is absolutely stunning from the outside. Painted a soft white and standing at three stories tall, it's hard to tell if the house is a new build or it's been here for a hundred years which I'm sure is the point. The windows and doors look to be wonderfully restored or part of the original structure. This area, full of trees and so private is absolutely enviable in its beauty, simplicity, and privacy. This isn't a house that you accidentally stumble upon and I love that.
The inside was even more appealing than the outside if possible. Large spaces that are bright and airy. I'm sure that originally this was several rooms but seeing it now I can't possibly imagine it any other way because it's perfect. The back wall is entirely replaced with glass and the view from it is stunning. There's a large curved staircase on the west side of the room and the high ceiling is something from a home magazine. The wooden floors and plush carpet make this very similar to the house of my dreams.
"Carlisle." I smiled, glad that he's the first person I see.
"Valentina, welcome to my home." he said, walking over to hug me.
I've grown used to it, the coolness, it still gives me the shivers but I'm a cold temperature loving girl so I don't find it that cold, not consciously anyway. He took my hands in his and smiled at me.
"Your home is absolutely beautiful." I said, still looking around.
"Thank you, my wife is the one who decorates them." he said, motioning to a woman walking out of the kitchen.
She has the same paleness that I've come to expect from the Cullen's. The same physically beautiful attributes but there's something softer to Esme than there is to Carlisle and Emmett. Her caramel-colored hair falls softly around her heart-shaped face. She really is stunning, a bit smaller than Carlisle but they pair nicely.
"Esme, this is Valentina and Ava Rae." Emmett said, handing me my daughter who was swaddled in her blanket and fussing.
"La mia bambina, it's okay sweetie." I said, taking the blanket off.
"She's beautiful. It's wonderful to finally meet you." Esme said.
"Thank you, the pleasure is all mine, Emmett talks about you all of the time."
"The same with you, he talks about you and Ava all of the time." she said, a soft smile on her face.
"You're here! It's nice to finally meet you. We've been hounding Emmett to bring you over for forever." another female said, shorter and very graceful in her movements as she stopped in front of me and hugged me, Emmett's sigh loosened some of the tension I was feeling by the abrupt movement.