It's the day before we go camping with everyone and I'm busy packing inside the cottage bedroom. The past week has been phenomenal, to say the least. Lucas and I got everything ready and as soon as the pipes and wires are finished everything else will start falling into place.
Dustin has been busy too, the grass has been cut and the pool has been emptied. When we leave for the weekend he'll do the last bit of landscaping and start the gazebo as soon as we get back.
I'm in the process of packing when Lucas walks out of the bathroom with a toothbrush in his mouth. I smile as he walks to the dresser and pulls out the lace panty and bra I wore the first night we were together.
He stuffs it into my suitcase and I laugh as he walks back to the bathroom. When he walks back out he grins wickedly.
"No way are those staying home."
I shrug my shoulders,"I was planning on wearing them tonight."
Lucas' arms wrap around my body and he brings me flush against his body. I can smell the soap and mint from his shower and it intoxicates me but there's no time for that, we're already late. Lucas has been spending all his time with me and it surprised me how easily we became comfortable with each other, it still does.
Lucas starts kissing the back of my neck and a shiver travels down my spine.
I giggle but try to push him away, "Lucas we're already late!"
He sighs dramatically against my skin, "Why don't you give me attention any more?"
I laugh, "You had plenty of attention last night, and this morning."
"Yeah, but I'm a big boy and I need attention hourly."
He spins me around then lifts me up and places my ass on the dresser, "Lucas, we're going to be late."
"Don't care," he says right before he kisses me.
Any thought and objection flee my mind when Lucas' skin touches mine. It's like wild fire, burning up everything inside me as the fever builds. The stubble on his jaw brushes my skin, sizzling the sensitive flesh. He consumes every thought I have and right then I don't care if we're late.
My hair is a mess and it doesn't matter how many times I pull a brush through it, I have permanent bed head. Lucas is grinning from the driver seat and I have the urge to punch him in the face.
We are now officially late, hell, we're even past fashionably late.
"You know, if you keep frowning like that you're going to get wrinkles."
I shoot him a glare and he tries to stifle a laugh. This is all his fault! Okay, so I might be an enabler but the asshole knows I can't resist him. Not long anyway.
We finally pull up to Jackson and Ollie's house and Jackson is outside busy building what looks to be a doll house for Shay.
"Well, I'll be damned, you two finally made it." Jackson says grinning.
"Yeah, Katelyn doesn't know when to stop and I told her we were going to be late."
Jackson and Lucas laugh and I narrow my eyes but before I can retort, Olivia walks out of the house with Shay in tow. Little Shay runs up to Lucas and grabs him around the legs.
"Uncle Lucy! I'm having a tea-party, you have to come! Daddy will also be there."
I try to stifle a laugh as Lucas picks up the six-year-old, "What about mommy and Katelyn, aren't they invited?"
Shay thinks for a minute then shrugs, "Mommy is going to go buy me a new dress and auntie Katelyn has to go with her. I want a pretty new dress."
I smile when Shay gives me a toothless grin, "We're going to get you the prettiest dress ever, I promise."
Ollie laughs as she walks to the car, "Careful, she'll hold you to that."
Shay wriggles from Lucas's grip and darts to me hugging my legs. I laugh and look over to Ollie, "I don't mind."
Shay runs to her dad to inspect her doll house, telling him that she wants windows that open. I watch the scene as Jackson quietly explains everything to Shay with the utmost attention.
Lucas comes up behind me, wrapping his arms around my middle and placing his chin on my shoulder, "I want you to take my truck when you guys go to the mall. No one will mess with you if you drive that."
"I can't drive your truck!" I say as my eyes skim over the black and chromed monster standing in the driveway.
Lucas chuckles, "Sure you can, besides I've seen Ollie drive and I'll feel so much better if you drive my truck."
"I heard that!" Ollie yells causing us both to laugh.
Ten minutes later Ollie and I are driving to the mall, she talks about Shay's upcoming birthday and eventually the conversation drifts to Lucas.
"So, do you know if it's serious yet?" Ollie asks.
"We haven't really talked about it, I want to, it's just..."
"You don't want to pop the fairy-tale yet. I get it. Things like this takes the course it's supposed to. What works for one person won't work for everyone."
"I don't know, Ollie. This isn't something I normally do. I don't want to allow myself to feel something too fast and then be left disappointed."
She sighs, "Rhys men aren't always the most forthcoming with their feelings, believe me, I know. They don't tell you they care, they just show it. And I've never seen Lucas with anyone the way he is with you."
I park Lucas' monster of a truck and follow Ollie into the mall. As much as I want to believe I'm special to Lucas, I can't help the niggling doubt at the back of my mind. I don't want to push it and then loose whatever we have right now. Maybe there's a part of me that's just settling for whatever Lucas is willing to give, I know it won't last forever. Eventually, I'm going to want more, more than he might be willing to give.
After we got Shay's birthday dress we walk into The Magic Bean that's a lot less crowded today. As we sit down Casey walks up to us with a beaming smile, "I see you have good taste in people, Katelyn."
"Why, thank you Casey, does that mean I get an extra big slice of carrot cake today?" Ollie says causing me to laugh.
"I just made a new batch this morning, I'll get you both and extra big slice, on the house."
When Casey leaves I turn to Ollie, "So how did you and Jackson meet?"
She sighs, "It's a long story, I don't even know where to begin."
There's a wistful smile on her face and I don't know why but it gives me a flash of hope, "Why not just at the beginning. Did he sweep you off your feet and carry you into the sunset?" I joke.
Ollie laughs, "God no, it was a lot darker than that. Shayleen, is not my biological daughter." I go cold but Ollie smiles reassuringly, "My twin sister, Julie, was her biological mother. When Shay was three weeks old my sister knocked on my front door with a newborn baby and no place to go. I took them both in, looked after Shay while my sister got some sleep and the next morning Julie was gone. She didn't leave a note or anything, just left."
"God, Ollie, I'm so sorry I shouldn't have asked."
Ollie waves me off, "No it's fine. I raised Shay for a whole year when I got the call that Julie had died of an overdose and in her will she finally gave up the identity of Shay's biological father."
I place a hand over my mouth to cover up my shock, "No,"
"Yup, Jackson Rhys and he didn't even know he had a daughter. At first he didn't believe it but after the paternity tests were done we all finally knew. He wanted to be a father and I didn't want to give up the little girl I'd been raising, the courts ruled in his favor, of course but Jackson never kept Shay away from me. We tried to fight our attraction at first, Jackson even thought I was the same as my sister."
I sit in utter disbelief, unable to wrap my head around it, "So how did you end up married?"
Ollie smiles as if recanting a happy memory, "We couldn't fight it and believe me we tried. My sister was a selfish woman but she gave me everything I've ever wanted and more. I have a beautiful daughter and a loving husband. Real love is never easy but it's worth it and it always finds a way to work around our issues, if we let it."
I wipe the tears in my eyes and snifle, "That is equally heartbreaking and beautiful."
Ollie laughs, "More like the script for a hallmark movie but sometimes life throws us som curveballs. Just to keep us on our toes."
My repsect for Olivia Rhys grows tenfold and we spend the rest of our coffee date talking about lighter things. But my mind keeps drifting to Lucas. I can already feel myself falling for him in ways I never thought possible and I have no idea how to stop it. How do you gaurd your heart against the only person you want to have it?
Ollie and I shop a little more and I even buy a new pair of jeans along with a birthday present for Shay. We drive home and it's close to midday when we pull into their driveway.
The front yard is empty so Ollie and I walk into the house and hear Shay berating Lucas. I can't help but grin when we walk into Shay's top to bottom princess room. Lucas and Jackson are both sitting on tiny pink chairs each with a small porcelain tea cup in hand.
Lucas has a tiara on his head with pink boa feathers around it's base while Jackson is sporting a pretty purple flower arrangement.
But what has me fighting the growing tension in my chest? Shay, in her pink princess dress, tapping her foot and pointing an accusatory finger at Lucas.
When the little girl sees her mom her face lights up, "Mom uncle Lucy is being a very bad guest! He stole Mr. Bear's cookie!"
Lucas' eyes go wide, "Only because Mr. Bear got two and I only got one!"
Lucas guffaws dramatically and Shay narrows her eyes at him. Then I loose it, I smack my hand over my mouth but my shoulders are shaking as uncontrollable laughter flows from my body. Ollie is trying to restain her grin while Jackson laughs behind his hand.
"Mr. Bear is a special guest, he's supposed to get two!"
Lucas feigns a hurt expression, "Am I not special then?"
Shay rolls her eyes, "Maybe if you came to more tea parties you could also be a special guest."
I can't take it anymore as I slink down the door's arch all the way to the floor. My sides are hurting and there are tears running down my cheeks.
Lucas grins and pulls a plastic cookie from his pocker, "Okay, I'll give Mr. Bear his cookie back but only because I'm a gentleman."
It's then that I notice the bright pink blush on Lucas' cheeks. He stands to give Mr Bear the cookie and I see the pink tutu around his waist. I try to keep some of my composure but the sight is just too damn funny not to laugh.
The dark and brooding Lucas Rhys is wearing a pink tutu and a boa feathered tiara, whilts hand a bear a plastic cookie. This is just too much for me to take.
Shay nods approvingly then runs up to Ollie, "Mommy did you and aunty Katelyn get me a pretty birthday dress?"
I swallow my laughter to answer the ball of energybat my feet, "We got you the orettiest dress ever! Every princess deserves one."
Shay jumps up and throws her arms around my neck giving me a crushing hug. For a six-year-old she's got surprising strength.
"Can I try it on? Pretty please?"
I look to Ollie when she nods, Shay squeals in excitement. Lucas, Jackson and I leave the room so Ollie can help Shay into her new dress.
When we're out of earshot I start laughing again.
Lucas puts his hands on his hips, "What? I think I make a decent princess, etiquette aside."
I walk forward to pat his cheek, "Ah don't worry. Of course you're still the prettiest princess in the room."
Jackon burst out laughing, throwing his hands up and walking to the kitchen.
When Jackson rounds the corner Lucas grins wickedly at me, "I'm gonna make you pay for that."
I give an equally evil grin, "Good, I'm holding you to that promise."