Chapter Thirty-One
Caz held the flowers up to her nose and sniffed them. “These are nice,” she said as they both walked barefoot on the sand, shoes dangling from their free hands.
“Wow, is that their house?” Grace asked, as the wall of glass windows up ahead reflected the waning sun.
In daylight it would look even more impressive, she was sure.
“Yep, I think so.” As they neared, the decking became more visible and the comfortable seating and firepit stood out. “Yep, that’s it,” Caz said, just as Morgan stepped out and waved at them.
“Hey,” Morgan called out, a big smile on her face. She turned back to the door and shouted something through, presumably to Alex.
“Hi,” Grace called back, hopping up the first step as Caz followed and held out the bouquet.
“Aw, those are beautiful, thank you,” Morgan said, taking them from her just as Alex appeared. “Smell these.” Morgan grinned, pushing the flowers into Alex’s face.
Alex took them off of her and playfully slapped her. “Can you behave when we have guests?” she admonished, but the smile said something else; something warm, but with a slight undertone only Morgan read, because she blushed instantly and it didn’t go unnoticed by Grace, who glanced quickly at Caz and smiled her own silent message.
Alex turned to their guests. “Thank you. These are lovely and I have just the vase for them.”
“Can I get you both a drink?” Morgan asked, looking at Caz and then Grace.
“Love one,” Caz replied.
“Yes, why not?” Grace added, stepping a little closer to her wife, smiling when Morgan did.
“Grab a seat. I made some nibbles too,” Morgan said a little excitedly. “Can you tell we don’t have guests often?”
Alex smiled at her before she chimed in, “We don’t get many guests, mainly because I prefer it that way.”
“Unless you count Francine, who seems to come and go as she pleases lately.” Morgan poked her tongue out at Alex. “Alex’s manager,” she explained. “Beer? Wine? Something less alcoholic?”
“Wine would be great,” Grace said, before adding, “Caz prefers beer.”
“Red? White?”
“Either…whatever is easiest,” Grace gushed, not wanting to cause anyone a headache over a simple question. She really didn’t mind.
Alex swept past Morgan. “Just open both, darling. I’ll be right back.” She held up the flowers with one hand and with the other, playfully slapped Morgan’s backside. “Make yourselves comfortable,” she said over her shoulder to their guests, laughing when Morgan’s eyes narrowed and the grin appeared that said very much how she would be getting her own back later.
“Be right back,” Morgan said.
With both of their hosts gone, Grace giggled. “Can you believe we’re here?”
Caz sat down on a comfortable wicker sofa-style chair and grinned. Seeing Grace so happy always gave her tummy a tumble. She was beginning to realise that a lot lately. Had it always been the case and she’d just ignored it because Grace was in the friend zone all these years? Then she reminded herself Grace was still in the friend zone, wasn’t she?
“They’re just people,” she said. Her own excitement was building, but not from being in the presence of a celebrity. Her excitement came from being with Grace, out with another couple; a couple very much at ease with each other, and around other people.
“Famous people,” Grace exclaimed before she sat down beside Caz and leaned against her. “This is such a nice way to end our holiday.”
“Honeymoon.” Caz raised an arm up and allowed Grace to get more comfortable. “Yeah, it is,” she said, just as Morgan came through the door with a tray in her hands and a quizzically playful look on her face when she caught sight of them. Caz pressed her lips together in an attempt not to smile, but it was a pointless exercise. She knew what it looked like, too.
“Here we go,” Morgan said brightly, placing the tray down onto the table and handing out drinks. “Did I hear ‘honeymoon’?”
Grace sat up and straightened, her back now against the sofa.
“Oh, don’t move on our behalf.” Morgan smiled, “One more of these and I’ll be just as relaxed against my lover, too.”
Caz stiffened and stared at her. The proverbial deer in the headlights look appearing on her features.
“It’s okay, you don’t have to pretend. Caz told me she explained our…situation to you both.” Grace finished speaking just as Alex joined them. “And yes, technically a honeymoon…”
“Relationships of all kinds can work when two people love each other enough to recognise it,” she said, taking a seat beside Morgan. Their hands instinctively reached for each other. “Ours isn’t exactly what society would deem acceptable—getting married and still living in our own homes, but we like it that way.”
“For now,” Morgan added, “I’m here more than there.”
“Yes, and I am getting used to that.” Alex smiled and leaned into kiss her. “But when you finish a long night shift, the last thing you want is to have me plonking away on the piano.”
“There are worse things to have to listen to.” Morgan grinned, raised their hands, and kissed the back of Alex’s.
“I thought I read you’d retired,” Grace said.
“From the world, yes, but from music? Never.” Alex grinned. “And I need that time, to just play.”
“I can buy earplugs, or you can get a keyboard with headphones.” Morgan grinned at the face Alex pulled.
“What a suggestion.” Alex laughed. “I do love you being here, though. Maybe we should rethink it, after all.” She looked at Caz and Grace. “Relationships evolve, don’t they?”
To Caz’s surprise, it was Grace who said, “Hopefully.” She glanced quickly at Caz before lifting her glass and sipping. “Once we have a baby, everything will change, won’t it?”
Caz breathed deeply, smiling slowly as she caught sight of Morgan staring at her. Was she willing her on?
“Having a baby will definitely mean changes. No more of this for a while,” Caz joked, holding up her bottle of beer.
“You can still drink beer.” Grace laughed and poked her.
“U-uh, if you can’t, I can’t.”
Grace smiled and leaned in to kiss her cheek. “You’re very sweet.”
“Remember that next time I piss you off.”
They all laughed.
“Happen often?” Alex asked with a mischievous grin curving her lips.
Grace plucked her glass up from the table once more. “Not as often as you might think, but too often for my liking.” She winked.
It didn’t take Grace long to lose the inhibitions caused by sitting in the presence of someone as famous, or as rich, as Alex. Soon enough, she was bombarding her with questions about people she’d met and where she’d played. Caz just sat back and listened, enjoying the way Grace became so animated.
When Alex offered to play something for Grace, she’d leapt at the chance and the two of them went inside. Musical notes drifted out through the open door moments later.
“You should tell her,” Morgan said, smiling at Caz. “Tell her how you feel about her.”
Caz shook her head. “I can’t, that wouldn’t be fair.”
“It’s obvious she cares for you,” Morgan continued. “I think you might be surprised—”
“Or I might ruin the only thing that has ever made any sense to me.” Caz smiled sadly. “She’s everything, and I won’t risk losing what we have.”