Chapter 16
Flynn
T he aunties arrive with the usual madness of excitement they bring to every visit with the kids, who are simply wild about them—and vice versa. Candace has long auburn hair and hazel eyes, while Olivia has dark hair and brown eyes. She looks much more like Natalie than Candace does, but there’s a definite resemblance between the three of them and in Cece, who favors them.
The kids are all over them, and both aunties are thrilled by the reception they get from the kids. Within seconds, Candace is on the floor wrestling with Rowan while the girls drag Olivia toward their room to play.
“Wait a minute,” Natalie says. “I need a second with my sisters before you guys steal them.”
“No, Mommy,” Rowan says, “no seconds.”
That kid… He cracks me up, but if I laugh at him saying no to his mother, I’ll be in trouble with Mommy. “Rowan, let Auntie Candace see Mommy, and then you can have her all to yourself.”
“Fine.”
I make a face at him. “Fine.”
He giggles. My day is made.
Natalie herds her sisters into the kitchen, and I follow them so we can catch up for a second before we leave. Nat gives them the rundown on the meal she prepared for all of them and reminds them of the “suggested” bedtime, which the aunties don’t enforce with the same vigor as Mommy does. They’re here so often that they know where everything is and what all the kids like and don’t like.
“We’ll make sure they’re not up for a minute after nine,” Candace says.
Natalie gasps. “Nine? I said seven thirty !”
“I heard nine.” Candace glances at Olivia. “Right?”
“I heard ten.”
“You guys! Stop!”
“Relax,” Candace says. “They’ll crash long before we’re done playing.”
“The back door is locked,” I tell them. “I checked it twice.” We have alarms on top of alarms with the pool in the backyard.
“We’ll stay inside,” Olivia says. “Don’t worry.”
“We never worry when they’re with you guys,” Natalie says. “Except about the level of spoiling.”
Candace smirks. “That’s what aunties are for.”
“Payback will be a bitch when you guys have kids,” Nat says.
“Oh yeah,” I add. “We’re so gonna get you back.”
“Tell them your big news,” Candace says to her sister.
“ Variety wants to do a cover on me when Valiant is released,” Olivia says with the shy wonder that continues to endear her to all of us as her career takes off. “They said that me playing Nat is the biggest story in town this year.”
“That’s amazing, Livvy.” Natalie hugs her baby sister. “I’m so proud of you.”
“I’m trying to tell myself I’m prepared for this, but…”
I hook an arm around her and give her a squeeze. “There’s no way to prepare for what’s about to happen to you, kid.”
“Gee, that’s comforting. Thanks.”
Laughing, I say, “Trust me. Just strap in and enjoy the ride. There’s nothing else you can do.”
“Gulp. Okay.”
“You need to be ready, too,” I tell Candace.
“For what?”
“You’re going to become as famous as your sister.”
“No way.”
“Mark my words, the two of you will become Hollywood powerhouses. One of you in front of the camera and the other behind the scenes, which is every bit as important around here.”
Candace opens a bag of Goldfish. “Whatever you say.”
I love, love, love the way they treat me like I’m nothing special. That’s exactly how I want it, and they know it. They can say anything they want to me, the way they would to their own brother if they had one. And when they refer to me as their brother-in-love… I adore them.
Rowan comes bombing into the kitchen. “Mommy! No more seconds!” He grabs Candace by the hand and all but drags her to the family room for more wrestling.
“Go with God,” I tell her.
“Thoughts and prayers,” Nat calls out to them as Olivia follows Candace.
We’ve already put our stuff in the car while the kids were napping. As much as we want to hug and kiss them all for the hundredth time today, we take Bennett and sneak out through the garage so there won’t be any tears about Mommy and Daddy leaving for the night.
The girls will keep them so well entertained that they won’t even know we’re gone.
As we drive toward town from the Hollywood Hills, I’m excited for some time mostly alone with Nat. I love that she planned a getaway for us and surprised me with it. I recall a time when she would’ve hesitated to spend a dime on anything that wasn’t essential. It took a while to adapt to her new circumstances, but she’s never become frivolous or extravagant with money.
She’s also held the line on me spoiling her with jewelry and other things she says she doesn’t want or need. I like to think I can be trained, and she’s made me more frugal while I’ve made her a little less so.
Before we punch out for the night, I call my dad to check in.
“Hey, son. How are you today?”
“That’s what I was calling to ask you.”
“We’ve had a nice day getting stuff done around here and talking. We’re okay. Try not to worry.”
“As long as you’re not hiring attorneys, I won’t worry.”
“No one is talking about that.”
“Good to know.”
“What’re you guys up to?”
“My lovely wife planned a little getaway for us tonight. The younger aunties are babysitting the older three hooligans. We’ve got Bennett with us.”
“That sounds like fun. Enjoy yourselves and don’t worry about us. We’re working it out.”
“That’s the best news I’ve had all day. I’ll check in after my meeting tomorrow.”
“I can’t wait to hear how it goes.”
“You’ll be my first call when I leave there.”
“Thank you for handling this, son. We appreciate it.”
“There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you two.”
“Likewise, my friend. Have a wonderful evening with Natalie. Tell the girls to call us if they need anything.”
“I’ll do that, but I’m sure they’ll be fine. Talk to you tomorrow.”
“Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
I end the call and glance at Nat for her take.
“I’d rather picture them puttering around the house than at odds with each other.”
“Me, too. This whole situation really rocked me. Just when you think the most solid thing in your life could never be vulnerable…”
“ One of the most solid things in your life. You have a lot of solid things.”
“That’s true, but they’re the glue, you know?”
“I do. I get it. They are for me, too.” She looks over at me. “What do you plan to say to Vivian?”
“I’m going to pour on the Godfrey charm, let her think I’m interested in working with her and then tell her the real reason I’m there.”
She has nothing to say to that, which means she has something to say. My wife is rarely silent.
“What?”
“I don’t like you letting her think you want to work with her. It feels mean.”
“What about her potentially dragging my father through fifty-year-old mud?”
“You don’t know for sure about that.”
“If you were her, a fading movie star trying to remain relevant, would you include mention of your brief, unknown marriage to Max Godfrey in your bombshell memoir, or would you take the high road and leave it out?”
After a pause, she says, “I suppose I’d include it.”
“And what would be your primary motivation in doing that?”
“Probably to sell books as well as get back at the woman who called me a whore once upon a time,” she says hesitantly.
“Precisely, so I don’t think it’s mean to present somewhat false pretenses for our meeting.”
“I still say it’s beneath you to mislead an elderly woman, regardless of what she’s done in the past.”
“It’s not beneath me to want to protect my parents.” The words come out sharper than I intended. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be testy with you.”
“It’s fine.”
“No, it isn’t, honey. You’re just trying to help me.”
“I don’t want you to take the low road with her, even if you have good reason to. That’s not who you are.”
“In this case, it might be.”
“It’s not. You’re too good for something like this. Just tell her why you’ve come and show her the NDA. Don’t pretend to be interested in working with her. I don’t like that angle.”
One of the things I love best about her is that she’s never intimidated by my success, my celebrity or any of the bullshit that comes with it. She tells it to me straight, and she has from the start.
“Okay.”
“That’s it? Just okay?”
“I can’t appreciate your advice only when I agree with it.”
Her smile lights up her gorgeous face.
“Don’t be smug,” I say with a chuckle.
“Me? Smug? Never.”
“Right.”
We laugh together. We do that a lot, which is another thing I love about her.
When we arrive at the hotel, we’re met by a bellman who recognizes me but doesn’t make a thing of it as he efficiently ushers us inside. I’m carrying Bennett while Natalie takes the backpack she uses as a diaper bag.
He hands a keycard to Natalie.
“We’ll have your bags sent up, Mrs. Godfrey.”
“Thank you so much, William.”
“My pleasure, ma’am.”
I’ve enjoyed watching Natalie come into her own in dealing with being married to me. She simply takes care of business and doesn’t suffer fools, but she’s always nice to everyone we encounter. People have nothing but great things to say about Flynn Godfrey’s lovely wife, especially Flynn Godfrey.
“Smoothly done, my love,” I tell her when we’re in the elevator.
“I asked for expedited check-in because I know you hate the fuss.”
“My wife gets things done.”
“I’d like to think so after all these years.” She uses the keycard to gain entrance to a lovely suite that looks out over the Hollywood Hills. “We can almost see the house from here.”
“Close but so far away.”
“That was the idea.”
Bennett is snoozing, so I place him carefully on the sofa to continue his nap.
I keep an eye on him as I go to Natalie to put my arms around her. “Thank you for this. I had no idea I needed it until you told me we were going.”
“We both needed a break, especially before the trip.”
Vacation isn’t as relaxing as it used to be, before our group of friends was overtaken by a huge posse of kids. Everyone pitches in, and we give each other breaks where we can, but it’s nonstop madness. Despite the chaos, we love being together as much as we did when we were footloose, single and child-free. Our annual tradition of spending Christmas in St. George, Utah, where we were marooned due to a blizzard the first Christmas Natalie and I spent together, is one of our favorite things.
We’d been on our way to my place in Aspen when we encountered rough air due to the storm and were forced to land. This will be our sixth Christmas at the Castaway Inn, and our original group has expanded to include my parents, my sisters and their families, Simon and Jan, Sebastian’s parents, and even Jasper’s mom came one year. We’ve got the whole place reserved, along with a plane big enough to transport us.
“Vacation isn’t what it used to be,” I say.
“I was just thinking the same thing. In a few years, we’ll be sad the kids aren’t little anymore.”
“That’s true, but for right now, pack the headache pills.”
She laughs. “They’re already in the bag, along with the heartburn meds you require these days.”
“Haha, very funny. Mexican food and I have had a falling-out.”
“It’s tragic.”
“Sure is. I’m getting old.”
“I still love you.”
“Thank goodness for that. Speaking of me getting old, promise me no fuss about the big four-oh.”
She looks away. “Um… Well…”
I groan. “Nat… Come on. You know I hate my Christmas birthday. It’s all about the kids, as it should be.”
“And a little about you.”
“A very little.”
“Maybe a tiny bit more than usual this year.”
“Let’s forget about the whole thing.”
“After that epic thirtieth birthday party you threw me?”
“That’s different.”
“How?”
“It was for you and not me.”
She laughs. “Are you listening to yourself?”
I nuzzle her neck and love the shiver that runs through her. “I don’t want to talk about my birthday.”
“What do you want to talk about?”
“My beautiful wife and hours and hours to spend alone together.”
She looks over at Bennett, who’s out cold. “Not completely alone.”
“He’s no trouble, and he’s too young to remember what goes on here.”
“What’s going on here?” she asks, looking up at me with green eyes full of love as she rubs shamelessly against my erection. It took me a minute to get used to the green after she got rid of the brown contacts she’d once used to disguise her appearance. Now the whole world knows her story, and there’s no need to hide. I’d never want it to happen the way it did, but she says it’s a relief not to worry about it anymore.
“Are you in the mood for some fun?”
“I will be as soon as we have our stuff.”
I can’t believe I’ve forgotten that our luggage is on the way up.
The doorbell to the suite chimes through the big room.
“There it is.” She kisses my cheek. “I’ll get it since you’re in no condition.”
“Haha, who put me in that condition?”
She flashes a smile over her shoulder as she goes to the door.
I take a seat on the sofa as she chats with the bellman and hands him a tip.
“Thank you, Mrs. Godfrey. Have a nice evening.”
“You do the same.”
When the door clicks shut, I get up to help her with the bags.
“Give me fifteen minutes,” she says.
“When I come in, will you be on your knees waiting for me?”
“Is that what you want, sir?”
I’m immediately hard as a rock at the way she looks at me as she says those incendiary words. “That’s what I want.”
She runs her finger from my throat, down to my chest and abdomen, hooking it in my belt. “It’s been a while. You might have to refresh my memory on the rules of how we play this game.”
“It’s like riding a bike. It’ll all come back to you.”
“If you say so.”
“What’s your safe word?”
“Fluff.”
I kiss her sweet lips. “See? You remember.” I steal another kiss and then a third. “Fifteen minutes?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Will Benny be okay where he is?”
“Yep. He’s still too young to move on his own, and he’s good for another ninety minutes or so.”
“Mmmm, ninety whole minutes alone with my love.”
“Let’s make it count, shall we?”
She renders me speechless with the way she looks at me.
“Absolutely.”