Chapter Thursday, November 24th #2
“Yeah, I know. I told him I needed an honest answer, and he said he hadn’t had a chance to process everything.
But he said he really was okay at the moment, so I left it at that.
I figure there’s no point in pushing him.
He’ll either talk about it or he won’t. It’s so frustrating, Stevie. ” I groan. “Why doesn’t he trust me?”
Steve just shakes his head. “I don’t know. I don’t think it has anything to do with trust. And he probably really hasn’t had a chance to process everything. I’m honestly not even really sure what the hell the point of her visit was…”
“To apologize.”
“That’s what she said, but did you hear an apology in there?”
I let my mind return to yesterday’s conversation and realize Steve’s right.
All Mrs. Donahue did was give a speech about why her daughter did what she did and why she should be forgiven.
In a way, it felt like Mrs. Donahue was seeking forgiveness, too.
No wonder it left such a bad taste in my mouth.
Now I understand why I felt so put off. All she really did was unburden herself.
She didn’t offer Ronan any comfort, or a way forward. She came, she dumped, she left.
I shake my head.
“He’s been doing better, though, so let’s just give him some time,” Steve says, just as there’s a knock on the front door.
My heart trips over itself when I open the door for Ronan.
Of course, that guy is gorgeous as ever.
The two-day-old stubble on his chin and cheeks is rough against my palms when I put my hands on his face, pull him down to me, and kiss him deeply.
That elicits a quiet moan from him, and I pull back to look into his bright green eyes.
“Hi, baby,” he says, his voice husky. For one suspended second, everything stops—my mom’s chaos, the tension in my chest, even the questions I’d planned to ask.
“Hey, sweet boy.” I smile and take a step back to allow him entrance to the house. “How are you?”
“A little tired, to be honest.” I’m grateful he doesn’t give me his usual deflection.
He shrugs off his jacket. I take it from him. “How was your workout this morning?”
“Good, but exhausting.” There are indeed dark shadows under his eyes. “I was hoping to squeeze in a nap before heading over here but the damn washer in our apartment building went out, so I had to take all my crap to the laundromat down the street.”
“You should have just brought it with you,” I say, tipping my head up to kiss his soft lips again.
“Oh, yeah, I’m sure your parents would’ve loved that.” He chuckles. “Hey, Bobby, mind if I throw my dirty boxers in your washer while I eat your wife’s food and then take your daughter home with me, where I will very likely ravage her hot body?”
I laugh at the image. Ronan takes my hand, pressing my palm to his mouth softly. “You’re so beautiful, Cat,” he says with such intensity, it turns my skin to fire.
“What just made you say that?” I ask, my voice an octave higher.
He shakes his head. “I don’t know. I just had this overwhelming need to tell you. I love you so much, baby.”
I kiss him again, parting my lips, and giving Ronan permission to deepen the kiss.
He does, sweeping his tongue slowly over mine as he lays claim to my mouth.
The rest of my body responds instinctively and instantaneously, flooding me with moist heat that collects deep in my core.
Oh, yep, I’m definitely going home with him tonight.
We reluctantly break apart, then I lead the way into the living room.
Ronan politely greets my mom—who hugs Ronan tightly—then my dad, whose reception of him is much less heartfelt.
Then Ronan introduces himself to my grandparents, all four of whom smile warmly at him.
He looks so handsome in a pair of light-blue jeans and a gray crew neck sweater.
“Hey buddy,” Frank says to his youngest son with a meaningful look. “You alright?”
“Yeah, fine,” Ronan says with a nod. His smile doesn’t quite reach his eyes. I exchange a brief glance with Steve before my grandparents engage the Soult guys in conversation.
We gather at the table an hour later. After my grandfather insists on saying grace, we dig into the food.
“So Penny dear, may I ask when your due date is?” my grandmother asks Penny, who already looks like she’s about to pop. The fact that she’s carrying twins certainly adds to her looking much farther along than she actually is.
“February sixteenth, but we’re unlikely to make it that far,” she says with a smile at Frank. “We’re having twins, so the doctor said he’ll be happy if we make it to thirty-six weeks. But to be honest, I’m ready to have these boys now,” Penny laughs.
“You’ll have to at least make it to your baby shower,” my mom chimes in. She’s been planning Penny’s Christmas-themed baby shower for weeks now.
“Oh, how exciting,” my grandmother chirps. “Babies are such a joy. You both will certainly have your hands full with two, but that just means so much more love. Do you have a good village?”
Penny and Frank look at each other with some confusion.
My grandmother laughs. “Family and friends to help you. Unfortunately, Jen and Bobby had moved away to North Carolina when they had Cat, so Gerry and I weren’t around much to help them. Although I did go to stay with Jen for about a month after Cat was first born so I could help out.”
“Yes, my parents are close. Just across the bridge, actually. Frank’s parents live in Montana, but Ran is here,” Penny says with a wink at Ronan.
Ronan raises an eyebrow at her. “I’m not really sure how much help you think I’ll be,” he says with my favorite half-smile. “I don’t know the first thing about babies.”
“We’ll teach you,” Frank chuckles.
Ronan’s phone starts to buzz in his pocket. He pulls it out and takes a glance at the screen, his eyebrows creasing. “Sorry, I have to take this really quick. I’m just going to step outside,” he says to no one in particular, then leaves and heads out the front door, closing it behind him.
“Not very polite to take a call right in the middle of Thanksgiving dinner,” my dad mutters.
I throw him a stern look, while my mom elbows him in the ribs. My dad’s dislike for Ronan has no rhyme or reason other than the fact that Ronan is my boyfriend, especially considering how fond my dad is of Frank.
“So, do you have your nursery all set up?” my other grandmother asks.
Penny nods, rubbing her tummy lovingly. “Mostly. Frank just needs to put together the cribs and then we’re pretty much set.”
“Good call on turning Ran’s room into the nursery instead of mine, by the way,” Steve says with a grin.
“Yeah, we figured it made sense since you’d need your room when you come to visit,” Frank says.
“Plus, the light in Ran’s room is so nice,” Penny chimes in. “It has windows facing north and east; the morning light is just so beautiful in there.”
“And it helped that Ran’s room was already mostly empty. It was really just his bed and desk left,” Frank says.
It’s true. Ronan obviously took most of his possessions with him when he moved in with Shane, which wasn’t too much to begin with—just his clothes and books. He even left his hockey gear behind.
The chat about babies continues for a while, and I begin to wonder about Ronan when he still hasn’t returned to the dinner table fifteen minutes later. I excuse myself to go to the bathroom, and I look out the doorway window. I spot Ronan—his phone still to his ear—pacing the short walkway.
“Who’s he talking to?” Steve asks me in a quiet voice when I return to the dinner table. He obviously figured I was checking on Ronan.
I shrug. “How did he seem to you this morning at the gym?”
He looks at me sheepishly. “I actually hadn’t seen Ran yet today; I didn’t go to the gym.”
“Too tired?” I ask with a giggle.
Steve nods. “Yeah. When Shane texted us at like six-thirty that he and Ran were heading out, I just looked at my phone, shoved it under my pillow, and rolled over to sleep some more,” he chuckles.
“Six-thirty? What happened to eight?”
“No idea. Maybe they were up and just wanted to get it done.”
I hear the front door open, then close before Ronan walks back into the dining room. I watch him as he retakes his seat between Steve and me.
“Everything alright?” Steve asks him before I get the chance.
“Yep, all good,” he says. Steve and I exchange another look. Ronan notices. “Jesus, guys. I’m fine!” he says quietly but forcefully. “Can you both stop acting like I’m a wounded animal?”
“Who were you talking to for the last half hour?” Steve asks in a hushed tone.
Ronan narrows his eyes at his brother. “My other girlfriend,” he says dryly.
“Oh, Kylie?” Steve asks, playing along.
“No, Violet,” Ronan whispers back without missing a beat.
“Oh, right, I forgot about her,” Steve chuckles.
I’ve never heard either name, so I assume this is random banter between the brothers and there neither is nor ever was a Kylie or a Violet. Still, I’m not amused. I put my fork and knife down. “Not funny,” I say, crossing my arms in front of my chest.
Ronan wraps his arm around me and pulls me against him. “You know I only want you, baby. Only ever you.”
We get swept up in conversation again when my grandparents ask about school and classes, inquiring not only as to my progress, but Steve’s and Ronan’s college experience as well. I don’t get the chance to talk privately with Ronan until later in the evening.
To my dad’s very obvious dismay, I inform my parents that I’ll be spending the night at Ronan’s place.
I do offer to spend the night at home if my dad lets Ronan stay with me, but he predictably doesn’t agree.
Not that I could have convinced Ronan to stay; I think the thought of spending the night with me at my parents’ house when my dad is home is as uncomfortable for Ronan as it is for my dad.
“So, how is the ‘processing’ going?” I cautiously ask when Ronan slides into the driver’s seat of his Mustang, ready to take us back to his apartment.