Episode 109
Episode 109
Chickens and Ducks
SUMMER
I tiptoed back to bed and climbed in quietly after having checked on TJ by phone in the other room. Savannah and Erik had a full day of fun planned for my little boy, which meant I had a free day with Jack.
My little boy.
I still couldn’t believe it.
Lifting my left hand I stared at the simple gold band. As of last night, when I’d said, “I do,” to Jack in the most magical evening of my life, I also became mother to a two-year-old boy.
Motherhood wasn’t originally the first thing on my agenda when I entered the auction, but I’m not mad or sad about it in the least. I’ve always wanted a house filled with children. Did I think I’d be getting married and taking on the parenting of a toddler within the same month I put myself up for auction? No I did not. Yet I was totally okay with it. I loved Jack. I loved TJ. I loved his whole chosen family. Everything felt so natural.
Including the arm that just wrapped around my waist as Jack rolled over and snuggled against my side, his lips pressed against the ball of my shoulder.
“Mmm…where did you go?” he mumbled, his eyes still closed.
“I used the restroom and then called Savannah to check on TJ.”
He smiled against my skin. “And?”
“And he’s perfect. Having a good time with his aunt and uncle. They have a whole day planned, and TJ’s in good spirits.”
He hummed against my skin. “Already checking up on our boy.”
I cuddled closer and sighed dreamily. “It’s like a switch was flicked on for me. Suddenly I became someone’s mother. And of course, I know I’m never going to replace Ellen, and we’ll make sure to share his parents’ memory often, but when I really think about it, I’m his new mom.”
“You are. How does it feel?” He kissed my arm again and nuzzled his forehead against me.
“It feels…” I thought about it for a bit, getting my thoughts together. “It feels like I’m on a roller coaster. There are highs and lows, twists and turns, scary drops, and the pinnacle of excitement, all rolled into one experience. But I’m loving the ride and looking forward to where it takes me.”
He chuckled. “That’s a good analogy. I’m terrified but know that, with you by my side, anything is possible.”
“Awwww, you’re being sweet again.” I rolled onto my side so I could face him. Our noses were about six inches from one another.
Jack opened his sleepy eyes. “Hi, wife,” he whispered.
“Good morning, husband,” I said with a cheesy grin.
“I know we’re supposed to spend the day making love and enjoying our first full day as husband and wife, but there are some things we need to talk about too.” He yawned and stretched, displaying that sexy as sin body. I watched avidly as the sheet slid down his sculpted chest, over his bricklike abdominals and down toward the V at his hip bones. That V made smart girls stupid. My mouth watered as I tried to focus on what he’d said.
“Hmmmm,” I reached out and petted that fine chest I could now touch whenever I wanted. “Let me guess. You want to discuss where we should go when we leave this snowy paradise?”
He turned back to the side and cupped my cheek. “Exactly. I want to do what’s best for you and TJ but there’s a lot to consider.”
“Like your job, my job, and our families?” I supplied helpfully.
“Yeah.” He let the word out in a sigh.
“I think I’ve been very clear on how my plan has changed.” I reached for his hand and held it. “I’m going where you and TJ go. Whatever is needed to keep our little family of three together will be my first choice.”
“And that is beautiful, Summer, but you had a life before me. A very successful business, the dream home you own, the one that allows your sister to have her metaphysical store…”
I shrugged one shoulder. “Humble Buds and The Pink Lady are important, but I’m not giving them up just because I’ve gotten married and became a mother.”
“If we live in Norway, it would be impossible for you to be in both places all the time,” he warned.
“True, but that’s why there is this thing called an airplane. It traverses countries, big bodies of water, even continents in hours. It’s like magic. You see there’s this big engine…”
Jack cut me off with a laughing kiss that turned into a make-out sesh.
Eventually he rolled my naked body on top of him. I was really starting to get into it, rubbing my body across his much harder one, desire spreading through my veins at a rapid pace.
Suddenly he cupped my cheeks and eased my head back gently from his.
“I want to move to California,” he stated pointedly.
“Okay, this is news to me.” I frowned, thinking through all that was here in Norway. “Do you want to run through your thoughts with me?” I jostled my body until my hands were resting on top of one another on his chest, my chin on top of my hands.
“TJ is so young, he won’t miss Norway,” he started.
“This is true. What about Ellen’s home? What will you do with it?”
“Sell it. She never lived there with Troy or anything. It was something I helped her purchase after his passing. We’ll sell it and leave the money in a trust for TJ, along with their retirement accounts and any other financial holdings.”
“That sounds reasonable. And what do you want to do with her things?”
“I think we box up anything important we might want him to have and bring it with us, including all of TJ’s belongings. His clothes, favorite toys.”
“That’s a big decision. Do you want to give me your reasoning for this choice?” I asked, wanting to hear his rationale fully.
“As much as I’d love to raise TJ in Norway, you can’t do your business here. It’s illegal, and I don’t see that changing for many years to come.”
“True, but I also have my father…”
“Who wants only to do the science behind creating the perfect product. A man who is aging and will want to retire at some point in the near future.”
“Yes, but we can hire people to run the business.”
“I’m going to run it,” he stated sharply.
I jolted to a seated position on his lap, tits out, surprise forcing my actions. “Wait a minute. You want to run Humble Buds?”
He nodded. “I think it’s the best-case scenario. Johansen Brewing already has a great person running it in both Erik’s and my absence. Erik is now back to being himself and is getting more involved with the daily comings and goings of the business. His business . Sure, I own a small portion and will ask to stay on in a consulting capacity, but I’ve done the work I need to do there.”
“Yes, but it’s been all on your shoulders for years. You’ve kept it running and are directly responsible for its success.”
He nodded and put his hand behind his head, his gaze scanning my naked body. “All true. And I can do it again for Humble Buds.”
“Why? You don’t even use cannabis products.”
“No, but if I believe in the product I’m selling and what it can do for its users, I can make it successful. Besides, Johansen Brewing doesn’t need me. You and TJ need me. Humble Buds needs me.”
I crossed my arms over my chest, covering my boobs, disbelieving what I was hearing. Was he about to give up his entire life for me?
Jack pouted at the disappearance of one of his favorite appendages of mine as he moved his hands to my hips. “Hear me out.”
“Okay, but this better be good.”
Jack chuckled and squeezed my hips. I dropped my arms and tried to make myself more comfortable.
“Yay!” he whispered at the sight of my boobs again.
I playfully smacked his chest. “Be serious. You were about to tell me why you’re giving up everything in your entire life for me and my small business.”
“I’m not doing it just for you. I’m doing it for us, for our future, and that of our child and future children.”
“How so?”
“Well, for one, you have a huge, beautiful home you absolutely love that I’m also fond of. Your sister, our kid’s aunt, lives right next door. That’s babysitting ready to go.”
I chuckled. “True. Autumn loves kids almost as much as my mother does.”
“And that’s another thing. Your mom. She wants to watch her grandchildren daily. And who better than a woman who’s raised two wonderful women to love and guide our kids while we work.”
“I told you I’m planning on taking some time away so I can raise TJ myself.”
He waved his hands. “I know, solskinn, and I think that’s beautiful. But having options is essential when you’re a parent, right? Just think if TJ didn’t have us, Erik and Savannah, or Irene and Henrik. He’d be in the system like I was. Like Troy and Ellen were. In California, he not only has us, he has your sister, your parents, and the entire small community you live in.”
“My mom will teach him a bunch of things you may not want him knowing, such as which goddesses do what and why, how the moon affects our moods, that growing your own food is by far superior to what you get at a grocery store. Then, of course, there’s tarot, crystals, vegan eating, tea leaves telling your future, Autumn and her sight...I could go on and on.”
He chuckled fully. “And then there’s Bernie, a scientist. And you, a horticulturist that knows everything about plants, and me who can teach him about business and financial independence or just being a guy who loves sports, and hiking, and cars.”
I slumped forward, bracing my hands on his chest. “What about his roots? He’s Norwegian.”
“Which is why he’ll have regular visits with Erik and Savannah and Irene and Henrik. Just because we live in California most of the year won’t mean we can’t spend time in Norway teaching him about his heritage. Plus, I was thinking at home, I’d speak to him in Norwegian, while you speak to him in English. He’ll learn both languages simultaneously. And he can have calls with his extended family speaking Norwegian. We’re not going to let him miss out on either. We have the means to live in both places, at least some of the time.”
“And when he’s in school?”
“We’ll be in California. Then, when we’re not, we can spend time in Norway. Or, apparently, in Montana since it sounds like homebase for Erik and Savannah will be there, near her sister and their family.”
I nodded. “And you want to what? Become the CEO of Humble Buds?”
He grinned. “I was thinking I’d buy into the company. Invest in our future business. And yes, if you’d have me, I’d be happy to take the role of CEO.”
“Are you kidding?” I screeched. “You’re hired, baby!” I was about to jump off my husband and call my dad when he sat up, looped his arms around my body and rolled us until I was on bottom.
“That’s it? I tell you I’m going to invest in your company and offer to be CEO, and that’s all you have to say? You don’t want to run numbers? Call your lawyers?”
“Pfffftttt. I was going to call my dad and tell him we were free to focus on the plants and science. He’ll be so stoked.”
Jack swept his nose across mine. “You are so easy to love. The absolute perfect woman.”
I looped my arms around his neck. “I know, right?” I teased. “Honestly though, this solution solves a lot of our problems. If you run Humble Buds, that means I’ll be free to just work part-time or whatever hours I want. Mom will lose her mind with joy if she can have a baby around the farm. Oh, I know! We should get chickens. Let TJ pick them out and watch them grow and provide eggs. Maybe ducks too.”
“That’s all you have to say? We should get chickens.”
“And ducks,” I added. “Don’t forget the ducks. They’re so cute when they quack-quack and wiggle their feathered booties.”
“So that’s it. We pack up Ellen’s house, put it on the market, bring the stuff we want to California, move into The Pink Lady, and I’ll invest and start running Humble Buds?”
I let those facts run through my head until they added up to a fat, “Hell yeah!” However, maybe not say it quite like that, because I didn’t want to sound like a dork, so I ended with a solid, “Sounds good to me.”
“No more discussion. You’re happy with everything I presented?”
“As long as it comes with you, TJ, chickens, and ducks, I’m one hundred percent on board.”
“I won’t forget the chickens and ducks.” He shifted forward and kissed me. “So, we’re doing this. Moving to California, raising TJ on the farm?”
“Yep! Now I think we should seal the deal by boinking each other’s brains out, then ordering room service. I’m starving.”
“You’ve got a deal, Solskinn . Now spread those legs. I’m suddenly famished too.” He growled, kissing his way down my body. He paid special attention to each breast, sucking and nibbling on them until the tips were so erect they could cut glass and my body was undulating with pleasure. He ran his tongue down to my bellybutton where he circled the small indent.
When he braced his hands on either side of my spread thighs, teasing my core with his thumbs, he whispered, “Chickens and ducks,” then shook his head and put his mouth on me.
After he made me see stars a few times, I thanked the goddesses that my life would be filled with a man who loved me, a little boy I adored, and bedtime discussions where we’d solve all our problems followed by a steady stream of orgasms.
I was finally living the life I always wanted.