Chapter 20
CHAPTER TWENTY
Hutch
We stayed up talking most of the night, and then making love, and then talking more. I’m not sure when we fell asleep, but I’ve woken to Jocelyn on top of me again. I don’t want to leave today. I want to wake up to her on top of me every morning. She’s my personal weighted blanket.
I’ve talked about my family, and how I am, in fact, three-quarters Scandinavian, so that Viking thing isn’t far off from reality.
I’ve told her about my sister and brother and growing up on the farm, and how going to see a football game with my grandfather when I was four was what made me want to play.
I've discussed how I love rugby, and how I wanted to work on our farm until I went to college, and decided the farm life might not be what I wanted.
She told me about growing up surrounded by books, how she was always the odd one out because her mom and sister are so similar. She spoke about making up stories about why her dad wasn’t around to the kids in her fourth grade class.
By the time we fall asleep, I feel closer to her than anyone I’ve ever known. The thought of us going back to our real lives today is freaking me out.
“You’re overthinking,” Jocelyn murmurs against my chest.
“I just don’t want to go back to reality,” I admit.
She props her head on her hands that are flat on my chest. It’s becoming her thing, and I like it, probably too much.
“Come stay with me tonight,” I urge.
“Can you give me a ride to class tomorrow?” she asks.
I nod.
“OK, then I’ll stay tonight,” she says as if it’s no big deal.
“Don’t you want to see your mom and sister?” I ask because I don’t want to pressure her if this isn’t what she wants.
She shrugs. “I talked to them yesterday, and they got to video chat with our family, so I feel like I’ve already seen them. Plus, they both have work, and then Val has a night class.”
She rolls off me, and I immediately miss her. I follow her like a lost puppy into the bathroom, where she turns on the shower.
“I’ll grab us breakfast,” I say as I turn to head to the main house.
“Just get in here. We can be quick and then go together,” she says. “You know it’s going to be twenty questions if it’s just one of us. We have to be a united front.”
I laugh and walk into the shower, pulling her to me.
“Oh, no, put him away. We have to get packed,” she says, looking down at my morning erection.
“He can’t help it. You’re gorgeous,” I state as I kiss her forehead.
She lathers up, and so do I, and we try our best not to touch each other, which starts out great but ends with her pressed against the shower wall.
Thirty minutes later, we do actually make it down to breakfast. Everyone is beginning to bring their suitcases downstairs.
“We have bagels, toast, a little bit of fruit, one pre-made strawberry smoothie, and some yogurt. And I think there are a few eggs left, too,” Cam says as she sets things out. “I cleared out the rest of it.”
Since we’d given a bunch of stuff to Jocelyn’s family yesterday, we didn’t have much left.
“Just leave it. Farley has the cleaning crew coming by tomorrow morning,” I explain as I grab the smoothie. Jocelyn gets a bagel, and we start eating as everyone walks into the main room.
“Mom?” Ava says, bouncing down the stairs with something that’s in a box. It looks like chocolate.
“Yes?” Carly says as she pushes their luggage toward the front door.
“What are…these rings? They don’t fit my fingers or wrist,” she says, holding up two cock rings.
I start shaking with silent laughter as Carly grabs them and glares at Cam, who shrugs. Then she glares at Gray, who shakes his head. Kasen holds up his hands in defense, also shaking his head.
Margie turns red. “Oh dear. Those are mine, sweetheart. Let me have them, please. They are my friends’ rings. He has very big fingers,” she says and grabs the rings from Ava.
“Wow, he’s like a giant,” Ava says as she grabs some fruit from the counter.
“Oh, you have no idea,” Margie replies. All the women are laughing hysterically. I mean, it’s funny, but not as funny as the vibrators in the pool.
“Ava, help Unca Bray load the bags in the car, please. I’ll make you some toast,” Carly manages as she attempts to control her laughter.
“OK,” Ava agrees as she pops a berry in her mouth and skips into the front hall.
Carly turns to all of us and looks at the ladies. “It’s not funny. Everyone needs to keep their toys locked away. For the love of God! And, Margie, seriously, you didn’t give those things up after that whole Cornelia story?”
“What story?” I ask.
“Nothing,” all the ladies answer in unison. I narrow my eyes because there is definitely a story there.
“We just had an unfortunate episode with one a long time ago,” Cornelia says with a shrug.
“Never mind, I don’t want to know,” I grimace.
Cornelia laughs.
Kasen doubles over. “Margie, you live a wild life,” he manages.
“Well, you’re never too old for fun. Although I didn’t get to use it on this trip, such a bummer,” she says.
Everyone finishes eating what turns into brunch, and we decide to go ahead and leave for the airport. It’s bittersweet, packing our car. I’ll have to bring Jocelyn back here some other time. Just me and her. I smile as I pack the SUV. Me and Jocelyn.
* * *
It’s rainy and cold when we arrive home.
The streets are slushy with what looks like a recent snow we missed.
Jocelyn is half-asleep, leaning her head on my shoulder.
Most of us are in various states of napping.
It took us an hour to get downtown because of an accident near the airport.
I look down at where I hold her hand in mine.
It’s so small and delicate. She could easily view me as a monster at my size.
I’m always aware of how much larger I am than most people.
Careful to control my strength around them.
Ironic that a single piece of machinery could take me down when most view me as invincible.
As the driver turns our party bus onto Hearts Lane, Jocelyn stirs and looks out the window. Suddenly, she cranes her neck and releases her hand from mine, plastering it alongside her face to the cold glass.
“I swear that was my dad,” she says as she tries to look back at an apartment building we just passed.
“Maybe you’re just tired,” I suggest as I rub her thigh, attempting to reassure her.
She swivels and looks at me. “You don’t believe me?” she asks, and I see the sadness in her face. I cup her face just as the party bus pulls up to our building.
“Let’s get unloaded, and we can talk it through,” I suggest.
She frowns and then nods. Following me outside and into the cold.
We all say our goodbyes to our friends as we grab our luggage. I get thanked what feels like a million times and hugged and kissed by Margie and Cornelia.
“Best vacation ever!” Ava cries out as she leaps into my arms and squeezes my neck.
“Ava, don’t suffocate Mr. Hutch, please,” Carly says, mouthing “sorry” to me.
I laugh and squeeze Ava back, kissing the top of her head.
She smells of little kid shampoo. I’d love to have a dozen kids just like her someday, but with each passing week, that pipedream seems to get further away, until this week.
I glance at Jocelyn over Ava’s head, and she has a dreamy look on her face.
Is she envisioning a future with kids at this moment?
I know I am. I only hope they are as cool as Ava.
“Bedtime,” I whisper to Ava, who just groans.
“But it’s only…” She trails off and turns her head to look at Bray.
“Unca Bray, what time is it?” she asks.
“Bedtime,” he agrees with me.
She puts on her best pouty face.
“Ava Maxwell, no pouting. Let’s go,” Carly says.
Bray walks over and grabs Ava from me. She wraps herself around him like a baby monkey. “Come on, peanut, I’ll read you a story,” he says.
Everyone mills inside, leaving Jocelyn and me standing there. I turn and tip the driver, and he makes an impressive K-turn in the street and drives away.
“You’re good with her,” Jocelyn says quietly.
“Who? Ava?” I ask, looking down at her.
“Yep,” she replies.
I decide we should get out of the cold and put on real winter coats to check on Cliff.
“Come on, let’s put our stuff inside. Then, Cliff needs a treat,” I declare as I pick up both our bags.
We walk inside and up to my apartment. I open the door and set our luggage to the side.
“But, first, I need a little treat,” I state as I shut the door and push her against it, kissing her deeply. Her arms go around my neck, and she laughs as our lips connect.
“I thought we were feeding Cliff?” she says, pulling back a bit.
“I guess we can,” I grumble.
“We have all the time, big boy. That trash panda probably misses you,” she points out as she walks toward my closet by the door and opens it, pulling out two big winter coats. She hands me one and wraps herself in another. She looks ridiculous, like a small child playing dress-up.
“I think it might be too big,” I state.
“That’s what she said,” she teases, and I roll my eyes.
“Come on, smartass,” I say as I grab the container of peanuts and open the door. We walk, hand in hand, to the park bench. The flowers are gone, but Cliff scurries down from a tree as soon as we arrive.
I clear off some snow on the bench, and we sit and watch Cliff eat.
“She’s hungry,” Jocelyn says as she snuggles up against me for warmth. I wrap my arm around her.
“Yep. My girl has a big appetite, just like her dad,” I joke as I toss out some more peanuts.
We’re quiet for a beat, and then she looks up at me. “You will make a great dad someday.”
I’m silent as I look down at her.
“You think?” I ask.
“Yes, even if they don’t have four legs,” she teases.
I haul her onto my lap and turn her to face me, cupping her cold face in my warm hands.
“I want children, two-legged ones, as you know. I want as many kids as you’ll give me.
I realize that means we may need to find a bigger place than mine, but we’ll figure that out when we reach that point.
But for now, I just want you,” I explain.
A smile spreads across her face, and her eyes search mine. “Good, because lately, I’m thinking that I want a lot of kids, definitely at least three or four,” she says.
I can’t help smiling back at her. “Oh? Not two?” She shakes her head. “I’m down for that. Glad we settled that small thing,” I state with a laugh.
She giggles and then frowns. “God, I’m going to need a new vagina if I have to give birth to your babies,” she says as she takes in my size.
“I’ll buy you one of those too if you need it,” I say as if I can do that. Can I do that? Hell if I know.
She laughs. “Good to know that my Viking will buy me new body parts if needed.”
“Come on, Cliff has had enough of us for tonight. I want you all to myself for a bit longer,” I say.
She doesn't move, though, and I look down at her again. “What’s wrong?”
She bites her lip and then speaks. “Do you believe me? About seeing my dad?”
Then it clicks. She thinks I don’t believe her. “Yes. I do. I just…I wonder if you are actually seeing him or wanting to see him?”
She nods slowly. “At first, I thought the same thing. But it’s happened so many times. It doesn’t make sense.”
“Could he be here? I mean, it’s possible, yes?” I say.
She nods again. “It is possible. I just…I don’t know why he’d be here. Like of all the places in the world, why’d he show up here in this neighborhood all of a sudden?”
“Guess we have a new mystery to figure out,” I state as I help her stand. I pull her against me as we watch Cliff eat. “We’ll figure it out, princessa. I promise.” And I mean that. I’d figure anything out for her. I’d do anything for her, well, except let her go.