Chapter 8
Courtney – POV?
I would love to say that I had a good night’s sleep, but that definitely was not the case. Dealing with the aftermath of one of Ava’s nightmares was always difficult and I would never get any rest, however, last night was different.
I slept; though, my dreams were filled with a giant man, swooping in to save the day.
How cliché was that.
Sure, Thane was good-looking if you could see past the ridiculous amount of hair and the fact that he was intimidating simply because of how big he was, but last night, he looked at me like I was the star he had been wishing on his whole life.
It was … intoxicating, really.
I never had a man look at me like he did. I never felt comfortable with a man touching me either, yet with Thane it felt natural and more than once I found myself leaning into him, seeking out his comforting warmth and reassurance.
Which is why, now that I am awake, I have realized that it was a restless kind of sleep because of the dreams. Dreams that caused my face to heat and my body to light up.
I didn’t believe in love at first sight, not really, but attraction, oh yeah, that was definitely there, and it made me feel giddy. It had been a long time since I explored an attraction like that and to be honest, I haven’t felt one as strongly as I did with Thane.
But that was something I wasn’t ready for …
at least I don’t think so. I had to get the house ready, make sure Ava was enrolled in school and get my business up and running.
I had no desire to rely solely on the inheritance; however, it was nice to have that cushion between now and getting my feet planted so I didn’t have to stress about things.
Stretching in bed, I felt around for Ava’s tiny little body, surprised I didn’t have a foot in my side, when I bolted upright out of bed, frantically looking around.
Ava was gone.
Flinging the covers off, I searched the room. She wasn’t in bed; she wasn’t in the bathroom; she wasn’t anywhere in the suite.
I stumbled out of the room and headed downstairs, choking on the scream that threatened to boil out. I had no idea what time it was, but it had to be mid-morning judging by the sunlight that was brightly streaming through the windows of the downstairs dining room area as I stormed past it.
I was about to turn and go back upstairs to search the upper rooms again, when I heard the sweet laughter of my niece and immediately moved towards the swinging door where I could smell fresh coffee brewing.
“Coco!” Ava squealed from her spot on the counter. Her hands were covered in frosting, but thankfully it looked like she was wearing a mini apron which saved her clothes from wearing most of it.
I tried to calm down, my heart beating loudly in my ears as I slowly moved into the room and saw that Helen and Megan had been keeping Ava busy.
“Good morning, beloved,” I said, kissing her on the head. “I see you’ve been busy.”
“Yep, I’s a great helper,” she announced proudly, waving a spoon dripping with frosting all over the counter.
Helen chuckled, and booped her on the nose, causing her to giggle again.
“Ava has been the best help. We made cookies this morning and she has been busy decorating them just right for the boys.”
She smiled at Ava as she went back to work, drowning the cookies in the syrupy sweet topping.
“We almost have the lunch packed up and will be ready to take it to your place to have a picnic.”
“Lunch?” I glanced at the microwave clock and choked on an inhale. “It’s nearly 11:30am!” I yelled. I haven’t slept that late in nearly a year.
Megan came in with a smile on her face. “Don’t worry about it. You obviously needed the rest, and Ava has been a great morning buddy.”
She snatched up several paper towels and went about cleaning Ava’s hands and face.
“I was upstairs cleaning one of the rooms, when I heard the pitter-patter of little feetsies moving around and saw that she was going to the bathroom.”
“Cause I’s a big girl!”
“Yes, you are,” Megan smiled brightly, “then I got her to come with me to make breakfast and do some chores. Mom stole her afterwards to help with the cookies.”
“Thank you so much,” I said. “I didn’t mean to sleep so late, it’s just …”
“Pssh, you don’t need to explain anything, darling,” Helen waved me off.
“I have raised five children. I remember sneaking off to a corner somewhere and napping whenever I could, so you taking the time to sleep in is par for the course.”
She finished wiping down the counters as Megan put Ava on the ground.
“How about you go get ready and we will load the truck, okay.”
“I … okay.” I didn’t know what to say, I wasn’t used to having people around that were so willing to jump in and help but it was nice – really nice.
I quickly ran upstairs, took care of my morning routine, then grabbed some comfy stretch capris, a large over-sized shirt and my tennis shoes to put on.
I looked around the room for a small bag that I could carry some toys for Ava, her iPad, books and crayons, a change of clothes and her favorite sleeping blanket.
No way was she going to miss out on her nap today.
After I double-checked the bag, I made sure I had my wallet, cellphone and camera, and headed outside.
“Oh, Courtney,” Helen called. “Do you mind riding with us? Patrick had called earlier and asked if we would bring a cooler, a tent, and some chairs, and there was no room in your truck bed, so we used his truck.”
I walked up to his massive truck that would have tons more space in the back for people to sit than mine offered. “As long as I can put Ava’s car seat in the back, then it’s no problem.”
“Oh, absolutely!” She replied, piling her hair on top of her head in a messy bun.
It wasn’t long before we were on the road. I sat up front and Helen pointed out places that we should go visit when we have the time, while Megan sat in the back and listened intently as Ava explained all the games on her ‘tap-tap.’
“She is so smart,” Helen said, adjusting the A/C, “I can’t believe she’s only four.”
“She was my brother’s first and only child, and my parents first grandchild, so she is a bit spoiled.”
I smiled, thinking about the past, “they didn’t know what to do with a new baby, so she ended up at our house more often than not and well,” I laughed, turning to see Ava teaching Megan the rules of her favorite game, “I just kind of took over.”
“You have done an amazing job, Coco,” she smirks, “and I love that name. It’s so cute.”
I laughed out loud, “it’s way better that Aunt Courtney! God, that’s a mouth full.”
We talked the entire way there. Helen and Megan told us all about the town, some of the people and the holidays that were coming up that the town went all out for.
I had tears rolling down my face at the stories they told about the ‘boys’ and some of the crazy things they did growing up when we pulled into the long driveway of my property.
I couldn’t believe my eyes. All the work that they had done in such a short amount of time was unreal.
And it was just the driveway!
“Actually,” Megan said, unbuckling from her seat, “Devin is an early bird and likes to get started at the crack of dawn.”
Helen parked next to another massive truck and turned the vehicle off. “I think Patrick said, Devin and Sean got here around 5am while he and Thane got here about 5:30am.”
I was shocked. I had no idea they would get here so early, and here I was, the new owner and I was just now arriving! I felt awful.
As if she could tell where my thoughts were going, Helen reached over and patted my hand. “Don’t think about it too much, dear, my boys are workhorses, they are used to working hard.”
I was already shaking my head, undoing my seatbelt, “I need to know how much to …”
I swallowed a yelp as my door was yanked open and a huge figure appeared in the doorway.
I looked up and for a moment I was speechless as I took in the gray t-shirt stretched tight across broad shoulders, one muscled arm extended to the top of the roof while the other leaned casually on top of the door, caging me in my seat.
“Fuck me,” I whispered, gripping my chest, my heart pounding loudly in my ears.
A wolf-like grin spread across his face, “well, if you are offering, I just –”
“Thane Rowan Barrows,” Helen scolded from the other side of the truck. I snapped my gaze to look at Helen only to see a smile playing on her lips, then back to the behemoth beside me.
I was jolted back to reality as what I said filtered back into my brain. I felt my face flaming red hot, “Oh, my God! I –“
“Now, now, honey,” he smirked as he stepped closer, “I haven’t done anything yet.”
I slammed my hands over my face. What in the world happened to the grizzly bear?! He looks like a lumberjack GQ model now!
“Gross, don’t make me vomit,” Megan growled from the back seat.
Helen laughed, getting out of the truck and shutting the door without another word. I was frozen in my seat, my hands still covered my face, hoping he would go away so I could compose myself.
He laughed; a deep, rumbling sound that warmed me up from the inside out. “Sorry, love, but hiding won’t work. I’m not going anywhere.”
I jumped in my seat, startled, I dropped my hands back into my lap. “I didn’t say anything.”
His hand fell from the top of the truck and came up to caress the side of my face, his thumb brushed under my eye. “No, you didn’t,” he whispered, “just thought I should let my intentions be known.”
“Intentions?” I squeaked out.
His hand trailed down my face, throat, tracing a line down my arm until he gently picked up my hand. “I’m not going anywhere. I want to be in your life. I want you to be in mine. You and the little troll, too.”
I choked out a laugh, “you don’t know me … us. You don’t –”
“I will,” he said with so much confidence, so much sincerity, that I believed him. “I’m not going to rush you, either of you, but I want to know anything and everything.” He stepped back, finally giving me a chance to breath something other than his scent.
“I know it sounds crazy, I know I might be acting crazy,” he said, running both his hands through the freshly cut short strands of hair on his head, “but the moment that little troll called me a bear, when you looked back and smiled at me as you said that you agreed with her, I swear I was done for.
”
“But you’re not a bear, anymore,” I whispered, as I turned around in the chair, my hands coming up to touch his neatly trimmed, short beard, scratching my nails through it.
He pushed the door open more so that he could step in between my legs. His large hands came and rested on one knee, the other on my waist. “I’m a bear when and where it counts, honey.”
A laugh bubbled out before I could stop it. “Good to know.”