11. Chapter 11
Kaitlyn
Today, is my first day back at work, since my vacation. I spent a few days crying in bed, watching sappy romance movies, and eating massive amounts of ice cream and chocolate. Today, is also the first day I've pulled myself out of bed and showered.
"I thought you would come back with a tan and a smile," Levi says.
He's one of my newer patients and pretty upbeat, considering the fact that he lost a leg overseas and is here to get fitted for a prosthetic and learn to walk again.
The staff and patients here have always been on both friendly and personal terms. We are with these guys for months, and when they finally get better, they seem to stay a part of the team.
The lead security guy here, Easton, was one of my first patients, and I still see him every day, and I'm good friends with his wife, Paisley. I consider them family. A few of my other patients come back to volunteer their time, and it's always great to see them.
"Well, if you do your exercises without complaint, I’ll tell you about my trip, which would make a good drama. Hint, it even includes the evil stepmother, but no fairy godmother."
With that, Levi laughs, "You’re on. Now, get to talking."
I spill the whole story of my trip, as I put him through his morning exercises and routine. I've already told it all to Lexi, Paisley, Brooke, and Mandy, when they came over for movie night at my place a few nights ago. But repeating it this time, isn't any easier. I guess, it's just too soon.
"So, have you heard from him, since you’ve been home?" Levi asks, when I'm finished telling the story.
"Not a word. He texted me on the way home to tell me that the DNA test came back negative, and that was the last I heard from him."
"I'm willing to bet you hear from him pretty soon. Just a hunch, he isn't going to stay away from the sound of it. He lost you once, and now that he knows what he's missing, I don't think he’ll let you go that easily again."
I just shrug. "It doesn't matter. He's there, and I'm here, so unless he has some miracle way to bridge the gap, I don't see it working."
"Well, at least you made it back to see Oakside done up in all its Christmas glory," he says.
Lexi and the team really outdid themselves with decorations. There’s a massive Christmas tree in the lobby, and the lights and decorations have transformed the whole place.
Each patient got the option to have a small tree in their room, and most agreed to it. They have done a bunch of events that I helped plan out for the patients, and our two biggest donors came in and got every patient a Christmas gift.
Teddy, who was a patient here, and his wife, Mia, and her best friend, Ellie, have volunteered at Oakside many times. Both Teddy and Ellie’s husband, Owen, have massively successful companies and are constantly donating money and doing things like this for the patients.
I finish up with Levi, and then head out to the lobby, only to find Grayson there with his eyes locked on me.
"What are you doing here?" I ask, my voice a bit shakier than I'd like.
He hands me a folder. "The DNA test came back negative. I told her to stay away from you and me, so if she's smart, we won't hear from her again."
"You told me that in a text, but it doesn't matter. I won't be visiting again."
I tell him, and even as I say the words, my heart is yelling that I can't stay away from him, and that I don't want to stay away from him.
He gives me a soft smile and takes a step closer, before reaching out and tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.
"I wouldn't be here, if I hadn't figured out a solution to that."
"What did you figure out?" I ask.
"I got a job on the base here and just closed on a house for us today."
My knees give out, and I barely make it to the chair next to me. There’s no way I heard him right. He took a job here in Georgia? He bought a house? Did he say he bought it for us?
A million questions race through my head, but the only one I’m able to ask is, "What?"
“I'd never want you to stop working here, because I know how much you love it, and it's a great place. I’ve seen the photos of you working, and the smile on your face. You belong here."
The photo frame on his desk flashes through my mind. The photo of me from Oakside's social media.
"That being said, I'm not ready to walk away from you.
I wasn't the first time, and I'm sure as hell not going to let you go this time.
Dating means being near each other, and if you have no plans to come back to Kentucky, then I'm coming to you.
But I do have another surprise for you." He says with a smile so big, that you can even see it in his eyes.
"What's that?” I ask.
His smile grows, as he steps to the side, and my dad comes around the corner. He doesn't stop walking, until he pulls me into his arms and holds me tight.
Instantly, all the things I said before I left, flash into my head, and I feel guilty. The tears start, and I have no idea how to turn them off.
"I told you so." Levi says, coming up to us in his wheelchair with a smile.
"Keep it up, and I’ll make you do two extra rounds of your exercises tonight," I tell him.
"Worth it." He winks at me and heads off to the dining room.
Grayson
It's been a hell of a week. I have barely slept, knowing that not only was Kaitlyn not in my arms, she wasn't even in the same state. I hated every minute of it, but there was a lot to sort out and take care of.
When her boss, Lexi, saw her crying and figured out what was going on. It wasn't long, before they sent her home for the day, so we are now sitting in her living room. She’s tucked into my side on the couch, and her dad is sitting on the chair next to us.
"You have to tell me what’s going on," she says.
Her dad looks at me and nods, and it’s my cue to start at the beginning.
"When I came home on my lunch break and found you gone, it crushed me. I read your note and was about to come chasing after you, when I got the call that the DNA test results were back. Negative of course." I kiss the top of her head.
Her dad interjects, "I met him at the house. When he confronted Linda, that’s when I found out she had already pulled a stunt like this, and it's why you left town.
Don't be mad, but Grayson gave me the short version of how she and Helen had been treating you, and this was the last straw.
I told them to pack and be out of the house by the time I got home from work. "
Kaitlyn looks up at me, but there’s no anger on her face. I can't read her expression, but it's soft, and though I want to kiss her badly, I also need her to know the truth.
"They were gone, and I filed for divorce the next day," her dad says.
"What?" She asks, stunned.
"You may think I didn't see it, but I had this blind faith that any mother figure was better than none. But then, I saw they were the biggest cause of your unhappiness, and it was a wake-up call. When you refused to stay with us, it was in the back of my mind, and then when Zion broke your mom’s ornament, I think that was part two of my wake-up call.
It's been a long time coming, and we can talk about the details some other time," he shrugs.
"We talked, and we both knew being here with you was the priority,” I tell her.
“So, we put things into motion. I applied for the job here in Georgia your dad found for me, and your dad retired. My parents’ company pretty much runs on its own as it is, but I put a few more things in place to help.
I got the job here, and they were able to do a quick transfer.
I bought a house I think you’ll love, and for now, your dad will be staying with me, until he gets the divorce settled and is ready to go out on his own. "
"There’s a great little guest house on the property,” her dad says. “So, I have my own space. We’ll decide together what happens to the house back home. If you want to keep it, then we can, or we can sell it. It's up to you, but we’re both moving here for you."
"I can’t believe you two did all this in a week for me." She says, as tears pour down her face. I pull her into me, and she buries her head on my chest.
"We would do anything for you, Starshine. You should know that by now. I just want to give us a real chance."
She takes a deep breath and looks between me and her dad.
"Okay, but we go slow. I like the place where I'm living, so don't get any ideas of moving me into your place or anything." She tells me, and the relief that hits me is huge.
I barely register her dad making an excuse to take a phone call outside, because I don't think I could stop from kissing her right now, if my life depended on it.
The moment her lips land on mine, everything finally feels right again. I wrap my arms around her and pull her as close to me as I can get, because any space between us right now is too much.
She slides into my lap, straddling my hips without breaking the kiss. Her lips dance across mine, as she grinds into me. All I want to do is throw her down on the couch and make love to every inch of her body. But she said to take it slow, and her dad is just outside, so I reluctantly pull back.
We both try to catch our breath, and she looks a little dazed. Her lips are swollen, and my cock gets even harder at the sight. She must feel it, because she lets out a little groan.
"I'm not going anywhere, Starshine. You’re mine now, and we have all the time in the world."