From This Moment - By Alison Chaffin Higson Page 0,16
be. I just know I want my future to include you.” I head up to my bedroom to shower and change for dinner.
~~ Cade ~~
Arriving at Anna’s house, I glance over to Rona who seems to be nervous. Jake isn’t doing much better. Helping Rona out of the car, I whisper, “Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine, just a bit nervous.”
Moving away from her, we follow Jake to the front door which has just been opened by Gabby, who doesn’t take her eyes from Rona.
“Are you Uncle Jake’s girlfriend?” This brings both me and Jake up short.
“No, they were kind enough to invite me to stay with them for awhile. Are you Gabby?”
“Yes.”
“I’m pleased to meet you Gabby. I met ‘Honey Bee’ yesterday and I love that name, I also love the cereal.”
On a giggle she takes hold of Rona’s hand and pulls her inside the house leaving me and Jake standing at the door.
“I guess Rona passed inspection,” Jake grins.
Entering the house I can see Rona in the kitchen with Gabby who’s introducing her to her mother and father as well as Beth’s husband Mack. I’m not sure where Beth is though.
“If you’re looking for Beth, she’s feeding Edith in the bedroom,” says Mack, coming over to shake hands with me while passing Nathan their two year old son to Jake.
“Make yourselves comfortable. Dinner won’t be long, unless they don’t stop yakking in there, then it might be midnight!” says Justin, Gabby’s father, as he hands me a beer.
Not long after, Beth appears and walks straight over to me putting Edith into my arms, my youngest grandchild. I wasn’t sure how Beth managed to have an angel for a daughter as she was more like the Devil when she was born.
~~ Rona ~~
My nerves having disappeared, I find myself in the kitchen helping out Cade’s two daughters. They’re both slim built with light brown hair and it’s like being in the middle of a whirlwind, they’re so organized and dashing here and there doing a million different things at once.
Glancing into the front room to try and catch a glimpse of Cade, I spot him on the sofa with Edith. He looks gorgeous and I really wish we were home, just the two of us, with our own sleeping baby, so I’d have the right to go and cuddle up to them.
Seeing me looking over, Beth obviously thinks I’m looking at her daughter.
“Come on, you haven’t met the newest addition to the family.” Beth leads me by the arm into the front room.
Looking up Cade takes my breath away. I don’t think there’s anything sexier than seeing the guy you’re in love with holding a baby.
Conscious that Jake is watching, I sit down next to Cade on Beth’s urging. Cade passes Edith to me.
“She’s a gorgeous little thing.” I tell Beth, while I make silly cooing noises to Edith.
“She is that. You stay put and relax while I go and help Anna with the food.”
Edith is wide awake in my arms and making small gurgling noises while holding my little finger. All the time I’m conscious of Cade sitting so close. We are touching thigh to thigh; Cade’s arm is resting along the back of the chair behind me. I’m so tempted to snuggle more into his arms.
Jake across the room keeps glancing at us while having the fight of his life with his nephews Gabe and Nathan. I think he’s supposed to be Darth Vader while Gabe and Nathan are Luke Skywalker and Han Solo!
“Dinner’s ready folks.” After Anna’s announcement, Beth comes over to take Edith from me. My arms feel empty.
Cade offers me a hand to help me up from the sofa. Seemingly reluctant to let me go, he strokes my hand as we part.
At the table, Cade is on my right with Gabby on my left.
“Did Uncle Jake take you riding on Honey Bee?” Gabby asks me with a mouth full of food.
Holding back a laugh, “No your grandpa did. It was my first time on a horse and Honey Bee was amazing, she made me feel like her friend.” After a minute, “It was okay for me to ride her wasn’t it?”
“Yes, she needs lots of exercise. Where did grandpa take you?”
“We went to a river and saw some deer. This was totally cool; I’ve never seen deer out in the open before.”
Looking up I notice everyone has gone quiet and I’m not sure why. Meeting Jake’s eyes across the table, he starts telling everyone about