Found by Love (13 page)

"Good lord!! Are you really trying to remind me of how pathetic I am right now? Is there anything else that you all seem to think is wrong with me? Is there a POINT that you're trying to get at?"

"Yes there is! Everything that I mentioned is everything you've felt about yourself for YEARS Claud! Not how WE felt but how YOU felt about yourself. I know this isn't what I called you for and we've gotten off track but you're the one that asked about Amelia. Can I ask you a question?"

"By all means Miss Perfect Olivia!"

"See... now you're being a bitch! Not a pretend one but a real one but that's alright because I know that you're just pissed at me because you know I'm right. I want you to do me a favor and call Amelia. TALK to her please. You might actually be surprised at what meets you on the other end of the phone line."

"What is all of the urgency about? You want me to call her now? Do you even want to know how my day went with my son today? Are you too busy for me now? My ONLY friend? My SISTER?" I don't understand this conversation at all! What is going on and why is Amelia so distraught over me?

"Claud... I love you so much. I am always and I mean ALWAYS here for you and of course I want to know how your day went but right now I have a very distraught mother in law that I love as much as I love my own mother and she is hysterical and worried sick about you. So... my beautiful best friend. Will you please call Amelia? You can call me back when you're done if you want but please, please, please call her. How are you and Caleb doing?" Oh NOW she wants to talk?

"Caleb and I are perfectly fine. Thanks for asking. Not that you care!"

"Claudia... It's because I care is what this whole conversation is about. What if you and Caleb get married? She'll be your mother in law too. Do you constantly plan on going through life thinking that she hates you?" Dammit! She's got a point and I HATE when she's right.

"Oh My GOD! I'll call her! Shit! Are you happy now?"

"I'll only be happy when I'm not worried about you anymore... which will probably be NEVER! I love you and please don't be mad at me. You'll understand when you talk to her. Don't be a bitch okay? Let your guard down and just TALK to her. Call me later when you aren't mad at me and tell me how everything's going." I don't think I want to talk to her for a week after this conversation.

"Yeah... alright. Bye!" I hung up. There was nothing else to say and I sure wasn't going to wait for her to say goodbye and she knows me well enough to know that I wasn't even going to give her the chance. What is going on with Amelia? She's not my mother. She's Caleb's mother! Why can't she just call HIM and ask how I'm doing?

I pull my phone back out and scroll for her number and hesitate. Oh I can do this later. I'm just not up for any more surprises in my life. I toss my phone down. Crap! I told her that I would call her right now. Crap, crap, crap! I dial the number and it rings a few times and just when I was hoping it was going to go to voicemail she answered.

"Hello? Claudia? Are you alright honey?" She sounds like she's been crying and I immediately feel awful. Surely she's not upset because of me.

"Yes... I'm fine. Are you okay is the better question? Are you feeling alright?"

"Oh honey! I'm fine I'm just worried about you Dear. When Caleb called me my heart just fell to my stomach. I felt like the wind was knocked out of me. Are you really okay? I'm so sorry that you've had to deal with this all of these years alone. I wish you would have talked to someone about it and got it off your chest. What about your son? Have you met him yet? How did it go? You know it'll take some time for you two to bond but the end result will be so wonderful honey. Are you there? Claudia?"

I don't know what to say back to her. Olivia was right and she really was worried about me. It makes me remember all of the times that my own mother worried about me when she knew that something was wrong and I wouldn't talk to her because all I wanted was to be held and comforted while I bawled my heart ache away. I had a great mom and she took care of Derek and I while Dad worked but she was never very nurturing. Sweet but not affectionate and would rarely give me a hug. She always said that she showed us love through her actions by cooking our favorite meal or taking us shopping for clothes but she rarely told us she loved us. I would have given anything to hear from her what all Amelia just said to me.

"Yes... I'm here. I... I don't know what to say. Thank you for worrying about me but I'm really alright. I have Caleb here so that's good."

"Oh honey... I wish I was there right now with you both so that I could give you a hug." Oh man... Now she has me crying.

"I... I... Do to. Oh Amelia... I thought you hated me! I'm so sorry for thinking that. I really wish you were here too because I could use a... Well... Haha... In the words of my son... A Mom hug. Oh Amelia! He's so beautiful and so much like me it's not even funny. He looks and acts just like me and I don't know if the family can handle two of us. Caleb is already making jokes about how we are both going to give him a run for his money."

"Oh I can't wait to meet him and we will all love him as much as we love you Sweetheart. And I have never ever hated you. I don't know why you've thought that. You were Vanessa's best friend and I always loved seeing you and I knew that Caleb was in love with you ever since he met you and I've always hoped that you two would end up together. You're so funny too! I've only wanted the best for you, truly!"

"So you're okay with me dating your son? Haha... Because I came out of the closet! Hahaha... Finally! I've been such an idiot huh?"

"Now, don't down yourself so harshly. You might tend to do or say crazy things but you'll never be an idiot. You're a very beautiful and intelligent woman and you need to start looking at yourself in that way. I'm so happy for you and Caleb and I always knew in my heart that you two belonged together and would somehow find each other eventually."

"Thank you. I guess I do need to stop belittling myself. I've been doing it for so long it's a hard habit to break. And I guess your mother’s intuition was working regarding Caleb and I."

"That's right. You're never too old to get rid of bad habits! Why don't you and Caleb stay there the whole week? First thing Monday morning I was planning on calling all of your clients and telling them that you had a family emergency. I wouldn't be lying. This is a crucial time and I think you both should stay and spend some time with Grayson and especially the three of you for bonding purposes." I was really dreading Caleb leaving because I want him here with me and I really didn't have a busy week this week with some filing and a few phone calls and two appointments so far.

"I think I'll take you up on your offer if you really don't mind.  Oh no! You don't have a key to get in. I never even thought about that."

"Oh don't worry about that. Cash already has a lock smith meeting him in the morning to have a key made. We are helping on this end as well Honey."

"Thank you so much. The code to the alarm is 7103. I'll text it to you so that you'll have it in your phone. I guess if anything big comes up you can call Caleb or I and we can handle it from here. I appreciate all of your help."

"Don't even worry about it. That's what family is for. Will you please give my new grandson a hug when you get the chance? I can't wait to meet him." Wow! She's already calling him her grandson. I really owe Olivia an apology because I really needed this conversation.

"Yes I sure will." Caleb walked into the room and stopped when he saw me on the phone. I waved him in and motioned for him to sit down.

"We love you Sweetheart! I love you! Okay? Please don't forget that and call me if you need anything or you just want to talk." Tears again! I'm sorry but I am an idiot! I never gave Caleb a chance and I never gave his mother a chance either.

"I love you too and thank you so much. Goodbye."

"Goodbye honey."

I hang up the phone and text Amelia the code and then pull up Olivia's number and shoot her a text.

Okay, I'm a shit!! You were right

and I was wrong! I really needed

that conversation. I'll call you

tomorrow
.

I immediately got back a response.

Told ya so! Love you!

I put my phone on the night stand and fell face first onto the bed. Oh what a day! I just want to fall asleep and wake up tomorrow afternoon but Maria is cooking Grayson's favorite homemade pizza so I have to get through dinner first.

"Cru? Was that Olivia on the phone?" I look at him and wonder why his voice sounds so weird.

"No, why?"

"Was it Cash?" I raise my head and look at him. What is he getting at and why does he look.... Jealous?

"No it wasn't. Why?" He stands up and points at my phone angrily.

"Well who the hell did you just say I love you to and thank you so much to?" Oh wow! He is jealous! He's even hotter when he's jealous.

"The person that I was talking to." I don't know why I didn't just tell him that it was his mother but oh my word he's so hot when he's jealous! He's fuming and everything and his eyes have gotten piercingly bluer.

"Have I missed something here? Is this just a game to you? Was it Henry or Elizabeth?" Wow! It amazes me that his mother is the last person he would guess. Of course an hour ago she would have been the last person I would have thought I would have said I love you to.

"Nope! Would you calm down and come over here by me. I could really use a hug."

"That's not happening until you tell me who the HELL you were talking to, right now!"

"Haha... You're going to feel like an idiot if you don't come over here. I'm just warning you."

"I don't care how good of a kiss you give me I can guarantee you that I'm not going to feel like an idiot. I feel like I'm getting played right now!"

"I promise you that I'm not playing you."

"Yeah whatever... I'm going to go take a shower Cruella." The way that he said my nickname felt like acid in my throat; because he sure wasn't using it as a term of endearment. He started undressing and stalked off to the bathroom but I followed him.

"Well geez! Aren't you acting like a little diva Nerd boy! I think I'll take one with you. We really should have found time to take a shower on the plane after all of that hot sex we had." He rolled his eyes at me and then shook his head no at me when I started to undress. I reached over to turn the water on and he stopped me.

"What are you doing? I'm not taking a shower with you. I want to know who it was you told on the phone that you loved them."

"Oh my God! You are no fun at all!" I reach up and pull his head down to me by the neck and give him a rough kiss on the lips. "Do you know how hot you are when you're jealous? HOT! I feel like I'm on fire right now and only you can make it go away Nerd Boy." I pull away from him and open the shower door and leave it open for him while he's staring at me and probably thinking that I've lost my mind which has me giggling.

"By the way... I was talking to your mother you big dummy! She really doesn't hate me. I guess you were right."

I turned around and had my back to him and felt him walk into the shower behind me. He leaned down and nibbled on my ear and whispered and then growled.

"Oh I'm going to make you pay for that one. Well played Cruella... Well played. Now come here!" I turned around and was attacked by his mouth and his hands all over my body.

CHAPTER SIX

"Oh my Godddddd.... Ooooooooohhhh..... Awwwww…… Mmmmmmm... I lovvvvve it!" I hear Grayson giggling to the right of me and I look over at him. "What?? What's so funny?"

Maria, Mattie's amazing cook or maid or whatever she is made homemade pizza. I don't know how she made it but it’s perfect. The dough is soft and crispy and the cheese. Oh my word! The best delicious and gooey pizza that I’ve ever had in my life!

"Do you always make those kinds of noises when you eat?" I look at him and he's grinning and I look over at Caleb and Mattie and both of their faces are beet red but Caleb can't help but answer him.

"Grayson, believe it or not, she does, and it's really embarrassing when we are out in public. I'm sorry buddy but it's just something you're going to have to get used to." I see Mattie put his fist out with his knuckles out to Caleb and they have a little knuckle bump and grinned at each other.

"Caleb... All I've got to say is if she sounds like that when she's eating then you must feel like the luckiest guy in the world when you two are-"

"Okay! Let’s change the subject please." Men! I swear. Talking like that in front of a ten year old boy. I look across the table at Caleb and the look on his face has me blush because I know that he was thinking about our shower that we shared earlier. He looks over at Mattie and grins.