“Let’s get you in your pajamas and into bed.”
He dried me off and pulled my nightshirt down over my head. After he towel dried my hair, he pulled back the covers and I got into bed. He climbed in next to me, wrapped his arms around me, and pulled me into him.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I love you,” he whispered as he kissed my head.
“I love you too,” I whispered back before I closed my eyes and fell fast asleep.
Chapter 16
Ian
“Good morning, Charles,” I said as I strolled into the kitchen.
“Good morning, Ian. Coffee for you and Rory?”
“Just for me. Rory is still sleeping. She had a very late night last night. Actually, I’ll have that coffee when I get back. I’m going for a run.”
“Very well. Your blueberry muffins will be waiting for you as well.” Charles smiled.
“Thank you, my friend.”
I put on my running shoes and headed out the door. It was a cool morning, but it felt good. I needed to think about yesterday and what had happened last night. For Rory to go and see her father for the first time by herself really angered me. As I was running along the shoreline, deep in thought, Rory ran up next to me. I looked over at her and smiled.
“I didn’t think you’d be able to get out of bed this morning.”
“It was hard, but I needed this run.”
“Are you feeling okay?”
“Meh. Nothing a little bit of coffee and a blueberry muffin won’t cure.”
I shook my head at her and smiled. I loved her so much, regardless of how much she pissed me off sometimes.
“I’m sorry about last night,” she said.
“Me too. It’s just when I came home yesterday I was looking forward to being with you alone. When I walked in and saw Mandy, I just kind of got upset, and then seeing you in the pool with her kid. Rory, I love you more than anything in this world, but I don’t want children, ever, and you need to understand that.”
I had hoped this wasn’t starting a fight, but I needed to be very clear about where I stood as far as kids were concerned.
“I know that, Ian,” she said and I could sense a tone of disappointment.
I stopped running and asked her to please stop with me. As I turned to her, I put my hands on her h*ps and I pressed my forehead against hers.
“I’m sorry about yesterday. I promise you that I’ll try to be a better boyfriend and not tell you what to do. I know sometimes I can come off harsh and I’m sorry about that. I’ll work on it. We’re going to say things and make mistakes along the way, but we’ll figure it out and we’ll learn from our mistakes.”
Rory wrapped her arms around my neck and hugged me as tightly as she could. “I love you so much, Ian, but damn, stop treating me like a child.”
“I love you too, Rory, and I promise I’ll work on it. I seriously don’t mean to.”
She softly kissed my lips and smacked me on the ass. “Let’s go; I need coffee.” She smiled.
We ran back to the house and Charles poured us some coffee and set it on the table. As I grabbed the creamer out of the refrigerator, Mandy walked into the kitchen. She was wearing her sunglasses.
“Good morning, Mandy.” I smiled.
“Good morning, Rory. Mr. Braxton,” she said nervously.
“Good morning, Mandy,” Rory said.
“If you don’t mind, I’m going to start on the upstairs today,” she said.
“No, that’s fine,” I replied.
I needed to shower and head over to Prim. Rory and I took our coffee and went upstairs. When we walked into the bedroom, Mandy was taking the sheets off the bed. She looked up at us and I was startled. She had a very noticeable black and blue bruise across her cheek.
“Mandy, what happened?” Rory asked.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I should have come in here last,” she said.
“What happened to your face?” I asked.
“It’s nothing. I ran into the door. Thank you for your concern. I’ll come back and finish later.”
Something was off with Mandy. She seemed like a nervous wreck and it was like she couldn’t get out of here fast enough.
“Poor girl. Look what you did to her,” Rory said as she started the shower.
“What I did? What the hell did I do?”
“Your behavior yesterday towards her. You make her nervous.”
“Rory, that’s not true.”
I stripped out of my clothes and Rory did the same. We made love in the shower and I was late meeting Adalynn at Prim.
****
“You’re late!” Adalynn exclaimed as I walked through her office door.
“I know. Damn traffic.” I smiled.
“I don’t think the traffic had anything to do with it.”
I took a seat in the leather chair across from her desk. “What’s going on?”
“Can you be more involved here at Prim?”
I looked at her in confusion as I shifted in my seat. “Why?”
“Daniel and I are going on a month-long honeymoon to Europe and I need you here.”
“A month? Who goes on a honeymoon for a month, Adalynn?”
“Two people who are in love with each other, get married, and want to spend time alone before coming back to reality and all the bullshit. Maybe you should try it some time?”
“I don’t need to be married to go away on vacation for a month with the person I’m in love with.”
“Says you.” She smiled. “Anyway, you’re going to need to be here to oversee things while I’m gone.”
I once again shifted in my chair. “Why? You have capable staff here that can oversee things.”
“Renee is going on maternity leave right before the wedding and she’s my right hand.”
“Then maybe she should stay and not go on a maternity leave,” I said.
“Ian, you’re an idiot.”
I put my hands up. “Okay, okay. I’ll be here.”
“Don’t worry about any of the creative stuff. Just be here for the business end of things. How are things going?” she asked.
“Good. Things are good.”
Adalynn looked at me and smiled. “Don’t f**k things up with Rory. She’s good for you and you’re good for her. Love her, Ian.”
“I do love her, Adalynn.”
“I mean really love her.”
I gave her a half smile as I got up from the chair. “Don’t worry about me and Rory. I’m doing everything possible to make sure she’s happy. Why are you so concerned?”