Perfect Embrace by Kaylee Ryan
Chapter 21
Laken
It’s Saturday afternoon, and I’m pulling into Grayson’s driveway. The store was slow, but with the raging storms we’ve had today, I expected it. No one wants to be out shopping and risk getting struck by lightning. I know I wouldn’t. At least I was able to get my run in this morning before the skies opened up and began to pour rain.
It’s a dreary day and the perfect reason to stay inside and cuddle all day. That’s our plan for this evening. Turning off the ignition, I reach into the back seat and grab my overnight bag as well as the bag of groceries I braved the storm for. We’re going to make homemade pizza and cookies for dessert. The girls love to help in the kitchen. I can’t wait to tell them.
Making a mad dash for the door in the rain, I make my way to the porch. I knock on the door, but there’s no answer. Trying the knob, it’s locked. So I knock again. Still no answer. I can hear a commotion going on inside. Shuffling my bags to one arm, I manage to slide my phone out of my purse and hit Grayson’s number.
“Laken,” he greets me. Is that panic in his voice?
“Gray? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, just cleaning up a mess.”
“Well, I’m at the door. Come let me in, and I’ll help.”
“Shit. I’m sorry. I locked it to take a shower and set the alarm since the girls were out here by themselves. I should have been more worried about locking the damn dishwasher,” he mutters.
“What?”
“I’ll show you.”
The line goes dead, and a few seconds later, Grayson opens the front door. He’s soaked. As in his clothes are drenched, and there’s a frown on his face.
“What happened? Where are the girls?” I ask, stepping inside.
“The girls are on the couch in time-out. I’m in the kitchen. Follow me. It’s easier to show you. You might want to kick off your shoes.”
Confused as to what’s going on, I do as he says, kicking off my shoes. I leave my overnight bag and my purse by the door, opting to take the groceries with me. I am going to the kitchen after all. As soon as we round the corner, I gasp. There are bubbles everywhere. Everywhere.
“Grayson?”
“Apparently, when I told the girls to pick up, they decided to help me clean. They did the dishes.”
“Okay.”
“They used dish detergent in the dishwasher. As in not dishwasher detergent,” he sighs, raking his hands through his hair, leaving a trail of bubbles, making me laugh.
“It’s not funny, Laken. Look at my kitchen.”
“I am. I’m also looking at the bubbles you just left in your hair,” I tease.
“Shit,” he mutters.
“Hey.” I walk into the madness and place the bag of groceries on the island. “It’s okay. Sure, it’s a mess we need to clean up, and hopefully there’s no damage to the flooring or the cabinets, but the bright side is that the girls are safe. No one got hurt in the making of these bubbles.” A smile tilts my lips.
“I installed waterproof flooring when we moved in. I figured with twins I would need it.”
“See, there you go. You were thinking ahead. Grab a mop and maybe a shop vac if you have one, and we’ll get this place cleaned up.”
He tugs me into his arms and kisses me softly. “I love you. I’m sorry for being short.”
“Life is messy, Gray. We can’t control it even if we try. What we can do is embrace it and find the good.” I kiss his chin. “Hey, girls, can you come in here for a minute?” I call out.
“What are you doing? We have to clean this up. They might fall.”
“They’re probably going to fall, Grayson, and that’s okay. We’re here to keep them safe. They need to help clean this up, and besides, it looks like fun.”
“Fun?”
“Waken.” Harlow sniffs from the doorway.
“We made a mess,” Hayden says, her bottom lip jutting out.
“Come here.” I crouch down and hold my arms open for them. “It was an accident,” I tell them. “But we’re going to help Daddy clean it up. What do you say?” They nod their little heads, sorrow still marring their features. “Daddy, grab the shop vac.”
Grayson nods but doesn’t make his way toward the garage. Instead, he lifts each of the twins, setting them on the counter, then pulls me to his side. I slip a little on the sudsy floor, but his grip on me is firm. “My girls,” he says, gathering the three of us into a hug. I feel his lips press against my temple. “Thank you,” he whispers.
“You’re welcome. Now, let’s get this cleaned up. I brought supplies to make cookies and homemade pizza.”
“Yay!” the girls cheer.
Grayson leaves to grab the shop vac, and I place the girls back on their feet. “Have you ever skated in bubbles?” I ask them. They shake their head. “Well, let me show you.” I take a few steps and then slide a little, catching myself on the counter. “Don’t slide too fast so you don’t fall.”
The girls take off at the same time and slide into me. Their laughter is contagious. “Okay, this time we’ll do it together, ready?” I ask. They nod. “Go.” The three of us take off and slide to the other side of the kitchen.
“Wee!” Hayden says, taking another turn, sliding to the other side once more.
“Watch me, sissy!” Harlow calls out. She does the same, and I’m just about to call them out to watch me when Grayson’s laughter catches me off guard.
“I leave you for what, two minutes max, and you’ve turned my sudsy kitchen into a skating rink.”
“You make the best of what you’re given, Gray.” Something flashes in his eyes, and I’m worried I’ve overstepped. That is until he comes to stand beside me and pushes off the counter, sliding toward the girls. They cheer for him, and that won’t do. This was my idea after all. I’m the victor here.
I take off and slide, going a little faster than I realized, and crash into Grayson, which lands us both on the floor covered in suds. The twins want in on the action, so they fall on top of us in a fit of giggles. I want to take a picture of this moment, not that I’ll need it. This day will forever be in my mind. It’s not just Grayson that I love. I love his daughters too. I love the domestic picture that we create. I love that in my mind we’re a family. The three of them are my family, and I couldn’t love the girls more if they were my own.
And Grayson, well, he’s the love of my life.
A year ago, if someone would have told me that this is where I would be, I would have laughed. Now, well, this is my life. A life I love. A life I embrace.
When we finally get our laughter under control, Gray sends the girls to change clothes, instructing them to leave the wet clothes in the tub while he uses the shop vac, and I come behind him with the mop to clean up the mess.
“Thanks for your help.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Not just with the mess, with the girls.”
“I didn’t overstep?”
“No. You were great with them. You’re right. Everyone was safe. I was just overwhelmed, is all.”
“That’s understandable, Gray. You’re doing a great job with them.”
“Thank you,” he says, pulling me into the perfect embrace. “You are too.”
* * *
“Girls, it's time for a bath, then bed,” Grayson announces once the credits roll of the princess movie we were watching.
“Waken, can you give us a baf?” Harlow asks.
I look over at Grayson, and he nods and shrugs, leaving the decision up to me. “Of course,” I tell her. “Go pick your jammies, and I’ll be there in a minute.”
They jump off the couch and rush down the hall to their room.
“Are you sure you’re okay with me giving them a bath?” I ask Grayson.
“They asked for you.”
I nod. “But are you okay with it?”
“I trust you with them, Laken. You’re a part of our lives. Of course, I’m okay with it. I’m going to clean the kitchen from dinner, and then I’ll be up to help.”
I study him to see if there is any hesitation on his part. I’m in deep with all three of them, and the last thing I want to do is step on Grayson’s toes or make him feel as though I’m trying to play the role of mom. Not that I would mind that. In fact, when I think about the future, it’s the three of us, and I am their mother figure. It’s important to me that we take this at his pace and theirs. The last thing I want is for any of them, hell any of us, to get hurt.
Slow and steady wins the race.
I find the girls in their room, pajamas in hand. “Ready, ladies?”
“Yes!” They race past me into their bathroom and begin to strip out of their clothes. I start the water and toss in some bubbles, making them giggle. By the time Grayson joins us, we’re draining the water, and the girls have towels draped around their bodies.
“Just in time.” I smile up at him from where I’m kneeling next to the bathtub.
He and I work together to get the girls dressed and ready for bed.
“Waken, can you bwaid our hair?” Harlow asks.
“Of course I can.”
“Mine too,” Hayden insists.
“Come here.” I pat between my legs from my spot on Harlow’s bed. She wastes no time settling in front of me, letting me get to work on braiding her hair.
“I wove bwaids,” Harlow says.
“Me too,” Hayden agrees.
“Well, I like braiding your hair, so I think we’re even.” When I finish with Harlow, she climbs onto Hayden’s bed with Grayson while I braid Hayden's hair. The girls talk about how they love making pizzas and cookies, and we even laugh about the slipping and sliding we did in the bubbles.
“You’re done,” I tell Hayden.
“Daddy, will you wead to us?” Hayden asks.
“Yes. Get in bed, and I’ll grab a book.”
I stand to leave.
“Where are you going?” he asks.
“I’m just going to go get ready for bed. Give you three some time.”
“You don’t have to,” he says quickly.
“I know.” I smile at him. “Girls, can I have a goodnight hug?” Without hesitation, they wrap their arms around me one at a time. “Thank you. Those were big hugs. Goodnight, ladies.” I wave and head out of their room.
“Daddy, we wove Waken,” one of them says. I don’t know who because I’m not looking at them, but it doesn’t matter when the “Me too, Daddy” is echoed.
“I love her too,” Grayson tells them. “Now, get in bed, monkeys.”
I smile and retreat to his room, my heart full. I take my time brushing my teeth and getting changed for bed. Today has been the best day. I love spending time with the three of them, and I can’t help but hope that this is my future. Saturday evenings at home with my family. I want them to be mine.
Turning off the bathroom light, I step into the bedroom just as Grayson enters. “Hey, are they asleep?”
“Yeah.” He smiles. “Must have been all of the bubble skating.” He chuckles.
“Hey, they had fun, and it turned a bad situation into a positive one.”
“You are the positive in our lives. You know that, right?”
“I know that the three of you are the light in my day, my night, my week, hell my life.” I smile up at him.
He snakes his arms around my waist and pulls me close. “I love you.”
“I love you too. Go get ready for bed. I’m ready for some cuddle time.”
“Cuddle time?”
“Yep.” I grin at him.
“Baby, I’m going to cuddle the hell out of you.” He winks and disappears into the bathroom.
