Page 11

Chapter Eleven

Kingston

I eyed Gran across the kitchen table.

She continued her knitting as she met my stare.

I sighed.

She smiled. “It’s four days, Kingston, my dear. You can survive without my darling grandson for four days.”

Arguing was pointless because I was the one who insisted Ethan go. His sister, Perla, needed a ride home from Kelowna, where she was attending the University of British Columbia Okanagan. He should’ve been able to do the trip in two days. Except for the snowstorm that hadn’t been predicted. Waiting until the roads were clear before driving home was the best course of action.

I’d decided to take the weekend off.

That said, Peter had a driver on standby in case I needed her. A nice woman named Codi who worked for the studio. Apparently, she used to be a long-haul truck driver and could sling twenty-five-pound bags of sand like no one’s business.

In other words, my tool kit wouldn’t be an issue.

Unless I got an emergency call that I couldn’t redirect, though, I was staying close to home. With Christmas just a week away, and with all Gran’s festive baubles she’d collected over the last half-century decorating the house, sometimes I just liked to sit and admire the pretty.

The doorbell buzzed.

“I’ll get it.” She rose and hustled out of the room before I could move.

On her no-slip treaded slippers.

See? I could adapt. No way was I asking Gran to wash her feet and go barefoot in the house.

Ethan had quietly retired my buckets and had promised to wash the floors more frequently.

Which he had.

“Oh, Kingston, what a lovely surprise.” Gran made her way over to me with…a pineapple?

Wrapped with decorative ribbon.

Okay.

I fingered the card attached. Finally, I opened it.

Because I know you love these things. Missing you.

“He seriously sent me a pineapple via delivery?”

“The man said it arrived in Vancouver this morning. From…” She frowned. “Hawaii? Does that sound right?”

“Hawaii does have pineapples.”

She snatched it back. “Since it’s fresh, let me chop it up right away.”

The doorbell rang again.

“Oh dear.” Gran had just sliced into the pineapple.

Much handier on the crutches than I’d been five weeks ago, I was up quickly. “I’ll get it.”

“Let me know if you need a hand, dear.”

I hid my smile as I made my way to the front door. I adored that she called me dear . Reminded me of my mother and how affectionate she’d been.

On that thought, I opened the door.

To find a guy in a delivery outfit. He held a pizza box. “My friend Ethan said to bring you a pineapple pizza. Oh, I’m supposed to tell you there’s ham as well, but to emphasize there’s pineapple. Are you going to be able to carry…”

Gran bustled in behind me. “Thank you, Larry. So kind of you.”

“Thanks, Gran. You take care.” He scurried away.

I shut the door and turned to Gran.

She shrugged. “One of Ethan’s friends growing up. Yes, squirrel shifter. Loves driving his muscle car all over town way too fast.” She headed back toward the kitchen.

I followed.

And was barely seated when the doorbell buzzed again.

Gran headed back toward the front door.

Two minutes later, she was back with a bakery box that she presented to me.

Pineapple upside-down cake.

With another note.

I miss you. See you soon.

“Well, we’ll have pizza for lunch and cake with fresh pineapple for dessert.”

“But I don’t like pineapple.”

Gran patted my shoulder. “Nice try, dear. You graze on it every time Ethan presents it to you. He brought you those berries as well.”

“I didn’t ask where he found them.”

“Probably best.” She took the cake box from me. “As long as you wash them well, you’ll be fine.”

Right .

We ate the pizza, fresh pineapple, and upside-down cake. We watched Vigilante Justice . Thomas was a producer for the show and, as Ethan had said, the lead actor was a dreamboat. Cole Hamilton had starred in a movie with Peter a number of years ago—the show where Peter and Thomas had met on set.

In honor of their love match, Gran and I watched that movie after dinner.

We both might’ve required tissues. Sometimes even movies with happy endings brought tears.

Or so Gran assured me.

And we agreed Peter had absolutely deserved to win the Academy Award that year.

Just like Cole deserved to win the Golden Globe for Vigilante Justice this year.

Thanks to Gran and Ethan, I was getting caught up on all the productions in Vancouver I’d missed over the last…well, most of my life since I’d never paid attention to such things.

The next day I had one callout and, as promised, Codi with an i drove me to and from the site as well as hauled around my gear. The woman was an absolute hoot.

I still missed Ethan.

In the end, he was gone five days since the RCMP closed the Coquihalla Connector because of the nearly four feet of snow.

Eventually, though, he came home.

I knew this because of my doorbell.

Buzz.

Buzz.

Buzz.

Buzz.

Gran was home to greet Perla, so I was home alone and had to hobble to the door.

I threw open the door and grinned.

He grinned back. He stepped inside, dropped his overnight bag, shut the door, toed off his shoes, and then grabbed my cheeks. “Oh, babe, I missed you something fierce.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

We pressed our lips together in a toe-curling kiss. He deepened it, thrusting his tongue into my mouth.

My cock twitched.

Down, boy. Surprises first. Sex later.

The damn thing wasn’t happy…but it complied.

“Okay.” I rebalanced myself. “I have three surprises for you.”

He blinked. “For me?”

Since he was always giving me surprises and not the other way around, I nodded. I was a little slow on the uptake, but I got there eventually. “First surprise is in my pocket.”

“Oh, I think I like the sound of this.” Said absolutely salaciously.

“Down, boy.” Echo of the words I’d just said to my cock.

Who still wasn’t happy, but was still at least complying.

Ethan slid his hand into my pocket and tilted his head when his fingers came into contact with his surprise. He withdrew a keychain and held it aloft between the two of us. “Uh, babe, you already gave me a key to the house.”

“Yes, but I didn’t give you a key to the van. And to the workshop. You’ll need them.”

“Okay.” He grinned and his bright-blue eyes shone with happiness. He knew how much this meant to me.

“Second gift. Come to the basement with me.”

“Great, I can bring my laundry as well.” He slung the bag over his shoulder and waited for me to hobble my way down.

“I see the doctor tomorrow. I’ve been doing the weight-bearing exercises, and I should get the green light.” Never would I be so happy. I’d followed all the rules and done all the physiotherapy—and still the ankle had taken unusually long to heal.

“You know I don’t mind carrying your equipment around.”

No missing the amusement in Ethan’s voice.

“Codi did a pretty good job.”

“So you said in your text. Do I need to worry?”

“No.” I sighed with relief when I got to the bottom of the stairs. “She’s very happy with her job at the studio. Okay, open the door.” I pointed to the one leading to the big, cavernous space that I’d pretty much ignored for twenty years.

He cocked his head.

I gestured for him to do as I suggested.

He opened it, flipped on the light, and gasped. “Oh, Kingston.”

“Yes. That’s my name.” Said as wryly as possible.

“You did this for me?”

“Yes.” Again, with as much dry tone as I could inject.

“Oh wow.”

He advanced into the room and I followed. I knew, of course, what he’d find.

Instead of the industrial-gray paint—drab, as Gran called it—the room shone with vibrant colors. The base coat was sunshine-yellow, but I’d had rainbows, meadows, forests, a sun, and all kinds of animals added.

One wall was midnight-blue with a moon throwing a glow over a rainforest.

An owl soared in silhouette against the moon.

Tabitha will love that .

Initially, I’d just planned bright colors. But then I thought about the kids we both wanted so badly. This room wasn’t just for Ethan—although he was the genesis behind it. No, this room was for our family. A real family room.

“This is enormous.”

“I hope you’re talking about the television.” I grinned. “Or my cock.”

“Oh babe, you are so getting sucked tonight. I’d give you a blow job right now, but…”

“Yeah.” I nudge him with my elbow. “This is family space.”

“We’ve got the bedroom and the living room couch for fucking.”

I wanted to object—but he might’ve ridden me mighty hard a couple of weeks ago.

Before Gran moved in, of course.

“Uh…not unless we’re alone with no chance of visitors.”

“Like tonight?”

I cocked my head. “Okay, yeah, like tonight. Although I have plans for us that involve a bed.”

“Yippee.” He threw his arms around my neck. “Best surprise ever. Truly.”

“Well, I do have one more thing to share.”

He waved his arm around the room. “I don’t want anything else. This is…the best.”

“I think I can do better. But if this is the high-water mark for the day, I’m fine with that.” Because I’d never forget his look of pure, unadulterated joy at seeing this space. “Let’s go to the garage.”

“Okay, but let me put my laundry—”

“It’ll keep. I’m certain your nasty underwear will still be here when we’re done upstairs.”

“Hey.” Yet he grinned. “You first.”

I made my way upstairs and into the garage.

Ethan turned on the light and stood, watching me. “Okay. Uh…”

I gestured to the side of the van with my chin.

And waited.

And waited.

Suddenly, tears filled his eyes and streamed down his face.

“No. No. No. Sweetheart, this was supposed to be a good surprise.”

He sniffed. Then wiped his tears with his hands. “I…I don’t know what to say.”

“Well…” I swallowed. “Say yes . Say you’ll do it.”

He held my gaze before wrapping his arms around my neck. “Yes. A thousand times yes. Just…yes.”

I blew out a breath. Mostly in relief—although partly in elation. “That’s good because changing the van back would be a pain in the ass.”

He laughed, breathing hot air against my neck.

“I have the paperwork for you to sign, and we’ll let everyone know.”

He pulled back. “I love you.”

“I love you too. Just in case it wasn’t super obvious.”

He stepped away to lovingly caress the new logo on the van.

Unlocked and Unlost.

Together, we had it made.