Sammy & Ilna, thank you both for the middle of the night proofing/editing/feedback on this one!
Love you guys xoxo
REALMcRollers and Readers, We're so happy you enjoyed our FIFTH Annual REAL McRoll Thanksgiving Marathon. Your feedback DMs and emails were so wonderful, we love you all.
Yeah, I Do
On Saturday morning, Steve and Catherine were up at 4:40 a.m. to feed and run Cammie and get Angie dressed for the day before the others woke up to prepare for their flight home.
By 6 o'clock, the family was having a pancake and waffle breakfast at the closest breakfast spot to the airport. Joan was entertaining Angie by '"helping'" her color the kids' menu and she let out a squeal when Jenna appeared with Dylan, Kaitlyn and Jacob, who were walking just in front of Elizabeth and Joseph.
"Surprise!" Jacob announced when they were reasonably close to the table as Aaron and Steve stood to pull the adjoining table and chairs over. "We came to say goodbye." He smiled his infectious grin. "And have waffles!"
"Yay!" Angie threw her hands up and echoed Joan's reaction. Looking at the additional family members she tilted her head. "Co-ee?"
Jenna bent to kiss her head. "Sorry, honey, Cody and Casey are working this morning." She looked at the LA family members. "They said to hug you all goodbye again." She moved to hug Joan, kissing her cheek before moving on to Deb, Mary and Aaron.
"We're gonna Skype with you guys tomorrow, right?" Jacob confirmed before taking a seat next to Joan. "Cody and Casey will be home."
"Absolutely," Aaron confirmed and checked his watch. "We'd better order now, though, we don't want to miss our flight."
On the way back to the parking lot, after the family was seen off with a flurry of hugs, kisses and excited talk of Christmas, Jenna and the kids headed to do some shopping for sneakers. Once Jacob's happy announcement that they weren't buying any pants made everyone smile, Steve passed the diaper bag to Joseph.
"Are you sure you don't mind?" Catherine started to say and her husband's snort of laughter had her shaking her head. "Sorry, I forgot who I was talking to …" She handed Angie off to her mom with a grin. "I should be asking when we can have our daughter back."
"Grandma and Grandpa can't wait to have fun with you, sweetheart." Elizabeth returned Catherine's smile and kissed Angie's cheek until she giggled.
"Ama. Apa."
"That's right." Joseph ran a hand over the little head. "We're gonna go to a party so your great-grandma can show you off, and then we'll have something yummy for dinner." He lowered his voice conspiratorially. "And your grandma has all the Disney holiday stuff loaded up to watch later."
"I hear Nonna's coming for dinner," Catherine told her mom as she placed a few last kisses on Angie's cheek. "Grace is so happy to show off her driving skills she called earlier to tell me she's dropping Nonna off on her way to work."
"Grandma Ang invited Nonna to the post-Thanksgiving party for the condo association seniors. The Allen kids as well since people bring grandkids and great-grandkids who are visiting the island, et cetera. The Allen kids know almost everyone from previous events so she figured it would be a nice day for them plus she wanted Nonna meet her friends."
"Great idea," Steve agreed. "Especially since Nonna will be joining a few of the senior outings between now and Christmas while she's here."
"Exactly. We figured after the party the grandmas will rest while Angie naps, then Nonna can stay for bingo and dinner." Joseph leaned over and took Angie from his wife because she was holding her hands out to him. He kissed her cheek and bounced her gently. "And we can have a sleepover with the most wonderful granddaughter ever." He looked at the toddler as he settled her in his arms. "Do you have any idea who that might be? No?!" He tickled her tummy. "Grandpa does, it's you! It's Angie!" He laughed when she said, "Apa! Mo!" between giggles.
Elizabeth nodded and pointed to Catherine and Steve. "Besides, you two deserve a little more down time than the few hours I had Angie yesterday."
"Well, as much as we'd love a chance to clean up and maybe go for a run … you don't have to …" Catherine smiled.
"Have to?" Elizabeth waved a hand. "Seriously, darling? You're doing us the favor. We get to give you a little break and we get spend time with our angel." She clapped and Angie copied the gesture. "Say, bye, bye Mommy and Daddy, we'll Facetime you later."
Steve and Catherine each kissed Angie one more time and as the happy toddler left with her grandparents, they linked fingers and turned right to where Steve parked the car.
"Should we stop and grab provisions?" he asked with a smirk as they pulled onto the road.
"I don't plan on leaving the house 'til we pick Angie up, so, how about I call for delivery and it'll be there when we get home?" She held up her phone. "Any ideas?"
"Plenty, but none that have to do with food." He reached to squeeze her hand where it rested on his leg. "Order whatever, you know what I like."
Her eyes lit as her hand moved higher before she let go to dial. Raising her brow as the call connected, she murmured, "Yeah, I do."
Beach House
Steve ran his hand down Catherine's spine, coming to rest on her butt. "You asleep?"
"Hmm, nope." Her voice had that just woke up sound he knew very well and he chuckled. "I'm awake."
"Good, 'cause we've got a reputation to uphold, Rollins." He made little circles at the base of her spine with his thumb.
"Heh. You were totally asleep, too. I felt you wake up." She patted his chest and lifted her head from where's she'd dozed on his shoulder.
"I was resting my … eyes." He took a deep breath and rolled them over, stopping when they were nose to nose as she barked a laugh. "Or maybe you wore me out." When he kissed her she felt his smile.
"Maybe our daughter woke up twice during the night after fun overload yesterday and we've been up since oh four forty." She pulled him closer and murmured, "Or maybe … I wore you …" but the rest of her words were lost in their kiss.
When they broke the kiss to breathe, she pulled back enough to see his eyes and smiled. "I have an idea."
"Hmmm what?" Steve blinked as she rotated her hips and pressed closer.
"My idea." Catherine nipped at his lips. "Wanna hear it?"
"Mmm, Cath?"
"Yes?" She smiled against his neck while murmuring in his ear.
"The organs above my neck aren't working at full capacity right now."
"Then, c'mon, I'll show you." She kissed his jaw, then lips and then sat up.
"What? Where … where are we goin'?" He looked perplexed, but pushed up to follow her.
"Soaking tub," She stood and held out a hand. "Then afterwards, a real nap, before our next round."
He was beside her in a second, and in ten they were in the tub as it filled around them. When she pushed his shoulders so he'd sit back and straddled him, his hands cupped her face during a kiss that had a life of its own. "Hmm, always like the way you think, Lieutenant," he whispered, and Catherine settled into their kiss.
"Know what I like?" She grinned and rested her forehead against Steve'. As his hands slid to her hips to pull her closer, he answered, "Actually, yeah, I do."
# End. Thanks for reading!
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