It was a relief to step into Dad's study. Kate had been such a fucking bitch during lunch. If she hadn't been Elliot's fiancée, and Ana's best friend, I would have had her fucked over well and truly for her comments about my wife. However, Mom's remark about a 'little talk' had not escaped me, so it was probably best all-around the guys retreated to the comparative calm of Dad's study and let Mom and Kate duke it out.
"Been a while since us guys have hung out," Grandpa Theo said innocuously seating himself in an armchair in front of Carrick's desk.
"That's true," Dad added, also taking a seat before giving Elliot a loaded look.
My eyes flicking between three generations of my family, I gathered something was up.
"Well, Lelliot? Spit it out…" I said, noticing our father and grandfather look at my older brother expectantly.
"Christian? I get everyone treats you like a walking ATM, and I never want it to be like that between us, but I was hoping to ask you for a bit of help? While I've been working on your new place, I've got to know some of your neighbors. The owners next but one to your place have indicated they might be willing to sell. It's a single wedge-shaped block with a small lake frontage. The view is not as good, and the house needs to be leveled - but because of all that the price is just within my reach. I went to the bank, and I'm confident I can cover the repayments, but since I'm technically self-employed, despite the size of Grey Constructions and all our contracts, they won't loan me so much without additional security."
I nodded, gesturing for my brother to continue.
"Because I'm planning a knock-down rebuild, it worries the bank I am temporarily lowering the value of the property and if I was to default, they might get less for the property than I'd borrowed. So… I was hoping you might be willing to give surety for me? All proper, with a legal contract and everything. I've looked at other options, and this seems like the only way I could make it happen. I realize I don't say it enough, but family is important. Where you've bought is beautiful, and the perfect place to raise a family. But the main reason I want to buy there is it's close to you and Ana. I hope one day I'll have kids to play with Teddy, and I'd like us to be close by."
Sitting in a chair opposite my grandfather, I couldn't pretend to be unaffected by everything my brother had said. Elliot joked around a lot, but this was from the heart. Nothing he was saying seemed to surprise Dad or Grandpa Theo, so he'd obviously talked to them about it first.
He handed me a sheaf of papers outlining the proposed purchase price, the loan terms and his repayment schedule. Elliot was right – from what I knew of Grey Constructions, he should be able to service the debt; but assuming nothing changed dramatically with his income, he'd be making repayments for years. The figure he'd asked me to guarantee was barely a blip on the radar in my scheme of things – and had I known the property was available I would have snapped it up at that price without thinking twice about it. But this was a big thing for my brother – he wanted to provide a home for his future family.
"I need to discuss this with Ana, but I think we should be able to work something out," I replied cautiously. "I'll talk to her in the next few days – is Tuesday or Wednesday ok for an answer?"
"That's good. The Sullivan's are away visiting their daughter until Friday. I said I'd try to have an answer for them then."
Smiling, I leaned forward to shake my brother's hand. I'd buy the property for Elliot, but I appreciated buying a family home was a big thing for him and I wouldn't humiliate him by making light of his request or just gifting him the land. Part of being a family man was providing for your family. But like hell I'd let my brother get fucked over by a bank for hundreds of thousands of dollars in interest when it wasn't necessary. I'd always planned to purchase the properties adjacent to our new home if they became available. We didn't need the space, so if Elliot wanted to make a home there, I wasn't opposed.
Teddy was crying, but it was hard to wake up. Last night, Ana had massaged me then blown me so fucking hard I was still in shock! I'd moved Teddy back to our room when he'd woken for his night feed, and amazingly after that he'd slept seven hours overnight night, giving Ana and me our first long rest in God knows how long!
Curled around my wife, I was tempted to relax, and hope Teddy would settle, but Ana stirred and rolled onto her side, immediately sitting up.
"My breasts are rock hard," Ana groaned. Looking at her twin ripe mounds, I could see she was swollen with milk ready for our son. More than anything, I wanted to fondle my wife's sweet, full tits; but she needed Teddy as much as he needed her.
"I'll get him," I announced, standing to fetch our son, unashamed I was sporting a semi as I walked across to his crib. My wife's breasts were so full, and I was remembering how she'd pleasured me for the first time in weeks last night. Of course I was freaking turned on!
Ana guided Teddy to one plump pink nipple, moaning in relief when he found his goal. Wasting no time latching, he was sucking contentedly as my wife held a breast pad on her other peak. Lying down on the bed beside them, I grinned as I watched this intimate moment between the two people who were the center of my world.
"Elliot had a chat with me yesterday. The house next door but one to ours in Medina might be coming up for sale. He wants to buy it, but he needs a guarantor."
Ana looked up at me questioningly, so I outlined what Elliot was asking for.
"He can afford the repayments, but he'll be paying a ton of interest over many years. I thought instead of providing surety we could give him the money as an interest free loan? He's buying it to build his family home, so I know he won't accept it as a gift, but an interest free loan will save him thousands and help make his dream a reality sooner…"
"It would be nice to have family close," Ana conceded.
"Even if it means living almost next to Kate?" I asked, only half joking. I was still angry about her rudeness the day before.
Ana looked at me sternly and raised an eyebrow silently telling me to let it go.
"Ok, ok… So you're good with the interest free loan?"
"Yes. Although maybe warn him not to mention your part in it? It might injure Kate's pride if she finds out that Elliot needed your help to make it happen."
"Our help," I corrected, nonetheless acknowledging the truth in her words.
After breakfast Ana and I readied ourselves for the day. I would go in to work, and Ana was preparing for a 'visit' from Sawyer. Ana had been all for dropping in to see him in the staff quarters until Gail pointed out Sawyer might feel uncomfortable with that. Privately, Gail had also mentioned to me she felt a little awkward about Ana visiting their private quarters without warning. I'd had a word with my wife, explaining it might be better to arrange a time to see Sawyer so he was able to prepare himself instead of being caught off-guard in his pajamas. Accordingly, Sawyer would be visiting the main apartment for morning tea with Ana and Teddy today.
Then, after lunch and Teddy's nap, Ana would take our son to visit her colleagues at SIP. I would have preferred they stayed at home, but promising it would be a short visit, Ana would bring Teddy to GEH straight afterward then we'd travel home together.
It was hard kissing my woman and our boy goodbye. I couldn't stay home forever, however I hated leaving my two reasons for living. Still; I had a zero-interest loan to organize and getting Elliot help with his patent. Sadly, today I'd also need to make a decision about visiting Taiwan.
"Andrea? I need a coffee," I growled into the phone half an hour after I'd arrived at Grey House. Ros and I had kicked it about every which way, but the long and short of it was I needed to go to Taipei. To say I didn't want to go was the understatement of the century! "How long?" I snarled at Ros, angry but not with her.
"A week," Ros estimated, explaining her rationale along with the tasks I needed to complete. I groaned, I didn't want to be away from my wife and son for so long; it was as simple as that!
"Fuck that," I grumbled, irritated because I recognized I needed to go. I just didn't want to leave my family.
"What the hell happened to you, Grey? You used to be whatever it took," Ros mocked.
"I fell in love, Bailey. My wife and my son are everything."
"It's worth it?" Ros asked, her voice unsure for the first time. "Kids?"
"So worth it," I immediately replied. "Becoming a dad has been... fuck… I can't even explain!" I paused, trying to articulate to Ros how much of a game-changer becoming a parent was. "Don't let the opportunity pass you by."
"I don't think that will happen. Gwen's looking into donor sperm," Ros admitted with a shy smile.
"Shit! So the two of you are going to have a kid?!"
"That's the plan," Ros admitted blushing. "If it comes off, we might need to hire a nanny up here!"
"You're earlier than I expected," I commented, kissing my woman and taking my little man from her before nodding to Ryan and McIntyre. They disappeared in security's direction, and a moment later a sign beside the elevators illuminated, declaring 'restricted access.'
"What's that about?" Ana asked, pointing to the sign.
"They installed it earlier today. It's part of tightened security after your abduction. Whenever Teddy is on this level, we will restrict entry via the lifts."
"Restrict how?"
"If anyone wants to come up, they need to be granted access by Andrea or security."
"Isn't that going to waste a lot of their time?"
"Not really. Few people visit this floor. Andrea, Ros and the others who work here have their security passes so can come and go freely. It just stops people without business being here coming to this floor when Teddy is here."
"You think he might be a target?" Ana asked, her face going pale. "For another abduction? Have there been threats?!"
"No threats," I reassured my wife. "But it's prudent to restrict people's access to him. We will trial it for a few weeks, but I might end up making this floor restricted access all the time. A lot of CEOs do that for safety."
"Well if it keeps you safe, I'm all for it," Ana said, tilting her head and leaning in for a kiss. Claiming my wife's plump lips with my own, we cuddled Teddy between us.
"I have a meeting in a few minutes. It shouldn't take too long; are you ok waiting?"
"We'll be fine. I'll see if Andrea has time to talk about Kate's bachelorette party."
"Well that's not a conversation for a little guy to hear. Teddy, why don't you come to Daddy's meeting?" I asked our little man who was watching my face.
"Christian! Taking a baby into a meeting isn't very professional…" Ana tutted although I knew see she was amused.
"My business, my building, my staff, my son, my rules," I retorted smugly. "Come on Teddy – let's go show them how Mr. and Master Grey do things around here."
The three of us walked towards Andrea's desk.
"Andrea? Ana needs your help organizing a bachelorette party for my sister-in-law to be. Please prioritize that. Terry Bartel is due up here in ten. You'll need to buzz him up as we're on restricted access."
"Yes, Mr. Grey," Andrea replied indulgently with a smile as I took Teddy into my office.
"Everything sorted?" I asked Ana an hour later. The meeting with Terry had taken no time at all, but Welch had dropped by straight afterward to update me on the Jack situation. Still detained in custody, Hyde's probable cause conference had occurred, and they were moving onto pre-trial. Despite the mountain of evidence to the contrary, Hyde maintained that Ana had voluntarily left the hospital with him and together they'd planned to extort money from me. The whole idea was farcical, and there was no doubt in anyone's mind he'd be convicted.
As expected, Millie had accepted a plea-deal offer from the DA in exchange for giving evidence against Jack. It all had to percolate through the system, but given her mental capacity, squeaky clean record, and the fact she'd turned herself in, she'd almost certainly end up with a suspended sentence.
"It's all booked! Andrea went to a bachelorette party in Woodinville and said it was amazing! They were on a budget, so they hired a small house for the weekend and did a half-day spa on the Saturday and a winery tour on the Sunday. The place they stayed at is already booked for our weekend, besides which Kate would want something a bit more… so instead I booked us suites at The Herbfarm! We'll do a spa day on Saturday, the winery tour on Sunday, and since we're staying, we can dine at The Herbfarm Saturday night! They have an unbelievable seasonal menu, and it's often written up in the society pages, so there's a good chance they will mention Kate's party."
I nodded, pleased Andrea took all the stress out of planning the event. As much as Kate pissed me off, she was Ana's best friend and my brother's fiancé. Basically, I was stuck with her.
"What are you going to do with Teddy?" I checked. The bachelor and bachelorette parties would be held on the same weekend, and I couldn't see Ana letting me take Teddy to Vegas even if there wasn't the breastfeeding issue.
"I was going to ask Gail if she was able to come along to help me with him, and I'd like Prescott assigned to us, too. Mia, your Mom and Grandma Adele will also be there for parts, so between all of us we'll manage. Have you booked everything for Elliot's, yet?"
"No. I'll get Andrea to make those bookings tomorrow. I thought we'd fly out Friday night and back Monday?"
"Sounds good. Who's going?"
"A few of Elliot's school buddies, a couple of other friends, his foreman, Dad, Grandpa Theo, Ethan, Kate's Dad, Taylor and I thought maybe Sawyer if he's up to it?"
"Sounds like fun," Ana replied with a sweet smile.
"What will not be fun is Taiwan. I have to go next week," I said, breaking the news.
"How long?" Ana said, trying to conceal her dismay.
"Realistically a week, hopefully less," my tone telling her I didn't want to go.
"Well I guess Teddy and I will have to have all our wild parties and late-night shenanigans while you're away," Ana teased. "It seems like a long time, but it will go quickly enough."
"I hate leaving you and Teddy," I groaned, pulling Ana to me as we waited for Taylor and McIntyre to join us by the elevator for our trip to the basement parking garage.
"We'll Skype you every day," Ana promised.
"It's not the same as being here with you," I grumbled.
"Yes," Ana admitted. "We're both going to miss you."
"Elliot? I spoke to Ana about going guarantor, and we both felt a bit uncomfortable about it." I was sitting in my study at Escala as Ana fed Teddy in our room.
"Aww shit; I knew I shouldn't have asked. Forget it, and sorry to put you on the spot like that, man."
"Shut up and listen," I laughed. "With that purchase price and your repayments, you'd be paying thousands in interest over the term of the loan. I thought a better option was for you to borrow the money from GEH as an interest free loan."
"How would that work?" Elliot asked, surprised.
"Exactly the same as a normal loan but it would be GEH lending you the money not a bank. It would be interest free, only indexed with inflation. There'd be a regular repayment schedule just like a bank, but since you'll be paying off principal not interest, you should be able to get through it a lot faster."
"It's tempting, but what's in it for you and Ana?"
"We get to see you and Kate in a family home near us. As the other properties along that strip become available, I intend to buy them, anyway. This way the property can stay in the family."
"Are you sure, dude? It's a lot of money, and I'm sure you could put it somewhere and get an actual return on it."
"I'm sure, Elliot. You've never asked me for anything. I'm glad to help you with this. Although before you accept it comes with two conditions; if you ever sell the property, I'd like first refusal at a fair market value. Like I said – I want to buy the properties adjacent if I can. I like the idea of us living close, but if you need to sell I'd prefer to keep the property in the family."
"That's fair," Elliot agreed.
"And the second condition is, I don't want Kate to know."
"I'm not sure I can do that, Christian… She will be my wife, and I don't want to lie to her."
"You've seen how Kate is with Ana at the moment…"
"Yeah and I'm sorry about that. I've told her it's not cool..."
He wasn't wrong, but I'd promised Ana I'd let her deal with it, and so I would.
"Ana says she thinks Kate's a bit jealous because we've had so many big things going on and it's been all about us recently. Buying lakefront land for your family house is huge. If she finds out we helped you buy the property, she might resent it. I'll have the loan set up under one of GEH's subsidiaries, so there'll be no obvious ties to us."
"How much would I save doing things this way?"
I named a figure, explaining that it was based on him making minimum repayments over thirty years with just indexation.
"That's a fortune!" Elliot gasped, finally appreciating just how much of a saving I was offering him. "Are you sure?!"
"I'll be making Mia the same offer when her time comes," I said confident, without asking, Ana would be fine with that.
"Ok. Draw up the papers. But we all agree – Kate can never find out."