Chapter Three:
"Hey now, sunshine. Good morning!" Fox paused, gazed down at little Ethan, bouncing him on his lap. "Or shall we actually say 'Good afternoon'?"
Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald Crane looked up at Fox, startled to see him in her room without her knowing, much less playing with her young son. She blinked her weary eyes, momentarily overwhelmed. "Fox?! What are you doing here?" Theresa glanced at her bedside, "What time is it?"
With a broad sly grin on his handsome face, "It's time for us to go! There's a lot of things to be done before our meeting with Mr. Omiat at the Ritz Carlton. And once that's settle, then we can begin the real fun," He gave little Ethan a small wink, "Right, Junior?"
The toddler gave a giggle, which brought a small smile to his mother's face. However, upon noticing her baby, she noticed his... "What did you do to my son?" She slowly got out of bed, despite wearing only a night gown herself. Theresa's face was mixed with both amusement and confusion as she regarded her son's current attire. "What did you dress him up in?"
Fox looked up at Theresa, puzzled for a moment before grinning with realization. "Oh! Yes... well, I think our young lad over here looks almost as good as his old man." He replied proudly. "Actually, a lot better than his old man. This guy is going to break some major hearts in Hawaii. Especially wearing this blue floral aloha print shirt and shorts!"
Theresa reached out her hands for her son, to which Fox gladly obliged. "He is quite the charmer in this attire, Fox." She cooed at his son, earning a happy giggle from him.
"Just like his daddy," Fox slyly replied, sitting back on the chair with a knowing smile on his face.
She rolled her eyes, a disgusted chill down her spine at the thought of her son's father. "Yeah, Julian's as charming as a rattlesnake..."
Fox gave a small chuckle, though his eyes still held the same secretive glint. A look in his eyes, though, that didn't go unnoticed.
"What is that look for, Nicholas?" Theresa teased, using his given name instead of his beloved nickname.
Feigning innocence, which only caused her to laugh. "What look?" He smiled brightly at her, loving the sound of his first name being played on her lips. Unlike how everyone else says it, to Fox the word 'Nicholas' was music to his ears.
"Oh... come on now, Nicholas! Don't you even dare pull that innocent crap on me! I know you well enough to know that you're planning something big! Now is it big enough that you can't even tell me?"
"Oh my wickedly beautiful step-mother..." He stood up and took a stride towards her. Fox noticed how she slightly shuddered at his "step-mother" reference. As much as he hated referring to Theresa with such a title, especially since she was a few years younger to himself in age, with each passing day of knowing her he found it merely as a front. A facade to hide his true agenda.
He gave her a soft look of apology, which Theresa nodded her head in acceptance. Continuing on with a secretive grin, "Yes I am planning on something big... and no, I cannot breathe a word of it to you. Which kills me because you're honestly one of a few best friends I've ever had in the world."
She looked up at him with her big brown eyes, only to cause Fox to momentarily weaken. This was, in his honest opinion, one of the disgusting things he found about love. How love was a paradox of an emotion, for it not only gives strength, but it was also a man's weakness. It was a man's courage, yet something to fear. For Fox especially, love was an unknown and he found himself completely scared as shit about it. Oh, he realized he was falling for Theresa long ago. It was born from the moment he laid eyes on her, but it fully began to grow and acknowledge itself days after talking with her. With each moment of being with her, Fox fell farther down from the high wall he built for himself.
Love was a fantasy, a myth really that Fox only heard in fairy tales but was never privy to feel himself. His parents never bestowed such an honor upon him as a child, even to this very day. His sisters, though he was as a brotherly right protective of them, were more like companions than family. His big brother? Oh, the only feeling Fox has ever felt towards Ethan was mere pity. As children, Fox knew firsthand that big brother Ethan was nothing like their father and grandfather. True Crane men filled with cunning and bravado to get what they want despite the consequences. At first, Fox believed that it was all due to Ivy's pampering that softened Ethan's Crane edge. However, once news leaked out that Ethan wasn't Julian's son but merely Sam Bennett's boy... Fox wasn't at all surprised. Then there's grandpappy Alistair... Years ago, Fox considered his grandfather as merely a cunning old man rich in money and charm, but lacking all soul. A twisted sort of role model. However, after some revealing late night talks and meetings with the elder, Fox found him nothing short of a genius.
There were instances where Fox had found something close to love. True friendship and trust. He actually found that in not just Maile... but most of all in Theresa. With Maile, Fox held back because though she was the type of person he could cause chaos with, Maile could very well stab him in the back. With Theresa, however, it was easy to forge a bond because she had the one weakness that could destroy any and all Cranes... Theresa had a big enough heart to love any that need and want it. She was a dreamer that, despite all the scars that his family has given her, found her ultimate strength and courage in this thing called love.
Theresa was love... and Fox needed her, wanted her, practically has been waiting for her all his life. There was no way he was going to let her go now. Not without a fight...
Fox stepped back, momentarily overwhelmed by his love for his Theresa. She gave him a questioning look, "You okay, Fox?"
Lightly shrugging it off, "Yeah... yes, I'm okay, sweetheart."
Theresa fought off a blush, though nothing short but thrilled to hear that word from his lips. It's true that their relationship was just merely platonic, but it was more than just friendship. Fox is the only man in her life that Theresa didn't have to put a facade. She could be herself around him, confide in him, trust enough in him to know he'll always have her back. In the short time they've been together as confidantes, Theresa grew to love him in a way she's never loved anyone before.
Memories of last night clouded her for the moment. Theresa has always loved Fox's half brother, Ethan, since she was a child. Placing him on this high pedestal as being the ideal love of a lifetime! She did everything she could to have his love, be in his arms, and for a while she had it in her grasp. However, once she lost it to another, Theresa vowed to have it back...
'No,' Theresa silently fought with herself, 'I meant him! Not it... or is it just his love that I'm truly after and not him?' All last night, after Theresa overheard Ethan vowing to his wife, Gwen, that she was his one true love... it finally broke the straw on the camel's back, so to speak. She had heard him say that countless of times to Gwen, never believing it herself until that night. Reality had seemed to smack her on the head, waking her up from her dream and into a nightmare. Hearing him speak those words that he had once told her herself, Theresa finally felt all her love for him die. And when it did, she was not only heartbroken by her lost, but terrified to tears.
Fox had told her time and time again that she had lost Ethan. That it was time to move on and forget about his "loser of a brother". Fox, not to mention her family and Whitney, encouraged Theresa to love again. Someone more worthy of her love. Theresa had always based her ideal of love on this one man, Ethan! How was she to move on after him? She didn't want to be alone, despite the love she had with her son. Oh, Theresa adored her little boy with everything in her... but it wasn't the same.
"Theresa?" Fox frowned, concerned by the glazed look in Theresa's eyes. He had a sinking feeling that she was thinking of her Ethan... and the thought of that made Fox sick to his stomach. Did he have to lose the love of another woman in his life to his loser of a brother, Ethan? He lost his mother long ago to the wimp... Fox will be damned if he was going to allow himself to lose Theresa to that fool!
"Theresa, we're going to be late."
"Huh?" She woke up from her reverie, gazing up at him with startled eyes. "Late for what?"
"Here," He reached out for little Ethan, removing him from Theresa's grasp. "Let me take Junior so you could get dressed and ready to leave."
"What?! Fox! Wait!" She glanced around the room, "Is that my suitcase? And where's the crib? Fox, I don't understand!"
Fox let out a mock exasperated sigh, then winked at little Ethan. "Guess we're going to have to break it down to mommy, huh, little one?" To Theresa, a secretive glimmer still shining in his eyes. "Remember that business trip grandpappy Alistair was planning on sending big Ethan?"
Theresa nodded, "Yes. He wanted Ethan to help seal the business transaction with the Omiat account..."
"Yeah, guaranteeing the Cranes majority of the timeshares on three major Hawaiian islands; Oahu, the Big Island, and Maui."
"Your grandfather wanted to send Ethan to meet with Mr. Omiat at the Ritz Carlton on Maui."
With a sly grin, "That's right... until now. See, I talked grandfather into letting you handle the deal! With yours truly at your side, of course."
Theresa's mouth slacked, baffled and blown away by this latest development. "What?! Fox, are you joking? This is a major deal and Alistair wants me to handle it?"
Fox shrugged like it was no big deal, "Yes, so? You can do it, Theresa. All you have to do is just secure Mr. Omiat's signature on paper and that's it! And it'll probably take, what?, fifteen minutes? After that, we can enjoy the rest of the three days that we have on Maui!"
Despite being in shock, Theresa couldn't help but grin with excitement. "Three days? In Hawaii?"
He laughed, loving how Theresa looked like a kid being told that she was going to Disneyland for the entire weekend. "Yes, Miss Theresa Lopez-Fitzgerald Crane! Now are you going to get ready to leave?"
Still a bit hesitant, though it was apparent in her eyes that wasn't going to turn down this offer anytime soon. Placing her hands on her hips, mock serious, "And you're coming with me?"
"Moi?" Playing innocent, "Of course! Why?" He smiled at little Ethan. "I mean, who's going to watch this big guy while his mother's getting a tan."
"Your intentions are certainly honorable, Nicholas." She teased.
"Well..." Fox slightly trailed off. The smart-alec grin never leaving his face, "I do have three reasons for wanting to go with you."
"And they are..." Though she was partly afraid to ask.
"One; to see you in a bathing suit." He winked, causing her to laugh.
"Thought so!"
"The second is because I miss Maui. That's my favorite vacation spot, beating Cancun and Europe any day! There are some really good friends, good people, to be made over there."
"And what's the third one?"
Fox looked at Theresa with such sincere eyes that it melted her heart. "I made a promise... actually, a promise and a half. The half being that I promised the little one here that I'd help build his very first sand castle."
Theresa couldn't take her eyes off Fox, "What was the full promise?"
He winked at her, "You'll find out soon enough." Fox tilted his chin, indicating to her closet. "I packed majority of your clothes already, but I left one outfit out for you. The little one and I will be waiting in my room. So now are you ready to get dressed and leave?"
Finally beaming at her two boys with excitement, "Yes I am! Just give me half an hour, okay?"
Fox saluted Theresa, then made her son salute as well. Theresa laughed, which caused Fox to grin even broader. "Yes ma'am! I mean, honestly I wouldn't mind if you wear that outfit you have on now, but..."
Theresa blushed, feeling a bit flustered before she began shooing them out. "Out, children! We're not going to leave anytime soon, you know."
As Theresa closed the door on Fox, she heard him outside talking to her little boy. A content smile was on her face as she heard him joking with her son.
"Can you believe that mother of yours, Junior? Only now she's worried about not leaving on time!"