CPOV
"What do you have for me" I asked Barney.
I was in my tech meeting at the moment, trying to find a solution to the communications problem that we have when I go to Ana's. She's going home in a few days and even though she is safe on that mountain and Ray is there, it would put my mind at ease if I could just speak to her while we're apart.
"Have you heard of Project Loon sir" Louis asked me.
I had heard of it somewhere before but at the moment, I couldn't place it.
"Explain please" I told him.
"Project Loon is a network of balloons travelling on the edge of space, designed to extend internet connectivity to people in rural and remote areas worldwide."
"I'm not sure how the people of that town would feel with a balloon hanging in space above it, they might think its some sort of UFO. What else have we got."
"When you used the satellite phone, you said that you got through to Taylor but the connection was breaking up" Barney asked me.
"Yes, I could hardly hear him and had to call twice more before I could speak more than a few words. He must have thought I was a heavy breather on the line" I told them, making them all laugh before Barney said that they would work on boosting the signal.
"You have a couple of days to make it work. I don't want Ana going back to The Cascades without some form of communication."
I left them to it as they got down to work. My team haven't failed on any project I had set them so far and I doubt they would give up now. I just haven't given them a lot of time to get it done.
Walking back to my office, I passed Andrea's desk as she held her finger up to me.
"I have a Raymond Steele on the line for you" she said, putting the call on hold.
"Put him though Andrea please."
The phone was ringing as I entered my office. Taking a deep breath to calm the nerves that had just started, I picked it up.
"Hi Ray, how are you doing.
"Hello Christian, I'm fine. I was surprised to get the message you called, is everything ok."
I had called him this morning, hoping to ask an important question but he was out on a call.
"Everything is fine, I just wanted to talk to you about Ana"
"Is she ok, I spoke to Ana this morning and she was happily telling me that she was moving in with you."
"She's fine Ray, amazing in fact" I took a deep breath and told him the reason for my call. "The night Ana pulled me from the helicopter, I thought she was an angel, sent there to protect me and keep me warm. All the time we spent together in the hospital and in town, I was falling in love with her and that love has only gotten stronger everyday. I want to spend the rest of my life with her Ray so I'm asking you as her father, for your blessing so I can ask Ana to marry me" I knew I was mumbling through this but it's not everyday that you ask your girlfriends father, for her hand.
"Breath son before you pass out" he laughed, putting me at ease. "Ana is not just my daughter, she's my little girl, my world and I wouldn't just give her hand to anyone. Seeing you together, I know you make her happy. I can see it in her smile and the way she looks at you, a look I have never seen on her face before. As long as you continue to make my little girl happy then I'm happy for you both, don't and I have a gun and I'm not afraid to use it."
I knew he wasn't kidding but I could never imagine doing anything to make Ana mad, never mind hurt her.
"I promise Ray, I will always love and protect her."
"Then you have my blessing Christian."
Finally putting the phone down after my call, I breathed a sigh of relief. Before I met Ana, I never thought I would ever trust anyone again to get to the stage where Ana an I were but I have never been happier.
Opening the bottom drawer of my desk, I pulled the small box that had been nestled in there since we had come back from Winchester Falls.
I opened it to reveal the glass bauble that I was going to sneak on to the Christmas tree come Christmas morning. Ana will notice, she notices everything when it comes to the trees especially if something is out of place so I want this pride of place at the front of the tree.
Engraved around the middle of the bauble is Will you marry me repeated. I was originally going to commission one that could open with the ring inside but I wanted to do this proper, on one knee with the ring in my hand.
"Mr Grey your next meeting is here" Andrea said, coming over the intercom.
"Thank you Andrea, I will be out momentarily" I told her, carefully putting the box back into the drawer before I take it on Friday. Back to work.
...
"Do you think we have any chance of winning" Elliot asked me, pointing to the screen above the bar.
"With the way they're playing this season, probably not."
We were sat in a sports bar not far from Elliot's business, eating burgers and drinking beer while watching the game.
Ana was with Kate, packing up her room and probably on their second bottle of wine by the giggling, when I had called her earlier.
"So when are you tying the knot. With moving Ana in, it's the next natural step."
"I plan on asking her Christmas day."
He spat his drink out, spraying the barman before turning to face me.
"Shit, I was joking. You're really going to ask her."
"Yes. I already have Ray's permission and the ring has been designed and is in the process of being made. I will be picking it up Friday, before I leave."
"You have everything organised, then again you always did. Set your mind to it and you can do anything."
"That's Granddad talking" I smiled.
"He's right though. It worked when you set up GEH. Seeing you fulfil your dream, made me work harder to achieve mine."
"To dreams" I clinked my glass to his before taking a large drink.
"To our girls" our glasses touched again.
"I wonder what Granddad would have thought about Ana and Kate."
"Probably the same as Mum does. She idolises Ana for saving you and she has told me how much she likes Kate."
"What happened that night, how did you get word that I hadn't come back."
"Taylor called Dad. He and Mum were out for dinner and called me and Mia. We all met up at Escala where Taylor was but we were in the wrong place."
"What do you mean" I asked.
"The number that Ana called was Mum and Dad's house. You had Dad as next of kin so that's the only number she had. I remember when Gretchen called and said that a woman had rang who knew of your whereabouts. I don't think we had ever been so quiet before as we waited for Ana to answer the call, hoping it wasn't a hoax."
"It wasn't thank god."
"I'll drink to that" he said touching my glass to his again.
We played pool and I had the pleasure of beating my brother. It was nice to spend some time with him as we had always been close and that hadn't changed as we got older. Yes he can be hyper and sometimes drive me crazy but I know he will always be there when I need him.
"I wonder what state we are walking into" Elliot asked me as I opened Ana and Kate's apartment door. It was quiet, too quiet for two girls who had been drinking and laughing earlier. Ryan was outside so I know they hadn't left the building.
We found Kate curled up on the sofa, snoring quietly. Leaving Elliot to deal with Kate, I made my way towards Ana's room, closing the door behind me. Ana was fast asleep in the middle of her bed, her leggings around her ankles as if they were too much effort in her drunken state to take off and she had just given up and gone to sleep.
Her bed was surrounded by boxes, all packed up to be moved over to mine during the holidays. When we comes back to Seattle in the new year, Ana will be living with me.
"Ana" I said quietly, getting not even a grunt or a moan from her. There was half a glass of water on the side so I knew as usual that when she drank alcohol, she would drink her water as well.
"Ana."
"Christian, make love to me" she mumbled, making me smile.
"I will do when you're sober."
She opened her beautiful eyes to me, giving me a sexy smile.
"I'm sober" she giggled, opening her legs when I had removed the leggings.
She was in no fit state to do anything apart from sleep.
"Kate and I cried" she told me, stopping me in my tracks as I removed her shirt with what looked like a wine stain on the front. "We're so happy for each other that we cried. Aren't girls weird, we cry when we're happy and we cry when we're sad. I'm surprised men's brains don't explode trying to figure us out."
"We don't try to figure you out. We just run for cover when you realises it's us in the wrong."
I pulled one of my t shirts that had miraculously appeared in her room, over the head of my giggling girlfriend. I loved this woman more than anything and I hope we stay like this forever, minus the hangover she will have come morning.
…
"Oh my god, my mouth is like Gandhi's flip-flop" Ana moaned beside me as she reached for the bottle of water. I had replaced the glass last night, in case she pulled it too fast and ended up wearing it.
"How's your head." I asked, having painkillers on standby.
"My heads fine, I don't get headaches if I drink the water but my mouth is so dry. I'm never drinking again especially when I'm on work."
"I wonder how Kate is. We found her in the fetal position on the couch when we came in."
"She probably gave up on me coming back out. I told her I was going to change but my bed looked so comfortable. Trying to remove my clothes while I was lay down, obviously didn't work."
"No. You were pretty much tied up in your leggings when I came in."
"Thank you for rescuing me then" she said, sitting up in bed.
"Where are you going" I asked, not wanting to move yet."
"Some of us have to go to work" she smiled, leaning forward to kiss my lips before quickly pulling back. "I don't think you want my smelly breath on you."
I was having none of that as I pulled her back down on the bed, kissing her passionately.
"That's one way of getting rid of a dry mouth" she giggled. "Get your boyfriend to kiss you."
"And if you don't have a boyfriend."
"I'm afraid you will have to suffer then as I'm not sharing mine" she told me, before bringing her lips to mine once more.
…
We were sat at the breakfast bar eating cereal, well I was. Ana was on her third cup on tea getting rid of the dry mouth, she told me but I think the caffeine was what she wanted to wake her up.
"Don't shout" Kate said, coming out of her bedroom wearing sunglasses and followed closely by my brother. "I hate you Steele" she told Ana.
"What! You loved me last night."
"That was before you looked so good the next morning and have a clear head."
"I had a dry mouth, that counts as suffering."
"Ok. I still love you then" she kissed Ana's cheek before heading for the kettle.
It was fun to see these two go back and forth. They were more than best friends, sisters.
…
Driving over to SIP, I had Ana's hand firmly in mine.
"Does everyone treat this as a slow week, coming up to Christmas."
"Some do. I like to get everything done and out of the way so I don't come back to piles of work in the new year" she told me.
"You're too much like me, I would rather stay late that have to worry about it over the holidays."
"Are you working late tonight" she asked me.
"No, I was hoping to spend as much time with my girlfriend as possible before she leaves tomorrow so I was hoping we could go out for dinner."
"I'd like that" she kissed me before getting out of the car with Ryan. "See you later baby" she called through the door.
"Hey that's my name for you."
"Well I stole it, I will have to think of one for you" fine by me.
We waited until they were through the door before heading to Grey House.
"Did you fix the problem" I asked, sitting down in front of Barney and his team.
"We have boosted the signal on the satellite phone and Louis took a trip into the mountains. We were able to speak to him clearly when he was stationary but that became intermittent as he drove around and we never went up as high as Miss Steele's residence. You said the house is on the mountainside so I am hoping that the reception will be better than before. The only way of finding out how good the signal really is, is when Miss Steele arrives there and makes a call."
I wanted guarantees but I knew I wasn't going to get it. As Ana said, we were not moving her mountain just for a better reception. Project Loon might be an option after all if this doesn't work.
Ros and I spent the afternoon going over our own projects that we wanted to look at in the new year.
"I was thinking about SIP" Ros said.
"What about it."
"We outsource all our publishing needs at the moment. It seems silly now when GEH has its own publishing company. I know they do it for other businesses, Kay told me when we had our first meeting. So why not our own."
"I agree."
I have to admit that when Ana first told me about SIP, my main goal was keeping her job but Ros is right. We spend thousands of dollars a year on information booklets, flyers, even our own letterhead and business cards. All which could now be done through SIP.
…
Leaving the office, I was looking forward to spending my last evening with Ana until I see her again on Friday afternoon. I know it's only one day that she will be gone but that doesn't mean I won't miss her. I wish I could go with her but I have a meeting Friday morning that I just cannot get out of with the owners of a shipyard I'm interested in. After months of being given the run around and lots of red tape, it should all be finalised at the meeting on Friday morning. As soon as that is finished I will be in the car and on my way to meet Ana and hopefully enjoy some of this cake she's making Ray.
I was early when we arrived at SIP but instead of waiting in the car, I picked the rose up that I had placed on the seat next to me and headed into the building.
As of yet I haven't been here before, leaving everything up to Ros but I thought I would pick Ana up from work.
"Mr Grey" Jess greeted me as she came out of an office.
"Hi Jess, where is Ana's office."
She pointed to an office in the corner, which seemed to be where all the noise was coming from at the moment.
As I reached the door, Kay came out of it with a gift bag in hand. Ana had taken them with her this morning, presents for her friends she told me.
Knocking on her door, I was greeted with a beautiful smile from my girlfriend.
"I thought I would pick my girlfriend up from work on her last day" I told Ana.
"Most boyfriends pick their girlfriends up from outside" Shelly teased, getting up and walking towards the door.
"Most boyfriends don't own the company" I gave back to her.
"Touché Mr Grey, have a good Christmas" she laughed as Hannah followed her, leaving Ana and I alone.
I handed over the rose, to which she brought it to her nose to smell.
"It's beautiful thank you."
"You're very welcome, I like your office. Very you."
It was very calm, serene. A large picture behind her desk which looked like it had been taken off the back deck of her house, looking down on the valley below.
"It's hard to imagine what the house would look like in summer, having only ever seen it covered in snow."
"It's beautiful, especially when all the wild flowers are out. It's like having a permanent meadow as the slope is not very easy to mow, so only gets done twice a year."
"Easy maintenance garden."
"That and I don't fancy having a bad back, lugging the mower up the hill."
"We should get you a mountain goat then, it will eat it all up" I said, making her laugh.
"It was bad enough a reindeer eating my coat, without adding a goat into the equation as well."
I watched Ana pack her desk up, making sure everything is where it should be. She took some files out to Hannah before getting her jacket on.
"Ready for dinner" I asked her.
"Famished."
Ana hugged all her friends goodbye, knowing it would be next year when she saw them again. We headed over to Columbia Tower where we had reservations at The Mile high Club.
We were immediately shown to our table and a bottle of wine brought out, to which I had told them to have on ice for when we arrived.
"I think I will go slow on the wine" she told me, taking a small sip before putting it back down.
"No dry mouths" I asked.
"That and I need a clear head when I'm driving up a mountain."
"I will drink to that" I clinked my glass to hers before we ordered our dinner.
Steak, asparagus spears and crushed potatoes for two.
Ana asked me about the phone problem and if we had come up with any solutions yet.
"They have boosted the signal but the only way to know for sure is when you're there."
"I'm going to miss you Christian, even if it's just one night. I can't miss Dads birthday though."
"Ana, I wouldn't expect you too. I wish I could put this deal off until the new year so I could come with you."
"Then you would lose all the work you have done on it."
"We're a pair aren't we" I laughed.
"A perfect pair."
Dinner was lovely, the company more so. Arriving back at Escala the only lights were the Christmas tree that I have enjoyed having up immensely and the fire. I think that Gail loves the fact there is a tree up here more than I do, as she always asked me every year if I was getting one.
"Do you want a drink Ana" I asked as she shook her head.
"The next alcoholic drink I want is with my Christmas dinner" she laughed.
I reached for the stereo remote and soon music was coming through the speakers. I didn't have to say anything to Ana as she took my hand and we moved slowly across the floor.
"I love you baby" I whispered in her ear before kissing it.
"I love you too Christian, Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas Ana."
I was hoping that this would be the best Christmas ever.
Thank you for reading
Project Loon is a real thing so I thank my son who is a wealth of knowledge on pretty much everything.
Until next time when Ana goes back to Winchester Falls.
Take care
Caroline