Author's note: We're almost at the end! You ready? This chapter, two more, and an epilogue. The next chapters will probably happen tomorrow and the next day unless I can get some work done around my house in the next few hours and get the next chapter to you.
I want to thank everyone for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following. Tell all your friends that prefer to read complete fics that this one isn't one to be missed.
Happy reading!
Chapter Thirty-Two
"Wow!" Katniss said as she looked around the suite they had been showed to.
"Yeah." Peeta said.
"It's gigantic!" Caleb ran into the middle of the main room. "Where are the beds?"
The bellman that escorted them up pointed to a set of doors to his left. "Two bedrooms there." He pointed across the room. "Another there. The other is the bathroom." He walked across and opened the door. "Separate tub and shower."
"And the Abernathys paid for this in advance?" Peeta sat his toolbox on the counter in the kitchen area.
"They did. The wedding will take place in the courtyard just out there." He pointed to a set of French doors and walked across to them. He opened them. "We don't have room in the kitchen for cake preparation. We're booked. It's kind of short notice. But we do have this suite with the kitchen. It should be enough."
"I already have the cakes baked. It's just a matter of decoration. Do you perhaps have an extra table I can have for the prep? And maybe something on castors for moving?"
"I'll look into that for you, Mr. Mellark?" He handed the key to Peeta and closed up the French doors.
"Thank you." Peeta pulled a bill from his wallet and handed it over. "Let me know about the tables soon, please."
"I'll do it right now." He left the room and looked around. "Okay, I guess we need to discuss the room arrangements?"
Katniss slipped her arm around his waist. "I'll share with Caleb. You and Callie get your own rooms."
Peeta pressed his mouth to her ear. "No funny business, then?"
She smiled. "Well, I guess we can talk about that later. You have to get with the decorating."
He stole a kiss. "Right."
"Daddy, can we go to the pool?" Callie asked.
"Not yet, sweetheart. I'm going to need help with this for the first little bit. Maybe if Katniss is up for it, you can go swimming in a little while."
She sighed and picked up the remote as she plopped down on the sofa. "This is the biggest TV I've ever seen." She marveled, clearly over not getting to go to the pool right away.
Caleb climbed up on a chair as Peeta unpacked all his tools and the decorations he'd been working on for the last week.
Katniss stood close by. Peeta touched her whenever he walked past her to distribute things different places. She smiled. "Is there anything you want me to do yet or are you still trying to get organized?"
"Open that fridge for me, would you?" He started unstacking the boxes that held the cakes.
She did. "Fully stocked."
"Just what I was afraid of." He walked to the phone on the wall and dialed the front desk. "Yeah, I actually need most of this refrigerator. Is there any way the food inside can be transported elsewhere?" He paused. He stepped toward Katniss and smoothed his hand over her hair. "Okay, thank you." He hung up. "Will you help me start unloading this? Someone's on the way here with a cooler to cart it off. Caleb?"
Caleb hurried over and helped take things out and sat them on the dining table. They worked together, even Callie helped out. Peeta was finally able to get everything he needed in the fridge and to get to work. Tables arrived and the food went away.
Callie went back to the TV and Caleb got back to the table to watch. Katniss attempted to help Peeta, but she seemed to mostly be in the way. He assured her she was very helpful, but eventually claimed he could finish up on his own.
"Take those two yahoos swimming. I'll come get you when I need more help." He tapped the end of her nose with a bit of frosting.
She laughed and wiped it off. "What was that for?"
"Because I felt like it." He leaned forward and kissed her softly. He whispered, "I love you."
"I know." She whispered back. She kissed him again and then she walked over and leaned close to Callie's ear. "Hey, Calliope."
The girl jumped and turned with a laugh.
"Go get your swim suit on, kiddo." Katniss chuckled.
"Is Daddy coming, too?" Callie asked.
"Daddy's working. Maybe once he's got the cake finished." She kissed Callie's temple and moved away. "Come on, Caleb, I'll help you find your trunks."
Katniss was in the middle of changing into her suit when the bathroom door opened from the bedroom and Peeta slipped in. She shook her head. "What are you doing?"
"I wanted to have a private moment with you."
"The kids are just outside."
"I'll go through that door into the bedroom and wait until you leave." He wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his forehead against hers. "I want you to share my room tonight. You did that night when Caleb was there. So he knows we have shared a bed. I'm sure Cal knows, too."
She stroked his cheeks. "Okay. We're sharing a bed. Now let me go so I can take the kids swimming."
He heaved a dramatic sigh. "And I have to get back to work."
"Oh, poor baby. Doing your job." She rubbed his back. "I'll massage your shoulders and your ego after I have a little fun in the pool." She grabbed three towels and headed out of the bathroom. "Let's get going, kids. Dad needs peace."
"Where is Dad?" Callie asked as they walked out the door.
"Bedroom, I guess." Katniss ushered them outside before they looked toward the bathroom.
They had a blast at the pool. Katniss cheered Callie and Caleb on as they raced back and forth. They played Marco Polo.
Peeta came and stood by the pool to watch them for a while. Katniss noticed him before the kids did. She gave him a seductive wink and a smile.
Callie swam toward the edge when she noticed him. "Hi, Dad. How's the cake?"
"Coming along nicely." He kneeled down. "I needed a break."
Caleb called from the top of the slide. "Hey, Peeta, watch!" He launched himself down head first and swam forward several feet before he surfaced. "Did you see, Peeta?" He asked as he pushed water out of his face.
"I saw, buddy. Good j—" His sentence was cut off by a pull on his arms and then he hit the water. He came up laughing and splashed Katniss and his daughter. "Good think I left my phone and keys over there with your shoes."
Katniss wrapped her arms around his neck. "Are you on track?"
"Yep." He pressed a kiss to her lips.
She smiled. "You should stop."
"I should." He kissed her again.
Caleb jumped on his back. "Can you take me for a ride, Peeta?"
"Just for a little, buddy, I need to get back to work." He swam in circles and then let Caleb go. "I have to get back to the room. And I need a little help getting the cake out to the party soon."
The kids groaned. Callie asked, "Do we have to leave then?"
"I think so." Katniss said. "Four people that need to change out of their wet clothes and a cake to finish." She looked to Peeta. "You get a head start."
"One more kiss before I go?" Peeta asked.
She smiled and nodded.
He pressed his lips to hers.
"Can I go with Peeta?" Caleb asked.
Katniss looked askance at Peeta and then nodded. "Go for it." She said.
Caleb happily scrambled out of the pool after Peeta.
After they were gone, Callie asked, "So what's going on?"
Katniss smiled. "What do you mean?"
"With my dad. When we left you called him Dad to both of us."
Katniss pulled herself up on the edge. Callie followed and Katniss wrapped an arm around her waist. "Sometimes things just come out."
"But does that mean you want my dad to be Caleb's dad?" The girl asked hopefully.
"I don't know." She smoothed her hand over Callie's hair. "It would be nice." She kissed Callie's temple and then stood. She held out her hand. "Let's go get out of these wet clothes. It should be time for dinner soon."
"What are we going to have?" She took Katniss's hand and let herself be hoisted to her feet.
"We'll see. We have that kitchen. We could probably make something."
They stepped into the hotel room just as Peeta stepped out of the bathroom. His hair was still wet and a curl hung over his eye. Katniss wanted to run across the room and brush it back and kiss him until they couldn't breathe. She shook herself and walked to the couch. She ruffled Caleb's hair.
"Callie and I were just discussing dinner." Katniss said.
"I could whip something together." Peeta said as he went back to the cake and got to work. "Or we could order room service."
"What's room service?" Caleb asked.
Katniss said, "We call and order food and they bring it to us."
"Let's do that!" Callie said. "Will they make us anything we want?"
"Here's the menu." Peeta pulled it out and sat it on the counter.
Callie snatched it up and plopped down on the couch beside Caleb.
Katniss left them to it to change. When she came out, the kids had both decided that everything sounded gross except for cheeseburgers and fries. Katniss agreed after she read it. She showed it to Peeta.
"Fancy pants menu for a fancy pants hotel." He chuckled. "I'll have the same. You want to call?"
"Sure. Calliope, change out of your suit."
"Yes, ma'am." She got up and went into her room.
After she ordered their food, Katniss sat in a bar stool across from Peeta as he continued to work on the cake. "You're so talented." She said with a smile.
He matched her smile. "Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"You want some?" He indicated the piping bag he held.
"No thanks."
He worked quietly for a moment and then slid something across the table. In icing, he'd written, "Can't wait for bed."
She smiled and swiped her finger through the last word. "Same." She stuck her finger in her mouth and sucked the confection off.
Peeta blushed a little and cleared his throat. "I'm almost done with this."
"And then what happens with it?" She ate more of the icing.
"We put it on that cart over there," he pointed to a rolling table he'd sat off to the side, "and roll it out to the other end of the courtyard. Then I get the rest of my payment. And I can take you out on the town."
"On a date?" She asked softly.
He looked over her shoulder and then said just as softly, "Do you want it to be?"
She shrugged. "I don't know."
He nodded. "How are you feeling? After last week's therapy? I haven't asked in a while."
"It's fine." She looked down. "I keep thinking…" She looked over her shoulder to see the kids now watching TV together. "I'll tell you later."
"You don't have to tell me anything. I just want to make sure you're okay?" He put the piping bag down and pulled a box toward him. He pulled out a flower and placed it on top. He slowly started to put more on in a lovely cascade down the side.
Peeta took a break to eat and then put the finishing touches on the cake.
"That's awesome!" Callie said.
Caleb nodded. "It's so pretty, Peeta. I want to decorate cakes like you do."
"I'll teach you, kid." Peeta promised.
"Okay, cool!" Caleb pushed the rolling cart over. "Is it time to move it?"
"It is. Katniss, do you think you can help lift this thing? It's pretty heavy."
"I'm strong." She promised. But it was heavier than it looked. She was worried she'd drop it, but they made it to the cart. She walked at the front and made sure it didn't tip. The kids walked on either side.
At the other end of the massive courtyard stood a covered tent. On one end was an altar draped in beautiful silver and white fabric. There were calla lilies on pedestals all around the perimeter. Workers did the finishing touches as Haymitch and a beautiful woman dressed to the nines with hair teased about six inches high looked on.
They came over. The woman walked on heels higher than Katniss ever imagined anyone could safely manage.
She held out her hand. "I'm Effie."
Peeta shook it. "Peeta Mellark. Congratulations on your daughter's marriage. I hope the cake looks alright."
"Beautiful." She said. Tears sprung to her eyes. "Oh, Jo is going to love it."
Haymitch grumbled and handed over a handkerchief. He reached back into his pocket and pulled out an envelope. "Thank you so much. And anything you want on room service, you can get. The room is all taken care of."
"Thank you, Haymitch. And let the brides know it was a great pleasure creating this masterpiece for them." He shook both their hands and Katniss did the same.
They returned to their room where they all gathered on the couch to watch TV all piled together on the couch. The party started outside and they could hear the music muffled through the doors. It sounded like they had a small string band. They played a slow tune.
"That's pretty." Callie noted. "Can we open the doors and listen?"
"Sure." Peeta said. He got up and walked over to open it. He stood there watching the group dancing on the other end. He turned. "Katniss, may I have this dance?"
She smiled and got up. She placed her hand in his outstretched one and spun into his arms. He pulled her close and danced smoothly. She shook her head. "Is there anything you can't do?"
He grinned. "Shoot a bow." He spun her out again and then back. He held her close once more and whispered in her ear, "We're going to need to have a very serious conversation soon."
"About what?" She asked. Her heart beat hard in her chest.
"How amazing you'd be for me."
She smiled and rested her forehead against his. "I don't know, Peeta."
"Well, if you don't know, you shouldn't hold me so tightly." They swayed in silence until the song ended.
They stood still as the next number started, this one more upbeat. Katniss sniffed and stepped back. She wiped her eyes and shook her head. "No. No, I don't think so, Peeta." She hurried into the bathroom and sat on the closed toilet. She covered her face with her hands and sobbed.
It hurt. Why did everything always hurt? Why could she never be happy like Gale and Prim? Why couldn't she just accept Peeta's love? It's not like she didn't feel it for him in return, she just didn't know if she could trust it, even if she said it out loud.
But she did love him. She did. She reached for some toilet paper and wiped her eyes and blew her nose and stood. She loved him. She knew she did. So how was she going to handle it now?