Just before Christmas in San Diego
"All I'm saying is it would be nice to have privacy, sooner than later," Elizabeth whispered as she cooked in the kitchen.
"I know that, love. Believe me. But you and I need time together to search for a house and we aren't getting enough of that either."
"I'll help Nana and Grandpa Campbell babysit," Aria offered walking in. "You guys need a date."
"Bugs, you can't volunteer people for babysitting," Elizabeth told her. "But, I will see how they feel about maybe taking that on and its awesome that you are willing to help."
"Okay." Aria shrugged and left the room.
Lucas moved closer and wrapped her up in his arms. "I miss you, Beth."
"I miss you too."
"Hi there," Campbell said, walking into the kitchen. Beth sighed and stepped back, stirring the vegetables in with the meat.
Lucas motioned for Campbell to follow him into the living room. He hated seeing Beth frustrated and if he could do something to help, he would.
"What's up, son?"
"Any chance we could talk you into babysitting the kids for us? Maybe Saturday?"
"I think that is very possible. I will talk to Helen and let you know for sure."
"Thank you. We really appreciate it. It would be maybe mid day through the evening. Aria said she would help you."
"That's great. I'll let you know." Campbell leaned in a bit. "I know its hard living with your parents when you have your own family. I did that too when I was married to my first wife. It was hard. Definitely took patience and we had to ask for help, much like you are doing."
"Good to know."
Elizabeth rocked Jillian in the master after feeding her, thinking about things. It wasn't that it was terrible living on the beach with her in-laws. She just missed having freedom to do whatever whenever. She missed not having a house of her own. Missed being able to feel comfortable kissing her husband in her own kitchen. She wanted to have a bedroom for the older two kids and a separate guest room.
"Babe?"
She looked up. "Hey."
"I talked to Campbell. He is going to ask Mom but Saturday is looking like the day. We can go out to lunch, do some house hunting, have dinner."
"That sounds good, hon."
"Also, its almost Christmas so we need to get a tree. Maybe we can leave Jillian with my parents for a few hours on Sunday and take Aria and Jamie out to a tree farm."
"Sure."
He knelt down next to her rocking chair and tucked her hair behind her ear. "We are going to find a house. We will have our privacy very soon."
"Let's take a bath tonight?" she suggested.
"Alright."
"With candles and soft music."
"And dessert?"
"Absolutely. And maybe we can see what happens?"
"Are you comfortable with that?"
"Knock knock," Helen said, walking in the bedroom.
"Mom? This is our room. Please don't come in without permission. The door was shut," Lucas said patiently. With more patience than Elizabeth might have had.
"I'm sorry, dear." Lucas sighed, kissed Elizabeth's forehead and turned to see what his mother wanted.
"What is it?"
"Campbell told me you want us to watch the kids?"
"Yes, please. We need some time alone. Also, on Sunday, if it's not too much, can you just watch Jilly? We are taking Aria and Jamie to find a Christmas tree."
"We could all go. That would be nice."
Elizabeth shrugged and he nodded. "Sure, Mom. Why don't we all go?"
Elizabeth and Lucas had made it a tradition in their home to always go and pick out a tree with the kids. However, what was the harm in having his parents join? They would have plenty of Christmas traditions at their own house. Once they found one.
In the meantime, tonight they would try to get some alone time. FInally.
…..
Later that night
Lucas put Jilly down in her crib and walked quietly to the bathroom where Elizabeth was waiting in the warm jacuzzi tub. He stopped and gazed at her before he did anything else. She was laying back in the water and bubbles up to her neck, her hair piled on top of her head, no makeup, a peaceful look on her gorgeous face.
"Are you going to join me, husband, or just stand there and stare?" She asked, opening one eye.
He chuckled and took his t-shirt up over his head. "I'm coming. You are so sexy and…you can't blame me, can you?"
She snorted. After two kids, her curves were more pronounced. It had only been going on nine weeks since Jilly was born so she still was carrying some extra weight.
"Trust me, love. You take my breath away." He leaned down and kissed her.
He sat on the floor by the tub and leaned back on his hands, his eyes focused on her.
"The way you look when you wake up, before you even get out of bed. The way you took Aria into your heart so quickly. The way you care for all three of our kids, putting their needs before your own, even when it maybe should be different."
She watched him tear up and chuckle. "I can't express with words how completely I love you, Elizabeth. I just do. More each day."
Jillian squawked in the bedroom. Lucas stood up and went to check on her. She started crying and then Elizabeth heard him leave the bedroom. She took her time in the bath and completed her nightly routine and put on one of Lucas' favorite lacy things she owned. The top was definitely tighter than it used to be but she was breastfeeding so it made sense.
Lucas walked in the room and put Jilly back in the crib without noticing she was even in bed waiting.
"Babe?" he said, walking in the bathroom. Then he turned around and stopped. "Wow…I…speechless, see? That's the effect you have on me."
He climbed into bed with her and smiled. "What's the smile about?" she asked, blushing as he turned off the light.
"I'm just so lucky."
….
Saturday
"Ready, love?" Lucas asked, coming into the bedroom.
"Yes!" She was so looking forward to an outing alone with Lucas.
"Great." He grabbed her hips and kissed her slowly and lovingly. "I'm really looking forward to going out with you."
"Me too," she told him, kissing him back. "Let's go before someone changes their mind or Jamie loses his mind."
Jamie was typically an easy going kid but he was going through a phase of only wanting Mommy and not wanting her to leave.
Elizabeth kissed Aria goodbye and snuck out to the garage while Lucas said goodbye to everyone else.
"Where Mama?" Jamie asked, a panicky look in his blue eyes.
"I love you, Jamie. Be good for Nana and Grandpa, alright?" Lucas kissed him again and left, not answering where Elizabeth was.
He heard Jamie start screaming as he started the car. "That's hard."
"Jamie?"
"Yeah. Poor kid."
"He will be fine. He knows we love him and Aria and Grandpa will come up with a distraction."
Lucas kissed her knuckles and backed out of the garage. "So, I thought we'd hit the two open houses we found and then get lunch."
"Okay."
"You look beautiful, Beth."
She blushed and then brushed at a wrinkle that the seatbelt was creating. "Thank you."
She had spent time on her hair, doing her makeup and dressing up. She felt good and apparently he felt she looked good too.
She looked over at him and gazed at his handsome profile. Her heart still raced, even after almost four years of marriage.
"You trimmed your beard," she noticed.
"I did," he confirmed, smiling and showing his dimples. Good grief, those dimples. Jamie and Aria had them. Once Jillian gave a full smile, she probably would too.
"You're so sexy."
He just chuckled and squeezed her hand as they hopped on the expressway.
"Thank you."
"No, really. Like my toes are tingling, Luke."
"Mm, tingling toes. Interesting." He threaded their fingers. "Or me, its not a physical feeling when I see you. It's an emptiness I feel when I don't. I feel like a part of me is missing until I see you again. If I can't reach out and touch you, I almost ache. I'm not sure if that makes sense."
"That was so sweet, honey. It does make sense. I know that ache well. When you leave in the morning, I feel it. When you text and say you're on your way home, I feel it until you walk in the door and kiss me."
He pulled off the expressway and into Coronado, a city near San Diego.
"I thought we'd get coffee and then head to the first house," he mentioned.
He pulled into a parking lot by a cute little coffee shop and bakery. Clayton's. He got out, opened her door for her and pulled her into his arms with a sigh.
"That ache…I needed you closer," he mumbled into her ear. "I love you so much."
She hugged him tighter and closed her eyes. "I love you more, sweetheart."
…..
1st house, Coronado Island
Lucas kept his hand touching her throughout the first open house. He either held her hand or wrapped his arm around her back, resting his hand on her hip.
"Luke, this would be a great room for Aria. She'd love the large windows and closet."
"Yeah. You're right." He led her by the hand to the smaller room across the hall. "Jamie?"
"Yep."
Next they wandered to the room next to the master. "Jilly," she said. "I can see us rocking her to sleep in that corner."
"Honey, if you really like it…" It was at the top of their budget but it was a very nice house. He would be happy living there.
"It will depend on the master suite and the size of where your office would be. The kitchen is perfect and the open concept."
The moment they walked in, she knew it was home. Exposed dark wood beams on the ceiling, dark metal chandelier, huge windows, brick fireplace, sitting area by the windows.
"Oh wow. Babe…are you sure we can afford this?"
"Its at the top of our budget but yeah. Maybe when we make an offer, we can come down a bit from the asking price."
"I think we should keep looking. Something cheaper."
"But, Babe. You love this. I can see it on your face."
"But we don't need fancy. I just need you and our family. That's all."
"And somewhere away from Helen Bouchard?" he teased.
"I love your mother, I do. I just want our own space."
He nodded and kissed her forehead. "I know. I appreciate your willingness to live with them as long as we have."
"I did it for you, for us. I'd do it all again too and if we couldn't move, I'd make the best of it. We'd have to set some ground rules, but I'd do it."
He wrapped his arms around her waist and smirked. "Like don't come in our bedroom without permission?"
"Uh yeah. What was that?"
"It could have been embarrassing but at least we were clothed."
She smiled and patted his arm. "At least there's that."
Lucas looked around the rather opulent master suite. "So this house is a no?"
"Yeah. Where to next?"