Chapter 13:

A swirl of cigarette smoke rose and encircled Agnes Kavanaugh as she sat at her home office desk. She knew she shouldn't be smoking since she had suffered a heart attack a few years ago but she was celebrating! She was darn proud of herself. She sat back in her chair and smiled.

"Now that is a shit-eating grin if I've ever seen one." Her husband declared. Agnes giggled when she noticed her husband leaning against the doorsill of her office. He shoved off the doorsill and walked casually into the room. He was a tall, debonair, handsome man with dark brown hair streaked with silver. He was clean shaven most days, but this day he had a day's growth giving him that bad boy look! His eyes were a dark deep brown. He leaned over her desk and took the cigarette from her hand and snuffed it out. "So, what has you celebrating?" Agnes rolled her eyes knowing that he disapproved of her smoking habit. She wasn't upset by his actions but saw it as his love for her.

"Elena Lincoln has been admitted into a psych ward for evaluation." She smiled quite proud knowing that her little gift of those gossip rags had such an impact on the old pedophile. "And I am happy that our children are home and on track. Ethan is almost done with getting his doctorate." Eamonn frowned a bit. "Now stop that. I know you wanted Ethan to follow in your footsteps, but he has always wanted to be a doctor. We must let the children follow their dreams. Besides, you have Kate, and that girl has a fire in her belly. If we are not careful that girl will take over Kavanaugh Media before we are ready to let it go. She's too damn smart for her own good. And Ana, she is finally home where she belongs."

"You've always loved her." Eamonn said with a gentle smile. Heck, he loved her as a daughter also. She had a calming effect on both of their children. Both Ethan and Kate had been wild children, but they followed Ana's quiet leadership and put their noses to the proverbial grindstone. "I'm glad she's home also."

"She is wonderful as my PA, but I fear that her days are going to be short with me. Her love is in publishing, and I am sure that there is a position waiting for her at Grey Publishing."

"Do you think they are back together?"

"Yes, yes, I do." Agnes nodded her belief. "And I think there will be a ring involved soon."

"Really?"

"Oh, yes. If Christian Grey is as smart as everyone says he is … He will be putting a ring on it, as the younger generation says." Agnes gave a little happy sigh. "I think you should go fishing this weekend. Invite Carrick and Ray. You could use a boy's weekend of fishing and a few beers."

Eamonn laughed deeply. "Are you trying to get rid of me, wifey?"

"Oh, never. I'm just trying to smooth the way. I don't want anything to put roadblocks in the way of Ana's happiness. If the dads are getting along, then things will go easy."

"And Carla?"

"She is no consequence. She doesn't acknowledge that she has a daughter." This was something that Agnes did not understand. Ana was a delightful young woman. She was intelligent, hardworking, honest, and beautiful. Carla didn't even bother to attend Ana's college graduation. She didn't acknowledge the milestones in the young woman's career. She didn't even call Ana to congratulate her on her short-lived engagement. "I am keeping my eye on that woman. She won't be a problem, and if she tries, I have plans for her." Agnes'e blue-green eyes, the same as Kate's grew hard. "All will go as planned. Our children will have their happiness."

God help anyone who got in the way of a mama bear protecting her cubs!

Grace just hung up the phone. Agnes Kavanaugh had made her evening! Elena was now a patient in the prison psych ward. She couldn't help but smile. Everything was going as planned. By the end of the week, Elena will be declared insane and will be made a permanent patient, she would see to that. By the time Grace was through with that pedo bitch, the woman will be a stark raving lunatic. Besides losing her freedom, her beloved salons had been taken over by the one man that Elena despised, her ex-husband. The mansion that she lived in and mortgaged twice was now in Grace's ownership. She had plans to demolish the house and turn the grounds into a beautiful park with walking, riding, and bike trails. And just for shits and giggles, since Elena hated children under the age of twelve, she had plans for a massive playground for where the house stood. She would make sure that photos of Elena's grand house being torn down will be published along with her grand plans for the real estate.

It was good to be a tad bit petty with money to back it up!

Ana was sitting at her desk working through Agnes's schedule and answering phone calls. She was about to head out for lunch when her cellphone rang. She looked at the screen and smiled when she saw "The King". It was her little joke. She referred to Christian as "The King of Seattle."

"Hello, Your Majesty." She said with a laugh.

"Hello, Beautiful. So, I am thinking we could have lunch today."

"Actually, I am just leaving to go to lunch."

"Good, I'm out front." Christian informed her. "I'll be waiting for you."

Ana took her purse out of the bottom drawer of her desk, then stepped into Agne's office. "I'm going for lunch with Christian. I'll be back at one."

"Take your time, hon. It's a slow day." Agnes offered with a bright smile. "Have fun."

"Thanks, Agnes." Ana shut the door behind her and made her way to the elevators. When she got to the ground floor, she could see Christian standing next to his car through the plate glass windows of Kavanaugh Media's grand foyer. She took a deep breath. He had to be the best-looking man ever to walk on the face of the earth. He was dressed in a dark grey Tom Ford suit that fit him perfectly. He was wearing a lighter grey shirt and tie. His hair was in its usual disarray. For a few seconds she was back in his penthouse in his bed, and he was snuggled up next to her as she ran her fingers through his silky waves. Sex was still off the table, but they slept together every night. When Ana approached the glass door, Christian was there to open them for her. He took her hand and led her back to his car. As Taylor opened the car door, Christian leaned down and gave her a soft kiss.

"I've missed you." He whispered against her lips.

"It's just been a few hours." She giggled.

"Seems like for years." He replied.

Taylor stood beside the opened door and nodded as Ana made her way into the back of the Audi.

"Where are we going?" Ana asked as she buckled her seat belt.

"I thought we could eat at The Mile High. I hope you don't mind, but I already ordered for us since you only have an hour for lunch."

"I don't mind."

They were seated at Christian's private table to keep prying eyes from observing them as they ate. They spoke about their day.

"Um, Christian, I need to go back to Kate's after work. I have laundry to do."

"Bring it to mine and Gail can…"

"Christian, no. It's not Gail's job to do my laundry."

"It could be if you would move in with me." he said sheepishly. This was a subject that he wanted to bring up a few times but thought it might be to soon. The look on her face made him realize that he had been correct in that assumption.

"It's too soon. We just started…I mean we have only started…"

"We just started seeing each other again." He finished for her. "I know you are not too sure of this … this thing between us, but let me assure you, honey, this is the real thing. I adore you, Ana. I love you with all my heart and soul and I want us to be together … every day and night."

Ana heard what he was saying, and she wanted to believe him, however, she was hesitant to let herself dream of such joy. "Can I think about it for a while?"

"Of course, take all the time you need." He took her hand and kissed it softly. His eyes never left hers. "No pressure."

Kate returned home from work and was shocked to see Ana sitting on the sofa watching television. "Hey, honey, you're home?"

"Yeah, I needed to do laundry."

Kate plopped down beside her friend. "What? The King's washer and dryer in the shop?"

"Um..no." Ana smirked. "Besides he likes his clothes done on a washboard and my nails will not survive that!"

"Ha, ha, very funny." Kate retorted enjoying Ana's banter. "So, really, what's going on? You've spent the last two weeks at his."

"I thought we could use a little time apart." Ana took the magazine she was flipping through as she watched television and tossed it on the coffee table. "He asked me to move in with him."

"And…?"

"And I said I had to think about it."

Before she asked the question, Kate already knew the answer. Ana was gun-shy, so to speak. "So, what do you have to think about? You love him, he loves you. What's the problem?"

With a heavy sigh Ana sat back into the sofa. "Yes, I think he thinks he loves me, but I'm not really convinced."

"What more do you want, girl? He loves you completely." Kate repositioned herself so she could look straight at Ana. "Talk to me. What is the hold-up?"

Ana closed her eyes to find the words she needed to explain the jumbled mass of feelings that lived inside her. She was fearful! He had hurt her so badly before and she didn't think she could live through it again. She had to be sure that this was real! "What if he only wants me because he couldn't have me? What if he gets bored with me?"

"That road goes both ways, honey. Have you ever considered that he has had these same thoughts about you?" One blonde eyebrow arose in question. "You did run away for over a year."

"I was nursing a broken heart." Ana defended herself. "He broke me, Kate and it took for what seems forever to get myself back together. If it wasn't for Hank…" Ana broke down into tears. Kate pulled her close.

"I know, hon, it was hard. But this is now. This is the new and improved Christian Grey."

"How can I be sure? What if he wants…you know…that stuff?"

"Then you nut punch his ass and come back here."

Ana and Kate laughed until Ana's tears went from sadness and full of worry to tears of merriment!

A/N: For the Grammar Police/Guest who keeps posting their displeasure...to, too, two. Get a life!

To those who are enjoying the story … Thank you so much! You are the very best! Hugs to you all!