Chapter 33

Gabriella had arrived. Naturally she had flown private jet to Boston. She was on her way to Olivia's place right now. Olivia was on pins and needles. Fitz' mother was coming to her home. Her home was just a little four-bedroom duplex in a gated community. It was a very nice place but in no way was it a mansion; which Gabriella was accustomed to. It was spacious if you included the full basement. There were three other rooms not including the huge recreation room. She'd converted one space into a laundry room. There was a fifth bedroom and one room undefined.

Security had taken over the undefined room and the entire basement for that matter. The recreation room had served little purpose other than the two times her brother and his family had come to town. Even when Darcie visited, they rarely ventured down there. She had a very nice great room adjoining her kitchen. What little socializing she did, occurred there.

Gabriella was staying with her. She had specifically said that she wanted to. Olivia was a neat freak so her place was immaculate except for her study. Occasionally she would let it go with her texts and medical journals. However, after four years she could hide that stuff in a matter of minutes. Gabriella would have the largest guest room. It had been meticulously decorated with her Nana in mind.

Nana had loved beautiful things. The mother-in-law suite on Overton Place had been a thing of beauty that she shared with Olivia. When Nana passed away her father had given it to her as her own. In her heart Olivia knew she would never see the place again along with the wonderful legacy her Nana had left behind. Her father would be angry and bitter. Needing someone to blame for his divorce, Tessa Pope and her children would be on the end of his wrath. Of that, she was sure. Olivia thought of the things that she had left in the apartment. The clothing left behind was irrelevant. Nana's mirror and a few other things she would've liked to have. It was all lost to her now. Overton Place was in the past!

Nana had told her that she was leaving some very specific things to her in her will. According to Thomas Pope his mother had left everything to him. She didn't contradict him when Nana had died and she wouldn't contradict him now. If he had been planning to give her anything, he surely had changed his mind behind her leaving the Caymans with Fitz. Now there was the infamous Pope divorce!

Her car was special to her. Olivia made the initial down payment herself. Every payment was made on time until she had received the title "paid in full." The PT Cruiser reminded her of another era. It was more than a car. It was a symbol of something personal to her. It declared her independence! Her motorcycle had been a gift from her parents. Most teens and many adults rode bikes about the island. It was an established and safe mode of transportation. Fitz didn't think the roads in America were safe enough for her to ride her bike. He had gotten a promise from her never to ride a bike in the states. She'd read the statistics. As a budding physician she had actually seen some of the devastation of bike accidents. Her motorcycle riding days were over. Fitz loved plain bike riding though. He had promised her a brand-new bike!

She hadn't discussed anything left behind with her father and she didn't intend to. In her discussions with Fitz about those things, he vowed to replace anything that she wanted from the Caymans. He was serious; he would buy her anything. At this point the Overton Place things were part of her past. She was living in the future. Her future was here in Cambridge and soon to be Boston. She would create a life here with things that were meaningful to she and Fitz.

Gabriella would be here shortly and her coming here was the beginning of that future. She was going to become part of a dynastic American family. Her life and the tribulations in the Caymans were behind her. She was going to take her mother-in-law to be out for dinner. Tomorrow they would begin their quest to find the perfect house for she and Fitz! A huge smile was on her face.

Back in the Caymans, Thomas Pope had gone through the week in a rage. He had hidden his anger behind a façade of smiles and gentility. His ex-wife had humiliated him beyond measure. He had signed the divorce documents because he had no choice. Tessa had meant to ruin him. She had gathered damaging information about him and she intended to spread it throughout the Caribbean. Some of that information could send him to prison. She had threatened to use it against him if he hadn't signed those damned documents. It was evil what Tessa had done. She deserved to be punished. When she returned to him on her knees, he would see that she received fitting punishment. As for Olivia and Tommy he was finished with them. He had no children just as he now had no wife!

He had boxed and bagged up all of Tessa's clothing. He wanted to discard them in the streets. Doing so would only put his business in the spotlight. He was going to sell every bit of it! Her furs and jewelry, everything would be on the market. He wouldn't get twenty-five million dollars but he would have something to show for his loss. He intended to clear out the mother-in-law suite as well. Olivia had abandoned the home he provided for her to shack up with that no-good playboy from the States. He would sell off her stuff as well. The automobile was in Olivia's name but he had the paperwork for that bike. He would charge her storage fees starting the day she had left the islands. Tessa and his children had abandoned him and he would remind them who was in charge on Overton Place!

Everyone that had played a part in Tessa's divorce action would one day have a reckoning. He would never let this humiliation go. He even wanted his mealy-mouthed attorney to face consequences. A constant mantra within his head had been "one day." One day they all would pay!

Meanwhile his ex-wife was quietly going about the business of realigning her life. The closing for her house was only two weeks away. She was buying a spanking brand-new mansion in an area more prestigious that Overton. Along with secret investments, the stash she had hidden right under Thomas' nose, and her generous divorce settlement; she had plenty of money. She would spend it any way she chose!

She had decided that she wanted a car that attested to the new woman she was. She was now a woman of the world. True, she wasn't any longer the belle of the ball. She was in her fifties but she didn't look it. Especially since she had ditched the matron-like clothes that Thomas had insisted that she wear. Her wardrobe was now stylish and carefree. She looked like a younger version of Olivia. She could easily pass for a woman in her forties!

She had the car dealership prepare her a detailed comparison list between a Mercedes and a Jaguar. Ultimately, she decided on the Jaguar for no other reason other than Thomas had a Mercedes. She felt bold and free. It wasn't so much that anything she did in her new life was to taunt her tormentor. She simply wanted him to know that he no longer controlled her. She had done ample study on the vehicles and she'd made her choice. Or she should say choices! She had ordered not one but two Jaguars!

Tessa was waiting for her Jaguar Coupe and Jaguar Pace to arrive next month. The color of both of her automobiles was called Hakuba Silver. The pronunciation of the word intrigued her. Hay-buke-a! She had purchased the sleek two-seater specifically for her to drive about the islands. Her goal was to tell not just Thomas Pope but everyone in what position her life stood. She was an entirely different person. When Tommy came to town, she would have the Pace to provide he and his family transportation. Spending almost two-hundred-thousand dollars on automobiles was a lot of money. So was the cost of her two-point-five-million-dollar home on a two-acre lot. She was brand new and so was her thinking. She was living life right now for Tessa. That was the rub, plain and simple!

Across town James Lockheed had been apprised of what Tessa Adderley Pope was doing. His men still watched, followed her, and reported back to him. She had truly divorced her husband. She had done it! She was free of Thomas Pope. When he had read the report, his heart had all but stopped beating. He had closed his eyes to regain his composure. He had always dreamed that one day she would be free and away from her husband. He had coveted her every day of that wretched marriage. He had loved her and at one time she had loved him. So why in God's name had she stood at an altar and married his best friend? Surely she wouldn't do this to them! Why had he stood there like a fool and allowed it?

Pride had been the most of it. In his mind there was no way she would marry another man after all they had shared! He thought often of the sexual interludes they had shared but their relationship had been so much more than sex. Yes, it had been private and clandestine but they had spent an enormous amount of time together outside of his bedroom. They had interacted with others supposedly just as friends. They had gone on picnics, to movies, and to church. They'd frolicked in the sea. The walked the beaches when they were alone hand-in-hand. When she looked at him, he had seen the love in her eyes. For almost two years they had shared a life. And she had shared her beautiful and unforgettable body with him.

She'd come to him night after night giving him everything but her precious maidenhead. He had envisioned himself breaking that barrier on their wedding night. Their intimacies had been so close and defined that he had sworn he'd seen the barrier with his own eyes as he had intimately loved her. Truth was, none of that mattered at least not to Tessa. It had been Thomas she was saving her precious maidenhead for and it was he, that had broken through it. Five years into her godforsaken marriage she had come to him offering herself to him. He couldn't refuse her! And for one night she given him everything. For hours and hours, he had taken her again and again. Spilling himself inside her like a teenaged boy. She was the most passionate woman he had ever known. She exploded again and again for him. And then with his semen leaking from her body, she had left his bed and gone home to her husband.

As much as he had tried to hate her for that night, he couldn't. It had been the most exhilarating night of his life. He would never love anyone that way again. She had made her choice. He chose to ignore her for almost a quarter of a century but he didn't hate her. He still loved her and he knew it. It was why he was alone in his office reading a dossier on the woman. It was why he didn't have a wife and children of his own. Fool that he was, he still coveted another man's wife!

Tessa Pope was buying houses and cars. She was in the process of reacquiring her drivers' license. She had used to drive but Thomas had convinced her that she didn't need to. As the wife of the island's most prominent doctor she should be chauffeured to her destinations or her esteemed husband should take her where she needed to go. Once her children became drivers it became their job to drive her. At the insistence of her husband, she had allowed her license to expire. She hadn't wanted to give up driving. It was a passion of hers. She and Jimmy in their desire for privacy often escaped to the most deserted side of the island. At the time he had this great little sports car and he would always let her drive it. She would get behind the wheel and let it rip. She couldn't wait for her reinstatement. She had fulfilled the requirements and awaited licensure in the mail.

Perhaps she had overdone it but she was a woman of means. She was more than a wife, mother and grandmother. With her new circumstances she expected her son and his family to stay with her when they came to visit. She had purchased the house with that in mind. There were plenty of bedrooms and lots of outdoor space. There was a beautiful pool and she had ordered an age-appropriate play set for her grandchildren. She never intended to be denied the ability to shower love on her grandchildren or Tommy and Olivia again! She intended to make-up for her years of indifference and neglect.

She had purchased a house in Neelsley. She had purchased a house in his own elegant neighborhood. Even though she knew that he rarely if ever stayed at the place, she purchased a house there. At some point in time he would know that she was there. He spent most of his nights at the resort or at The Point. So what, if he were rarely at the property? He had a house in Neelsley and now so did she!

He had moved from the modest home he had on Rexton Way. He owned several properties including that one. It had been his first home. She imagined that he didn't have the heart to sell it. It could be that the place held too many memories of a past life! A life that he had once shared with her. It was on Rexton Way that they had started their love affair. It was that love affair that now stayed in her head from sunrise to sunset! She was much too old to be fantasizing about a romance she'd had and decimated almost a quarter of a century ago. She reminded herself to get it together. She needed to concentrate on one thing at a time!

While Tessa Adderley Pope was in the process of rebuilding her life, James Lockheed was unable to get her out of his head. His mind was still filled with thoughts of her. He had concerned himself with her wellbeing for years. It would be a hard habit to break. He'd known that her marriage was shit. How could it not be? He had prayed for it's demise and now it was over. He was in his office at the resort pacing like a wild man. One minute he was delighted about the news of her freedom and the next he was still so angry with her! The woman had lain with him in his bed consistently for more than a year and half. They had professed love for one another day in and day out. She had given him her body in all ways but one freely and passionately. Yet when Thomas Pope had returned to the Caymans with a medical degree, she had pulled up her drawers and gone to him! Maybe she had never loved him at all! Bitterness still coursed through his veins about her betrayal! There was bitterness, but there was something else.

He wanted her as much as he ever had. To his shame and detriment, that was a fact. Apparently he was yet to learn his lesson. The woman had taken his heart and broken it into. She was not at all the woman he thought her to be. He needed to stand down! Extracting himself from this situation was what he should do regardless of what Tess was doing. What her next move would be, he didn't know. Perhaps he didn't need to know. He wouldn't make one step toward her! If Tess was at all interested in him in any way, it would be she that would have to make a move. His heart now beat like a drum knowing that she was free but he couldn't chance it being smashed to bits again. He wouldn't survive it. He placed the most recent dossier he held in his hands in his safe with the others.

"Come in Gabriella. It's so good to see you. This is such a wonderful thing you are doing. Your help is exactly what I need on this. I don't know what took me so long to see it. Please take her bags to the larger guest room if you would, Hubert. Are you hungry, Gabriella? I imagine you had lunch on the jet. Or did you?"

"I'm fine Olivia. Why don't I get settled in and then we sit down and come up with plans as to how we will proceed. I've already researched the neighborhoods Fitz has in mind, as I'm sure you have done. We'll see which ones we will eliminate and which ones we feel should be on our final list. Does that sound like a plan?"

"It does. Come let me acquaint you with the house. I'm so glad you opted to stay with me. I so enjoyed your company in Santa Barbara. We got along so well. It was fun getting to know you. This will be a continuation of that as we search for the perfect house for Fitz and I. He had said we had a lot is common and he was right. Let me remind you again of how much I appreciate you coming to help me."

"It's my pleasure Olivia. My son is one of my greatest treasures. I have prayed for the day he would find someone to love and settle down. I'm so happy that he found you and that you make him so happy. Helping you find the perfect house is the least I can do. My husband and I lead a very simple life. We plan everything out. My coming to Boston wasn't on the calendar and he had a little pout when I left so quickly. We are rarely apart and I have an obligation that is coming up that would see us apart for more than six weeks unless he can join me. He's reeling just a little. Believe it or not we are very much in love after almost thirty-eight years together. The reason for that is that we are rarely apart from each other."

"Oh Gabriella! I'm so sorry. To be honest, I didn't think of Jerry. Would he have come with you if I had asked? Perhaps it's not too late…"

"Olivia, I mentioned it only in passing. Jerry will be fine. We will wrap this up I predict in a week at the most. Unless your schedule somehow keeps us at a slow pace. I had forgotten that you have a set schedule. How much time will you be able to devote to this project?"

"What I've been able to do is be dismissed from the classroom for the next two weeks. I must attend all direct patient care studies. Meaning I must attend those hands-on sessions. My instructors have been most lenient. My advisor is a dear friend and I have shared some aspects of my happy news with her. She has been most amenable. This week I have Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings available for our quest. All day Saturday and Sunday morning. Next week I will be available mornings.

The realtor has made herself available when I'm available. I become available each day at one o'clock in the afternoon this week. Next week on the same days I'm available from eight to one in the mornings. I would see you settled in and perhaps we can make plans for our searches for the rest of the week."

"Sounds good. What I've seen of your place is lovely. I know you can't wait for Fitz to join you. It makes me so happy to see the two of you planning a future together. My son loves you so much Olivia."

"I know that he does and I love him in the exact same way. We intend to build a future together and this house we are searching for is the beginning of that. I feel so blessed to have found him. Fitz and I share a most extraordinary connection, Gabriella. Can you imagine turning around and looking into the very eyes that have haunted your dreams?"

"My son has told me that you and he connected in a very special way. He's convinced that you and he have loved before and that what you share is simply a continuation of the past."

"Whatever it is, it's the most wonderful thing and I could never put into words my happiness right now. Come, let me show you the house. So much of me is reflected here. Perhaps as you see my tastes it will help us in our quest."

The house was small compared to what Gabriella had become accustomed to but the home was very nice. She was very impressed with what Olivia had done to the space. The place could easily have been displayed in a magazine. Olivia had great taste and it was evident throughout the house. To Gabriella's dismay, she had not used an interior decorator. Olivia had furnished the house completely herself on a budget set by her godfather. He was a very generous man. The house was filled with antiques and quality pieces. Olivia was Americanized for sure yet the place had a subtle Caribbean flair!

Her job here was going to be easy. Olivia's concerns were totally unwarranted. This first home of theirs together would establish the foundation of their relationship. Fitz wanted Olivia to choose the house. Together they would turn it into a home. Gabriella understood the gesture. It was a loving one! The one thing that she observed right away was that her son and his bride-to-be had very similar taste.

After touring the house, the two of them sat down and talked for while. It was girl's talk and much more. Gabriella had been most pleased with the young woman Fitz had "brought home" for Christmas. She had been funny and extremely smart. She had fit in with the family. Jerry and Papa Joe were enchanted with her. The fact that she was drop dead gorgeous was a factor. Both men admired feminine beauty but more than that they admired a woman of substance and one that is smart. Once Olivia had gotten over her initial shyness she had shone like a bright light. She had gotten along well with both family and friends. Fitz had said his friends had loved their interaction with her. Olivia was a shoo-in and Gabriella had been thrilled when she had called her.

They were currently on their way to dinner. They would start their quest to find the perfect house tomorrow. They planned to spend the first day being internet trolls. They had the realtors' lists, Gabriella's list, Fitz' list as well as her own. They would compare lists and narrow down the possibilities and go from there. When they actually left to go and look at prospective houses, those houses would've a made a very specific list!

Olivia couldn't contain her excitement. Finally, she was excited about what she was doing. Gabriella's presence was a catalyst for her. She had been excited and her excitement had spilled over into Olivia. She had to get this done for she and Fitz. Once Gabriella gave her a clearer picture of what her home had to be, Olivia was definitely onboard. Elegance and beauty were nice features but security was always first. Their men couldn't be as successful as they are if they are overly concerned for their welfare. Fitz had already emphasized that point but his mother had brought it home. To have a home that was truly safe the security team needed the location like yesterday! With Gabriella's help she was going to find the perfect place!

The next day Olivia came home more ready than ever to tackle her task. They put their plan into action which was to narrow their search down to five houses. When they had finally come up with five acceptable locations, they had been on commuter search for three days. Their plan for today was to start out bright and early tomorrow morning. Olivia had contacted the realtor and she would arrive here at seven-thirty am and they would be on the road by eight. Security was in place and Olivia was ready to go. This had all been so easy. Calling Gabriella to help her was an excellent choice. Their comraderie was easy and evident. Fitz' mother was a wonderful woman. She was truly treating Olivia as the daughter she never had.

They had wound down from their day of decision making. It had been a grueling process. Olivia was very pleased with what they had achieved. They had five remarkable houses to explore. Olivia knew she would recognize her house when she saw it. Like most things concerning she and Fitz, they happened for a reason. Glimpses of their future were very often revealed to them. She felt certain that once she was in the home that they should purchase, she would recognize it! She was counting on it.

Olivia was now relaxing in her bedroom. Gabriella was in her kitchen preparing a meal. She had insisted and Olivia didn't grumble about it. She had gotten up early for school and had come home and gone straight to Gabriella and her computer. As it was Gabriella that had done most of the leg work and she was grateful. Tomorrow she was sure that they would find the house of her dreams. Saturday traffic wouldn't be nearly as bad as week-day traffic. It was going to be a perfect day and she knew it.

It was still early. Fitz called every night at eleven. She decided she couldn't wait to hear from him. If he wasn't busy, she wanted to share her excitement. She was very excited to tell Fitz the news. Hopefully he wasn't tied up in court. She wanted to hear his voice. She dialed him. She answered the phone himself. Sometimes if he was really tied up, Drey would answer his phone. His voice made her smile.

"Hello Sweet Baby. Is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine. Fitz it's been wonderful. Are you busy or in the middle of anything? I couldn't wait to hear from you tonight."

"I'm never too busy for you. You know that. How's the house hunting?"

"Fitz, it's been remarkable with Gabriella's help. She's been a godsend. And guess what? We haven't left the house. Uncle Jimmy and I shopped for homes from the Caymans online and it was such a tedious process. Your mother made it effortless for me this time. I could tell she'd done this before. In conjunction with the realtor, we had narrowed our search done to five remarkable homes. I'm in love with all of them sight unseen. Choosing one won't be hard I don't think. I've seen us in a house Fitz. It wasn't the Cambridge condo nor was it the Santa Barbara mansion. Of course, you have homes all over the globe. It could very well be one of those houses. I could be super excited and none of them are the house in my vision. I'm hopeful though."

"Stay hopeful Babe. You can do this Olivia. Pull on my mother's expertise. She's a pro. Every home I've ever lived in has been special because of her. Maman helped me buy my first house here in New York City and my home Paris. She knows her houses as I'm sure you found out."

"Fitz, why didn't you tell me to call Gabriella in the beginning?"

"You are accustomed to being your own woman. If you decided that you needed help, I wanted you to make that decision. I knew if you needed help you would ask for it. I'm glad you chose my mother. She does have specific insight into what my likes are. Still, this is "our" house. It should reflect the two of us."

"I certainly hope that it will. I'd like our first house to be perfect. I miss you so much. I miss us so much."

"Hold on Olivia. Let me get somewhere a little more private. I'm in a meeting with a client. Hold on."

"Of course." She should've waited until he called tonight. She knew he would be still working. The way he described his work he's a very busy man. Olivia had taken him away from his work.

"Livvy, are you there?"

"Yes, I'm here. I shouldn't have called. I'm sorry. I disturbed you while you are busy with a client. Call me tonight. I'll be waiting."

"I've told you are the most important person in my life Olivia. You may call me anytime. If I'm unable to take your call rest assured that I will call you back as soon as I can. I want to hear from you whenever, about whatever. I miss you too Olivia, so damned much. I'm so glad you called. I was just thinking of you, Sweet Baby. I can't wait to move in with you. I can't wait to hold you in my arms. I can't wait to make love to you."

"Oh Fitz. I swear I miss you more. I've been so lonely without you. And your mother being here has been the greatest thing but she reminds me of you. You are indeed your father's twin but so many things about you are intrinsically Gabriella Garnier Grant. You are your mother's son. I'm grateful to her and to Jerry for making you.

I must not keep you from your client. I simply wanted to hear your voice. It soothes the savage beast in me sort of. My heart is beating so fast. I imagine you don't want to hear this but there are other things that are happening to my body as well. We'll talk later Fitz. Go back to your client and I for lack of a better word, I shall simmer!"

"God, I miss you, Livvy. I'm simmering too if it's any consolation. Are you marking off the days? I am. My client will be fine Olivia. I'm thrilled to hear from you. You've made my day. And unfortunately, your call has intensified my longing to be in Massachusetts with you. I don't know how I shall return to this meeting with my dick hard as stone and my entire body simmering for you. Girl, I miss you!"

"Where are you Fitz talking like that? That's not respectable talk for an officer of the court. You're shocking my sensibilities."

"I stepped outside of the office. Not a soul can hear me but you. Do you miss me?"

"I do, so much. Fitz, when you call tonight could we... Could we…?

"Could we what Olivia?"

"Never mind. Get back to your client. Call me tonight. I love you."

"Tonight then. I love you too!"

Olivia fanned herself with her hands. She was laying on her bed thinking about her boyfriend, correction fiancé and she was worked up. Her legs involuntarily closed trying to ease her tension. She closed her eyes too. Months ago, before Fitz, when she was hot and bothered, she would go to the privacy of her bedroom, bring out her battery-operated-boyfriend, and pleasure herself. That was before this past Thanksgiving and Fitzgerald Grant. He had ruined her for her for mechanical stimulation. Been there, done that! It simply held no comparison to what Fitz made her feel in and out of the bedroom.

It had been weeks and she was on fuck alert is all. When Fitz got to Cambridge, if she could swing it, they weren't leaving her bed for days. She was going to provide snacks and drinks for sustenance and keep her fiancé in bed with his hard dick at her disposal. She was serious. She was craving him like crazy. The vision she had seen of the two of them at a house had stirred something deep inside of her. They were entwined in each other's arms, loving each other. The interior of the house had been very clear and so were the images of she and Fitz. They were sexually explicit. They almost rocked her world. Visual imagery was a powerful sex tool.

She had almost asked him for phone sex tonight. It would be a first for them. Fitz had implied that he saw nothing wrong with it between lovers. She didn't have the nerve to ask for it, yet. She didn't want Fitz to think she was too over the top. Right away she had discovered that she seriously enjoyed having sex. It was a pure expression of the love she felt for him. It was a process of giving and taking pleasure. She reveled in their lovemaking. Neither one of them held nothing back at this point. And Olivia loved that sentiment. They shared each other's bodies without reservation. That was a good thing.

It was only a matter of weeks before he moved here. She had to learn not to be greedy. Separation did make the heart grow fonder and it also left a void in her nether regions. She could wait! She would wait! Fitz was waiting and he was a man of notable sexual appetite. Gabriella said dinner in a couple of hours. Perhaps a nap would ease her tension. There was always the possibility that she would have a dream involving the two of them. In the last few months, she had learned that women had wet dreams too! She turned over and closed her eyes. Ninety minutes later she was still sleeping.

"Olivia dear, I didn't want to startle you. You were sleeping so peacefully. But dinner is ready. I hope you're hungry. I was impressed with your pantry and the few fresh vegetables you had on hand. Your kitchen is very well stocked for someone that doesn't cook often."

Olivia stretched and sat up in the bed. She smiled at her mother-in-law to be. Gabriella had awakened her from a very potent dream. So much for that happy ending she felt coming. Something smelled good.

"What's for dinner? It smells divine."

It's a flavorful bouillabaisse, endive salad, fresh bread, and honey glazed pears for dessert. You supply your kitchen with Fitz in mind, right?"

"Yes, I do. I don't cook much. My pantry and freezer had the bare minimum. When Fitz was here, he taught me how to choose fresh produce and secure the best meats, foul, and seafood. We sealed and vacuumed packed quite a bit for the freezer! I really fell in love with a lot of what he eats and prepares. I want him happy and his appetited sated. I plan to be around for the long haul"

"That you will be Olivia. My son is totally in love with you. You are his very first love. I hope you know that. I've never seen him look at anyone, ever, the way he looks at you. I'm so pleased with your engagement. Your nuptials will be the biggest occasion of our lifetime. As you know Fitz' first marriage was a first-class sham from day one. It doesn't even count in my opinion. The way I see it, it's a first marriage for the both of you. Come on let's eat. We can do more girl talk during dinner. These last two days we were engulfed so heavily in house hunting we had time for little else. Are you truly pleased with what we will view tomorrow?"

"Totally pleased. I honestly expect to find our home amongst our first three top picks. They are all excellent choices. I love the house in Brookline but the almost thirty-minute commute is really not something I would look forward to. I'm also impressed with the other top two that put me in walking distance to the hospital. I'm sure it will come down to one of the three. I would truly want your natural eye and critique tomorrow. You know your son's style. You are going to be so much help. Goodness that aroma is so intense. I'm ready to dive into everything."

"I bet you are! You've hadn't any breakfast or lunch. Sit down and let's eat."

The meal was so delicious. Olivia was going to have to watch herself with this family and food. She had gone from almost being a vegan to eating any and everything. And meat, she was actually acquiring a taste for it. Who was she kidding? She loved a good steak. Fried chicken was divine. And this bouillabaisse, she had never had better!

Amazingly Gabriella had found the ingredients for the dish in her freezer and right now she was enjoying the best bowl of the stuff. This bread! She had ingredients in her kitchen to make fresh bread? It literally melted in your mouth; no butter necessary. Goodness, she wondered if she would spread out like her Aunt Dora if she continued to eat as she did. Hopefully Fitz would love her still because she was hooked on him and everything about him!

God, she missed him. She closed her eyes and once again concentrated on the food before her. The salad had been delicious as well. Gabriella said it was nothing more than endive lettuce and anchovies tossed in a garlic vinaigrette. She didn't eat anchovies or so she thought. It was a small salad because as Gabriella had said, the bouillabaisse was the meal.

Olivia could see the pieces of fish, the black mussels, the crab legs, pieces of clams, and shrimp with the heads on floating in the rich broth loaded with onion and tomato. The aroma of garlic and spices for which she had no name whisked past her nose. Gabriella was French and she was a chef. When she said she would fix dinner what did Olivia expect a burger and fries? It was hardly that!

They had talked throughout the meal. They talked about family. About Fitz. Olivia was thrilled to have another one on one with his mother. Every time they talked, she learned so much more. She wanted to know everything because this was it for her. This was her one great love and she knew it. The more she knew the more likely for a lifetime of love and happiness. Olivia was sopping up the last of the delicious bouillabaisse with the crusty bread. Damn, this was good! The dessert pear was very good as well. How did you slice a pear, add butter, vanilla, and wine, add a smidgeon of oats and walnuts, and have it taste this good?

"Gabriella, that was the absolute best meal. As you know I'm not much of a cook. I have a few Island dishes that I excel at and nothing more. I had been mainly a salad and vegetable girl until I met your son. He has a passion for food and it has more or less rubbed off on me. I've eaten more meat in the last six weeks than in the last six years of my life. And as you can see, I have established a sweet tooth."

"That's not surprising my dear girl. Our men consume us. We don't live our lives for them, we live life with them to the fullest. Their habits become our own and it's not a bad thing. When I first met Jerry and his steak eating ways I was appalled. He could eat a twenty-ounce steak in one seating along with two or three very large potatoes, and a huge salad. Yet he was built like an Adonis and continues to be so. Fitz is truly his son. I'm glad you enjoyed dinner. It was a treat to prepare it for you."

"You actually found all the ingredients in my kitchen?"

"I did. The seafood was frozen of course but it was there in the freezer. I suspect my son intended to prepare bouillabaisse for you himself in the future. Your kitchen is well stocked. I could cook meal after meal in there. Tomorrow morning, we will get our meals of the road. I'm excited about our day. What about you?"

"Excited isn't the word. I'm over the moon about it. The top three homes we have chosen are excellent choices. I expect that by this time tomorrow night we will have found a Boston home for Fitz and I. Thank-you again for coming Gabriella. I know I would've gotten this done but not nearly as fast without your expertise. All of the houses are grand and meet the standards set forth by security. I think Fitz as well as the head of security will be pleased."

"I think so. Together we've made some excellent choices. Narrowing it down to five total choices was the thing to do. Time is of the essence per my son. He loves you Olivia and is very eager to begin his life with you. I for one am glad to see things moving along on an even keel. I couldn't be happier to lend my assistance. I want you two to be happy."

"We are happy Gabriella. It's so amazing this thing between us. It's almost like you want to pinch yourself every morning to ascertain the realness of it. We most likely will be in Boston for eight years. I would have us happy and living a compatible life."

"Fitz wants exactly what you want. All will be well. I'm full as can be. Bouillabaisse is one of my favorites. It's one of the first things you learn to perfect in culinary school. It was also one the first things you learn to perfect in a French home. The ingredients may vary but the outcome was always the same. A delicious family meal.

We have an early day tomorrow. I will clean up here and retire to my room. I have some reading and preparation to do for my next project. Knowing my work here is mostly done I will look at it tonight and see why I decided to take the part."

"No, Gabriella you go on to your room and your preparations. You cooked and I shall clean. You and Fitz are the tidiest cooks I know anyway. The kitchen is hardly a mess. It looks barely used. How do you two do it? You cook so well and barely dirty up a kitchen."

"Before you chop your first vegetable you must prepare you a sink of soapy water tendered with just the right amount bit of bleach. It must be very hot water and you keep it that way. You must wash as you dirty up a dish or utensil. It's easy really. Clean as you go. It is a rule followed by any good chef in the beginning. Once they blow up and have people working under them, it tends to change. I only cook for family and friends so it's different for me. You go on. You had a long day. I have this and then I'll turn in."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. I'll see you in the morning."

Olivia left her mother-in-law to be in her kitchen singing and cleaning. It put a smile on Olivia's face. She went into her master suite humming a tune herself. She was going to pamper herself a little tonight. She was going to turn on her sexy playlist and relax. She was going to soak in a nice bath with the jacuzzi going. Lastly, she was going to wash her hair and then wait for Fitz to call. Last night she had been just a little hot and bothered. It had been weeks for her. She missed the intimacy between them and the end was nowhere in sight.

It would be at least two or more weeks before they were united. She had almost asked for phone sex, which was crazy. What did she know about phone sex? Fitz admitted it was in his repertoire, yet he didn't seem eager to employ it. She needed to amend her wicked ways and keep her mind of all things sexual. Even though Fitz had said nothing is wrong in the sexual realm if the two adults are consenting. She shook her head and turned on the water in the jacuzzi.

It was now ten-thirty. Olivia was blow-drying her hair. Long and flowing with lots of curls was how she had been wearing her hair for weeks now. She and Fitz didn't just talk during the eleven o'clock call, they saw each other and interacted. She always wanted to look her best for Fitz. He always looked delectable and she wanted him thinking of her once their calls ended! Those phone calls held her together. Speaking with him, looking at his handsome face, sharing her day with him and vice versa, was everything. She was feeling refreshed and beautiful right now. She couldn't wait to talk to him. The houses, the meal, his mother, all of it; Olivia couldn't wait to share.

Fitz called right on time. She knew that her happiness would show on her face.

"Hi Fitzgerald Grant."

"Hi Olivia Pope. What's up girl? You look fucking beautiful. I miss you. What are you and my mother up to?"

"Oh Fitz, you are going to be so proud of me. I'm sure that I've found our house. By this time tomorrow we will know for sure. Calling Gabriella was a godsent inspiration. She got me out of the lull I was in and together we have narrowed down a list. Tomorrow, we head out with the realtor. Can you believe it?"

"Of course, I can Olivia. This is Gabriella Grant we are talking about. She makes things happen!"

"Yes, she does. She handled house hunting like a pro. And she did the same thing at dinner tonight. Oh my god Fitz! She made a bouillabaisse from stuff she found in the freezer. It was to die for Fitz. I swear I could eat another bowl right now."

"I know you could. Maman's bouillabaisse is renown. She only cooks it for family which means you have passed a significant test my love. You're family!"

"I hope so. I was telling your mother just tonight my intentions to be around forever. I'm never letting you go. You know that don't you?"

"I do. I have to cut this short tonight love. Something has come up and I have to take care of it. It's important. I can't get into it right now. It may wrap early or it may not. I know you have a big day tomorrow so I don't want you to wait around for a callback. Go to bed. We'll talk in the morning, okay?"

"Okay. I love you. Go do your job."

"I love you too so damned much. Dream of me, Olivia. Talk to you soon. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

This wasn't the first time they had cut a phone call short and it wouldn't be the last. They both had jobs! Olivia tried not to be disappointed but she was. She missed him so much. That nightly phone call when she could actually see his face meant so much to her. The range of their call could be fifteen minutes to an hour depending on what they were talking about. Her fiancé was a high-powered celebrity lawyer. He had a roster full of A-list clients. Sometimes they would come first.

Olivia pulled off her robe and got between the sheets. Fitz had replaced all the sheets, linens to be specific in her house with Millesimo linens by Sferra. They were the best! Olivia had always bought decent linen with an acceptable thread count. Her fiancé introduced her to the fifteen-fifty thread count sheet and there was no turning back. Fitz had been right; the sheets were unbelievable! They were made from Egyptian cotton and something else that made them feel like silk but they weren't. She didn't even consider it as being heavy-handed when the boxes of linen had arrived on her doorstep. When he had introduced her to them at the Santa Barbara mansion she was enthralled. It was like sleeping on a little bit of heaven. The reason that the luxury sheets cost a mint was self-explanatory.

No sooner than Olivia had put her head on the Sferra covered pillow, she was sleeping soundly. Two hours later her little purr-like snores filled the room. He eased into her room in the darkness as if he lived there. Technically he did. He didn't really need a light because his memories of the place were vivid. He had spent some incredible days and nights in this room, in the bed that he was stealthily approaching. He could've told her he was coming as soon as he was done but he wanted to surprise her. Olivia slept like the living dead but when alarms when off she was up and running. His touch seemed to have a similar effect. Sometimes when he touched her throughout the night wanting her, she would awaken ready to love him back.

He had worked hard with Drey to make this morning and the day ahead happen. He had to be back in New York City by Sunday night. There was huge court case of Monday! He wasn't worried about that. He, Drey, and his co-chair had that one covered. In the end he expected an over-the-top pay day for the firm. In the meantime, Olivia needed him. Not just as in a sexual liaison, she needed his presence, his being, his Zen. She missed him and she longed for him. He heard it in her voice and it bothered him a great deal last night when he hung up the phone.

His mother had taken up the void in reference to house hunting. He knew that Olivia could very well have completed the task herself even with all she had on her plate. She was leery of doing it herself because she wanted their first house together to be perfect. Because everything for them had thus far gone so smoothly and perfect, she worried that somehow, she would fall short of perfection with this. She was wrong of course. He could or would live with this woman in a shanty and be happy for life. The only thing he required of a house was that Olivia be in it! It was that simple.

Yes, he was rich beyond measure but he had been taught over a lifetime that even with all the riches in the world; all that truly mattered was love, hearth, and family. Their love was so new. He understood to some extent what Olivia was feeling. He'd also had some tousled emotions at times, but he was good. He had found her and he loved her. Most importantly she loved him back. With that knowledge he could face anything!

He reached for lamp and found the third button which would provide a dim lighting to the room. She didn't move. As she often did during the night, she had most of the coverings tangled at her feet. She'd get warm and uncover, then she would become cool and pull them up, unless… Unless he were there in her bed, whereas she would mold her body to his and stay snuggly in his arms. Her back was all he saw along with her feet. Her hair was a mass of curls on her back. Her pajamas mostly covered her up. He saw dainty little ankles; perfectly pedicured feet and her face lay on her hands. She was so beautiful and without saying, she was his.

"Livvy, Livvy, wake-up. I'm here. It's me."

Olivia was always dreaming about Fitz. She reveled in those dreams. They could be anything. They could be engrossed in serious conversation, they could be being silly, or they could be involved in the most loving sexual encounters. Her dreams were wonderful, always. Fitz was calling her name. She heard him. She was sleeping. She loved waking up to Fitzgerald Grant's voice. Opening her eyes, she realized where she was. She was alone in her bedroom in Cambridge. She shook her head and turned over in the bed. Suddenly her senses were on alert. Why was her bedroom dimly lit? Olivia turned off her lights when she slept. Suddenly she felt it. She wasn't alone in the room. She overwhelmingly felt his presence. She took a deep breath. His scent filled the room and it was unmistakable.

"Fitz."

"Yes, Sweet Baby, it's me!"

She sat up in the bed and she looked for him and there he was standing next to the night stand. He opened his arms to her. She jumped up from the bed and directly into them. Her legs planted themselves around his waist and went into a scissor lock. Her arms were around his neck as she plastered little kisses all over his face.

"You not supposed to be here. You aren't a dream. You're real. You're not in New York."

"No, I'm not and yes, I am. I'm here with you." He took her mouth in a searing kiss. It was filled with all the loneliness and need he'd had for weeks. Olivia had anchored herself unwittingly atop of his rapidly forming erection. God, she felt so good. To feel her lips on his was divine. All he could do was kiss and feel. Damn he had missed her. The kiss was going on and on and they both were beginning to simmer. They both were gyrating trying to deepen their connection. Finally, they broke the kiss. He was still holding her with his powerful body and she was holding on as if she would never let go!

"You came to me. I wanted to see you so badly. How did you know?"

"Olivia, don't you know that I wanted to see you just as badly? These weeks apart have been torture. I had Drey trying to get me here to help you house hunt but it hadn't worked out. I insisted that I get here tonight. No ifs, ands, or buts, it was Cambridge or bust! I needed to see you. I told her to put everything on hold and get me on a jet to you. You feel so damned good in my arms. Hold on. I'm going to sit on the bed."

"Oh, I'm holding on. I don't want to sever the connection. I'm afraid this may all be a dream and you will disappear."

"Not a chance that it's a dream. I'm real Sweet Baby. What you feel is very real."

"I heard that! I feel that! You dropped everything and came to me, didn't you?"

"I did. Babe, I could sense your need to have me here. I had to come. I only have basically today, Saturday, a little more than twenty-four hours, and I have to get back. I figured I could go on the house hunt with you and Maman tomorrow. Even though I can tell that you and Maman nailed this. It's only a matter of choice and signing on the dotted line. I'll be here so the paperwork won't even have to be sent to New York and back. I'm so sorry I couldn't be with you for all aspects of this thing. I wanted to be. I hope you know that. There's so much to do before I leave the city and set up here. I wanted a seamless transition and basically, I will have it. You, in the meantime, were left holding the proverbial bag with all your other commitments. You have been exemplary Olivia, doing this for us. I'm so proud of you."

"I's so glad you are here even if it's for only a day. Are you hungry can I fix you something to eat? There's some of that delicious Bouillabaisse left and bread too."

"Livvy, I'm hungry but it sure as hell isn't for food! I need you baby, in the worst way. Will you get back in bed with me. I want to fill you up with me. I want to come inside you, again and again. I don't want this to have the aura of a booty call, but Sweet Baby, right now, it's booty call."

Olivia laughed out loud and ran her fingers through his hair. Then she gave him a kiss filled with passion. It was hot and drugging. Finally, she disengaged from him and stood up. She pulled her top over her head and let it drop to the floor. She stepped out of her jammie bottoms and kicked them aside. She was naked and unafraid. Her tongue seductively rimmed her lips. Her hands roamed over her breasts and nipples until they pebbled just for him. Next her hand went between her legs. She purred like a cat."

Fitz hadn't taken his eyes from her watching her every move. His pants getting tighter and tighter as he grew. Damn, his fiancé was going to make him bypass preliminaries for round one! Especially if she put her hand there…

"As they say in the islands, wet as rain. Damn right it's a booty call and you Sir Fitz, are overdressed! Pull off your clothes."

Her fiancé took it all in. Her beautiful flawless body standing before him, enticing him. He had thought of nothing else for days. She was magnificent. She was all he had ever dreamed. The smile that he gave her electrified her soul. Her knight was home!