Trigger…intimacy*

Back in Rhode Island

"No, ma'am. I cannot open the gate."

"My husband lives in there."

"Ex-husband, ma'am. Who has given me strict instructions not to allow anyone not on his list through the gate. Now, if you don't leave, I'll call the cops."

"Come on. I'll make it worth your while," she flirted.

He picked up the phone and she frowned. "Fine, fine. I'm going."

"I thought we were going to Mr. Lucas' house," Kyle said from the back seat. "Member mom?"

"I remember and I'm trying but you heard the guard. We can't get in."

She was counting on getting in again so she could leave Kyle with Lucas' parents. She was in a time crunch and needed to get back to Portsmouth or she'd be in bigger trouble than she already was.

Crystal pulled out of the lane and into a driveway down the street. Then she called Lucas. No answer. So she called again. No answer.

"You should get that," Elizabeth said from her cozy spot in Lucas' arms as they lay by the fireplace.

"Absolutely not."

"What if there's a problem with the kids?"

"I'm busy."

She giggled and kissed his chest. "Doing what?"

He rolled her over and looked down at her, placing a kiss on her nose. "Shhhh. I have a plan."

He lazily kissed her mouth before moving to her jaw, up to her ear, making her shiver, and then down to her collarbone.

"Pretty sure this is the best plan you've ever had," she mumbled, her hands moving up his back and back down his spine.

"Crap!"

"That's a bad word, Mommy!"

"You're right, dear but I have an idea."

She got out of the car and opened Kyle's door. "Okay, baby. We need to get all bundled up. I'm going to take you back to the guard and then go."

"Please don't leave me here, Mommy."

"We talked about this Kyle. I need to leave you with Lucas because I made a big mistake and while I'm taking my punishment, you'll be safe here. We don't have any other option now that Gram is gone."

"But you'll come back for me?"

"After my punishment is done. Yes. I promise."

"What if Mr. Lucas is mean? What if he hates me?"

"He's not mean, honey. He will take care of you. I'm certain of it. Now, make sure you give him that envelope in your backpack."

"I member."

She hugged him tightly and kissed his cheek. "I love you, Kyle Matthew Lawson."

"I love you too, Mommy."

….

About 30 minutes later

"What do you mean, his father?" Martin asked, confused at the guard and small child on the doorstep. "Lucas has one son, Ace and he's inside."

The guard handed him the envelope that Kyle had in his backpack. A letter and birth certificate were inside.

"According to this document, Lucas Bouchard has another son. Kyle."

"I'm Kyle," the little guy said. "I'm cold. And hungry. Do you have snacks?"

"Um, yes…"

"Cool." Kyle pushed past Martin and the guard started walking away. Martin sighed and headed inside. He needed to speak with Helen. Immediately.

"Um, Martin, dear?"

Helen was looking very confused. "His name is Kyle and according to his birth certificate, he's Lucas' son.

"What? Who is his mother?"

Martin handed her the certificate. "Of course. Of course, Crystal would try to pull something like this. She probably just wants his money."

"Wait, what is his birthday?" Martin asked.

"October 5, 2018."

"Which means she was pregnant after they were divorced," Martin said. "Well, they could have had a moment of weakness, I suppose."

"After she cheated on him? No, sir. Lucas would never."

"We need to call him, Helen."

"I know but he will be home tomorrow evening. Let them enjoy their trip. The boy is safe."

"He needs to know."

Helen put her hand on Martin's arm. "Okay, dear. Whatever you think is best."

"NO! HE'S NOT YOUR DADDY! YOU'RE A LIAR!" Amie yelled, causing both grandparents to run in the family room.

"Amie Bouchard! What is going on?" Helen asked, hands on her hips.

"This boy said my Daddy is his Daddy! He's not, Nana! Is he?"

"That's something that we don't know yet. Now, you need to apologize to Kyle for yelling and calling him names."

"But…."

"Amie…"

"Yes, ma'am." She looked at Kyle and sighed. "I'm sorry I yelled and called you a liar."

"Its not a lie. My mommy told me and this man," he said, pointing at Martin, "said it too."

"Alright, lets get a snack before we take naps," Helen suggested, changing the subject.

"I don't need one!" Kyle said, crossing his arms.

"You can try, young man," Martin told him. "Even if you just lay there."

"Why do I have to do what you say?"

"Because I'm an adult. You need to listen to adults."

"Not strangers! Mommy said 'don't talk to strangers.'"

"Martin Bouchard," he said, holding out his hand. "Which means that Lucas is my son and if Lucas is your dad, I'm your grandfather. Now we're not strangers."

"Grandpa?"

"Yeah."

"I don't have one of those."

"Well, for now, you can call me Grandpa."

….

Lucas touched the heart on her hip. The one that sported her and Jack Thornton's initials. It was beyond sexy and not just because it was typically hidden and now he was privy to that part of her anatomy.

"Babe?" she mumbled.

"Shhh. Sleep."

She turned over and faced him, the fire now behind her, warming her back. "Hi."

"Hey."

"What's on your mind?"

"Your tattoo. Its pretty darned sexy."

She smiled. "Its just a heart."

"That represents a choice you made, part of your life. Part of what makes you, you."

"True but with someone else."

"No matter. You are you because of the love you found with him. That's how I see it anyway."

She understood what he meant but hadn't thought of it in quite that way. This man. What an amazingly thoughtful father and boyfriend he was. His own tattoos were a reflection of that.

She remembered the moment she saw them and his explanation of their meaning. It was the night before, after they had made love for the first time.

"An Ace of hearts and Queen of diamonds and a stopwatch?"

She traced the outline of all three objects.

"Ace of hearts for Ace. Queen of diamonds for Ames. The stop watch has the date we became a family."

"What made you choose your back and not over your heart?"

"Because I'll always have their back. I will keep them safe. My promise. Plus, I have another plan for the spot over my heart."

He had rolled back over and pulled her close, resting his hand on her hip where her tattoo was. "What's that?" she wondered.

"For you and Nora. Nora, the daughter of my heart, and you, the one who healed my heart."

Needless to say, that admission of his made her fall harder and deeper for him.

Now, they lay on the couch, wrapped in only a blanket and each other's arms, just being together. Soaking up every last hour they could alone.

"Will you move in with us?" he asked, kissing the bridge of her nose, and then her forehead. "I don't want to be without you and Nora."

"Yes," she agreed without hesitation. She didn't want to be apart either.

"Great!" He kissed her lips and grinned. "Do you remember the first day you came to my house?"

"Of course. It was huge and fancy. You just yelled for me to come in instead of meeting me at the door. I wondered if you were like an ax murderer or something and I was walking into a trap."

He laughed and tickled her ribs making her squirm.

"Stop."

His fingers stilled and he moved his hands to her back, pulling her even closer. "What was your first impression of me?"

"Relief that you weren't an ax murderer."

"Very funny."

"You were hot. Tall, nicely trimmed beard. Dimples. The opposite of my ex. That was one point for you for sure. When I talked to Vi about you, I called you, 'Hot Dad'. Now what did you think of me?"

"Honestly?"

"Of course."

"You were a hard worker. Professional. Devoted to your daughter."

"Before that."

"Don't be mad but I was so distracted by wanting to bring the kids home, I didn't notice your appearance really. Not at first but the harder you worked and talked about Nora, your eyes lit up. And then during our first single parent class, you took notes. Something shifted and I couldn't wait to see you at the next class. You intrigued me. Your talent. Your gorgeous blue eyes. Your immense love for Nora. I was a goner."

She sat up and wrapped a blanket around herself. "Beth? Where are you going?"

"I took notes? That was why you started liking me? Not my curvy hips or my hair or something equally obvious that makes me sound stuck up and full of myself?"

He stared at her, confused, and then they both laughed. "What can I say? I was blind to your sexiness, Beth."

"Mmhm."

"Look at you. Even standing there in a blanket, your hair disheveled, your perfectly toned legs and painted toe nails. You should be a supermodel."

"Nice save."

He stood up and stepped closer, not wanting to be far away, wrapping his arms around her. "I said not to be mad."

"I'm not. I guess I was surprised. That's all."

"You still love me?"

"Of course."

"Still moving in?"

"No one could stop me."

"Spend Christmas Eve and Day with us?"

"I'd love to."

…..

"I want my Moooommmmmy!" Kyle sobbed. "Please!!!!!"

Ace rolled his eyes as he faced away from Kyle who slept in a sleeping bag on his floor. The kid was so annoying. He didn't want him to be his brother. Lucas was his Dad, NOT Kyle's.

Beans barked and whined at the noise. "Shhh…" Ace said, petting his head. "Its okay."

Martin walked into the bedroom and sat down next to Kyle on the floor. "Who's ready for a story?"

Kyle stopped crying and just looked at Martin. "What do you think, Kyle? Its about an astronaut who is headed to the moon but gets lost and ends up on Mars. Its one of Ace's favorite books."

Down the hall

"Why is he crying, Nana? Does he miss his Mommy?" Amie asked Helen.

"Yes, dear. He misses his Mommy and he doesn't know any of us."

"Why did she leave him here?"

"I don't know. She says that your Daddy is Kyle's too."

"Is he?"

"I don't know."

"I miss Daddy and Miss Elizabeth and Nora."

"You'll see them soon."

"One more sleep, right?"

"Yep! Just one."

"Let's say prayers, Nana."

They folded their hands and Amie started. "Dear God. Thank you for Nana and Grandpa. Thank you for Ace and Daddy and Miss Elizabeth and Nora. Help them to come home soon. Please, can you make it so Miss Elizabeth can be mine and Ace's Mommy? We really need her and maybe Kyle needs her too. His own Mommy left him and if Miss Elizabeth can help him be happy again, can you maybe make that happen too? And I want Nora to be my little sister too. I guess that's all. Amen."

Helen kissed her little granddaughter, loving her more and more each day. What a delight she was. So innocent…well most of the time.

Helen was dreading Lucas' reaction to the bomb that Crystal quite literally dropped in his lap and on his doorstep. She was grateful that Martin decided not to call Lucas. He deserved a bit of time with Elizabeth. However, coming back to a child that wasn't his but was being passed off as his would change things for sure.

About thirty minutes later, Kyle had calmed down and drifted off to sleep and Ace laid on his bed and cuddled Beans.

"Nooooooooo!" Kyle yelled part way through the night. He was having a bad dream and Ace was very familiar with those. He sighed and looked at the kid.

"Hey," he said quietly. "Its okay. Its not real."

"Noooooooooo!"

"Shhhhhh."

Kyle opened his eyes and looked up at Ace with tears on his face. "I'm scared, Ace."

"Why don't you sleep up here with me?" he offered.

"I can?"

"Yeah. Its fine as long you don't wet my bed."

"I go in the potty, not the bed."

"Good."

"I miss my Mommy."

"I know."

"She promised she's coming back. But…I don't know if I believe her. Do you have a Mommy?"

"No."

"Did your Mommy leave too?"

"Yup. I don't need her or my first dad. He was a bad guy and now we have Lucas and Miss Elizabeth. I think she's gonna be our mom soon."

Kyle wondered if Miss Elizabeth was nice or if she would just leave too. Apparently that's what Mommy's did.

"Are they nice?"

"Very nice."

"What if she leaves too?"

"Miss Elizabeth keeps her promises and she said she'd never leave us."

Kyle figured they'd just have to wait and see.