72: House of Cards Part 2
Luci
I wake up and for once find Easton still asleep next to me. The few times he’s stayed, he wakes up first. He explained it was because of Cole and he usually does his workout in the
morning. It still didn’t make me feel better that he always got up early and made me
breakfast. I manage to slip out of his warm arms and slide out of bed. I grab his hoodie and
my socks to make him breakfast for once. His face is so peaceful this morning. He’s been
less stressed this week. I check the clock as I open the fridge. Almost 7, we have to pick up
Cole at 9:30. I test out my voice again and my throat is still scratchy. I make a cup of honey
lemon tea as I grab all my ingredients.
As I stir eggs, I think over what he told Cole about us dating. That we date each other and then go on family dates too. I squeeze my eyes shut for a minute, hoping he doesn’t get his heart broken if this doesn’t work. Mine will, but it would break again if that little boy suffers. He has such a big, open heart and I can’t imagine him hurting like that. The soft beep of my phone
brings me out of my ramble and I check the eggs.
Pay attention, Luci. I fuss at myself. The timers on the kitchen counter stare back at me as they count down. I’ve burned so many things in the past, learning to cook and thinking I could
issues. pay attention. Checking the sausage, I push away the glaring reminder of my
I wonder what family date he has planned. He didn’t share any of it with me, of course, saying I would find out from Cole. I have visions of the trampoline park since he’s been begging to go and pizza palace. It’s his favorite place to eat. Which of course circles my brain back to their
romance discussions.
Beep, beep, beep…I frown and tune back in. Everything is cooked though the sausage could be slightly less done. If only I had some kind of cooking trauma to keep me focused in the kitchen. I’ll never win any gourmet cooking awards. Sighing, I turn everything off trying to snap out of this fog this morning. I’m hyper–aware of my issues as I carry Easton’s plate down the short hall. I already know why. It’s because he said something about moving in together. I’ve never needed to think about being that far into a relationship before. Honestly, my future’s always been vague in everything beyond graduating and finding a job. Never had to think about letting someone else see all of me if they lived with me. And then there’s Cole catching
on more.
“Luci, what’s wrong?” I blink a few times and look up at him. He’s staring at me half asleep, his voice still heavier than normal from it.
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“Just wondering what you and Cole planned for today. Hungry?”
“Starving. That’s your fault. Your voice is back.“He slowly pushes up to lean back against the
pillows. “I never sleep this late on Saturdays anymore. My Cole alarm usually went off almost an hour ago.”
“Honey lemon tea…Surprise, but he slept a little later than normal. Banning texted me five
minutes ago with some pictures of the sleepyheads.” I hold up my phone and show him. He
smiles slowly as he scrolls through them.
“Barrett’s been really good for him. Along with Syd and Nanna and even Banning.” He observes
as he goes through them again.
“It kills you to admit that last one?” I raise an eyebrow at him playfully.
“No. As long as he stays away from you, I like him just fine and think he’s a good guy.” He
grins.
“Where are we going today? Or can you at least tell me what to wear?”
“I’ll tell you if you really want to know, but Cole is dying to surprise you. Your usual. Jeans,
leggings, sweatshirt, sweater. You’ll need your coat, hat and gloves. Which reminds me, I
bought you another scarf, but left it at home. We’ll get it tonight.”
“Don’t ruin his surprise then. Am I really staying with you guys tonight?” I ask as I finish my
breakfast.
“Yes. I won’t leave you alone with those three on the loose right now. They will be gone soon
once they find out they are not welcome in this town. Dad might be making sure they don’t feel welcome in Kenton at all. Baker has your room all fixed up though I wish you could just stay with me.”
“Cole…you really want to explain why I am sleeping in your bed when he thinks we just started
dating?”
“I know.” His phone goes off and he checks it, slowly smirking. “Here. Come check this out.” I move to sit next to him as the video of the news plays showing Marshall leaving the police
station this morning.
“Marshall Soames was arrested last night for attempting to assault a female victim. He posted bail this morning with his agent and is leaving after last night’s debacle at what should have been a moment of tribute for him….” Marshall shoves one reporter as they walk by, and shake my head, not interested in watching more.
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“How did I let him fool me?” I muse to myself.
Immediately, that huge hand grips my chin and I stare into those silver eyes. “Sweetness, he used your issues against you. You were young and had no idea he was such a good liar. It helped you never saw him anywhere other than in your apartment once a week or in text messages. If you had, you’d have figured him out fast. One of those lessons you talk about. Some people are good actors.”
“I guess. I just feel like a fool.” I confess to him.
“You are no fool sweetness. You just had no experience with guys like him. Master manipulators. You didn’t know there were grumpy cold jackasses like me waiting to
underwhelm you with my hat poetry.”
I laugh at that and he wraps me in his arms. “Let’s go get a shower and pick up the Coconut. I just texted and offered to bring some donuts which was well received by our Coco and Big
Bear.” He lifts me out of the bed as the way he phrased that filters through my brain.
I let myself into the back door at the Olmos house, used to doing that since I was twelve.
“Luci!” I hear as two sets of arms wrap around me. I laugh as I try to crouch down and hug
them both. “Easton brought donuts.” I whisper when I finally make it to their level. They grin
and leave me fast to swarm him.
“Now I see what I have to do to be as popular as Luci. Sugary fried dough for the win.” Easton says dryly as he hands the box over to lift both of them off their feet.
“We love you too Daddy.” Cole says quickly and Barrett nods too.
“Even without donuts, Mr. Easton.”
“Then I am feeling extra special today. Cole, I brought your clothes for hockey practice.” He
tells him as he greets Mr. Logan with a handshake.
“Could I go to hockey practice?” Barrett asks Banning hopefully. He hesitates.
“I’d be happy to pick him up on Saturdays and take him with Cole, Banning. I know you and Sydney both work some Saturdays as well as you, Mrs. Isabelle. But he’d be in Cole’s group with his age.” Easton offers quietly. “I have an extra hockey stick for his size and I can get him
some skates. I sometimes take Cole after practice to skate and play a little too. All up to you
of course, but Cole would love it.”
Banning looks between the two expectant faces. “Are you sure? That’s a lot for
“Not really. I’d be happy to do it. I can talk to the coach today.”
you, Easton.”
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“I’ll bring him when I’m off, but I won’t fight you seeing those faces.” Banning caves as both boys grin excitedly.
We leave and take Cole to practice. “What are we doing today, Coco?” I ask him softly as we leave. He’s bouncing in his seat after his coach let us sign Barrett up to join after the holidays when they start again.
“We’re taking you on a date, Luci so you know we’re fun and you want to stay with us. We’re going to eat at Jose…Josepeen’s cafe and then Daddy says I has to take a nap at your house. Then we go skate by the big tree.”
“We’re going skating? And Josephine’s cafe?”
Cole nods solemnly. “Syd says it’s a Luci favorite. Daddy teaching you to skate and I can help
he said.”
“There’s more, but that’s the start.” Easton adds, looking back at Cole in the mirror.
We head to Josephine’s cafe and I look out seeing the first flakes of snow starting to fall. “It is
going to snow finally.” I mumble and Cole claps.
“Right on time. We needed it to start now for our surprise later.” Easton says cryptically.
We walk into the old family run restaurant with its dark rustic wood tables and old pictures on
the walls. “You two have never ordered from here?” I ask as we sit at our table.
“No we haven’t. We don’t eat out a lot because of Baker, honestly.” Easton admits. “What’s your
favorite?”
“The Gorgonzola cheese fries and burger. It’s overkill but I love it. We usually get one plate of
the fries and share.”
“Then we do that. Cole, you want a cheeseburger? They have bacon mac n‘ cheese too.”
Easton looks down at him. He chose to sit next to him saying he might need to help his daddy
with our date.
“I want both.” He grins.
“Then you get both.”
We order and I observe Easton take a bite of his burger. “That is delicious. How’s your food,
Cole?”
He smiles around a big mouthful of mac n‘ cheese. “Wicious Daddy.” He remembers and looks at me. “Sorry Wuci.”
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“It’s fine, Coco. When you finish chewing, are you excited about Barrett playing hockey with
you?”
He spends the rest of lunch talking about them playing together. “Daddy, can we get him black
skates like mine with Batman laces?”
“Yep. I’ll order them while you take your nap from Mr. Hunt’s shop. Maybe we can get you two
some practice jerseys made and you can give him his for Christmas.” Easton adds fully
getting into the theme with Cole. “We can put Bat Barrett on the back of his and then Darth
Cole on yours.” He grins down at Cole and my heart stutters watching them happily plotting.
I feel my eyes filling with tears. “Luci, you ok?” Easton reaches for my hand, worried.
I smile. “Yes. You look really happy right now.”
“Because I am.” He squeezes my hand. “What do we get for dessert here, sweetness?”
“Pie, any of them. They are all delicious.”
We leave with a sleepy Cole and head back to my apartment. He is asleep the minute we park
and Easton lifts him out to lay him on my bed. He pats the couch cushion next to him and I
curl up against his side as he searches for skates on his tablet. “Mr. Hunt has a family run
skating supply shop. He’s the best, knows more about winter equipment than anyone else.
Banning sent me Barrett’s sizes. Help me design their jerseys?” I nod and we choose black
ones with red accents for Cole and yellow for Barrett. Easton adds the skates and a few
superhero laces as well as some for Cole. “Stocking stuffers. He’ll love them.”
“You are as excited as they are.” I observe.
“I love hockey and all that goes with it.” He admits with a boyish grin. Cole wakes up as we finish shopping for pants for Barrett and a helmet which of course will have Batman on it. “I already got Cole a Darth Vader helmet for Christmas. These are only for practice. Barrett will get a team helmet for games.”
Cole walks down the hallway rubbing his eyes. “Luci’s bed is very soft.” He says as he climbs into my lap. Easton bites his lip staring at me with mischief and I poke him warningly.
We drive to the outdoor rink they have set up with a big tree downtown. “The ice is not as good as the other rinks, but Cole wanted to skate by the tree with you.” Easton explains. He carries all of our skates and we hold Cole’s hands as he skips between us. It isn’t very crowded because of the snowfall even though they have a huge tarp over it to keep it covered. I sit and listen to Cole chatter about the tree as I take my boots off. I slip the skates on and start tying them only for Easton to gently take the laces from me. “Let me make sure they won’t come
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undone. Cole, I’ll do yours in just a second.” He laces them all before standing and holding his
hands out to both of us.
“Luci can hold my hand, Daddy.” Cole proclaims confidently.
“What if I want to hold her hand?” Easton asks him playfully.
Cole makes a face but then grins. “We put her in the middle like you do me.”
“A perfect solution.” Easton says and I look up at him, worriedly chewing my lip.
“Umm what if I fall? Won’t I take him with me?”
“I’m not going to let you fall, Luci. Trust me on that. And he skates freakishly well.” He says confidently. “Cole, we need to teach Luci how to turn.”
He nods. “Luci, you look with your head and shoulders where you want to go. The rest of you
will turn.”
“Shown up by a four–year–old,” I joke. They keep me between them and surprisingly, I don’t even
wobble. After a while, Cole lets go of my hand and Easton lets his arm hover near me.
“I’m turning.” I laugh.
“Knew you could do it.”
“Ok. Can I hang out by the wall and watch you two really skate?” I offer knowing Cole has to want to go normal speed by now.
“You sure?”
“Yes. I want to see just how slow I really am.” I joke.
“Alright. Cole, let’s get Luci to the bench and then I’ll chase you.” Cole grins happily and I know I made the right decision. I stand and watch as Easton counts down from three. Cole takes off and he gives him a three second head start. Cole is fast though, those little feet flying around the curves already. Easton pushes off and I hear Cole giggling as Easton calls his name tauntingly. I pull out my phone and take pictures as well as video of them making sure I capture when Easton lifts him up high from behind and Cole dissolves into giggles. I snap a few still shots of that quickly, knowing that needs to be framed for them. Pure joy the only emotion on their faces. They skate over and hold their hands out for me. “Last laps around are always together.” Easton says and I take their hands to make a few more passes around. “Alright, hot chocolate and maybe a giant stuffed pretzel before our next activity.”
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“There’s more?” I ask surprised.
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“Yes, two more things and dinner. We’re trying to impress you, in case you haven’t caught on.” Easton says with a wink.
Ivory Row
Family date to be continued. So I was only going to upload this but decided to go ahead and attach the next chapter to it all.
