Black (Clashing Colors Book 1) (30 page)

“I will,” I said and moved around the room to find my clothes. 

“Don’t get dressed… I’m not done with you,” he muttered into his pillow.

I shook my head with a smile and headed to use the bathroom.

When I got out, Gabriel was sitting up and looking out the window.

“Hey,” he said when he saw me and then he laughed.

“Don’t laugh,” I said, knowing exactly why he was amused. “It’s your fault I’m walking like a freaking cowboy; I’m so sore all over.”

“I’m sorry,” he said but the grin on his face said otherwise. “But I can’t deny it makes me happy to see my woman thoroughly fucked and pleased.”

I blushed a little as I sat down on the bed. Last night had been incredible and worth the soreness a thousand times over, but now my head was close to exploding with the big question on my mind.

“What is it, sweetie?” he asked with a concerned expression. “What’s wrong?”

“Were you really serious, Gabriel?”

“About what?” he asked and started playing with my fingers.

“You want me to move in with you?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Like for real?”

“Yes,” he confirmed.

“Okay, I’ll do it.”

He lifted his head and looked at me with slightly raised eyebrows. “You will?”

“Yes. If you don’t mind living with a partly crazy person, then I’ll move in with you,” I said. 

He chuckled and kissed me with satisfaction. “At least you’re not as crazy as your friend Violet,” he teased. “I can’t see her ever getting a man.”

“Really? I thought you looked quite taken with her the first time you met her,” I said with a poorly disguised pout.

“No, I’m not saying she isn’t attractive… there’s definitely something about Violet that is intriguing… until she opens her mouth and starts talking about crazy psychic stuff,” he argued.

“Again with the judging, Gabriel,” I objected, feeling a bit like a hypocrite, because although I’d never verbalized it, I had definitely thought the same things. “Violet is the kindest person I know. I truly hope there is someone out there who will love her uniqueness.”

He planted a kiss on my nose. “Like I love yours?” he said and I rewarded him with a sly smile.

“That remains to be seen.”

“Could we marry before we move to Missouri?” Gabriel asked.

“I thought we were just talking about moving in together,” I said and pulled back a little.

He shrugged. “Whatever you want.”

I had the feeling he was playing me like an instrument. Pushing me a little and then pulling back. With every push I grew bolder.

We spent the day together and went to Violet’s house to pick up my things that afternoon.

“Did you get rid of the demon?” I asked her.

“Demon?” She looked puzzled.

“Yeah, the cleansing you were doing here yesterday.,” I reminded her and it made her tilt her head and smile at me.

“There was no demon; I just wanted to give you a reason to go to Gabriel’s house.”

I gaped at her. “Why?”

“Because you needed one.”

“So what did you do last night?”

“I watched a movie and did my nails,” she said with a shrug.

I couldn’t be angry with her. When Gabriel came and told me he’d packed all my things in his car, she leaned in to hug me. “You sneaky little witch,” I muttered with a smile.

“You honor me,” she grinned. “I’ll see you soon, my friend.”

Gabriel and I brought take-out food back to his apartment, wanting nothing else than to be alone in our love bubble.

“Why do you want to marry me?” I asked when we lay in another post-sex daze.

“Because I love you and I feel at ease when I’m with you. Maybe it’ll also prevent you from running away the next time we get into a fight. I want you to commit to me and acknowledge that it’s you and me from now on.”

“You and me,” I repeated.

“That’s right, babe.”

“What do you think your mom will say?” I asked.

He looked at me. “I think she’ll be all over our wedding.”

I turned my head and gave him a quizzical glance. “Can’t we just elope?”

“We could,” he said slowly. “But my mother would never forgive me. Look, it doesn’t have to be anything big, just a small ceremony for friends and family in my parents’ garden. If we give my mom that, she’ll be eternally grateful.”

“Okay… sounds reasonable. But nothing fancy, all right?”

“Who are you going to invite?” he asked me.

“Just three of my friends.”

“Violet and Daniel,” he guessed.

I nodded. “Yeah, and Darren… he’s actually a really cool guy.”

“All right. Would it be strange if I want to invite Bruce too?” Gabriel asked.

I smiled at him and shook my head. “I would like that.”

Gabriel broke into a huge smile. “Did you just agree to marry me?”

I blinked and returned his intense stare. “Maybe.”

“No.” He sat up, suddenly serious. “There’s no maybe. I know you’re young but either we do it or we don’t.”

I swallowed hard. “Okay.”

“So are we really doing this?” he asked me with excitement, “Getting married, I mean?”

I couldn’t say anything, but I nodded. Gabriel had walked into the pitch-blackness that had been my life and pulled me into the light. If he needed a ring on my finger to feel secure in our relationship, then I would happily give it to him, although with no positive role models to look to, marriage in itself meant little to me. 

CHAPTER 27

Family

Gabriel

“It’ll be fine. They are all excited to meet you again,” I assured her, feeling nervous deep to my core.

“Is Brent going to be there?” Cia asked.

“I don’t know for sure.”

As I drove up to the large house, I once again parked on the street, just in case.

“You look beautiful,” I told Cia and took her hand. Her long blond hair was flaring in the light breeze and her black dress fit her perfectly, making her look both feminine and elegant.

She gave me a smile that didn’t reach her eyes; clearly she was as nervous as I was.

The doorbell was loud, and when my mother opened the door ten seconds later she spread her arms to welcome us.

“Cia and Gabriel, come in… come in.”

I kept Cia’s hand in mine and stepped into the house I had grown up in, and once again we walked into the living room to find most of the family already gathered.

“Hey,” I said and took the glass of champagne Steve handed to me.

“Do you drink champagne?” he asked Cia in a friendly fashion.

“Uhm… yes.”

“Good – this is an excellent champagne that won several awards at the world championship in 2013,” Steve explained. “I find that I prefer champagne produced with chardonnay grapes. How about you?”

Cia took a sip. “I always preferred apple cider because sweeter and because it’s much cheaper.”

Steve wrinkled his forehead. “Cider, you say?”

“Yes… the one from Martinell’s is really good and it kinda looks like a champagne bottle… you know?”

I suppressed a chuckle. No one but Cia could humble Steve.

“I’ll remember that,” he said with a lurking smile before my mom came to move us along.

“Come say hi to Granny. She just had a cold, but she’s feeling much better now.”

My grandparents were sitting in a small couch and I was a little shocked to see how poorly my grandmother looked. According to my mom, Granny’s dementia and hearing were only getting worse. “You remember Cia, right?” my mother asked them both, and Charlie reached out his hand. “Ah yes, I remember you. Welcome back,” he said politely and shook hands with Cia.

Cia reached her hand to Granny, who looked at her with squinting eyes. “I’ve seen you before,” she told Cia almost accusingly.

“Yes, I was here for a brunch some months ago.”

But Granny ignored her comment and pointed her finger in Cia’s face. “You are that woman who stole my stamps.”

“Your stamps?”

“Yes.” She turned to Charlie. “Remember when I couldn’t find my stamps and I knew the maid had taken them?”

“I’m not a maid,” Cia said quickly. “And I didn’t take your stamps.”

“You didn’t?” Granny asked suspiciously.

“No, I didn’t.”

Granny looked at me. “Gabriel.”

“Yes, Granny.”

“Since when are you dating the maid?”

“I’m not dating the maid. Cia is an artist.”

“An artist?”

“Yes, she paints portraits.”

“I could paint yours if you want,” Cia offered but Granny waved her hands dismissively.

“Why would I want a portrait of me. It’s offensive enough that I have to see my reflection when I wash my face.” Again she turned to Charlie. “Remember how pretty I was when I was younger?”

“I do… you were the prettiest girl I ever saw.”

“Aww… Daddy, that’s so sweet,” my mom said beside me.

“It’s true…” Granny said. “There was no one prettier than me, and look at me now. I look like an old hag.”

Charlie chuckled.

“What’s so funny?” Granny asked in a grumpy tone. “You’re even older and uglier than me and I have to look at you all the time.”

It was hard not to laugh, and luckily Charlie had a good sense of humor.

“We are just a pair of old goats,” he said and took her hand.

“What did you say?” Granny held a hand to her ear.

“Nothing,” my mom interjected. “Mom. Come on, let’s get you some more champagne.”

When we moved away, my mom turned to us. “I’m afraid Brent, Janet, and the kids won’t come today. I invited them all, of course, but when Brent heard that you two were coming, he declined.”

Cia actually looked relieved, but I felt anger in the pit of my stomach. The man was a moron for rejecting Cia, especially now that we, his family, all knew about her anyway.

“His loss,” my mom said with a sad smile to Cia. “I thought we could have a barbeque in the garden.” She swung her hands toward the French doors.

“I love burgers and hot dogs,” Cia whispered to me.

“Don’t count on getting any,” I whispered back. “It’s not that kind of barbeque.”

As I had predicted, my mother’s idea of a barbeque meant French cuisine prepared on a grill.

We had delicious fish with asparagus and white sauce as an appetizer, followed by a tender chicken marinated in French herbs, with small potatoes and vegetables on small spears, accompanied by a delicious red wine sauce.

The desert was crème brûlée, Steve’s favorite.

All the while through eating the three courses, everyone asked Cia questions about her past, her art, and her plans for the future.

“I’m going with Gabriel to Missouri.”

“Oh, that’s nice,” my sister Melody said. “I’ll come and visit you.”

I smiled at her. “You’re all welcome to visit us and actually, Mom and Steve, we have a favor to ask before we move.”

Steve sat up straighter. “What do you need, son?”

“I’ve asked Cia to marry me, and we thought we could have a small ceremony and reception here in your garden.”

There was absolute silence around the table for seconds before my mom clasped her hands together. “But of course.”

Steve looked a bit shaken, but he managed to congratulate us both and raise his glass. “Let’s all raise our glasses to Gabriel and Cia and their bright future,” he said in a formal voice. 

“What are we drinking to?” Granny asked.

“Cia and Gabriel are getting married,” Melody told her.

Granny raised her glass. “But weren’t you already with Brent’s daughter or did I misunderstand that?”

“Cia
is
Brent’s daughter,” my mom explained patiently.

Granny downed her glass of champagne. “Everyone knows you shouldn’t marry family… but you’re all celebrating.” She shook her head.

“We’re not blood related, Granny,” I told her again.

“That’s good, my child. That’s good,” she said but I could tell she had given up and wasn’t paying attention.

“When is the date?” Steve asked.

“We are flexible as long as it’s before we move.”

Melody and Brittany leaned closer and starting firing questions at Cia and me. Had we thought about what food we wanted, what colors, what kind of ceremony, how many people to invite? The wedding was getting them really excited.

“I would have preferred to just get married at the city hall with a hot dog and a walk along the pier afterwards,” Cia said and received looks of horror from my mom and my sisters.

Steve chuckled. “And to think I accused you of being a gold digger.”

There was a look between Steve and Cia, and if she had known him better she would have realized that he respected her.

“But if you don’t have any fixed ideas, we’ll be more than happy to help organize it all,” Melody offered. “I doubt I’ll ever get to plan my own wedding, so I would be more than honored to help plan yours.

Cia smiled. “Would you? That’s so nice of you.”

Melody lit up in a beaming smile, while Steve signaled for me to come with him. As we walked away from the table I could hear the women talk about where to buy a wedding dress and what flowers to get… Cia might not want a dream wedding, but she wanted family, and right now she was the center of attention with a bright smile on her face.

“This comes as a surprise,” Steve said.

“Yeah… but it feels right to me.”

“She’s only twenty-one,” he said with a raised brow.

“So?”

“That’s young.”

“I know, but Cia isn’t like others, she’s older than her age.”

Steve nodded slowly. “She is. Normally I would argue that you needed her to sign a prenuptial agreement, but in this case I won’t. Soon, she’ll have more money than you.”

I frowned. “Who, Cia? No, she’s doesn’t have much.”

“I think I should tell you that I transferred Brent’s inherence to his children. Including Cia.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, each year I pay a significant amount to all my children. From now on, Brent’s portion will be split among his children.

“You never paid me anything,” I said, confused.

“Because you’re not my biological son. I believe your mom has been generous toward you, though.”

“Yes.” My mom had always helped me out, even when I told her I could take care of myself.

“Brent’s million will be split in four, meaning that each year Cia will get a quarter of a million.”

I gaped. “You gave Brent a million dollars a year?”

“Yes, it’s better that way. What is it worth leaving millions behind when I die? I’d rather spread my riches while I’m alive.”

“But a million?” And to think I had felt bad about my mom filling my fridge or buying me my first car. A freaking million a year… for how many years?

“We’ll need to get the paperwork done of course, but my lawyers will set it up. I trust you can help Cia feel good about the whole thing.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“She might not want to accept the money.”

I looked over to see her and it made me smile. She looked so happy sitting at the table and talking about our wedding.

“And of course, your mom and I will be happy to sponsor the wedding.”

“Thank you… really, we just want a small ceremony.”

Steve chuckled. “I’ll remind your mother when she goes overboard… but you are her only son, so I can’t make any guarantees.”

⦓∞
⦔

Cia

If I thought being homeless and penniless was stressful it was only because I’d never tried pulling of a wedding in two weeks.

Never did I imagine how much was involved. The benefit of it all was that I got to spend a lot of time with my family. Melody, Brittany, and Katie were taking me under their wing and pampering me. I know that from their perspective the wedding was tiny in scale, but to me it was grand.

There were times when I had to put my foot down and say no. Like the time Katie insisted I should spend the night before the wedding at their house because it was bad luck to see the groom before the wedding.

First of all, I’m not superstitious.

Second of all I would have seen him if we had just gone to the city hall like I originally suggested.

Third… well, I don’t think I need more reasons to decide where I sleep.

Gabriel said I could do as I pleased. He would never refuse me access to his bed, and a night with me was always welcome in his world.

Still, in the end Violet asked to have a girl’s night, and I figured it wasn’t such a bad idea to stay at her house the night before the wedding. Violet is a good cook; she made her homemade lasagna and freshly baked bread that is to die for. When she offered a tarot reading I politely declined, and instead we ended up talking all night about life.

Violet is funny that way. She believes in all sorts of different things that will make you see ordinary things in a new perspective. Some of it is far out, like part of the human race descending from other planets, but other things sound pretty believable, and now she even has me wondering if the human race is older than archeologists claim.

Either way, talking with Violet is different than talking with anyone else, and she challenges my view of the world and myself. She got quiet when I tried to find out more about her past, and like she so often does when she wants to avoid a subject, she distracted me with a pop quiz on songs from our past.

I never did have many friends to begin with and Violet was my first and only girlfriend, which meant that my night at Violet’s house was the closest thing I’d get to a bachelorette party. Gabriel had been out last weekend with a whole bunch of his pals, but this was fine with me because a loyal and fearless friend like Violet counts for ten normal friends, in my opinion. 

The next day Violet took me to Steve and Katie’s place, where I was met by a stylist who did my hair, nails, and makeup. Christ, I never knew how many hours go into a makeover like that.

My dress was simple but gorgeous and I had picked it out myself. Of course Katie had suggested making a rush order with a well-known designer who could custom-make a dress just for me, but I had preferred to walk into a normal bridal store with a large selection and make my choice.