The One Awakened: Book 1 in The One Trilogy (27 page)

Karen is Niall’s rather athletic, overbearing and extremely non-maternal girlfriend.
 

The one he cheated on me with; the one who is entirely welcome to him now.

“Why Poppet?” I wipe his chin and put my plate down. I sense all is not well. His little shoulders seem over burdened and stooped with worry.

“She said that you were a stupid beach.”

Oh she did, did She? Deep breaths; keep calm here Lucia. Consider how you handle this.

“Don’t worry Finnster - I’m sure Karen didn’t mean anything by it.”
Yeah right.
 

She’s probably just pmt’ing and jealous that Niall is onto his next conquest. The man has a massive difficulty with monogamy.

Finn pouts up at me, his mouth full of blueberries and swallows before professing passionately. “Beaches aren’t stupid; I like beaches and I like you Mummy!”

I look at his beautiful little face and cuddle him to my chest. God I could eat him up. Why couldn’t Karen care about him - I understand she wouldn’t love him like her own but she could try surely, if she loved Niall enough?

“Poppet, what matters is you and I and your relationship with Daddy. I’ll chat with Dad and sort things out, OK?” He nods quietly, his huge cornflower blue eyes watching and trusting but still not quite convinced. “I Love you sweetie.”

“Love you too Mama.”
 

In that instant food becomes the most important thing in the world to him again. My work is done, as I watch him delve into his breakfast with stress-free relish. Bless him defending my honour. That woman needs putting in her place big-time! I wish I’d had the opportunity to discuss it with Niall this morning but I hadn’t known then and I’d found it hard to say
Hello,
let alone have an in depth conversation
.
It would have to wait until tonight. I can’t help but get the feeling that this is all down to Niall though. All was not smooth in his new love life.

“Right. Eat up cherub. We have a date at Auntie Suzie’s to decorate for the party and I’m not going to achieve anything in my PJ’s. Give me twenty minutes and we’ll go and visit the park on the way. Sound good?”

I laugh at his happy squeals of delight and head up stairs, Finn in tow, to make myself presentable for the day ahead.
 

“Where do you want me to put these Hun?” I ask my sister Suzie, who is in the process of trying to hose down her black rattan patio furniture, in her back garden. She spins and wiggles the hose, threatening to dowse me and shrieking, I leap out the way.
 

“Ahh. Nearly gotcha,” She cheekily moans and greedily reviewing the dishes I’ve brought and the pack of beers, gestures with her pink, marabou cuffed marigold finger towards the backdoor. “Just put it all in the kitchen Lubedoo – that’ll be fine. Thanks for bringing them. Give me two minutes and I’ll stop for a break,” she smiles happily back at me.
 

Even dressed in denim cut offs, and a plain white vest and flops, she looks gorgeous. Her silky blonde hair is pulled up in a loose bun and her favourite MAC lip-gloss adorns her ever-pouty lips. The effect is effortless but knowing Suzie probably took her some planning. Her life was consistently about fashion; she lived, ate and breathed it and had recently made her dreams come true and opened her own shop in the centre of our hometown, Bodley. It was a bijoux Ladieswear boutique, which had gone down a storm from the day she’d made it her goal. I was really proud of what she’d achieved and now
Dolly’s
was thriving!

I decide to check out what is happening inside the kitchen and from the main window, which rests over the sink, the view is interesting to say the least. The garden looks like a hurricane disaster zone, with tables and chairs, strewn everywhere, giant Jenga puzzles and twister mats and in the centre of it all a
Bucking Bronco
! I laugh to myself. Only Suzie.
 

Tonight was going to be fun, if not a little surreal.
 

Suzie and Gino always threw great parties; they were epic! Last year had been a toga party, and put it this way, the lawn the next morning, looked like a Chinese laundry. How the guests got home with their pride in tact is anyone’s guess but they were predominantly in the buff.
My eyes are drawn to the garden again. In the middle of the chaos is an enormous black canvas, which appears to be moving across the lawn. Looking closer I realise that it houses two huddled men, struggling and failing miserably to resurrect the huge gazebo, which Suzie has insisted is
a must
in case of rain. Gazing up at the bright blue sky above, I feel sorry for Gino, but the Yorkshire weather could be as temperamental as a hormonal woman, so it was probably for the best.
 

Upon closer inspection I can see that it is my brother-in-law and Sebastian, who are battling with the pegs and ties now. I instantly find it hard to breathe and my gut instinct is to exit and do it fast. Last night had been amazing but in the cold harsh light of day did I want to see him face-to-face?
 

With that definitive thought I make the decision to escape and return later before he realises my attendance. That idea immediately goes up in smoke, as my darling son, who has been chattering to his Auntie Suzie runs full pelt at Gino and Sebastian.
 

Oh crap!

He’s immediately scooped up and plopped on Sebastian’s shoulder in fits of giggles. They run in zigzags around the garden; Finn using Seb’s head like a drum. I smile in spite of my dour thoughts and decide to get a grip and put myself to work, laying the long kitchen buffet table and blowing up balloons and displaying them around the house. I may as well crack-on and put my frustrations to good use. At least Finn would be entertained with
the men
for a while and he was in his element. A little family male company would do him some good.

Half an hour later and the effect of my creative input is pretty much immediate, and the cool 80’s neon theme looks fantastic. Suzie would love it. I am so pleased I’d gone the extra mile at the wholesaler’s and got the zillions of glass tea-lights in bright neon colours, to distribute around the garden - they would look amazing when lit later that night.
Many, many balloons later and I am slightly light-headed from lack of oxygen. I jump, as a cheeky voice hollers up to me at the back door.

“Always knew you’d be good at blowing Lulu!” Gino winks.
 

God he could be crass sometimes, but I humour him anyway. It was also his main charm, say it as it is and it was hard not to smile around him, albeit often slightly embarrassing. I regularly cringe on Suzie’s behalf.

“Oh I am G boy, but the trick is, one little prick and they explode, it doesn’t take much mouth action.”
 

I retaliate smugly. Ha stick that in your pipe and smoke it.
 

Gino practically chokes at my response, laughing uncontrollably.

“Ah but not all men have small pricks, some are large and inflatable and can stay up
all
night,” a deep voice comments dryly behind me.
I spin around jumping out of my skin.
Where the bloody hell did he come from?

I can’t think of a witty reply. I am too shocked at Sebastian’s crudeness and the realisation that it was meant to be a sexual innuendo and directed entirely at me, in front of witnesses.

I am gladly saved from any form of comeback, as Finn walks in through the backdoor, swinging his arms, shoulders hunched.

“Mummy – Auntie Suzie sent me inside. I’m a tired chicken.” His bottom lip is out and he looks weary and very cute. Our time at the park and all the playtime with the guys must have worn him out.

“Right Finny Finn, let’s get you home for a do-do’s before you go to your Dad’s tonight.”
 

Picking his cherubic body up and snuggling him against my hip I wave over my shoulder to Sebastian and quickly make to exit.

“See ya Finnster mate,” I hear Sebastian call out behind my retreating back.

“Bye Sub,” my little one replies with a sleepy murmur, resting his head in the crook of my neck.
 

“Later’s Lulu. See you tonight FB. You’re looking great, definitely got a glow about you - done something different - maybe with your hair, or skin?”
 

His teasing smile makes me blush from head to toe but I compose myself and ensuring Finn is safely half way out the door, I flippantly lower my voice, replying, “Yeah its that new face-cream by L’Oreal; Orgasmic - because I’m soo worth it.”

 
I close the door on his deep sexy chuckles and shiver at the way his voice has managed to send a
direct signal to my awakened sex.

Would tonight be the night?
 

Well I hadn’t cancelled with Leo, and whilst I wasn’t overly bothered about a date with him, I was adhering to Abby’s advice and not just bending over backwards for Sebastian. I had to maintain some control in this arrangement. He hadn’t said I couldn’t date, just that no man other than him could get in my pants and Leo most certainly would not be going anywhere near them.

Later that night as we drive up into the hills, in the direction of the party I fuss with the hem of my dress and question for the umpteenth time that night why I hadn’t just cancelled my date with Leo.
 

I look across at him, flickering over his short brown hair, and down over his profile. He had good skin. Check. High cheekbones. Check. Ears were a little big and he could do with being a inch or two taller. His dress sense was presentable but that could be bettered, with a credit card and several hours of shopping - the shoe department being our first port of call. Men had to have good shoes. Crap shoes meant that they were crap in bed. Glancing down into the footwell, I spot his sex-offender, mat black specials and wince; going by those, Leo would be abysmal.

Finally I drop my gaze to his hands. Long lean artistic fingers grasp the gear stick, normally hands do it for me but whilst elegant, his have seen nothing but a keyboard in their time. They’d feel soft and smooth on my skin, unlike a certain friend’s roughened touch. I couldn’t picture him pinning me against a wall and ravishing me; would definitely be more of a missionary man, probably with his socks on.
Stop Lu - don’t be cruel.
But I know I’m right.

I couldn’t see him sending me Fuck Buddy Rules and talking about sex so candidly.

I couldn’t see those fingers getting me off the way Sebastian’s had so expertly last night.

“Do I have something on my face?” his teasing glimpse is warm and I smile back, embarrassed for being caught out at my obvious perusal of him. Thank goodness he couldn’t hear the mental pros and cons list going on in my head.

“Not at all. I was just thinking about work and a new potential client I may be taking on.” I fluster my way through a blag of an excuse and it gives us something to chatter about the last few miles up to Suzie’s. Leo was great when we spoke about business and actually really interesting but I am fast learning that it seems to stop there. He’s as dull as the dark burgundy metallic Mondeo he’d picked me up in. Bring on the alcohol!