"I've got someone I want you to meet." Sebastian held out his hand to her. "This is Charlie."
The fact that he didn't say her last name--that she was just Charlie--meant he'd told these special people about her.
Susan took both her hands, giving Charlie's heartstrings another strong tug. "Charlie, I couldn't be happier to meet you. I read that article about your sculpture at the Regent Hotel. I'm so delighted for you."
"Thank you. And it's so nice to meet you too. I've heard such amazing things about you and Bob." She smiled at the lovely, fiftysomething woman. "And Sebastian hasn't exaggerated a bit."
A few inches taller than Charlie, Susan had a trim build, an engaging smile and knowing eyes. When she glanced at Sebastian, then back to Charlie, it was as if she knew everything, approved, and accepted. Charlie warmed all over. The only woman she'd ever felt total acceptance from was her mother. But with one little sideways look, Susan Spencer made her feel as though she could be a Maverick.
"Now, where are the rest of my boys?" Susan called, and Jeremy immediately came running.
"Grandma!"
After fifteen minutes for all the hugs and hellos, Daniel put his parents to work in one of the second-floor bathrooms. They all settled back into their jobs, until twelve-thirty, when Daniel blew a whistle like a drill sergeant and yelled from the front room, "Lunch break, everyone! Pizza in the backyard."
"I didn't notice before," Charlie said to Sebastian after everyone had headed out to the yard, "but now that I know there's pizza, I'm starving,"
"I am too. Starving for this." He grabbed her up in his big arms, right off her feet, and planted a kiss on her mouth before dropping her back down.
One kiss and her heart was galloping like her stallions. "There are youngsters here." Her smile ruined the effect of her teasing admonition.
"They can watch and learn, then." His grin was bigger than hers as he put his arm around her, guiding her to the backyard. She loved the sweetness of it, the ease of his touch, his smile, as if they'd been together forever.
Outside, Daniel had set up canopies for some shade. Thank goodness there was a decent breeze to cool down the warm afternoon. Susan waved an arm at her. "Charlie, I've saved you a seat." There was only one deck chair available next to her.
"You okay with this?" Sebastian asked Charlie softly.
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"Because Susan clearly wants to grill you on everything we've said and done--and probably on when you're going to commit to having my firstborn."
"Trust me, I'm going to grill her right back about you."
He looked a little shell-shocked at her return volley. She grabbed a slice of pizza and a soda, then took the seat Susan offered. Heck, she felt kind of shell-shocked herself. She hadn't thought much about marriage or a family, but having kids with Sebastian sounded so good...as did everything that came with it, including his ring on her finger.
"Lord, that sun is bright," Susan said from behind an oversized pair of sunglasses. "Daniel tells me he's going to build a deck and lay in a drought-resistant garden, front and back, with drip watering." She scuffed her shoe in the dirt and lowered her voice. "I know it's impractical out here, but I do love a nice green lawn."
Still stunned by the vision of herself in a long white dress, walking down a rose-strewn aisle toward Sebastian, the best response Charlie could come up with was, "Me too."
Despite Sebastian's threat, Susan didn't pry at all. She simply asked about Charlie's work and then talked about her boys. Her deep, abiding love for every one of them shone in her voice, her smile, and the softness of her gaze. They were all her sons, not just Daniel, and each of them had special qualities. She clearly loved her daughter no less.
"Lyssa is traveling through Europe on her own." Susan said. "She's so adventurous. I'm not sure I could have done anything like that when I was her age. And I certainly couldn't do it now."
"Of course you could. Just imagine." Charlie closed her eyes dreamily. "You and Bob floating through Venice on a gondola." It was so easy to picture the scene with Sebastian at her side.
Susan laughed. "Bob would get seasick."
"How about drinking wine with fresh bread and cheese at a Tuscan villa?" She could easily while away the hours with that divine daydream.
"I'm lactose and gluten intolerant."
Charlie stared at Susan's straight face for three seconds, then said, "Maybe you shouldn't eat the pizza."
Susan laughed heartily, from deep in her belly all the way to her eyes. "I like you, Charlie--you let me joke around."
"I like you too." Especially because you took in Sebastian when he badly needed a family to love him. Thank you for being there for him, Susan.
Just then, little Noah let out a squeal of delight from across the yard. "Isn't he a doll?" Susan's face turned mushy with love.