Filed to story: Luci Forrester and Easton Reed: Hockey Romance Story
Mrs. Walters immediately barks out his name, “Cole Matthew!”
He stops looking afraid. “Sorry Grandmother, I pick it up.” He turns immediately to do that as she sighs.
“Baker, Luci will begin watching Cole today. Can you please go over his routine and show her around the house?”
“Yes, I will.” He nods at me, and I wonder if he’s friendly. Cole was laughing in here moments ago.
“Perfect. I will be going over to Lorraine’s then. Be back in time for dinner. We have no guests scheduled. No need for Cole to change tonight. He can have his bath and be in pajamas for dinner.” She walks away, and Cole comes to launch himself at me.
“You came to watch me. I said only Luci.” He’s bouncing in my arms and I set him down.
“I’m here. And now I feel really special that you wanted me. Are you done with your cookies?” He nods at me happily. “Ok, we’ll go play, but I think Mr. Baker needs to show me the ropes first.”
Cole giggles. “We don’t have ropes.”
“You do. You just don’t know it.” I tickle his side and turn to face the butler. He’s smiling at us.
“Just Baker, Miss Luci. Cole has his snack when he gets home, and it’s not cookies, but he helped me tidy the playroom before you got here, and that was his reward. After that he plays in the playroom or outside, weather permitting. Dinner is at five unless there is a big family dinner planned that he is to attend. Bath is at six and bed is at six thirty or seven though you will usually be gone by then. Tonight will be bath at five thirty and dinner at six though. I will inform you each day when you arrive if madam does not.”
I try to commit that to memory. Maybe I can put it in my phone in a minute so I don’t screw it up.
“If you are only Baker, then I’m only Luci.”
“Sorry, Miss Luci. It wouldn’t do for me to forget in front of the boss. But I will try to do it when we are alone. Cole has his snack here in the kitchen. Come, and I’ll show you the living room, outside, playroom, and his bedroom.”
The living room is massive with a huge projection tv and large leather couches. I try not to gawk as we walk through the french doors to a fenced-in outside area. There’s a playground, zipline, table and other things.
“There’s a lot more yard, Luci, but this is where he usually plays.” Baker informs me.
“Could he have his snack out here sometimes too?” I ask and see Cole’s big grin.
“Yes, he loves to be outside. Madison did not care to be outdoors much.” His face is impassive, but I catch the ripple of disapproval.
“She was no fun. Only wanted to play on her phone. No hugs too.” Cole tells me watching
Baker’s face. “Luci saved me, Baker. And she let me have a popsicle before dinner.”
I eye him, trying not to laugh.
“I like to be outside. If it’s nice weather, we’ll have your snack out here and then decide where to play. And you got a popsicle because that was a rough day. I think they should have given me one too.” An adult one with rum in it, I add in my head. At least that would work if I drank….
Baker leads us back indoors. I notice how he is gentle with Cole. Maybe he’s the one who has kept his disposition so sweet. I follow him down a hallway at the base of the stairs, and he shows me the playroom. It’s as big as my apartment. Baker leads me to another door farther down, and I mumble a few words about a map.
He turns to say quickly, “I am always here, Miss Luci. I will give you my phone number, and you can call me should you need anything. Or yell my name like Cole does. He has run of the house too, so he will show you around.”
“Thank you.” I reply sincerely. He opens the door to Cole’s bedroom and I step in laughing.
“You don’t like Star Wars, do you, Cole?” I look over the spaceship shaped bed complete with lightsabers and guns. On every wall is every possible decoration from the movies imaginable.
“I’m a Jedi Luci. Sometimes I dark side and sometimes I light side.” He holds one of his lightsabers pointed at me. “I’m going to be Dark Vader for trick or treat.”
“Well, I can’t wait to see that. How about you show me where all your pajamas are and your bathroom before we go play?”
Baker nods approvingly at me and leaves. Cole is more than eager to show me all of his things before he takes me to the playroom.
After his bath, Baker comes and tells me I can leave to go home. Cole’s face falls. “She can eat dinner with me.”
“Your grandmother are here to eat with you.” He says softly and Cole looks no happier.
“Tomorrow night Luci can, she will be out late.”
Which means I’ll be here late. I leave realizing it will be a fairly easy job, especially when
Imogen Walters isn’t around.
Three nights later, I’m laughing at Cole as he takes the bubbles I put in his bath and blows them at the wall. I put a pile on top of his head and showed him how he looked in my phone. He’d laughed, thinking it was hilarious. I sit back as he plays with his toys not needing me for a minute. His little laughs soothe me and today I need them.
My usual tormentors had seemed to be in foul moods and they decided to take it out on me when they saw me in class today.
Julian had set the entire thing off with Deacon joining him. Julian had snarled that I could at least try to make myself scarce when he was around. To make matters worse, I was only barely paying attention to him because I was going through my schedule today and trying to mentally review my notes for a test in a later class. It infuriated him and he’d gotten right in my face talking about how I’m not even smart enough to fight back. I’d given him a perplexed look at that. “You want me to insult your pea brain” had slipped out easily and the veins in his neck had visibly swelled.
“Mouthy little mouse.” That voice behind me had me on edge. I get the worst vibes off that
Maxton guy. “I smell you little mouse, your fear.”