“I’m glad we’re going to Fiji next week.”
While Cat and I ate breakfast, I’d booked us a trip to Fiji. When I brought it up, Cat joked that she’d always wanted to stay in one of the huts on the crystal blue water. So I said, “Let’s do it.” Cat had turned to me, wide-eyed as I was already searching flights. I didn’t care. I’d go into debt for this girl. I wanted to give her the world because she deserved it.
“I know, baby. Just you and me in our own private hut.”
“Can’t wait.”
We exited the car, and I grabbed her hand as we walked to my grandma’s front door. I’d half expected Grandma to be waiting in the parking lot for us. I knocked once, and the door flew open.
“Sethie!” Grandma cried and rushed into my arms. I dropped Cat’s hand, embracing my grandma.
“Hey, Grandma. Long time no see.”
She pulled back and cupped my cheeks. “Too long.” Grandma looked at Cat. “Catherine Stone, you’ve grown into such a beautiful young lady.”
The women hugged. “Thank you so much, Mrs. McKenna.”
“Come inside. Harold and I have some lemonade made.”
I swearHarold and Grandma were like teenagers in love. It was good to see my grandma happy. The four of us sipped on lemonade while I told them about my work in D.C., the undercover job in Vegas, how Joss was married and then Cat told them about her ordeal. I wasn’t expecting her to say anything, but the way Cat was able to rehash it all over and over seemed therapeutic. And she needed that. I’d heard therapy was like that. You’d talk about your problems, get them off your chest, and then have a sense of relief. Whatever Cat needed to do, I was all for it.
Before we left, I pulled Grandma aside and said, “Grandma, I’m gonna marry that girl.”
Our next stopwas dinner at her parents’ house. In all the years I’d known Cat, I’d never met them. I’d seen them drop her off at Joss’s trailer a few times during the summers we spent together, but not once had either one of them gotten out of the car.
Cat directed me to her folk’s place in Coconut Grove. It was a two-story tiled roof home that to me screamed money. Not like Mark’s place in Vegas. That was unreal. But this house was a Spanish style home with a three car garage, a circular driveway, a lush yard with palm trees around it, and a pool that overlooked part of the ocean. Now I understood why Cat was freaking out about missing work. Just seeing this house told my intuitions that Dr. Stone was good at his job and their practice was successful.
Cat didn’t bother to knock as we entered the front door. No one was there as we made our way inside. We found her parents outside, underneath the upstairs balcony sitting at a table that pointed to a pool that overlooked the water.
“Mom. Dad. This is Seth McKenna.”
I stuck out my hand and greeted them with a nod each. “Nice to meet you both.”
“Over the years we’ve heard so much about you. It’s nice to finally put a face to the name.”
I glanced at Cat noticing she was blushing from her mother’s words. “All good things, I hope.”
“You did break her heart, son,” Cat’s father stated.
I rubbed the back of my neck, but Cat spoke for me. “That’s in the past. It was actually a misunderstanding.”
“Oh?” Cat’s mom asked.
“I was young and dumb, and Seth was just out of the academy. The time just wasn’t right.”
“Fair enough,” her father said and sat back down, gesturing for me to sit as well.
“You have a lovely home, Dr. Stone.”
“Please, call us Carroll and Cora. There isn’t a need to be formal.”
I smiled at them. “Will do.”
“So, Cat,” Carroll turned to her, “tell us about Vegas.”
And so it began.
Carroll and Coradidn’t take the news well. I didn’t blame them. But Cat was strong, assured them that everything was going to be okay and she had me to protect her now. I’d take a bullet to the heart before I’d let anything happen to her again.
