40. Perfect Day
Gage got up when he heard knocking on the door, it took him seconds before he smiled and realized that he was still at Bree’s and Rockford had probably headed back without him when Gage didn’t come out of Bree’s apartment hours later. Another knocking sound took him back to the present and Gage turned on the lamp on the side table then swiftly pulled on his pants and undershirt before telling Bree to sleep when she was about to wake up.
“Sleep, I got this.” He whispered and kissed her forehead and the woman smiled at him before she drifts off to sleep again. Gage had exhausted her, they had just fallen asleep maybe for an hour or two after all the sexual activities that they had. Bree needed her rest, she was probably going to be sore in the morning and the thought of that made him hurry himself to the door and closes the door behind him.
“Hazel, mommy is sleeping. Come on,”
“Gage,” she pouted when it was not her mom who answered the door, but then giggled when he carried her princess style back to her bedroom.
“Nightmare? do you want some warm milk? I can read you a story?”
“Story, please… my dolphin book.” She burrowed herself under the covers once she was back in her bed.
Gage didn’t make it till the end of the book when Hazel’s steady breathing was heard. The little girl was leaning on his shoulder her hands wrapped around his arms keeping a tight hold. He was feeling all the possessiveness towards the little toddler. Hazel made him fall back to the memory of him losing his wife and his unborn baby, the baby that should be Hazel’s age by now. Maybe this was his second chance, Gage thought, and the man still has it in his mind when he carefully slipped out of Hazel’s hold and back into Bree’s bed.
He woke up before Bree, it was still early, and Gage stayed up until the morning sun cast its soft light onto Bree’s naked back and she stirred, her beautiful eyes fluttered open and she smiled when she saw him looking down at her. Gage was resting his head on his hand, leaning sideways, lazily gazing at her figure as if he was memorizing every inch of her body.
“I should… what time is it?” Bree asked sleepily.
“Seven, Hazel is still asleep, what’s your schedule for today?”
“I should get up, she will be up in minutes,”
“I’ll make coffee,” Gage offered, but then he stilled. He was not sure that Bree wanted Hazel to see him there in the morning, he remembered that it was one of the issues Jade had with him.
“Okay, I’ll be out in a couple of minutes. I need to get Hazel ready for her day.” Her easy and quick words were easing his mind and Gage got dressed, and with a lighter step, he walked out of Bree’s room and went straight to the kitchen.
“Gage! you’re still here.” Hazel walked out of her room and was about to go to her mom’s when she saw him in the kitchen making coffee. Her smile was contagious and he smiled back and helped her up to her baby chair by the kitchen island. He felt as if he’d done this before. It felt so natural. Rockford had told him that Bree and Hazel went to stay at his house for a while, so that should explain the comfortable feeling he has around both of them.
“Of course, I am, so, pumpkin, what should I make you this morning?”
“You remembered! mommy, Gage remembered! he called me pumpkin!” Hazel was all too excited. The little girl had been disappointed when Gage explained to her about his illness and the fact that he didn’t remember both of them. But watching her all happy and smiling wiped all the guilt away from Gage.
Bree smiled brightly as she watched her two favorite people together in the kitchen just like they did months back in Gage’s house. Bree was taken back to the current situation when Gage looked at her with a question in his eyes.
“You used to call Hazel all kinds of nicknames, I think you should stick to pumpkin, it’s too cute,” Bree told him while walking over to Hazel and giving her little sunshine a kiss on her chubby cheek. “You want pancake?” she asked her baby girl.
“Yes! and I want Gage to make them.” She giggled knowing that Gage had always made a mess in making pancakes, the shape will be in ruins but he makes it up with syrup, lots and lots of syrups, and that what make Gage’s pancakes the best in Hazel’s opinion.
“Uh, are you sure?” the man looked worried and it made both of them laugh.Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org
“Yes, you will know what to do, let’s try it out?” Bree pulled out the ingredients while he still looked unsure of himself, but he mixes the pancake batter with eggs and start making them. As expected it turned out to be messy pancakes and he did not forget to add lots of syrup. Hazel ate them with her morning appetite and Bree followed making Gage smile at them. He never felt so damn good with his cooking skill before, but seeing them eating his crumbling creation made his heart feel so much more that he wanted more mornings just like it.
The perfect morning ended when it was time for Gage to go back home and get ready for his day. Rockford had texted Gage, informing him that he had arrived at the parking lot. Gage said his goodbye and Hazel gave him the warmest hug, and so did Bree. He left her apartment with a good feeling, now he knows there was definitely something between them.
He knew Bree and Hazel meant something to him, there was nothing he could do with the memory that he lost but he was determined to follow his gut and spend more time with them and create new memories.
He had meetings all morning, and when lunchtime arrived he decided to text Bree and pick her up for lunch from Babes. Jojo was there and she smiled at him and told them to have a nice long lunch. Bree looked hesitant and told him she only have time for a quick lunch but he ignored her and told her that she work for him. “We can call it a work lunch and I’ll make excuse for you being late later, come on,” he took her hand and entwined their fingers as they walked out of the club. It felt right, it felt perfect.
He took her to his favorite place, a cozy family Italian restaurant. They were just finished ordering their meal when he saw his parents walk in. “Gage, Bree what a nice surprise,” his mom was the first one to greet them. Bree blushed and smiled at them, Gage got up and kiss his mom’s cheek and gave his dad a brief manly hug.
“Join us?” Bree was relieved that Gage was nice to his parents, she did not know what to expect since the thing between her and Gage was still rocky at best. She still didn’t know where she stood with him, a lover, a friend, an ex-fiancee? but Bree welcomed his mom and dad with a brief hug and let the parents sit in front of them after they all move to a bigger table.
“So, Bree, how’s Hazel? I miss the little girl, when are you coming by for our family dinner? Gage, honey, you should invite her…”
“Edith,” his dad warned his mom not to push Bree and Gage. Bree was tensed, she didn’t want Gage to feel obligated to bring Bree and Hazel to his family dinner, not when she was still not sure about their relationship. If there was one.
“Sure, how about next weekend, Bree? I don’t remember the last time, but if Bree said yes then we will go.” All eyes were on Gage, how he speaks easily startled her a bit, no one expected him to reply so swiftly and so freely. His mom looked so happy and his dad was plastering a smirk on his face as if he told his wife I told you so. Then all eyes were on Bree when they wait for her decision.
She smiled, took a drink from her glass of water to ease her nerves, then told them she can be there next weekend. Because in honesty she loves Gage and she wanted to be with him. With all that had been happening, she needed it. She needed whatever he would offer her. The months that they were apart had been hell for Bree and she was not going to say no when his parents welcomed her into their home. Though she was not sure about his brother and sister, the matter will be dealt with later when needed.
For now, she was content in eating lunch with Gage and his parents while they talk about mundane stuff and caught up as Bree told them about Hazel and her current activities. The man she loved would gaze at her every now and then. She knows she was being watched, whether it was his attention as she was talking or his adoring stare to which his mom looked fondly at the couple before her.
Lunch was perfect, breakfast had also been perfect and then Gage told her that he was coming over with dinner and that just made Bree’s day even more perfect. The man was not slowing down, after all that had happened Gage felt slowing down was a shitty thing to do. He was moving forward, fast, and to the point where he would steer clear of anything that blocked his way.