Complete Me (Book Three of The Kirkland Family)

Complete Me: Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Several hours later Rose's fingers ached, and her butt was numb from sitting on the bench. They watched the entire film twice, with her playing the piano as a backdrop to the story. Some changes were made the second time around, but not much. Rose felt as if she knew the story in her heart. Cole identified points of interest as they sat there together — the trickle of water down a window; the flash of lightning at the right moment; the whisper of a touch. He showed her how the female lead tilted her head as if to calm a racing heart. And how the male character dug his heels into the ground when he walked. All of it encouraged the music that flowed out of Rose.

Later that afternoon, Josie called it quits. She and Travis needed to pick up the kids from Mama Arielle's house, who was Tristan's biological mother. Rose found it endearing that both household's shared the raising of all the kids — Josie and Travis', and Arielle and Sam's. It was difficult to explain the situation to those who didn't know the four parents, but Rose never thought much beyond the fact that they were all family, connected in some way by blood. When she did attempt to illustrate the arrangement to Cole as they drove to Josie's house for dinner, he listened with a cryptic expression.

In the end, he merely said, "Interesting."

Rose smiled. "When Arielle found out I was in town, she invited herself to dinner, so you will finally meet her. You might have a more decisive opinion afterward."

"Why is that?"

"She's the type of person who never minds whose business she's in. Interesting is such a mundane word for this little branch of our family."

He returned her smile as they parked in Josie's driveway. "Very little about all your branches is mundane." He unbuckled his seat belt and brought her fingers to his lips. "Everything about you and yours is fascinating to me."

Rose sat there, allowing his mouth to tickle her skin while they waited for Josie and her crew to show up. "How do you know so much about storylines?" she asked to keep her mind focused on more than his touch. "Did you read a lot when you were growing up?"

He seemed mesmerized by her pinky finger, but he murmured through his niblings. "I watched a lot of movies, actually. And people, I watched people. My mother once thought I could be a good psychologist. Then there was this summer when I entered a contest to read a hundred classic novels for the chance to win a trip to the space center. I had to fill out this questionnaire to show that I read the books."

"Did you win?"

His lips moved up to her wrist. "No. But I have been intrigued by the written word ever since. So, it was a win in my book."

Rose closed her eyes to the glorious sensations of his lips on her skin. "That's a shame — that you didn't win."

"Mom took me anyway," he said.

With a gentle tug, he inched his way up to her elbow and leaned closer as he arrived at her shoulder. Rose dipped her head for a real kiss, but she jumped when someone knocked on her window. "Aunt Rose!" Little Olivia shouted through the glass. "Momma, they're kissing!"

Rose sighed and turned off the ignition. "Brace yourself," she told him. She and Cole exited her car and stood facing the not-so-mundane family. Including Arielle and Sam and their three girls with identical curls framing their similar faces and looking like stair treads, exactly six inches taller than the next. For a brief moment, Rose could put a frame around that family unit as advertising.

"Rosie!" Arielle squealed as she left her husband at their minivan and ran towards Rose. But she only gave Rose a short peck on the cheek before rushing around to Cole. "I'm Arielle," she said and wrapped him in a bear hug, pinning his arms to his side. "I like you already."