While I'm Alive (An Owen Grady Story)

Chapter Fifteen

A/N:

Heads up, people. This one is definitely rated M for Mature... ;)

PS- If you can please vote for this story for the Wattys! Go to twitter and tweet the link to this story with the hashtag #mywattyschoice

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CHAPTER FIFTEEN

"JUST LIKE THAT, THIS KISS STARTED WHERE THE LAST ONE ENDED"

SONG TO LISTEN TO: FADE INTO YOU BY THE NASHVILLE CAST

Somehow, I managed to get my head together enough to get the restaurant closed and locked up. I still felt like I was in a daze, though, and didn't even realize until I was knocking on Claire's door that I had no idea how I'd even gotten there. I rapped on the door with my knuckles and it was almost immediately thrown open by someone who was very much not Claire. Instead, a little boy probably not much older than ten, stood in the doorway grinning at me. He had an untidy mop of brown hair that fell over his eyes and was wearing a green t-shirt with a picture of a t-rex on the front.

"Uh, is Claire here?" I asked uncertainly, giving him a smile.

"Aunt Claire! There's a person at the door for you!" He called loudly over his shoulder. Claire suddenly appeared behind him, looking frazzled, like she wasn't sure how this kid had suddenly appeared in her apartment either. He stepped out of the way, already having lost interest in me, and disappeared further into the apartment.

"Aunt Claire?" I asked with a smile. "You didn't tell me your nephews were coming into town."

She groaned, leaning heavily against the doorframe. "I'm the worst aunt in the entire world and forgot. I had to send my assistant to get them from the docks today. I feel awful."

I wasn't surprised she hadn't remembered. Claire barely had time to eat, sleep, and breathe with her schedule the way it was. I knew she had nephews, her only sister's kids, but never once had met them. I would never have told Claire but I was surprised her sister had sent them at all. Claire had zero experience with kids of any age. "I'm sure they're just happy to be here. Don't worry about it." I ducked around her into the apartment where two boys were seated at the tiny, square kitchen table. The nephew I hadn't met yet was much older than his brother, at least sixteen or seventeen with dark hair and a brooding expression. Well, at least one of them looked happy to be there.

"Guys, this is my friend Rylan." Claire said, sinking down into an empty chair. A half empty box of pizza sat on the table. "This is Gray, and Zach."

The little one beamed at me and I couldn't help but smile back. He was undeniably adorable. "You guys get to see the park yet?" I asked. I took the one last empty chair at the table. The pizza smelled delicious, but my stomach was still experiencing aftershocks thanks to my kiss with Owen.

"I guess." Zach shrugged, looking moodier and moodier by the minute.

"We only got to see some stuff but Aunt Claire said that tomorrow we can see everything!" Gray exclaimed excitedly.

"Well, make sure you go see my friend Violet at the mosasaurus exhibit.You'll love it." I told him.

"Of course, which is why you two need to get to bed. Tomorrow is gonna be a long day and all that." Claire said, and the fact that she was trying to hard to sound parental almost made me laugh. Zach got up wordlessly from the table and headed towards the door, Gray on the other hand, bolted out of his seat and gave Claire a hug before following after his brother.