I Ran So Far Away - Complete

Chapter 40

I barely saw my husband for the next fortnight. Between a deal he and Ros were brokering with a Japanese firm, and Christian helping Elliot launch Grey Constructions Manufacturing, he was up at first light and didn't come home until late at night. I missed him, but I'd been doing my best to stay busy. I'd worked with Heather finishing orders and commissions for the new house, I attended playgroup, and today Grace and I took Teddy to Tiny Tots by the Symphony Orchestra which he adored; although not as much as Grace.

My mother-in-law was in her element, graciously greeting several of her society friends who also attended with their grandchildren. Saying hello to Judith, a pleasant-looking woman Grace was familiar with through the Seattle Grace Hospital Fundraising Committee, we sat with her group during the performance. Afterward Grace issued an impromptu invitation for Judith, her daughter and infant granddaughter to join us for lunch.

"The Mile High Club isn't far from here," Grace suggested sweetly. "Since you have the strollers, we could walk?"

"We'll never get a booking," Grace's friend Judith predicted. "It's always so busy there."

"Let me try," I said, pulling out my cell. A quick call later, and a table for four plus two high-chairs had been arranged.

"How did you do that?" Judith's daughter Sonia asked as we walked side by side pushing the strollers as Grace and Judith walked ahead, Sawyer, Clarke and Grace's CPO trailing behind us. "Mom has to book weeks ahead to go there, and I didn't even think the Mile High Club had high-chairs!"

"My husband's company Grey Enterprises Holdings owns it," I admitted with a small blush. "The first time we visited there with Teddy, Christian realized they had no highchairs, so he asked them to order some."

Sonia smiled at me and giggled. I looked at her inquisitively.

"I'm just trying to imagine the maître d' when he learned that request!"

Giggled as well, I smiled at Sonia. As one of Seattle's most exclusive fine dining restaurants, infants were not frequent visitors at the Mile High Club – until now! During the five-minute walk to the restaurant, I learned Sonia was twenty-three and lived in Kirkland. She'd recently broken up with her long-term boyfriend, and daughter's father, so she'd moved back from California to live with her parents.

"It's not too bad," Sonia said. "My parents have been a great help, especially since my ex is being difficult. Still, I can't wait to get back on my feet, get my own place and do things with people my own age and not my parents!"

Lunch turned out to be a pleasant affair. Sonia was fun to talk to, and we discovered Asha and Teddy had been born only four days apart. Like me, Sonia found it hard to meet other moms, so I wasted no time inviting her to join me at the Bellevue playgroup I took Teddy to. Looking over to where Grace and Judith chatted, I couldn't help but see a satisfied expression on both grandmothers' faces. So perhaps our meeting at Tiny Tots hadn't been so coincidental after all? I wasn't annoyed. If Grace and Judith had recognized Sonia and I needed a friend around our own age, and engineered a meeting, it was a kindness.

We were just considering whether to indulge in a dessert with our tea and coffee when my skin prickled, and a familiar feeling overcame me. I looked up, and saw Christian and Ros, along with some Asian businessmen I didn't recognize, exiting the owners' private suite. Our eyes locking across the restaurant, Christian said his goodbyes before coming across to our table.

"What a sight for sore eyes you are, Mrs. Grey," he said, leaning down to brush his lips across mine. Christian looked delicious in a navy suit and silver tie, and I appreciated I was the envy of almost every woman in the room. "Hey, buddy!" Christian continued, scooping Teddy out of the highchair. As soon as he'd heard Christian's voice, Teddy had started excited giggling. Apparently, I wasn't the only one who'd missed him!