Craved Affections

Chapter 18

Victoria snuck into Eric's room while he was yet sleeping. She tip-toed closer and closer until she was near then she jumped onto the bed. A radiant smile was on her face, her golden hair braided to the back with ruffled bangs at the front.

"Rise and shine!" She yelled, grabbing and shaking Eric.

Eric turned around squinting at his sister. "Vic!" He groaned. "What?!" Victoria yanked a pillow from under his head and slapped him with it, he in turn reached for another pillow and slapped her right back. She giggled at him. "Is something the matter?"

"What could be wrong?" She asked him with a smile. "It's your wedding day." She shook his shoulders twice. "Why aren't you up?"

Eric groaned and rolled off the bed. "I didn't get to sleep until late." He pushed the sheets from him in an attempt to get off the bed. "Things on my mind." His fingers found their way in his mane.

"Not getting cold feet are you?" She asked, tucking her feet under her.

"Not a chance, sis." Eric told her, he squeezed her shoulder reassuringly.

"I still can't believe it. You of all people getting married." Victoria got serious. "You're a lucky guy, Caroline is very special."

Eric sucked in a deep breath. "You don't have to tell me."

"Well mom's downstairs arranging all the last minute stuff." Victoria continued to inform him. "And you know her, she's probably been up since dawn." She scoffed rolling her eyes.

"Hey, Vic." Eric looked at her seriously. "Not today, okay?"

"Okay." Cole pushed open the door slightly, peeking through the door. "Well after tonight, big brother, your bachelor days are over."

"Just a few more hours." Cole piped in. He still had on his night robe and slippers.

"Hey!" Victoria greeted him. "Can you give me a hand. If we don't get this guy moving there won't be a wedding." Victoria rose from her perch on the bed to pull Eric up with her.

"Leave him to me, this is best man territory." Cole teased.

"Okay!" Victoria told him with a laugh. "But we have rehearsal in an hour, so no fooling around." She warned both of them. "Okay?"

"Okay." Cole answered.

Victoria dropped back into the bed and hugged Eric. "I love you, you know that." Eric dimpled at her and she took that as an affirmation. She then got up and reached up to Cole. "I love you too."

Cole kissed her cheek and watched as she basically skipped from the room. He waited until he saw the door firmly closed before addressing Eric. "So where do things stand? Did you see Mr. Young last night?"

Eric stretched behind him for his robe and slipped it on. "I told him there was no way in hell I was gonna lay the Lexi thing on Caroline." He straightened the robe and turned to his brother. "It's gonna have to be him."

"You think there's a chance if that?" Cole asked with some concern.

"I don't know." Eric answered walking pass Cole. "The guy hates me so much I wouldn't put anything past him."

Cole turned to face Eric, he rubbed the last dredge of sleep from his eyes. "Doesn't he care about Caroline, what this could do to her?"

"The guy is so bent on putting a stop to this wedding." Eric took a picture frame with Caroline from the dresser and sighed. "Anything is better for his daughter than being married to me."

"So what are you gonna do?" Cole asked concerned.

"The only thing I can do." Eric answered confidently. "See it through and hope to God Young has the sense to keep his mouth shut."