Follow You (Second Chances Series Book 3)

Right thing to say...

After we lie in bed for a little while just enjoying being in each others arms I ask Andrew for a tour of the house before dinner.

His house is absolutely gorgeous. The entire house is done in black and white but it's not cold feeling at all. There's wood accents to warm it all up and it feels incredibly homey.

"Andrew you're home is stunning. It feels very warm and inviting."

"Thank you." He hands me a fresh glass of wine and takes a sip of his. "You ready to make dinner?"

"Yes. I've definitely worked up an appetite." He gives me a crooked little smile.

"You and me both."

He grabs an apron and stands behind me so he can place it over my head and then ties it for me. When he's finished he places his hands on my hips and kisses my neck. I can't help it, I close my eyes and moan.

"Hey if you keep that up we'll never eat."

He laughs and then puts his apron on. As we go about prepping the food the conversation flows easily between us.

"So whats your place like in Chicago?"

I work on finely chopping an onion as I answer.

"It's not nearly this big but it's all open with high ceilings and large windows. There's exposed brick everywhere and my love for books and art is very apparent in the decor."

"It sounds like it fits you perfectly. I'd love to see it sometime."

I cant help but smile. "I'd like that."

He just gives me a smile in return and goes back to chopping garlic.

"So tell me about your grandmother."

His face lights up as he begins to talk. "Her name was Fiona O'Brien. She was as Irish as they come. She was feisty. She was a talker and she was the most selfless person I've ever met. Her and my grandfather, Daniel, came here from Westport Ireland. My grandpa went to the University of Cincinnati for advertising and then worked at Proctor and Gamble. My grandma stayed home with my mom and her brother."

He goes about putting everything together to finish making our dinner and I just sit back and watch him. He knows what he's doing and he looks damn sexy doing it.

"My uncle Tim went away to college in California and never came back except to visit. My mom, Rebecca, met my dad, Michael, in high school and they married young. My grandma watched the neighborhood kids to keep her occupied. She loved baking and cooking and would feed anyone who walked in her house."

Once everything's ready he plates our food and carries them to the table. I grab our wine glasses and join him.

"My mom got pregnant with me and her and dad seemed to be doing well, according to my grandma, but then one day dad just up and left."

"How old were you?" I take a bit of the Lobster Fra Diavolo and its amazing.

"I had just turned three."

"I'm so sorry Andrew. That must of been hard not growing up with a father. Did anyone ever find out why he left or where's he's been?"

"He told my mom he just couldn't do it anymore. He wasn't meant to be a husband and father. After their divorce was finalized they had no contact and mom never heard from him again."

"How did you end up living with your grandma and grandpa?"

"Mom became severely depressed and eventually began drinking. The depression was really bad at first and she attempted to kill herself. She was sent away for a while to treatment facility and I stayed with my grandparents. When she came back she seemed like she was doing much better according to my grandma. She was going to counseling and working. She was a dental hygienist. Everything was good. But at some point the drinking started. It took a few years for it to really get bad and for anyone to notice. Eventually, the depression was back and she tried to kill herself again. This time I was old enough to know what was going on and I was the one who found her. My grandparents had enough and filed for custody of me. My mom didn't argue and so I moved in with them at the age of nine. My grandpa got sick and battled colon cancer for a few years. He passed away when I was thirteen. Then it was just grandma and me until she died of a stroke when I was seventeen."