Ben sighed as his face burned. He’d had enough excitement for the night. “I’m going to sleep now. Have a good day! I love you two!”
“We love you too Ben! Sweet dreams!” Tina said as Trish blew kisses.
Ben shut down the laptop and put it away. He flipped off the light and smiled as he thought of home. He missed his ladies very much.
*************
Catherine looked down at her feet once more as she walked across the lobby of the office tower her charity, Kids-2-Kids, hosted their office in. She saw her feet were touching the floor but she swore she was floating inches above it. Her heart was soaring and the reason for that was waiting for her by the front doors. She pinched herself again as she took in the tall svelte body and new spiky hairstyle Chanel was sporting. Spotting Cat’s reflection Chanel turned to face her lover and smiled.
Once more Catherine’s thoughts were pulled back to Monday evening when she picked up Miriam and Daniel from the airport. She’d arrived early and watched the happy reunions with a dull pain in her heart. She’d given herself a shake as Miriam and Daniel didn’t need to see that.
The kids had looked so happy when she saw them coming through the arrivals gate. She could tell they’d had a wonderful visit with their mother and Ben. Miriam absolutely glowed in the lovely new dress she was wearing. She was growing up to be such a lovely young woman!
She spotted Daniel pointing his camera in her direction and she grinned at him.
Then she walked through the gate behind the kids.
Catherine’s grin froze and she blinked, not believing what her eyes were telling her. It couldn’t be. It was just her wishful thinking. She’d been dreaming about this very thing happening so it couldn’t be. It had to be a dream!
When Chanel smiled back at her hesitantly, biting that delectable lip, and tears welling in the brunette’s lovely eyes Catherine found her feet moving, slowly at first until she was running. She pulled the woman into her arms and held her, feeling the pain rush away to be replaced with a giddy joy. As Chanel’s strong arms wrapped around her, their lips found each other’s and their kiss was the sweetest relief. Her heart filled with happiness to have Chanel back in her arms.
“Catherine? Love?”
The blonde returned from her thoughts feeling the gentle touch of her lover’s hand on her cheek.
“You disappeared for a moment there,” Chanel said with concern in her voice and love in her eyes.
They were standing in the middle of the lobby. Catherine blushed and a joyful smile appeared on her lips. She slipped her arm through Chanel’s and got them moving. “Sorry, just reliving your return to me.”
It was Chanel’s turn to flash back to the moment and a sweet smile spread across her face. “It was magic for me as well.”
Stepping outside into the crisp fall air Catherine held tighter to Chanel’s arm. “Where do you want to have lunch?”
“Someplace we can hear ourselves think,” the brunette said as she looked at the noisy road construction crew whose whistles and cat-calls could barely be heard above the machinery noise. Chanel adjusted her jacket, making her holster evident and the crew found other things to do.
Cat smiled at the woman and led them a couple of blocks down to a nice little two story Italian restaurant. The owner was friendly and got them an intimate table by the window upstairs.
“The view isn’t as spectacular as a view in Paris would be,” Catherine said when they got settled.
“The view in Paris was missing something I could not live without,” Chanel said taking her hand.
Catherine’s smile stretched wide and her eyes twinkled happily as she held the other woman’s hand.
Chanel suddenly looked a little nervous and Cat’s breath caught in her throat. She’d been waiting for this. Since the incredible moment when Chanel appeared at the airport, she’d been riding a high. Now reality was going to come crashing down on her. Chanel would tell her she was leaving, why it couldn’t last, why it wasn’t meant to be. Her heart began to ache.
“I- I didn’t want to say anything until I was sure but my meeting this morning went better than I’d hoped. I don’t… I hope… I got a job, as detective, here in your city. I’m moving here.”
“Oh my god!” Catherine gushed as her breathing finally came back to her. “Oh my god!”
Chanel was looking at her with a confused smile. “Good?”
“Good? Incredible! So good! Move in with me! Live with me!” she blurted and Chanel’s shoulders relaxed. “You thought I wouldn’t want you to?!?”
“You have a life-”
“YOU are a very important part of that life! I want you by my side! I love you!” Cat exclaimed.
Chanel was suddenly crying and Catherine was too. The blonde kissed the brunette’s hand. They pulled back and struggled to stem their tears as they beamed at each other.
“What happened? Who were you meeting this morning?” Catherine asked when she could.
Chanel dabbed her tears and nodded. “I went to speak with the police commissioner after he received a call from Chief Inspector Boucher who gave me a glowing recommendation. There is currently media pressure to hire more female detectives in this city and as I have an excellent record the commissioner recognized it would be excellent timing to hire me to ease some of this pressure. I do not care why he is hiring me as long as he does. I know I am great at my job. I just needed my job to be near you.”
“You didn’t answer my question. Will you move in with me?” Cat said biting her lip.
“I would love to. As long as your daughters do not mind,” Chanel said.
“They all think very highly of you!” Cat grinned.
Chanel smiled and looked down at her hands resting on the table. “And what of the big man? Will he object?”
Cat tilted her head. “By now you know the answer to that one. Wasn’t he the one who sent you to me on that jet?”
“At that time I did not tell him that I would be staying.” Chanel said nervously.
“You’re still thinking in possessive terms. Ben loves me. He supports my happiness. You make me so very happy! He will definitely be on board with the idea of your staying!”
“He told me he was not giving you up.”
Catherine smiled happily as a warm feeling flowed through her. “And I’m never going to give him up. That doesn’t mean I don’t love and need you!”
“I need you as well. I would like to try. I would very much like to try.”
Catherine nodded and the waiter took that opportunity to approach. They gave their orders and the man left.
“I’ve been thinking about redecorating the house. There is still too many reminders of Ashraf there. He had an office which you could take for your own personal space. I have my own office.”
“Do I get my own bedroom?” Chanel asked.
Cat’s expression froze until she saw the slight smile in the corners of Chanel’s lips.
“You’re such a tease!” Cat growled.
“I will show you tonight how much of a tease I can be,” Chanel promised with heat in her eyes.
The look went straight to Cat’s most sensitive bits and she squirmed in delight. Something occurred to her. “What did you do with your apartment in Paris?”
“Nothing yet but I will have to give it up. I still need to pack my things. I do not have much,” Chanel sighed.
“It’s a shame. An apartment in Paris sounds lovely,” Cat smiled.
Chanel gave her a wry grin. “You have not seen the building my apartment is in nor the neighborhood. No one would have romantic thoughts of that place.”
“When will you be going back to get your stuff?” Catherine asked.
Chanel sat back and frowned. “I was in such a rush to come here I didn’t make any plans. Now that I have a new job I don’t know when I will get the time to do it!”
“When is your first day?”
“They want me to unofficially begin training next Monday. I still need a Visa to actually work. They are rushing to get me a temporary work Visa and fast tracking my application as a permanent resident. I doubt they will be happy about giving me time to go back to pack. And the airfare is going to be prohibitive!” she said with a worried look.
Catherine pulled her phone from her jacket pocket and quickly typed out a message. She hit send and sat back with a smile.
“What was that?” Chanel asked curiously.
“I just asked my boyfriend if we could borrow the jet for the weekend. It has a bed you know.” Catherine grinned.
Chanel’s eyes went wide. “You asked Ben to pay for the flight to and from Paris on a private jet to pick up my things and bring them back?” she asked incredulously.
Cat blinked at her. “Yes, why? What’s wrong?”
“He does not even know I am staying and now he is paying my moving expenses? I- I think this is too much!” she exclaimed.
“He could say no but I doubt he will. I asked nicely and he knows how important this is,” Catherine explained.
“I- I do not wish to spend his money… I will find a way to pay him back,” she said in discomfort.
Catherine looked at the woman across the table. “When we get back and Ben is back we need to sit down with him and clear away some misconceptions you have. I think you will be far more at ease with him then.”
“I’m not attracted to him,” Chanel said cautiously.
“And I’m not asking that of you. I am asking you to make the effort to see the man for what he is, not what you think he is. I believe you’ll like him as a person. You don’t have to love him but please respect that I do.” Catherine held Chanel’s eyes with hers and saw the acceptance there. Chanel nodded and smiled.