Grayson (Completed)

Sixteen

Grayson and I arrived home after our trip, happy yet exhausted with everything that had happened. Edgar had survived our weekend away and actually didn't want to leave Jessica. I knew he loved me more though, so I took him home anyway - or so she and Grayson would say. I like to look at it as I brought my loving, adorable cat home from the sitter. And totally didn't have to drag him out yowling.

It was mid-morning when the doorbell rang, and I grudgingly got off my ass on the couch to go get the door. Rubbing my tired eyes, which had been looking at my computer screen all morning - editing another book - I opened the door a few inches, to be met with several smiling faces.

Three, to be exact.

There was my mother, Kennedy, and the one person I really didn't expect when I had opened the door. English was here, and I knew I had a bewildered look plastered on my face as I held the door open for them, as there was really no other option.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, not really to anyone in particular.

"Well," my mother responded, "I told you we would be visiting next month, which is now this month. I wanted to check in on you." The words were accompanied by a smile that I didn't believe for one second was given with sincere intentions. Or, I guess it was sincere for her.

"You want to know if I'm getting hitched or not," I muttered as she pulled me in for a hug.

"Well," she said as she bit down on her lip, "if you want to put it in such ineloquent terms, then I guess yes."

Released from her hug, I turned to English. "So what are you doing here?"

He smiled and answered cryptically, "It felt like it was the right thing to do."

I groaned and told him, "Fine, come on in and find a seat. I see you met my mother and sister."

"He's such a nice young man," my mother stage-whispered to me as she gently tugged on my arm. "Has a bit of an odd name, though - English. We met him as we were pulling into the driveway - he was walking up to the house. We talked a little bit." She flicked her eyes to the man in question, whom I knew could hear us. "I think he's taken a liking to your sister."

Great, just what I need. A Werewolf interested in my sister.

As if I didn't have enough problems already.

Out of the corner of my eye, I looked at English, who was, in turn, looking at Kennedy, who was diligently trying to ignore the attention she was getting from an attractive guy but not really succeeding. I chuckled internally, remembering how fast I had fallen for Grayson, and was still falling. If English was interested, my dear older sister stood no chance whatsoever.

Helping them set their bags down in the front room, I led them to the kitchen, where I knew Grayson was working on cleaning. He was worse than my mother in terms of OCD cleanliness, and I almost hated it because I was still super sensitive to the smells from the chemicals. It made me wonder if Grayson had just become so accustomed to the smell that he didn't notice it anymore.

"Hey," I said to him. "We have company."

"I heard," he said as he walked over to me, a smile in place as he pulled me close to his side. He pressed a kiss to my temple as he anchored me to his side with an arm around my waist. "I have to say I'm surprised to see English, but Cynthia, you weren't a surprise at all. How are you?"

"Relieved," she answered as she brushed some of her golden hair over her shoulder. "I was beginning to think there was nothing going on between you two." She smiled, and I was immediately wary. "I'm glad to see I was wrong. And I'm also happy that I brought those wedding magazines with me."