Page 18 of Navy
“I left them in the sitting room,” I said, waving a hand in the general direction of the sitting room.
“Great, let’s go meet your gran,” Navy casually replied, tossing his bag down on the bench in the hallway that had a pile of shoes in a basket under it.
It’s the first thing I’d noticed about this house; it wasn’t just a house, it was a home. While it was clean, it wasn’t tidy, you could tell a family lived here from the shoes tossed in the basket by the stairs and jackets hanging on hooks in the hallway.
The same could be said for the lounge that had big comfortable couches and armchairs, a bookcase brimming with books, blankets tossed carelessly over the back of the couches. It was warm and friendly somewhere that nobody would raise an eyebrow if you put your feet up on them. Vastly different to the show home I’d grown up in. I much preferred this, it was more my style. I didn’t need much, I just wanted to be happy, and I was hoping that I’d found that.
Hand in hand, we walked to the sitting room where I’d left Gram and Hetty being entertained by Violet and Hope.
Hope was busy pouring out tea and Aggie, who’d I’d been introduced to as Hope’s right-hand lady and that she wouldn’t know what to do without her, was handing out slices of cake. My stomach rumbled. Until that moment, I hadn’t realised how hungry I was.
“There you two are,” Hope said, smiling. “I thought you’d got lost.”
“It took me time to drag her away once she caught sight of Derek,” Navy teased with a smile that widened when I blushed bright red.
“Ah, yes Derek, he’s a good-looking young man and so nice,” Gram agreed.
Navy laughed as he stopped in front of Gram and held out his hand, “You must be Gia’s Gram. I’m Alan Goode or Navy, whichever you are most comfortable using.”
Gram took his hand and looked up at him with a small smile, her eyes twinkling a little, “Well now, you’re just as good-looking as your cousin. Navy, right? I think we’ll stick with that. Military I assume?”
“Yes, ma’am,” Navy smiled, squeezing her hand gently and letting it go before turning to Hetty.
“The infamous Hetty, I hear you organised the rescue.”
Hetty’s cheeks reddened at having all of Navy’s attention on her, then she straightened up, “I wasn’t going to let that idiot sell our Gia.”
“Definitely not,” Navy agreed. “I’m in your debt. How else was I going to save a damsel and swoop in to save the day?” Navy continued a little dramatically. Hetty laughed at him, but settled back looking more comfortable than she’d been when we’d walked in. I was grateful to Navy for taking the time to make her feel that way.
There were no airs and graces with this family. I caught Gram’s eye, smiling at her thumbs up and watched as Navy moved on to tease his niece and nephew, then taking a mug of tea from Hope and a slice of cake before sitting down next to me on the couch making it feel remarkably smaller than it had earlier. He was a big man and took up a lot of space, and as I wasn’t the smallest woman, we touched from shoulder to thigh. When I tried to move away, his hand fell on my leg, holding me still, and that’s where it stayed until Derek and Bas came in not long after we’d settled in.
“I’ve put all Gia’s luggage in your room,” Derek informed Navy, who just nodded in thanks.
It was much later, once we’d had supper and the children were in bed, that we spoke about what was going to happen regarding Julian and the will.
“I’m worried about Tristan. What happens if Julian decides it’s better to kill him off and inherit everything even if he doesn’t want it? I know it was easier for him to marry me off. One, because he really doesn’t like me and two, the ten million is better than nothing,” I spoke out during the discussion.
“That’s what I don’t get,” Derek murmurs. “Why didn’t he get rid of your brother right away? He could sell the company and have all the money.”
“Because as much as he hates me, he actually loves Tristan, but now that we’ve stopped him getting the money that was left to me, I’m not sure that it will stop him from hurting Tris. I’d happily sign it all over to him. I don’t want the money,” I grumble tiredly. My head was aching, thinking how complicated it had all gotten. I’d spoken to Tris earlier, and he’d been furious at everything that we’d been put through. He’d apologised that he hadn’t pushed Julian for more information on the cruise. I’d assured him we didn’t blame him, but I knew my brother—he’d still beat himself up about it.
“When’s he arriving here?” Navy asked.
“He was leaving early tomorrow morning, so he should be here by mid-morning,” I responded with a yawn.
“Give me his address,” Derek said, standing up from where he’d been sitting on the floor by the fireplace. “I’ll go and pick him up.”
“Are you sure?” I asked, sitting up straight.
“I’m sure,” Derek assured me. “Let’s rather be safe than sorry.”
“Thank you,” I sighed in relief and gave him Tristan’s information.
“Do you need one of us to come with you?” Navy asks but Derek just waves him off.
“Nah, I’ll be good. It’s only three hours away and at this time of night, it will be an easy drive.”
“Okay,” Navy agrees, standing up and pulling me with him towards Derek, hugging him. “Make sure you check in when you get there.”