Building Blocks (By Design Book 7) Read online

  “You take my breath away,” Jameson said emotionally. “Every time I look at you.”

  “Jameson.”

  Jameson turned Candace to face her. She leaned in and kissed Candace lovingly. “You always have and you always will,” Jameson said.

  Candace smiled and cupped Jameson’s face in her hands. “I love you.”

  Jameson returned Candace’s affectionate gaze. “Good thing since you are stuck with me.”

  “Happily,” Candace replied.

  “Still worried, huh?” Jameson guessed. Candace pursed her lips and shrugged. “Did you worry this much with The Stooges?” Jameson asked curiously.

  “Sometimes,” Candace answered honestly. “They did not have Cooper’s past.”

  “I know,” Jameson said.

  “You still didn’t tell me your secret plan.”

  Jameson took a deep breath. “I gave Froggie to Marianne to put in his bed after he falls asleep.”

  “Jameson, if he wakes up he will…”

  “He will realize that we don’t need any help to find him.”

  Candace groaned. “I know you are right. I just…Jameson, things do happen.”

  Jameson smiled reassuringly. “And, a stuffed frog can’t change that. Trust me.”

  “I do,” Candace said with a kiss. “You know; you are an amazing mom already.”

  “I have good teachers,” Jameson responded.

  “And a little magic,” Candace winked at her wife, noting Jameson’s navy blue dress. “Maybe you really are a genie.”

  Jameson shrugged playfully. “I’ve been known to grant a few wishes.”

  Candace laughed and kissed Jameson on the cheek. “You truly are a bit touched, you know?”

  Jameson smiled. “Are you ready for this…”

  “Shindig?” Candace finished the thought. “I would rather be home watching Aladdin with the boys if you want to know the truth.”

  “Ah, but then I wouldn’t get my wish.”

  “Genies get wishes too?” Candace teased.

  “Why not? We work hard.”

  “Uh-huh. So, what’s this wish, Genie?”

  “I would like to dance with the most beautiful woman at the ball.”

  “That could prove difficult,” Candace said seriously.

  “Why?”

  “Well, I am married to her, and I don’t particularly care for watching anyone else in her arms.”

  Jameson grinned. “Who’s touched?”

  “God willing Coop will be asleep when we get home.”

  “Ah, I see your agenda now, Governor.”

  “Well? Are you open to negotiations?” Candace flirted.

  “I look forward to your presentation,” Jameson replied.

  “Nut,” Candace chuckled.

  Jameson held out her hand. “Come on, Governor, take me to the ball.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  “Genie is funny,” Cooper giggled. “Like Jay.”

  “Jay Jay is silly,” Spencer agreed.

  “Jay is your Nana too?” Cooper asked innocently.

  Spencer shrugged. “Yeah.”

  “How come you don’t call her Nana?”

  “Dunno. She’s Jay Jay. Nana is Nana.”

  Cooper considered the answer and then shrugged too.

  “Okay, you two,” Marianne’s voice carried through the room. “It is past time for bed.”

  “One more time?” Spencer asked his mother.

  Marianne raised an eyebrow at her son. “It was one more time last time,” she reminded him. “Now, come on. Cooper is still getting over his ear infection.” Marianne smiled at the boys. “Spencer, say goodnight to Cooper, so I can give him his medicine and get him to bed too.”

  “Five more?” Spencer pleaded.

  “No more,” Marianne put her foot down gently.

  Marianne held back her laughter. Spencer and Cooper were joined at the hip whenever her mother and Jameson were able to stay at the farmhouse. They were less than a year apart in age and reveled in their friendship. Marianne had noticed that things often went more smoothly when Cooper visited while Candace and Jameson were at work. Spencer was used to having his Nana and his Jay Jay’s undivided attention. Cooper’s entrance into their family had changed that dynamic a bit. For Marianne, it had proved an unexpected Godsend.

  Marianne had been struggling since her husband Rick’s death. Life as a single parent had never been in her plans nor on her radar. They were supposed to do this together. They were supposed to grow old together and chase Spencer and Maddie’s children. In an instant, everything had changed. Some days Marianne still struggled to get out of bed. She had found herself pondering lately how much Cooper had helped with that struggle. Suddenly, Spencer began to seek out his mother more frequently for both companionship and comfort. In some ways, Marianne understood that her son had no intention of sharing her the way he now had to share his Nana and his Jay Jay. Beyond that, Candace and Jameson were spending more time in Albany, and Spencer naturally began to gravitate closer to his mother.

  Cooper and Spencer were different children. Spencer was playful, talkative and often silly. Cooper was quiet, thoughtful and generally followed Spencer’s lead, even though Cooper was five months older. Marianne often noticed the way people looked at Spencer and Cooper, who didn’t know them. They seemed to puzzle over the pair of boys. Spencer was fair-skinned with blue eyes and almost a full head shorter than his best friend. Cooper’s bronze skin and light brown eyes stood in stark contrast to Spencer’s appearance. Normally, Spencer would be chatting, and Cooper would be listening. Without warning, the two would break into a bout of laughter. They fit. It was not lost on Marianne the kinship that the two boys shared. Spencer had lost his father suddenly, and Cooper had lost his mother. In both cases, the boys had found solace and safety in the loving care of her mother and Jameson. Marianne pondered that reality often since Cooper’s arrival.

  Spencer looked at his mother with a doe-like expression and Marianne rolled her eyes. “That might work on Jay Jay,” she said. “I know it doesn’t work on Nana, and it does not work on me either. Come on, brush your teeth and into bed.”

  Spencer groaned and pulled himself up dramatically. “You and Nana are stickwers.”

  Marianne chuckled. “Sticklers and yes, I am. Thank you.”

  Spencer marched out of the room and Cooper looked up at Marianne curiously.

  Marianne smiled. “Well, Coop, seems you and me have a date with some crackers and pink goo.”

  “Ick,” Cooper whispered.

  “How about if I sweeten the deal with a cookie instead?” Marianne suggested. Cooper brightened. “Okay, you go down and wait for me in the kitchen. I promise I will be right there once Spencer is in bed.”

  “Okay,” Cooper agreed.

  Marianne watched him walk out of the room. She heard her son talking through a mouthful of toothpaste a few seconds later. “I be wake, Coop,” Spencer told his friend.

  Marianne shook her head. “No, you will not,” Marianne called down the hallway. “If you are going to plot you might want to spit out your toothpaste so you can whisper.” She heard Cooper giggle and his footsteps hit the stairs. Marianne made her way to the bathroom and leaned on the doorframe. She raised an eyebrow at Spencer, who grinned. Marianne shook her head. “Well, at least, he isn’t hiding in the cabinet,” she thought.

  ***

  “Martin,” Candace greeted Senator Stevens.

  “Governor. I hear congratulations are in order,” he said. “Can’t say I imagined a stork in your future.”

  Candace smiled. “Neither did I,” she confessed.

  “J.D.,” the senator greeted Jameson. “How is life with hi-ho here?”

  Jameson liked Martin Stevens. She had never quite understood what it was about the man that irritated Candace so much. He had always seemed genuinely friendly and he had always made a point to engage Jameson. Even as she smiled at the senator, she could feel Candace’s aggravation growing.
>
  “Hello, Senator,” Jameson said. “Life is good, thank you.”

  “And, parenthood?” he asked.

  “Less stressful than this,” Jameson joked. She heard Candace mutter. “It’s an adventure,” Jameson answered the senator politely. She looked at Candace. “If you will excuse us, the governor promised me a dance,” Jameson said.

  Senator Stevens tipped his head in acknowledgment. “Of course, who wouldn’t want Governor Reid on his dance card?”

  Candace’s contrived smile almost made Jameson laugh.

  “Nice to see you, Martin,” Candace said politely as Jameson led her off. Candace muttered something under her breath again and Jameson chuckled.

  Jameson guided Candace onto the dance floor and put her hand around Candace’s waist. “Want to tell me why you hate the senator so much?”

  “I don’t hate him,” Candace said. Jameson’s bemused look made Candace chuckle. “I don’t particularly care for his company.”

  “Yes, I know. What I don’t know is why.”

  “Jameson, you know how you love to look at those Where’s Waldo books with the boys?”

  “Yeah?”

  “That’s Waldo.”

  Jameson started laughing as she swayed with Candace. “I didn’t see a striped anything. And anyway, what do you have against Waldo?”

  Candace chuckled. “I mean that he is a lurker.”

  “Waldo?”

  “No, Senator Stevens, you nut.”

  “What do you mean—lurker?” Jameson asked cautiously, beginning to see the light. “Candace? Did he make a play for you?”

  Candace smiled. “Would it matter if he did? You know that no one’s overtures will ever work, no matter what they pretend to offer.”

  Jameson’s jaw tightened. “Can I drop that drink on him now?”

  “No,” Candace chuckled.

  “He’s the reason they still call these things balls,” Jameson muttered.

  Candace laughed and brought their lips together for a brief kiss. “Thank you.”

  “What are you thanking me for?”

  “I think you know.”

  Jameson placed her cheek against Candace’s. She did know. Candace needed to get away for a night. She needed a night outside of her office and away from sniffling toddlers, children seeking advice and impromptu phone calls about everything from the weather to worker strikes. This may not have been the ideal setting, but it was a world that Candace enjoyed, even when it sometimes frustrated her. And, Candace needed a dose of playfulness and laughter. She needed to take a breath.

  “Just so you know, your dance card is full this evening,” Jameson whispered.

  Candace tightened her hold on Jameson and closed her eyes. “Good to know.”

  ***

  Marianne walked into the living room with a small cup of juice for Cooper. Cooper was studying her thoughtfully and she wondered what was going through his mind.

  “Are you feeling okay, Coop?” she asked.

  Cooper nodded and accepted his juice. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome,” Marianne replied, taking a seat next to him. Cooper looked up at her again. “What is it, Coop? Are you worried about something?”

  Cooper shook his head. “Miss C. is Spen’s Nana.”

  “Yes,” Marianne said.

  “And you’re Spen’s Mommy.”

  “Yes,” Marianne said. “And, Spencer’s Nana is my mommy.”

  Cooper seemed to consider Marianne’s answer almost as if he were trying to solve a riddle. “Jay is his Nana, but she’s still Jay.”

  Marianne was beginning to follow Cooper’s line of questioning. She smiled at him compassionately. “Yes, J.D. is Spencer’s Nana too because she is married to my mom.”

  Cooper took another sip from his cup. “Jay is your mommy?”

  “Well, I guess she is in a way, but because she’s not too much bigger than me, she’s more like my friend. Like you and Spencer.”

  “Miss C. is my Nana?” Cooper tried to put the pieces together.

  Marianne smiled at him. “No, Coop,” she began. Cooper frowned sadly. “Cooper,” Marianne gently took his hand. “Do you know what it means to be adopted?”

  “I get my sleeps here.”

  “Yes,” Marianne agreed. “You do get your sleeps here. You get your sleeps anywhere my mom and J.D. are. Do you know why?” she asked. He shook his head.

  Marianne nodded. She was aware that both her mother and Jameson had tried to explain things to Cooper. Cooper was only four. It was not an easy concept for him. And, Marianne could understand why. The Fletcher-Reid family was a unique blend of personalities and relationships. If Marianne had tried to label everyone, she was certain that she would have gotten lost in the process. For Marianne, like her siblings, labels were not all that important. They had all been given the privilege of growing up with both of their parents in their lives even if they had divorced. The Fletcher children had always accepted Pearl as their grandmother just as they had their biological grandparents. They had never needed to ask questions. Things were as they were. Cooper was different. He was old enough to understand many things, but still too young to put the pieces of a complicated puzzle together by himself. And, he needed to know where he fit in that puzzle even if he couldn’t completely make sense of all of its pieces.

  “Coop,” Marianne began again. “You know that this is your family now, don’t you?” she asked.

  Cooper nodded. “I get dis as home. Jay says. Miss C. says I get ta stay fo-eva.”

  Marianne smiled. “That’s right, Cooper. That’s what being adopted means. It means that someone wants you to be part of their family. You get to be a part of this one,” she said. Cooper nodded. “It means that Mom and J.D. wanted you to be just like me and Shell and Jonah.”

  “Old?” he asked.

  Marianne laughed. “No, sweetheart, not old. They want you to be their son, just like I am their daughter.”

  Cooper wrinkled his brow and concentrated for a minute.

  “It means, Cooper that Miss C. is your mom, just like she is mine.”

  “My mommy’s dead.”

  Marianne took a deep breath. “I know, sweetie.”

  “She was sick.”

  “Yes, she was,” Marianne said. “But, remember you asked me if J.D. was my mom and I said that in a way she is?” Cooper nodded. “Sometimes, Cooper we get a second chance. You don’t have to call J.D. or Mom, Mommy if you don’t want to. They will understand. Just like I don’t call J.D. Mom either,” Marianne tried to explain.

  Cooper pursed his lips. He stayed quiet for a minute. “I can have two mommies?”

  “You can,” Marianne promised.

  “But dat’s fwee,” Spencer counted on his fingers. “Fwee is too many.”

  “No, sweetie. Three is not too many,” Marianne told Spencer. “You have one mommy in heaven to watch over you, just like Spencer’s daddy watches over him. And, you can have two mommies who are right here.”

  “Does Spen get two daddies?”

  Marianne smiled genuinely. “Someday, he might get another daddy. I don’t know.”

  “You’re Spen’s Mommy.”

  Marianne nodded again. “That’s right. And, Miss C. is my mommy.”

  “And Miss C. is my mommy?”

  “Yes, Cooper. I think she would like that.”

  “And Jay is my mommy?”

  “And J.D. can be your mommy too, yes,” Marianne said. Cooper sighed. Marianne pulled him into her lap. “And, do you know what that means, Cooper?” she asked. He shook his head. “That means you are my little brother,” she told him. Cooper’s eyes grew wide. Marianne chuckled. “Yeah, pretty cool, huh?”

  “Like Mads and Spen?”

  “Yes, just like Maddie and Spencer. Only, I still have to be old,” she said as she tickled his stomach. Cooper laughed. Marianne pulled him closer and kissed him on the head. “I love you, Cooper,” she said.

  “I love you too,” he said as he s
nuggled into Marianne.

  “What do you say we spend a little brother-sister time and have another cookie while Mom is still out,” she whispered conspiratorially. Cooper grinned and nodded. “Okay,” Marianne said lifting Cooper up with her. “Now, this is our secret, okay?” Cooper nodded.

  “Mawianne?”

  “Yes, Coop?”

  “I get two sisters?”

  “Yes, you do—me and Shell, but I am cooler,” Marianne said. Cooper giggled. “And, you get a brother too. But, I am still cooler. I have better cookies,” she told him. Cooper’s smile brought tears to Marianne’s eyes. “Come on, little brother. I need one of Grandma Pearl’s chocolate chip cookies.”

  ***

  Jameson opened the front door and held it for Candace. Candace took a couple of steps forward and stopped cold.

  “What is it?” Jameson asked.

  Candace shook her head and Jameson followed her gaze ahead in the faint light. Marianne and Cooper were snuggled against each other on the sofa, both sound asleep. A plate with cookie crumbs sat beside two cups on the coffee table. Jameson wrapped her arms around Candace and laughed.

  “Kids,” Jameson joked.

  Candace inhaled a deep breath, overcome by the sight a short distance away. Cooper was smiling in his sleep and she could not recall the last time she saw such a relaxed expression on her daughter’s face. Candace couldn’t help but be curious about the scene. She clasped Jameson’s hands for a moment and then pulled away.

  Jameson watched as Candace made her way to the sofa and brushed the hair out of Marianne’s eyes. She didn’t need to see Candace’s face to know the expression it carried—love—that was the expression.

  Candace reached for the afghan that was draped over the back of the sofa and began to cover up the sleeping pair. Marianne moved slightly but did not wake. Candace bent down and kissed Cooper on the head. She started to walk away and was stopped by a small voice. Candace turned back. She could not make out what Cooper had said.

  “Hi, sweetheart. Did you fall asleep with Marianne?” Candace asked him.

  Cooper rubbed his eyes and nodded. He caught a glimpse of the plate and looked at Candace guiltily. Candace followed Cooper’s line of sight and then looked back at him.