February 9, 2019

Nataley bit her lip as Harry pulled his Range Rover in front of Duane's house. Moving the gear shift to park, Harry reached for her hand, drawing it to his lips for a kiss. Her eyes remained on the front door, waiting for her son to appear on the porch with his backpack.

"What are you worried about exactly? That Noah will be upset that we're dating?"

"Huh?" Her head whipped to him as her brows formed a question. Processing his words, she shook her head, "Not at all. He's going to be thrilled." Immediately her lower lip was trapped between her teeth while she focused on the house again.

"Hey, stop that," Harry coaxed, tapping at her lip, "That lip is no longer solely your property, so you're going to have to learn to treat it with kindness."

Without thought, she released the tender skin when the front door opened to reveal her ex-husband, shielding his eyes from the afternoon California sun.

"Fuck. He's not going to send Noah out. I'm going to have to go to him."

"So? I don't understand the big deal, Nat."

She placed her hand on the door handle, unlatching it and stepping down with one foot. Shielding the interior of the car with her body, she waved.

"It's me, Duane. Please send Noah."

Her ex-husband's jaw twitched, and he crossed his arms. "Who are you with?" Duane's head gestured towards the car.

"A friend," Nataley hedged.

"Mhm, I don't think Bethany can afford that car on what Corden pays her."

"It's none of your business who it is," Nat replied, her stomach churning. "Please send Noah out."

"You dating someone rich?" he drawled.

"Again," she spoke firmly without raising her voice, "not your concern. I'd like my son now please."

"Sure." Leaning in the door, he called, "Noah, your mother is here." As the boy barrelled out of the door, Duane caught his arm. "Hold on there, boy. I don't want you to ever get into a car with a stranger. It's not safe."

Exasperated, Nataley sighed deeply, "It's not a stranger, Duane. It's his mama."

"Mhm, and how do I know you're not being held captive?" He didn't release the squirming boy who was trying to pull away.

"Because I'm standing here of my own free will." Stepping away from the vehicle, she kicked the door closed as she approached them. "Hey, sweet boy! Mama's here. Ready for an adventure?"

"YEAH!" the boy yelled, ripping his arm from his father's grip when Nataley got closer. "Harry's here!" Running to his mama, he gave her a hug. "Love you, Mama!" Dropping his backpack on the grass in front of her, he raced to the car, yelling, "Harry! Harry! Harry!"

Best laid plans. Nataley shook her head, turning towards Duane who was continuing to move towards the Range Rover.

"Harry who?"

"No one," Nataley stated boldly. "A friend as I mentioned before."

"A 'friend', eh? Someone Noah knows well. Why are you so afraid of introducing me, Nat? Is he a drug dealer or something?"

Rolling her eyes, Nataly scooped up the backpack and slung it over her shoulder. "We're leaving now, Duane."

"Mhm."

Careful to protect Harry's face from her ex-husband's curious gaze, Nataley watched as Noah climbed into the car and closed the door behind him. Deftly, she slid into the passenger seat and buckled her belt as Duane arrived at her door.

"Later, Duane." Nataley waved and closed the door. Harry sent her an odd look, but she ignored him.

"Where we going, Harry? Are you always gonna pick me up at Dad's? He gots another new girlfriend, and she smokes which is stinky, and I think all my clothes smell like it, and I don't like it. Guess what? I already finished my homework for the whole weekend cause I was hoping we would do something, H. And since you picked me up, and Mama is in the car, then are we all three gonna go together or is Mama going home?"

His rapid fire pace made Nataley smile. How Harry thought her son would oppose the two of them dating she couldn't imagine.

"Take a breath, mate," Harry laughed. "I'm excited to see you too. Thought we would go visit Uncle Rande and Aunt Cindy."

"At their house or the restaurant?" Noah asked curiously.

"Does it matter?" Nataley wondered.

"Yeah. I'm hungry," Noah whined, causing the adults to guffaw.

"We're going to their house, but I'm sure Rande will let us use the kitchen to cook. Or Cindy might already have planned a meal for us."

"Cool. Can we listen to Old Town Road?"

Nataley moans, "Oh, I don't think Harry has that one. Let's listen to something else."

"I have Apple Music, Nat, so I've got everything." Pressing a button on his steering wheel, he said, "Siri, play 'Old Town Road'." Soon enough the song that had been like an ice pick in Nataley's ear was playing.

"H..." she complained, "He'll listen to it non-stop. And sing along..." Just as she finished her word, Noah's voice loudly joined in on the lyrics from the back seat.

"Hey, in this household, we don't shame people for the music they like. Right?" The evil man raised an eyebrow in her direction, clearly a reminder of her own musical tastes and talents (or lack thereof).

At the reminder, she relaxed into the seat while they soared down the Pacific Coast Highway, and Harry rested his hand over hers before bringing their joined hands to his lips and kissing her fingers. Gently he placed her hand on his thigh, and she was all too happy to get lost in squeezing the muscular appendage.

Her own muscles were sore after two nights of nearly non-stop lovemaking. Some of the things they tried had made her blush, and a few had caused Harry to redden as well. The fun they'd had, and the things they had mutually ruled out for the near future made her proud of the strength of their relationship already.

As they parked at the Gerbers' house, Noah piped up from the back seat. "How come you touching Harry like that, Mama? And why'd you kiss her fingers, H?"

The adults exchanged a look before they both twisted to face the backseat, Nataley removing her seatbelt to make the shift more comfortable while Harry turned off the engine.

"We were going to tell you later tonight," Nataley started, "after hanging with the Gerbers."

"Your mum and I," Harry continued, glancing at Nataley who nodded in agreement that Harry could reveal the news, "are dating."

Noah's eyes grew to the same size as a vinyl album. "Like girlfriend and boyfriend?"

"Yes," Nataley swallowed the explanations and excuses she wanted to make, instead allowing Noah to process the information. Because of his father, Noah knew what dating meant.

He started crying.

Fuck.

"Mate? What's wrong? I thought you'd be happy."

"Noooooo...cause when Dad is dating someone, they forget all about me, and they do stuff without me." His giant tears dripped down his face.

"Hey, you're my best mate," Harry stated. "I'd never leave my best mate."

"And I'm your mama," Nataley reassured. "I wouldn't know how to forget you."

The boy dried his eyes, his gaze bouncing between the two adults. "You mean it?"

"Of course, Noah!" They reassured him, and Nat watched closely to see her son's reaction.

"It actually means we get to spend more time with Harry," she suggested.

"Is he moving in?" Noah asked excitedly, sitting up and unbuckling his seat belt. "Cause that would be awesome!"

Shaking her head, Nat grins. Talk about a 180° spin! "You'd be okay with Harry moving in, but not me dating him?"

"No, silly Mama. If you're Harry's girlfriend, and he moves in with us, then I get to see him all the time."

Ah! This made more sense, she supposed. Had Duane moved in with his girlfriends and left Noah by himself?

"Hey, has your dad done that? Moved in with his girlfriend and left you alone?"

But Noah shook his head. "No. He moves in with them and takes me with him, but it's usually boring. It wouldn't be boring with H though!"

"Well, Harry's not moving in..." The boy's mama felt badly breaking the child's heart.

"Yet," Harry added, and Noah clapped his hands.

"Come on!" he yelled, exiting the car quickly and slamming the door as though he were perfectly comfortable entering the Gerbers' house without even knocking. Which is exactly what he did.

Mortified, Nataley grabbed her purse and started to follow her child. Behind her, Harry chuckled. "He's fine, Nat. I promise. This is like a second or third or fourth home for him."

Together, they entered the front door to hear Noah's voice. "And my Mama and Harry are dating now, so maybe Harry is gonna move in soon, and then I can come over all the time to visit you, Uncle Rande. Where's Presley and Kaia? It's too cold to swim, isn't it? But can I come over and swim when it gets warm? And H said maybe you would let us use your kitchen cause I'm hungry."

By the time Harry and Nat arrived in the living room, Rande, dazed, looked up at them from the college basketball game he'd been watching. He blinked twice. "You two are finally dating?"

At their joint nods, the older man grinned, "About fucking time."

"Language, Uncle Rande. You owe a dollar," Noah spouted confidently. "Where's Presley?"

"In the game room, I think, playing a video game."

"SWEET!" With that, Noah ran towards the staircase.

Nataley was simultaneously horrified and reassured at how cozy her child seemed in this home of Harry's friends. Harry slid his arm around her waist, drawing her closer to his side, and she gazed at him to find a smile on his face.

"I love you," he mouthed.

"Same," she responded in kind.

Rande stood from the couch, "You two want food? I'm sure Noah will find some pizza downstairs with P. How about a drink? Mulled wine to match this chilly day?"

Relieved that Rande wasn't pushing tequila this early, Nataley nodded, "And a glass of water please. But I can get it." Northerners might not call the 60°F day 'chilly', but it fit the description as far as Nat was concerned.

"How about I get the mulled wine, and you get a round of water for all of us?"

"Sure!" Nat agreed. "How many?"

"Well, there's you, me, Cindy, Noah, Presley, and Kaia."

"Hey! What about me?" Harry pouted.

"Oh yeah, and the drama queen," Rande grinned. "So seven, it seems."

As Nat was removing glasses from the cabinet, a hand wound its way around her waist. Cindy pressed a kiss to Nataley's cheek. "Good to see you, Nat. Feels like forever. So happy you and Noah could join us for game night."

"Thanks, Cindy, for always making me feel welcome in your home."

"Of course you're welcome! Any friend of Harry's can always come hang out."

"You mean girlfriend, Cindy!" Rande chimed in.

"Oh?" Tilting her head, the supermodel examined Nataley before bumping shoulders with her. "'Bout time. Maybe you and Noah will join us at Lake Muskoka this summer when Harry comes?"

"Is that an invite?" Nat wondered.

"Of course! Anyone who has made it to Harry's inner circle definitely fits in ours too." Grabbing a wooden tray, Cindy loaded the glasses on it while Nataley filled a pitcher with filtered water.

"Damn. That mulled wine smells amazing," Nat commented.

"That's the cinnamon, cloves, and rosemary," explained Cindy.

"And it will go well with these cheeses," Rande added, as Harry placed a cutting board on the table.

Nat's stomach growled, and everyone laughed. This. This was the feeling of family, and Nataley felt such gratitude in that moment.

As she took a slice of cheese and popped it into her mouth, she looked between Rande and Cindy. "Thank you for making Harry part of your household -- and Noah and me by extension."

"Don't you go getting mushy on me, young lady," Rande shook his finger in her direction. "We love Harry, and I think I speak for both of us when I say that you're the best girlfriend Harry could ever have chosen."

"Amen," Cindy confirmed as she poured the water into the glasses as Rande passed out the clear tea cups filled with the aromatic alcoholic beverage. With two hands on the warmth of the cup, Nataley took a deep sip as Harry settled next to her on the bench.

"Shit," Rande suddenly blurted, "Forgot to turn on the fire in the fireplace. Would certainly add to the ambiance."

"Well then go do it. No big deal," Cindy scolded tenderly, and when Rande passed her as he moved in her direction, he stopped and bent down to kiss the model.

"I want to be you when I grow up, Cindy," Nataley whispered wistfully.

Harry took Nataley's hand in his. "You already are, love."

Blushing, Nat was relieved when the kids entered the room. Not that Presley or Kaia could still be included in that category.

"Cheese!" Noah yelled, climbing onto the bench between Harry and Nataley, effectively forcing them to lose physical contact with each other. "I wanna play a game!"

Kaia slapped her hand on the table. "Uno! I'll get the decks."

Rande, returning from lighting the fire, challenged the decision. "What rules? Cause we've got a newbie playing with us." Pointing to Noah, he continued, "I vote we play by the real rules. No consecutive draw twos or consecutive draw fours."

"Daaaaaaadddd," Presley whined.

"P, when Noah gets good at the game, we can up the ante. But we've not played with him yet."

"Hey, what about me?" Harry teased. "Don't I get special favors for not having played with you before?"

"HARRY!" the Gerber family all yelled his name. "You've played with us a million times."

"Oh. Yeah." Harry backtracked. "But not with my girlfriend and Noah here," he quickly clarified, and Nataley couldn't help calling him out.

"Mhm," she pursed her lips and lowered her lids in his direction, "No need to use us for an excuse for your inevitable loss."

"Fine," he sulked, and a raucous laugh sprung from the group, leaving Noah looking confused.

----------

As Harry carried an exhausted and snoozing Noah to the car, Nataley took time to hug Cindy and Rande. Her eyes teared up. "You're both amazing. Thanks for including us in your family game night. It meant the world to me and to Noah. He doesn't have cousins to play with, and he looks up to Presley and Kaia." Her eyes roamed the floor as she contemplated whether she wanted to say what was on her mind, but she finally decided they deserved to hear it. "I also admire you and your relationship. I meant it earlier, Cindy, when I said I want to be you when I grow up. If I could have a marriage as solid as the one the two of you share, I would consider it a win at life. Thank you for letting me witness a steadfast relationship that has survived so many years."

"Awwww, Nat," Cindy tucked a piece of hair behind Nataley's ear. "We love H, and he loves you. You're always welcome here."

"Hey," Rande contributed, "You do know that not every marriage is your mom and dad or you and your husband? It takes work, but I promise it's worth it."

"Thanks, Rande." Burying her face in his chest, Nataley hugged him tightly before submitting to a lovely embrace from Cindy.

"He's a great guy, Nat. Despite the drawbacks," the supermodel whispered in her ear before releasing her and steering Nataley in the direction of the front door. Drawbacks? Nataley couldn't think of one.