Ghapter 45

 

Colleen sat in the back of the town car as it got closer to the townhouse, the boys were quiet the whole way home.

 

“You two are awfully quiet,” she asked Jake and Romeo?

 

“It just feels like this is the longest week in my life,” Jake said.

 

“Talk to your dad, maybe we can get you moved in sooner, of course, that would mean less of my home cooking?  I started a stew this morning, should be done when we get there,” Colleen told Jake, she was really going to miss these boys, once they were at Pennington.

 

Romeo looked at Jake and nudged him.

 

“Our friends want to give us a going away party,” Jake said.

 

“Yeah, it’s tomorrow night, it’s a surprise.” Romeo added.

 

“That’s great but if you both know about the party, how can it be a surprise?” Colleen asked. “Is it at the townhouse?”

 

“Surprise,” Jake and Romeo said in unison.

 

“On no, do not smooze me to get your dad to agree,” Colleen her hands in protest.

 

“Please Miss O,” Romeo begged.

 

“Yeah, dad will do anything you ask,” Jake said.

 

“You guys give me too much credit, I can’t change his mind on letting you two throw your own going-away party.” Colleen protested.

 

Both boys gave her sad eyes and pout.

 

“OH okay, but if he says no it’ll mean no, final veto.” Colleen gave in.  These boys gave her too much credit where their dad was concerned.

 

They pulled up and a new doorman came out to open the door, this was built like a brick shit house, defiantly ex-military. As he walks us into the lobby, Romeo goes to the mailbox for the mail, but the doorman stopped him.

 

“I’ll get the mail,” The new doorman said taking Romeo’s key.

 

Ted, the older doorman came up, “He’s a new hire, by Mr. B.”

So in other words another bodyguard.  She had to talk to Jon, he needed to keep her into the loop where her safety was concerned.

 

The bodyguard doorman handed the mail to Colleen as the trio headed upstairs.

 

“Homework boy’s,” Colleen said.

 

“Ooh, dad’s in deep shit,” Jake whispered to Romeo.

 

They both headed to their bedrooms, till they were called to dinner.

 

Colleen was in the kitchen when Jon came in. “I’m home, do I smell Stew?”

 

“Stew, bread, and fruit for dessert,” Colleen answered leaning on the counter, turning her teacher stink eye on Jon.

 

“Which of my son’s in trouble?” Jon only saw that look once when Jake lifted one of his old songs and turned it in as his poem.  “What did Jake do,” Jon asked?

 

“Not Jake and not Romeo,” Colleen informed Jon.

 

“Well it wasn’t Steph, she was with me, and Notre Dame would call my cell.” Jon walked to stand toe to toe with Colleen.

 

“Getting hot,” Colleen told him.  “You hired me another bodyguard without telling me.  I thought we were partners, but you went behind my back didn’t you?”

 

“Ted and I were talking this morning about a lot of walking traffic around the place, so I haired him some help,” Jon explained.

 

“And somewhere in all this, you were going to tell me?” Colleen asked.  “I should have been told before Tank was hired.” 

 

“Tank? I thought his name was Albert, and I protect what is mine,” Jon put his hands on Colleen’s hips and pulled, her in for a kiss.

 

Colleen turned her head so he kissed her cheek. “Tank because he’s built like a brick shit house, those arms the size of tree trunks, he’s every girl's wet dream of a romantic hero. A Seal for sure.”  Colleen watched Jon take it all in, almost giggled at the stink eye he gave her. She leaned over and kissed his lips.

 

“His ass is fired,” Jon told her.

 

Colleen laughed, Jon leaned in and captured her lips in a kiss.

 

They heard someone come into the kitchen.

 

“You two need to get a room, in the kitchen of all places,” Stephanie laughed.

 

Jon and Colleen stood their foreheads touching, “You didn’t say Steph was coming to dinner,” Colleen said softly.

 

“He didn’t know, surprise the Nutt Crew invited me,” Steph put the Crown Royal purple bag on the counter.

 

“Nutt Crew?  Who or what is a Nutt Crew?” Colleen asked Steph.

 

“When it was just me and Jesse, I said my brother, but now there are three of them, hence the Nutt Crew,” Stephanie explained.

 

“Four,” Colleen told her with a laugh. That got Stephanie to laugh too.

 

“Real funny ladies, real funny,” Jon rolled his eyes and went to pull down another bowl for dinner.

 

“Boys are doing homework upstairs,” Colleen told father and daughter.  “Either of you want to bring them down?”

 

“I’ll get them,” Stephanie said heading to the stairs.

 

 “Stephanie and I have been working this week to clean out the river house in Jersey,” Jon told Colleen as she dipped up stew into the bowls. 

 

Colleen remembered when they went out got ice cream, he took her to Rumson.  He had gotten quiet when they took it to the park along the river.  “That’s good Jonny,” Colleen took the bread out of the oven and pulled out three Irish beers for the adults and soda for the boys. “By the way, the boys want to ask you something, and its okay with me,” Colleen handed Jon a beer.

 

Jon looked at her like there was more to say than it was Okay with her, but he had his own questions to ask tonight.

 

They moved from the bar to the dining room table, with the addition of Stephanie, it would more comfortable.

 

“Boy’s you have something to ask your dad?” Colleen prompted the boys.

 

“We want to have a going-away party with our Polly friends,” Jake said.

 

“And when is this party?” Jon asked looking between his sons.

 

“Friday, here at the townhouse,” Romeo told him.  “Miss O said it would be okay with her.”

 

Jon looked at Colleen, “So it’s okay with you?”

 

Colleen gave him a sweet smile, “At least I warned you before they asked.” 

 

Oops Jon knew his goose was cooked, first the extra bodyguard, and now he had to say yes.

 

“I’ll come and help Colleen, dad we can handle this,” Stephanie smiled at Colleen.  This would give them girl time to talk.

 

“See dad, it’s gonna be fun,” Jake told his dad.

 

“Well, I guess if Colleen and Stephanie will be here, no booze or beer,” Jon looked at the boys and the ladies at the table. ‘Outnumbered, what else could I say’ Jon thought ‘Hope they agree to my Christmas plans for next month?’

 

Dinner finished Jon asked them to come into his office.  Stephanie knew what was about to go down, she waited to see how the Nutt crew felt about the changes.

 

“I called this meeting for a reason,” he picked up his cell and dialed Jesse at Notre Dame.  “Hey Jess, I’m putting you on speaker, Okay?” Jon punched the speaker button and set it on the desk.

 

“Steph called me and told me you were gonna call, but not what was going on, Miss O doing okay?” Jesse asked.

 

“Doing good Jess, how’s school going?” Colleen asked him. She knew how hard senior year in college was, been there got the tee shirt to prove it.  Granted hers was NYU.

 

“You know how it is making sure I have my credits and all,” Jesse told her.

 

“That’s great, if I can help, let me know,” Colleen told him.

 

“I have you on speed dial,” Jesse laughed.

 

“Okay before it gets any later, let’s get to why I called this meeting,” Jon took control of the call.  “Christmas, I know we usually go to St Barts, but maybe it’s time to set a new tradition.”

 

“Oh, this is a family discussion, I’ll go do the dishes,” Colleen started to get up.

 

“This concerns you too Miss O,” Stephanie said. “You’re family now.”

 

The boys nodded and Jesse added his vote on that too.

 

Colleen blushed a little when Jon got up and went over and pulled her into the circle of his arms.  “Welcome to the family,” Jon said as he kissed her.

 

“Are they always like this?” Stephanie asked her brothers.

 

“Yep, always,” Romeo told her.

 

“Okay you three,” Jon laughed as he brought Colleen around the desk and sat her in his lap.

 

Stephanie took a picture of their dad with Colleen and sent it to Jesse.

 

“What’s going on?” Jesse asked. “Why didn’t you skype me so I could be there?”

 

“I sent you a picture Jess,” Stephanie laughed.

 

Another voice was heard in the background, Jesses roommate must’ve looked over his shoulder. “Cool Mr. B’s got a girlfriend, looking good Mr. B”

 

Jon laughed, Colleen blushed more but she still giggled.

 

“So about Christmas, I thought we would split it this year. Start a new tradition.  Hamptons till the twenty-sixth and them how about the Maldives to New Year. I can get a yacht that sleeps about thirty people.” Jon told them and waited on the fallout.

 

“You don’t need to change a family tradition for me,” Colleen told them.

 

“I think it’s a great idea,” Stephanie said.  “The fans will be in St Barts and we’ll have privacy for once.”

 

“I heard the water was so clear you can see the bottom,” Jesse said.  “I vote new tradition also.”

 

Jon looked at Jake and Romeo, this was the only Christmas they had ever known.  Stephanie gave them a stink eyes that said you better agree, it’s for dad.

 

“Okay, we can still bring a friend or two,” Jake asked, thinking about Robin and Mike.

 

“Sure, it’s okay with me, if it’s okay with Colleen.” Jon looked at Colleen and smiled.

 

Colleen looked at the faces of her new family and nodded. “Fine with me, I’ll have to warn my mom so she can start making cookies.”

 

Jon laughed. “Cookies for the cookie monsters. I’ll let Matt know so he can set it all up with the yacht company.” 

 

The rest of the night was all talk of the big move on Saturday and counting off the days to winter break.

 

Later after they showered and made love, Jon and Colleen cuddled in the middle of the bed reading a new book together on Colleen’s kindle.

 

“Do women really like a guy like this? He’s almost too perfect.” Jon said as he waited for Colleen to turn the page. 

 

“Of course he’s too perfect a woman made him up to be what many girls like in a man, one who sends flowers and candy for no other reason than to say I love you or thinking about the hot sex we had this morning, by the way, the morning sex caused me to, be late and almost made the crew late for school this morning and they ragged me about it,” Colleen told him before she turned the page. “Lingerie works too.”

 

“But no granny panties, right?” Jon teased her.

 

“Or World War two bra’s.” Colleen pinched his bicep.

 

Jon made a mental note to look in her lingerie drawer tomorrow.