Chapter 56

 

Chapter 56

 

The dance was really nice and Jake was voted Holiday King.  “You know Colleen, there’ll be no living with him after tonight,” Jon whispered in Colleen's ear as they swayed to Blue Christmas, on the sidelines of the dance floor.

 

Stephanie saw her dad standing behind Colleen with his arms around her waist, and they were swaying back and forth.  She had heard whispers from the catty bitches who also taught at Polly. She knew they had been giving Colleen hell before her dad had set them straight by pulling his money in sponsorships and the boys out of the school.  She walked over and stood behind her dad.

 

“You two are getting a lot of stink eyes from several of the faculty,” she said softly so only her dad heard her.

 

Jon turned and looked at Stephanie, who motioned with a dip of her chin, a group of teachers who looked like they were sucking lemons all night.

 

“Fuck’em,” Jon grumbled. He was not going to let a bunch of bitches ruin the dance for him and Colleen.

 

It was close to midnight when Jon and Colleen left the dance.  They still had to finish packing so Tony and Nina could head to the Hamptons in the truck with all the boxes Colleen had and the luggage.

 

Tony arrived in a van with his family, and once loaded, they were off to the Hamptons.

 

Jon and Colleen stood in the doorway watching the van pull out. Colleen yawned and snuggled to Jon’s chest.

 

“Someone’s sleepy,” Jon said and he gave her a hug.  “Let’s get some sleep, we don’t need to get up at the ass crack of dawn.  The chopper won’t pick us up till noon.”

 

Jon locked the door while Colleen turned off the tree lights, and they headed up to their haven, known as the master bedroom.

 

Jon flipped on the lights that controlled the shades and bedside table lamps. He found something new each time he walked in the room.  The only thing not changed in the room was his closet.  The only girly girl thing in the whole room was a few of the pillows and her bedside lamp, even the colors in the room were growing on him. Colleen had been so proud with designing of the room. Her chair, from her old place, sat at one of the windows overlooking the river with a small table with a Tiffany Lamp he found at the shop in Sayreville.  The room felt so comfortable and homey, like a warm hug.

 

The whole place felt like a home now, not a showplace right out of Architectural Digest.  Colleen took the museum and turned it into a home.  A place a kid could run in the rooms and not be afraid to knock something off the table or shelf.

 

Jon went into his closet and kicked off his shoes and socks and then used the one new item in the closet, a butlers chair to hold his Suit jacket and cuff links, no more dropping his clothes on the floor.  He heard the shower start and padded to the bathroom, damn he was glad they added the blackout shades like in the family room, or someone with a telescope could see him buck ass naked.

 

He slowly opened the door and walked into the bathroom, the steamed-up glass door showed the pink outline of his woman.  She was leaning back her face to the rain faucet in the ceiling of the shower, she was rinsing the shampoo out of her hair and humming to the piped-in music of Christmas carols. Gone were the old gold fixtures and the butterscotch walls, in its place, were pale blue walls with chrome fixtures. Hell, he might as well turn her loose on the Hampton house, she did such a great job on High Point.

 

“Are you going to stand there or come in?” Colleen asked. Opening the shower door she crooked her finger at Jon.

 

“Oh babe I won’t be the only one coming in that shower,” Jon growled as he stepped in the shower and pinned her to the wall, his lips devouring hers.

 

”Ooh talk dirty to me Sir,” Colleen crooned in her own growl.

 

Jon’s mind went to what they had read the night before, so he was the daddy Dom to her daddy’s girl.  He loved it when she got kinky after reading with him.  One day to surprise him she dressed in her best school teacher outfit when he was on a call with John Shanks.  He about forgot to hang up the call.                      

 

Jon felt Colleen's legs wrap around his waist and her newly trimmed bush was grinding against his dick.   This was going to over before it could start, because there was a knock on the bathroom door.

 

“Dad, have you seen Camo, I really need her,” Stephanie said as she knocked on the door. 

 

“She’s in tears Jonny,” Colleen said as she took a deep breath.  “Can I get a rain check on the fucking?”

 

Jon let her go and banged his hand on the wet wall of the shower.  “Cockblocked by my loving daughter.”  Jon turned the water from hot to cold, “Again!”

 

“I’m here Steph, give me a second to dry off,” Colleen called out toward the door.  Quickly drying off she pulled on her bathrobe and headed into the bedroom. “What’s wrong sweetie.”

 

“The girls don’t want me to go skiing with them,” Stephanie cried as Colleen sat by her on the bed and wrapped her in her arms.  “They just want their daddy to be with them.”

 

“Steph, this is all new and raw for them, you need to see their point in the matter,” Colleen tried to get Steph to see the young girl’s point of view.

 

“Why can’t they accept me the way we accept you?” Stephanie sniffed.

 

“Steph, they’re still in the pray mom and dad will remarry phase and they’ll be a family again,” Colleen heard the bathroom door opening, and Jon came out wrapped in a towel and headed to the closet.

 

“Sorry daddy,” Stephanie sniffed as she saw her father come out of the bathroom.

 

“One of these days your own kids will show you why you should always lock the bedroom doors, Steph.”  Jon smiled and headed to the Butler’s pantry once he was dressed for bed.

 

Colleen and Stephanie giggled, Stephanie rolled her eyes. That caused Colleen to really laugh out loud.

 

Jon came out with two cups of Hot Chocolate for his girls. “I’m gonna check on the Nutt Crew,” Jon kissed the top of their heads.  “This way you two can talk.”

 

They waited till Jon left the room.

 

“Remember when we had that talk about dating a man with children, I told you to give them time to get to know you?  Well it’s only been a few weeks, and this is their first Christmas without their mom,” Colleen held her hand and looked Stephanie in the eye.

 

“But this is our first Christmas without our mom, and we accept you into the family,” Stephanie lowered her eyes.

 

“Not the same thing, their mom is still in their lives, I’m living with a ghost,” Colleen admitted. “Your mom might be dead, but she’s still in this house and the Hamptons house.  Your dad let me make it our home, but he was there the whole time, watching.  Why do you think I asked you before I touched the family rooms before I touched anything?”

 

Stephanie thought about what all she said.

 

“You and Greg are just starting out, those girls might accept you as a friend of their daddy’s, but they still see you as a reason mommy and daddy aren’t in the same house,” Colleen lifted Stephanie chin.  “Your ghost is alive and breathing.”

 

“I never thought of that,” Stephanie said.

 

“You have to let them see, you’re not trying to take their mom’s place,” Colleen smiled. “Come with me.”

 

Colleen stood up and reached out her hand to Stephanie.  They went out of the bedroom and downstairs to the family wall going to Jon’s office. Colleen flipped on the light and it illuminated the pictures on the wall.  Their mom was still there in the family photos, along with the one's Tony took at Thanksgiving of the six of them.

 

“See, your mom is still here, and still in your hearts,” Colleen whispered as Stephanie walked down the hall looking at the pictures. “I can never take her place in your hearts, but you’ve let me take up a small corner in there too.”

 

Jon stood quietly behind Colleen listening to what she said.  It just made him love her more.

Chapter 55

 

Chapter 55

 

Colleen sat in the teachers’ lounge during lunch and went Christmas shopping. She was getting stocking stuffers and nick-knacks, and bits and bobs for the whole family.  She had cologne for all the ladies, earrings, coat pins, and gift cards, for the men it was cologne, cookies, cheese blocks, gift cards. All of them would have oranges and imported penny candies.  This was an O’Sullivans traditions Midnight Mass, then open stockings.  Jon had told her they didn’t usually do Midnight Mass, but he would go and he’d talk it over with the kids.

 

She had hoped Desi would give her some idea what to get Jon, but all she did was suggest pulling names, but it was too late. Nina said we should set a limit on the gifts to the adults. She had already gotten the little girls American Girl dolls, Wilson had taken her to the mall in Paramus, she even found a little doll ornaments for the tree that would be up by the time they all descended on the Hamptons.

 

The night of the Polly Prep holiday dance, Jon had gone to Pennington to get Jake and Romeo for the weekend. Following the party the family would head to the Hamptons, the boys were excited to see friends at the dance.  They both had dates for the dance, Jon was doing chauffeur and chaperone duty with Colleen.

 

“How’s the house coming along dad?” Romeo asked.

 

“The bedroom was finished two days ago, the family room will be done the same time the butler’s pantry and Camo’s office is done,” Jon told the boys.  “It’s really different but in a great way.”

 

“Dad who is Camo?” Jake asked.

 

“Jakey that’s Miss O’s nickname, Steph told me when she told us emailed me about what Miss O wanted for Christmas,” Romeo rolled his eyes at his brother.

 

“Oh, I haven’t read mine yet,” Jake told his brother.

 

“Steph gave her the nickname when they had girl’s night,” Jon told Jake.

 

“Can we call her Camo now, since she’s in the family now,” Romeo asked.

 

Jon thought about the night after the Girl’s night when they cuddled in the bed.

 

‘Camo, I love that,’ Jon said as he rubbed her back in an afterglow rest between their night of makeup sex. Not that they argued or anything, he was not as young as he used to after a mind-blowing sex session. ‘You know in the Bongiovi family, once a family member gives you a nickname, your considered a part of the Fam.’

 

Colleen had giggled as she tickled his stomach, drawing hearts on his damp skin.  ‘Why doesn’t Nina have a nickname?’

 

“Tone didn’t like the nickname I gave her so she’s just Nina,” Jon shivered and laced his fingers with hers.

 

“Can we dad?” Jake took him out of his daydream.

 

“Sure, you’ll have to ask her,” Jon said as he pulled up to the hidden gate to the house, rolling down the window and put his index finger on the touchpad.  The gate swung open.

 

“Cool dad, is that new?” Romeo asked.

 

“Yeah Uncle Tone will do your tomorrow when he brings Nina over to help Camo pick up some last-minute stuff.” Jon went around the studio to the new drive that connects to the parking pad by the front door.

 

Jon helped the boys bring in their laundry and backpacks.  When he opened the front door the boys walked in and stopped as a huge tree greeted them, it was decorated all in blue.  This was really different Blue and Silver dripping in pearls and crystals.

 

“Wow!” both boys gasped.  There was never a tree in the foyer before.

 

“Yeah, that’s what I said the first I saw of it,” Jon told them. “Hey Camo,” Jon yelled out and looked upstairs as Colleen peeked over the banister. “These mangy mutts followed me home, can we keep them?”

 

“I guess so, since they’re so cute,” Colleen laughed as she came downstairs in Yoga pants and an oversized sweatshirt, her hair in doggy ears.  “Hey boys Merry Christmas.”

 

“Merry Christmas, uh, Camo?” Romeo went into Colleen's open arms for a hug.

 

“Merry Christmas, Roe,” Colleen hugged him. 

 

Jake stepped in behind Romeo for his hug.

 

“You can call me Camo boys, I’m no longer your teacher.” Colleen told them.

 

Jon had his cellphone out and took the picture of Colleen and the boys in front of the tree.  He’d send it to Tony to print out for him.

 

“I thought I smell prep school stinky laundry out here,” Jesse said as he came out of the kitchen eating a sandwich. He walked over to the three by the tree.

 

“Oh my God, do you two ever do laundry at that school?” and joined her brothers and Colleen, Jon kept snapping pictures of his family.

 

“I’ll toss these in the laundry room for later, I have a sandwich platter in the kitchen and hot chocolate in the coffee urn.  I need to finish getting ready,” Colleen told them.  She and Stephanie headed upstairs. Into the new master bedroom.

 

“Greg really did a great job in here, that bed just makes this room,” Stephanie said as they went into Colleen closet where she had her dress hanging up.  “So you decided on the green dress?”

 

“Red dress with this hair would look trashy,” Colleen said as the pulled dress and took it to the bathroom, to work on Colleen's hair.

 

Downstairs Jon and the three boys hit the try of sandwiches.

 

“Ok crew take that stink to the laundry room and start a load, I don’t want Camo doing your laundry, she has worked too hard to get the paint smell out of the house to have you two stank it up,” Jon said as he got a mug of Hot Chocolate.

 

“Ok, dad,” Romeo said as he grabbed a plate for his sandwich. 

 

“Grab mine too Roe,” Jake said as he got them a hot chocolate mug.

 

He waited on Romeo to get back, when he was taking a longer than usual time taking the laundry bags to the laundry room, Jake went to find him.

 

“You get lost, Roe?”  Jake went into the foyer. “Roe?”

 

“In here Jakey,” Romeo called from the family room.

 

Jake waked in and saw what was holding up Romeo.

 

“Wow, this is different too,” Jake said as he walked further into the room.  Gone were the heavy gold drapes and the uncomfortable sofa and chairs.  The room was painted a light almost white gray, there were white fluttery things on the windows. The chairs and sofa were gray with actual pillows in a rainbow of colors with huge beanbag like pillows on the floor.

 

“I think it’s great,” Romeo looked at Jake.

 

That was where Jon and Jesse found them.

 

“Y’all did a great job in her dad,” Jesse told him.

 

“I just handed her the checkbook and her own black card,” Jon laughed.  “Greg helped her with the big things, on the weekend they went to his renovating places.  Tony set up all the electronic changes.  Watch this,” Jon went to his huge controller and punched a button and shades dropped from the top of all the windows, as the television screen came up out of the floor and the glass panel over to projector cleared to put the news on.

 

He looked at the Nutt crew stand there with their mouths open.

 

Stephanie walked in and laughed.

 

“Dad, now would be the time to have that little meeting before Camo comes down,” Stephanie dropped onto the sofa and waited for the Nutt Crew to join her.

 

Jon went and closed the door and reached into his pocket, drawing out the blue box out.

 

“I need to ask you four something important.  I know it seems fast to y’all, but to me, it feels so right,” Jon paced a little then stopped and opened the box and turned it toward them.  The canary diamond sparkled in the light from the TV.

 

Stephanie punched the button to turn off the TV and raise the shades.

 

“I want to get your approval to ask Colleen to marry me on Christmas Day, I already asked Cullen for his approval and now I’m asking you four. I know it’s only been about twelve months since your mom left us, and we’ve only been about seven since I met Colleen, but it just feels so right.” Jon final took a breath and looked at their faces for some proof they were okay with it all.

 

The boys looked at their sister, who had tears rolling down her smiling face. She’s one of the four of them that had been home this whole time.

 

“You better plan on going down on one knee, is all I got to say dad,” Stephanie said though her tears.

 

“Well that’s one,” he turned to the boys waiting.

 

Jake thought about it, he really liked Colleen or now Camo, she really saved his bacon with his plagiarism case. She could’ve hung him out to dry and gotten him expelled.

“Have you told grandma yet?” Jesse asked.

“Not yet, I figured when before we go to midnight Mass on Christmas eve with Colleen and her family, we can do a skype call and tell her the news,” Jon slipped in the Christmas Eve Mass in on them.

 

The four of them looked at their dad. He was serious about going to midnight mass.  The last time they had darkened a church was at their mom’s funeral.

 

“We want you to be happy dad, and if Colleen makes you happy, then we approve,” Jesse said and the two younger nodded their heads in agreement.

Just then the doorknob rattled Jon closed the ring box with a snap and tossed it to Stephanie, who put it in her sweater pocket.

 

“Just in time Camo, I was showing the boys the new family room,” Jon said.

 

“I think I hear my phone ringing,” Stephanie said as she left the room and headed upstairs.  She detoured into the master bedroom and put the ring back in her dad’s bedside table, and rushed to her bedroom and got her cell.  By the time she got back with the family, they were in the kitchen eating sandwiches. 

 

“Glad you left me one,” She walked behind each of her brothers and smacked them in the head.  “You look great Camo, doesn’t she guys?’

 

Jon looked at his watch, “She looks gorgeous.”

 

“We need to get ready to go,” Jesse said as he put his plate and mug in the sink.

 

The younger boys followed his lead and after putting their stuff in the sink they went up and got dressed.  Jon went and loaded the dishwasher and started it to wash, then he too went up to get ready.

 

Stephanie and Colleen went into Stephanie's room for her to get ready.  Colleen pulled an amazon box out from under Stephanie bed.

 

“You think your dad would like this,” Colleen said as she opened the box and showing her the black and brown messenger bag to hold his laptop and all his journals and legal pads he used when he traveled.

 

Stephanie came out in her outfit for tonight’s dance.  “Oh, he’ll love it.”

 

“I noticed his old black one was held together with duct tape.” Colleen smiled and put it back in the box.

 

They were all coming down the stairs when the gate buzzed.  Jon pulled out his phone and looked at the gate camera.

 

“There’s the limo for you boys to go pick up your dates.  Remember curfew is one am.” Jon told his sons.  “We’ll see you at the school.”

 

Wilson was waiting with the town car when the limo pulled up to the house.  As the boys loaded into the limo, Jon, Colleen and Stephanie got in the town car.  Wilson used his gate remote to let the limo and town car out.

chapter 54

Saturday was girl’s day and sleepover night.  Jon was meeting with Matt and Tony on the new installment of the security system that they could control with Alexa and their cellphones.

 

The girls built a snowman and challenged the men to make a better one, so they made a snowwoman.  The whole thing caught on Tony’s camera since they built them between the house and the river out of sight of the paps outside the gates.

 

Later that night Colleen came out of the kitchen with two big bowls of popcorn while Stephanie and Nina brought a tub of sodas and Desi brought out a couple of bottles of wine.  

 

“Tony linked the laptop to the big screen TV today so we can get on Pinterest to look at beds and bedrooms,” Nina told the girls.

 

“It’s strange picking out a bed for Jonny,” Desi said as she plopped down on the sofa. “Please tell me you’re going to redo in here.”

 

“That’s up to the kids, I don’t want to take over everything that this house was to them,” Colleen said as she sat with Stephanie on one of the sofas. “This was their house with their mom.”

 

Colleen looked over at Stephanie wondering how she and the boys felt about this room.  It was in such heavy furniture and drapes, just like the master bedroom.

 

“What do you think Steph, would you make changes down here?” Desi asked.

 

“Well, to tell you the truth, as much as I loved my mom, she and I didn’t have the same taste in decorating,” Stephanie told them. “I’m not so into French Revival.”

 

“So you wouldn’t be so upset if we may be painted the wall a softer color and lose the heavy drapes?” Colleen asked.

 

“Well, I wouldn’t mind, I think the Nutt crew wouldn’t notice at all.” Stephanie laughed.

 

“I love that Steph,” Desi and Nina laughed.  “Nutt crew.”

 

“Jonny, Matty, and Tone are our Nutt Crew,” Nina laughed.

 

All four ladies were laughing their asses off when said Nutt Crew walked in along with Greg.

 

“You forgot to lock the door babe,” Jon said as he grabbed a hand full of popcorn.

 

“Yeah, anyone could walk in on you,” Tony said as he grabbed to cans of soda from the tub and tossed one to Matt.

 

“What about this being girls night do you four not understand?” Colleen swatted Jon on his ass.

 

Greg came into the room with a glass of water and sat beside Stephanie.

 

“Is he a new member of the uh, you know what crew?” Desi whispered to Colleen.

 

“Yes,” Colleen answered.

 

“No,” said Jon a few beats after Colleen’s affirmative answer.

 

Colleen rolled her eyes as Jon started to sit between Stephanie and Greg, but she pulled him down on the arm of the sofa by his belt loop.

 

Desi and Nina laughed and clapped on Colleen taking Jon to task about sitting between the two love birds.

 

“How far are you four in on finding a bedroom suite?” Greg asked as he laced his fingers with Stephanie.

 

“We were doing that now, till you four walked in,” Colleen said as she brought the screen up and her Pinterest account took over the screen.

 

“I saw these the other day, I was looking at a four-poster, but with a California King, I couldn’t find one that didn’t look like it sagged in the middle,” Colleen used her wireless mouse on the pad on her knee.

 

Jon pulled her up and sat down pulling her on his lap.  “I’m not a four-poster kinda guy,” Jon said as she moved to several bedroom setting she had picked.  “That one’s nice.” When she clicked on one that looked like old doors as a headboard.  The room had records on the walls as decoration. “But no records.”

 

Colleen had liked the walls and accessories in the picture but not the headboard. 

 

“Too girly Jonny, maybe for Steph or Alley,” Tony said adding his two cents in.

 

“I agree with Tony, too girly,” Matt said. He made a note to show his two this for their rooms.

 

Jon caught Stephanie and Greg out of the corner of his eye cuddled together and he took a deep breath.

 

Colleen gave his chest a pat and pulled up the bedroom set she had loved, it was a metal frame in black, with a white comforter with multi-color pillows.

 

“I love this one, just think it fits our style,” Colleen said drawing Jon back to the screen.

 

“Oh, I love it too,” Nina said as she patted Tony on his leg and pointed at the screen because he too was watching Jonny watching Greg.

 

Desi agreed and pinched Matt on the side because he was about to get up and go all big bad uncle on Greg.

 

Greg finally saw what was going on and stood up.

 

“Hey guys, I’m a dad too remember. Stephanie told me to treat her with respect or she’d kick my ass.  I took her at her word because her mom taught her how to kick a guy’s ass.” Greg held his hands out to ward off the three papa bears staring him down.

 

“Hey guys, I’m not a little girl anymore, I can take care of myself now,” Stephanie told her dad and uncles.  Now let’s get back to looking for my dad and Camo a bed so we can finish their bedroom.”

 

“Camo?” Matt, Tony, and Jon asked.

 

“Well, I won’t call her by her first name and Miss O’ makes me feel like I’m her student, so C.A.M.O, Colleen Ann Marie O’Sullivan,” Stephanie told them.

 

“Camo, I like it,” Desi said.

 

“Me too,” Nina said.

 

“I do too,” Colleen said with a laugh.  “I agree with Steph, and I think the black one is perfect.”

 

The brothers went back to sitting with their women.

 

“I can tie you to the bed with that frame, that’s why I love it so much,” Colleen whispered in Jon’s ear as he sat back down and pulled her on his lap.

 

Jon got a shit ass huge smile on his face, not knowing that Colleen had told Desi and Nina on the phone about the bed and asked them if they thought Jon would like it, and the plans she had for him on it.  Of course, they told their husbands and reminded them not to tell Jon, before Colleen could. And to remember what happened at Thanksgiving.

 

“The black one it is, but not the one hundred pillows on it,” Jon said as he looked back at the bed on the screen. Thinking what’s good for the goose what great idea for the gander.

 

“Maybe just twelve,” Colleen said.

 

“I’ll meet you in the middle with six,” Jon said.

 

“Six it is,” Colleen agreed.  “I asked Greg to sand and paint the nightstands we had now, in flat white chalk paint, since we didn’t see any we liked in that store last week.”

 

“Now that the bedroom is set,” Stephanie patted Greg on the thigh. “Let’s talk about this room, Maybe a light gray with dark gray trim, like the house in the Hamptons.”

 

Jon, Matt, and Tony all groaned. Greg got up and joined them. 

 

“I hear wine and pool calling our names.” Jon laughed.

 

“Oh yeah, and the Red paint in the kitchen to replace that Gray Poupon yellow.” Desi laughed as the four men headed to the front door. Desi followed them and locked the door behind them

chapter 53

 

Jon got home before Colleen and started packing up his laptop and things he needed at the Jersey house.  He put his Takemine in its case and took it to the front door.  Going into the kitchen he left a note for the maid that came in to clear out the fridge, he knew and trusted Carman to not tell anyone where they had gone.

Jon heard the key in the front door and went out to meet Colleen at the door.

 

“Hey babe, how was your day?” He leaned in to take her school bag and set it by his guitar bag.

 

“Fine, I grabbed us some dinner, you want to eat, and then help me pack?” Colleen had stopped at a burger joint near the school.  “I need to pack for about two weeks of clothes, I can do a wash till the winter break.  I have clothes at the apartment when we get to the Hamptons.”

 

 Jon followed her to the kitchen and pulled out two beers to go with the burgers.

 

“I’ll do anything you need to get us out of here,” Jon said as he popped the tops off the beer.

 

Colleen put the burger wrappers on paper towels and twisted off the top of her beer.  They ate in silence, Colleen had her phone open listing everything she would need to finish out the week, anything she forgot to pack she could pick up in Jersey.

 

They made short work of the burgers and headed upstairs to pack, one hour later Albert and Wilson came up to help them load the back of the town car from the alleyway beside the building and off to Jersey they went.

 

Albert and Wilson were moving into the staff house on the property, while Jon and Colleen were living in the Shoe Inn apartment.  Jon had all the arrangements set up before he had headed to the Hamptons that morning.

 

They got into a routine with Colleen and Wilson going to and from Polly Prep, while Jon was working with Greg and Stephanie on the bedroom and the kitchen remodel. Colleen and Stephanie had made plans to go shopping online on Saturday.

 

Friday Wilson pulled into the gate, a light snow that was falling in Brooklyn, was a blizzard blowing snow at Highpoint.  Colleen was ready for the weekend, the snow just added to the idea of a girl’s weekend.

 

Jon stood at the window waiting on the town car to deliver Colleen. That was the one thing he hated here, was the lake effect snow along the river.  The longer the day got the harder it snowed.  The town car lights showed up on the gate camera, the one Tony installed this week.  Wilson flashed the lights and he hit the open gate icon, in case a pap had gotten a picture of the town car pulling in and they had the code. Jon had Albert go padlock the gate till Tony had come over and changed the whole system, to a thumbprint or remote entrance.  The only way to get on the property was now by water and the grounds patrol took over there.

 

“Hey Babe,” Jon said as Colleen exited the car.  “Thanks Wilson, have a good weekend off.”

 

“Thank you, Mr. Jon, Miss Colleen good luck with Mikey,” Wilson laughed as he got back into the car.

 

“By hook or by crook Wilson, Hook or Crook,” Colleen laughed.  She handed her overstuffed book bag to Jon, giving him a quick kiss.

 

Jon waved at the retreating car and followed Colleen into the Inn.  Only barely standing up from Colleen jumping at him, wrapping her legs around his waist. Dropping the book bag on the oak floor, he backed up against the door to stay standing.

 

“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” Colleen said between kisses.

 

“To what did I do to get all this loving?” Jon laughed between kisses.

 

“For Wilson, Oh my God Jonny he is the best.  He has me a travel mug of Hot Chocolate from Starbucks. On the way home, once on the ferry, he gets in the back with me and helps me look over papers.  Did you know he has a degree in teaching, he retired after thirty years of teaching here in Jersey?”  Colleen said as she slowly slid to the floor her arms still around Jon’s neck.

 

“Yes I did, and Albert is retired ex-Navy Seal, and former Obama Secret Service agent,” Jon laughed as they stood toe to toe, nose to nose. “I called Barack and got the number from him because the last time I was in a council meeting he told me Albert was retiring from the Secret Service.”

 

“Thank you for protecting me.” Colleen kissed him, as her tummy rumbled.

 

“Soup is on the stove and the sandwiches are ready for the grill,” Jon told her, as he took her hand and laced his fingers with hers.

 

Colleen kicked off her heels and padded barefoot to the kitchen holding his hand.

 

“What time is Steph coming?” Colleen asked Jon as she fired up the George Forman grill and gave his hand a squeeze. She put the sandwiches on the grill to cook.

 

“She’s been camping out in the house, I think things are getting close with Greg,” Jon said as he got out glasses.  “Tea or milk?”

 

“Are you okay with them dating? She really likes him,” Colleen said as she filled mugs with soup and checked the sandwiches.

 

“I guess so, I mean he’s older and has two kids,” Jon said as he waited for the drink of choice.

 

“Well, she’s over twenty-one and they aren’t much different age wise then you and me, I just don’t have the kids, you do,” Colleen told him and then looked at the glasses. “Oh, tea please.”

 

Jon laughed as she cut the sandwiches in triangles, the way the boys liked them cut.  Taking two glasses of tea to the bar, he thought about what she had said.  They were about several years apart same as Greg and Steph.  He would talk to Stephanie before they did the skype call to the boys Saturday night, before Girls Night party with all the women in his life take over the movie room in the house for a sleepover. Jon was hosting the brothers at the Inn, the kids were staying with a sitter, that Jon was footing the bill for.

 

“So what’s on the agenda for tonight, new book or a game of eight ball?”  Jon asked hoping for a book but strip eight ball wouldn’t be bad either.

 

“Book sounds boring, how about a walk in the snow and a fire in the fire pit for s’ mores,” Colleen winked.

 

There went his plans for breaking in the pool table for a hot night of sex.

 

“The wood’s wet,” Jon said with a sad face, then he remembered he had a fire going in the Inn.

 

“I got those really huge marshmallows the last time we were in Stop and Shop, and the thick Hershey bars for extra chocolatey dripping mess,” Colleen whispered in his ear, making the s’ mores into an orgasmic occurrence. “All oozier and gooey, that hot squishy middle and crispy cookie.”

 

Damn, he wanted to strip her now and take her on the bar, till she screamed his name.  Damn, she was making her fuck me now face, and her triple X voice.   Just as he was about to act on his thoughts his cellphone sang Elvis’s Teddy Bear song, it was Steph. Cockblocked by his own daughter.

 

“Yeah, Steph what’s up?” Jon tried not to let Stephanie know what she was interrupting down at the inn, and put her on speaker.

 

“Greg and I were wanting to know if you two want to go walk in the snow, then maybe shoot some pool,”  Stephanie asked her dad.  “His ex has the kids this weekend and he’s still finishing up the paint in the bedroom, I made us soup and sandwiches for dinner.”

 

Yep, cockblocked.

 

“Sounds like fun, Stephanie,” Colleen said as she cleared up the mugs and plates.

 

“Good, we’ll come down to the inn and meet up with you two,” Stephanie said sounding happy.  Daddy daughter date night.

 

“Okay Steph, see you in a few,” Colleen said as she put the dishes in the dishwasher and ran upstairs to get changed into her ski pants and sweater, she bought with Steph at a thrift shop in Redbank. Grabbing her and Jon’s boots as she came downstairs.  Jon had passed her on the steps already in his ski jacket.  “I got your boots.”

 

“I like this, when did you get this?” Jon asked looking at the purple ski bib and pink ski jacket.

 

“Steph and I found this cute shop near the Stop and Shop, I just had to have it, Steph said.  “Purple is your favorite color, and with this pink jacket I won’t get lost in the snow.”  Colleen did her best Tyra Banks impression, with a flip of her hair.

 

“It is, and you won’t get lost that’s some bright hot pink.” Jon laughed.

 

Colleen pulled out a matching ski hat to keep her head warm and gave Jon a pout.  Just then there’s a knock on the door.

 

“Saved by the knock,” Colleen whispered heading for the door.

 

chapter 52

 

Casa Bongiovi was very busy on a Monday, Colleen had school and cheerleader practice, Jon was flying to the Hamptons, they were moving to New Jersey for the month, leading up to winter break.

 

They would come home and pack whatever was needed for the three weeks before bringing the boys home from Pennington. Good thing she had winter clothes out in her apartment over the bar, and some beach clothes from the Christmas cruise on the Aphrodite, the yacht that Jon had rented for the second half of their break.

 

Jon met up with Max at the Teterboro helipad, for a quick flight to the Hamptons.  Max had brought along all the plans for the new security plans for the bar and the prenup he had hinted to Jon.   

 

It was a short flight, when they touched down Jamie was waiting by his car.  Max had his own car waiting to take him to do his jobs with the yard contracts and meeting with the Seals that were hired before meeting up at the bar around one pm. Jamie and Jon headed out to his house, he had to go get something out of his bedside table safe.  Pocketing the little black box into his briefcase, he and Jamie sat down with Jamie’s wife Sara and talked about how he planned for all the family’s security.  Sara thanked him, she felt safer here then their house with the baby Rose.

 

Jamie walked Jon out to the car to take them to the bar.  Jamie looked over at Jon and thanked him again.

 

“You know you don’t have to do this? We aren’t even family yet.” Jamie ran his hands over the steering wheel.

 

“We Sicilians take care of our family, and your Colleen’s family and I will do everything in my power to protect her and you guys,” Jon told him.

 

“I told Matt and Tony that I always wanted brothers.” Jamie looked over a Jon.

 

“Well, you got three and three nephews and one niece.” Jon held out his hand to Jamie and gave him the brotherhood handshake.

 

They pulled into the parking lot of O’Sullivans about the same time as Max.

 

“Hey Jonny, Everything is ready,” Max handed Jon a file folder.

 

“Jamie this is Max, the best lawyer I could ever have.” Jon introduced the two men.

 

“Hey man thanks for everything you’ve done for my sister,” Jamie said to Max.

 

“Anything for Miss Colleen,” Max told him.

 

The three walked into the empty bar, Cullen and Maggie came out of the kitchen.

 

Jon asked Cullen if they could talk in private, before they got started.

 

Maggie smiled that smile that all mothers had when they know something we mere mortal men don’t understand.  “Use the kitchen, it's private.”

 

Cullen pulled two beers out of the cooler and they sat at the island.

 

Jon had this all planned out in his mind, the whole fight out, taking a deep swig of beer, just to get courage.

 

“I never done this in my life, you’re the first,” Jon fumbled the first of his speech. “I know I’ve only known Colleen for five months, but I love her with all my heart and soul.  I come here to ask your permission to marry your daughter if she’ll have me.”

 

“You said it yourself, you’ve only been dating Colleen for five months, are you sure it’s love and not lust,” Cullen asked?

 

“I think I fell a little in love when I walked into this bar for the first time.  Something clicked, we talked on the phone a lot, but I knew I wasn’t letting her go,” Jon told him.  “The lust came after I fell in love.  When I married my late wife we had been together for almost half my life. We married on the spur of the moment, the band was at the top, we had sold out the whole tour, and I said let’s get married,” Jon told him.  “I never felt like I needed to ask her dad, but with Colleen, I wanted to start this marriage off on the right foot.”

 

Cullen had nodded at all the right places, then he took a deep drink of beer.

 

“Jon, if I say yes, you promise to keep her safe, to love her, to make all her dreams come true, and to never go to bed angry?” Cullen looked deep into Jon’s eyes.

 

Jon knew what dream he was talking about, hell other rockers like Mick and Rod fathered kids late in their life, and they are still touring. If they could do it so could he.

 

“I promise, with all my heart,” Jon told him.

 

Cullen got up from the island and reached out his hand to Jon.  “You have my and Maggie’s blessings.”

 

The shook hands across the island then Cullen pulled him into a bear hug and slapped him on the back.

 

“Welcome to the family son, Maggie will be in seventh heaven, all these grandkids,” Cullen smiled from ear to ear.

 

They walked back to the barroom.

 

“Mag’s say hello to your future son-in-law,” Cullen slapped Jon on the back again.

 

“Oh my stars, welcome to the family, son,” Maggie pulled Jon in her arms as tears ran down her face.  Looking up to heaven she thanked God that her wishes were coming true.

 

Jamie smiled and nodded to Jon.

 

Now came the hard part.  “You might not be happy after your bossy future son-in-law tells you the other reason that we’re here,” Jon looked at her parents, “Because of my fame, is causing the need for extra security.”

 

Jon told them about the new alarm system going in the bar and the apartment.  The need for them to either move to his house on the beach till this was over, or the apartment, but he would prefer the beach house, it was safer.  The new armed security guards that would work shifts in the bar, they were ex-navy seals, Just like Colleen driver and at his city apartment.

 

“Is this all necessary Jon,” Cullen asked?

 

Max brought out the pictures of the three thugs and of the damage to Colleen's house.

 

“Will stay in the apartment,” Maggie told him. “Who knows, these seals might bring in more ladies to the bar.”

 

Jon, Jamie, and Max laughed.

 

“You never know Maggie,” Jon reached over the table and patted her hand.

 

Max smiled and took over the meeting with the three O’Sullivans.  Soon Jon and Max were back in the chopper heading back to the city. Jon patted the briefcase, just feeling the box inside made him smile.  His assistant helped him find the ring he saw in the city when he and John Shanks met in the office. He had sneaked and tied a string around Colleen’s finger to get the size.  He had planned to do this at Christmas while all the family was there, but he was going to skype with the kids and he wanted to show them the ring, he knew Stephanie would demand to see the rock.  The canary diamond represented the sun that Colleen had brought back to his life, he had the eternity band of diamonds in the vault at Max’s office for the wedding, along with his wedding band with Dorothea, which would go to Jesse when he finally settled down.  

 

Chapter 51

 

Jon took a deep breath and answered his cell.

 

“Hi Mom,” was all he got out of his mouth before his mom started to ream him a new one.

 

“Jon Francis what are you thinking? Did you and that woman run off to Vegas?  Did you not learn your lesson with Dorothea?  Once again my cell phone has been ringing off the hook,” Carol Bongiovi was not happy, at all.

 

Jon took that breath to jump in.

 

“Mom we aren’t married, yet,” He got out those five little words, then his mother shut him down.

 

“What do you mean yet?”  Carol about screamed the word is Jon ear.

 

“Well, I haven’t asked yet,” Jon told his mother.   He could hear his dad yelling at his mother to give him the phone.  They argued till dad came on the phone.

 

“Jonny, just keep Cullen’s daughter safe and be happy,” John Senior told his son. His dad always had his back, when his mom went off the deep end, trying to run his life. He loved his mom, but she had to cut the strings, and like Pinocchio, and let him be a real boy.  He was over fifty-five, not some kid going out in the world for the first time. He thought by taking the fan club away from her, she would get the idea.  But no, it would take threats and putting his foot down.  Looked like a quick trip to Miami was necessary.

 

“I am dad,” Jon took Colleen’s hand and brought it to his lips and kissed her knuckle.

 

His dad ended his call, Jon looked over at Colleen.

 

“Well we made TMZ,” Jon told her. “I bet every media outlet all over the internet.”

 

Colleen cuddled in his arms, “Is this going to be another Jon Bon Jovi is dead deal?”

 

“Naugh, but I know the next calls will be my manager, the record company, and my band manager.  But, they’ll wait till tomorrow to call.  More Paparazzi will be around, at least they don’t know your name,” Jon rubbed her back as he talked.

 

“Unless someone sells the information to the rag mags,” Colleen said as she let her fingers walk up and down his chest.  “Like someone at Poly, either a single mom parent or one of the teaching staff.”

 

Jon thought about what she said, knowing how vindictive the dean of students was with Colleen being kept at Poly, he might sell it, to get back at us.

 

“You think, well I better call my lawyer to do some digging,” Jon told her, then he had a dick killing thought.  “I think we need to move into the Inn till all this blows over.”

 

“Why?  You thought of someone didn’t you,” Colleen asked?

 

“The thugs are wearing ankle monitors, right?  Yeah I think we need to move into the Shoe Inn, till the court hearing, just to be safe,” Jon told her.

 

Colleen sat up and gasped.

 

“If they can get my information online, they can get to mom and dad,” Colleen gasped and looked down at Jon.  “Jamie and his family too.

 

Jon rolled over to the edge of the bed and grabbed his cell off the nightstand and called Max.

 

“Hey, Max, sorry to wake you up but this can’t wait.” Jon got up and started to pace.

 

“I was going to call you tomorrow, you want the standard prenup?” Max asked as he sat up and pulled out a pen and notepad from his bedside table.

 

“I’ll tell you after Wednesday, but I take it you saw or heard the TMZ, we have a major problem.” Jon looked over at Colleen.

 

“The trial, the thugs being on parole?  It just hit me.” Max sat up straighter. “But you have Albert, he’s ex CIA.”

 

“Colleen’s family, they’ll need some protection,” Jon told him.  “The bar, the houses and maybe check out the security at the bar and the two houses.”

 

“I can put two working in the bar and some cars around the houses.” Max double-underlined security.

 

“I’m going to fly out tomorrow to the Hamptons,” Jon told him, killing two birds with one stone.

 

“What time, I’ll clear my calendar and meet you at the heliport.” Max would call his office and let them know he would be out of the office for the next four days or more for JBJ.

 

“Say Ten.  I’ll call them at six and get this ball rolling.” Jon told him. 

 

“See you at ten,” Max said and hung up.

 

Colleen had grabbed her phone and called Jamie at the bar.

 

“Hey, little sis, or should I say future Mrs. Bongiovi?  What’s up, beside you being firemaned by Jon?” Jamie laughed.

 

“Jon will be out there tomorrow with Max, you guys might be in danger, my attackers are on parole.” Colleen noticed Jon standing in front of her, she handed him the phone.

 

“Jam, I want to protect you guys, it just hit us that all this TMZ and media shit will bring those thugs to the Hamptons,” Jon told him.

 

“You’re going to be here Wednesday, you think this shit could start tomorrow,” Jamie asked him.  He looked at all the stragglers in the bar, no one new as of late. He was going to have to be more attentive now.  “Think mom and dad should go to Miami till this blows over?”

 

 

“Might be a good idea, we’ll talk about it with Max tomorrow,” Jon told him.  “Can you and your family move into my place I have state of the art security out there?”

 

“I will tomorrow,” Jamie told him. “Talk it over with Lissa.”

 

“Max will get extra security set up tomorrow, I can help you move out there when I get there.  Meet me at the bar at about eleven.”

 

“I’ll be there,” Jamie told him.

 

They ended the call and Jon handed Colleen back her phone.

 

“If anything happens to them,” she let that thought hang not wanting to thinks the consequence were.

 

Jon pulled her up and into his arms and rocked her as she broke a little. “I won’t let anything happen to them or you, I protect what is mine.”

 

They stood like that until the tears dried up and headed back to bed.

 

Before Colleen got into bed, she went to the bathroom and turned on the light and closed the door but for a crack.

 

Jon watched her, this was the same thing she did when she was here the first night. She had told him it made her feel safe.  At least it wasn’t shining in his eyes like the closet light.  Right before climbing in, she locked the bedroom door.  It was still hours before Jon heard her breathing even out and her ladylike snore could be heard, did he try to shut off his brain, six in the morning came early.