The Ceo's Contracted Mistress
The Ceo’s Contracted Mistress Chapter 52

The kids were having a lot of fun with their grandpapa Levi and Bobbie had to admit, while they had absolutely gotten off on the wrong foot, the man they were getting to know was not the monster they had met originally.

He was funny and silly but also empathetic and caring. He was watching every movement she made with laser focus and at first, she felt it unnerving, wondering if he thought she was going to pilfer the silverware but then she caught on to him. Each time she started to let her mind wander to Olivier, he was there with a cup of tea or a pat to the shoulder or a reminder Olivier was strong, and he could take care of his family. He was well and truly studying her moods to make sure she didn’t get too sad in Olivier’s absence.

At the moment they were sitting back in the solarium, and he was laying on a blanket on the floor with the kids looking out through the glass to the nighttime sky and he was pointing out constellations. They had mugs of warm cocoa and snacks of popcorn which he tried to teach them how to catch in their mouths. He turned his head suddenly towards Bobbie with a glint in his eye, “sounds like we have company coming.”

She frowned, “what do you mean?”

He gave a low laugh, “after nearly forty years living here, I can hear a frog pee in the pond out back.” The kids cackled at his words, “The main gates just opened down the road. I would bet my last dollar someone got wind you were here and is mad I didn’t let her know.” He grinned wickedly.

What he was suggesting made her pause, “you think Meri is here?”

“The way the car is tearing up the drive, I don’t think it’s one of the girls.”

Bobbie grinned at the way his smile crooked to one side. It was the same one Olivier, Max and Ollie gave her when being naughty. “You knew she’d get annoyed you didn’t tell her.”

He put his hand to his chest innocently, “who me?”

The screeching of tires made Bobbie jump. “Is she going to be angry with us?”

“With you? No. But she is going to scream at me so you may want to cover your ears.” He tickled Ollie’s sides playfully. “Mamaw is a force to be reckoned with.” He lay back down between the kids. “You will have to protect me from her.”

Max giggle loudly at his grandfather’s antics. “Mamaw won’t hurt you.”

“She once threw a rock at my head and made me bleed.”

“Why?”

“I kissed her without her permission. We were teenagers and I saw her and thought she was the prettiest girl I had ever seen. I walked right up to her and kissed her. She punched me and then she threw a rock at my head.” He clasped his chest, “it was love at first sight for me. Not so much for her.”

Bobbie laughed at his antics.

“Levi Villeneuve! Where are you? Where are you hiding them?” Meri’s voice was shrill in the oversized foyer, “do not tell me you have my babies here without letting me know. You would keep such secrets from me?”

His voice called back cool and mocking, “do not be dramatic, Meri. We are in the solarium watching the stars. You said you didn’t want to hear from me, so I didn’t call. If Olivier wanted you to know where the kids and Bobbie were, he would have told you.”

The fast stride of her heels clicking furiously made Bobbie hide her face into the sofa she was sprawled on.

“Mamaw!” Max and Ollie screamed her name and raced to her. She immediately was on her knees with her arms wrapped around them tightly. She kissed their cheeks and wiped chocolate off Max’s chin.

“I missed you, my babies. If I had known you were coming, I would have been here waiting for you.” She glared at Levi over their heads.

“And you would have robbed me of my one-on-one time with my daughter and grandchildren,” he rolled to his side up on one elbow. “You had days with them. I only a few hours and you are here usurping my time.”

“You need a foot up your behind, Levi Villeneuve.” Meri glared at him from where she was crouched. “You knew I would want to be here with them.”

“With them, yes, with me, I was not so sure. I didn’t want to make anyone uncomfortable. Bobbie and I are just learning about each other. I didn’t want to add conflict,” he winked at Bobbie who coughed to hide her giggle.

Bobbie realized this man was playing his wife like a fiddle and the woman was helpless to stop him. She also had great insight as to how Olivier was going to be with her when she was angry with him. The man was something else. She reached for a handful of popcorn to enjoy the show.

“Mamaw, grandpapa was telling us all about the constellations. He’s very smart.”

“I am very smart,” he nodded at his wife, “except when it comes to my wife. Then I am a fool, but I am learning.”

Bobbie watched the older woman’s lips twist as if trying not to laugh.

“Come lay down and look at the stars with me,” he called out.

“I will do no such thing,” Meri sputtered.

“Not you,” he turned his head with a frown, “my grandbabies. We were having a lovely time talking about how the big dipper and the little dipper could scoop up marshmallows for our hot cocoa before you rudely interrupted our evening. Come,” he patted either side of him for the kids to lay with him on the floor.

Bobbie coughed on her popcorn and Meri turned to glare at her, “sorry, husks.” She was trying not to laugh as she swung her legs to sit upright on the sofa while the kids raced back to their grandpapa.

“Did he apologize to you? Did he make it right?” Meri rose to stand with her hands on her h**s flicking her glance between Levi on the floor with the kids tucked against each shoulder completely ignoring her and Bobbie who was picking up pieces of popcorn off the floor.

“Of course, I apologized to her. I would have done so weeks ago but you all wouldn’t let me near her. She calls me papa now. She’s my girl.” He lifted his head to wink at Bobbie who was smiling at him. He waved for her to throw a marshmallow and she did, and it landed right in his mouth. “See, we are a good team.” He spoke over the giant cube.

“Did you make him pay?” Meri asked curiously.

“I made him dig out the old picture of Olivier in the rubber boots.”

“Had to go to the attic. The kids had a great time up there.” Levi stroked Max’s arm. “We’ve had a good day.”

“We had a crawfish boil.” Ollie sat up, “and then when we were done being messy and dirty, daddy and grandpapa jumped us into the pool in our clothes!” she fell atop his chest with delight at the memory. “It was so fun.”

“You had a crawfish boil.” Meri’s eyes were glittering

Bobbie knew Olivier got his love of seafood from his mother and had learned earlier it was her favorite thing.

“Yes, Mireille is a great cook.” Max said from where he was curled against his grandfather, “I liked pulling the heads off the crawfish.”

“Levi,” Meri’s voice was tight. “You are in trouble.”

“I simply told Mireille the kids were coming with Olivier and asked her to make them a special luncheon before he had to go. I didn’t tell her to make a boil.”

“Liar,” Meri walked into the room further and kicked his foot with her toe. She flopped onto the oversized chair. “I have been worried for you all day and you were here eating my boil and playing in my solarium.” She dropped a handbag to the floor.

“I have my phone off until Olivier can get me a new number and chip,” Bobbie made a face. “It’s also good because it means I can’t go online and see the chaos. He left me a different phone to call me on.” She lifted it off the table and then set it down, “but he hasn’t called yet.”

“He will.” Levi spoke reassuringly. “Trust in him. He is a smart man, Bobbie. He will fix all of this. I have faith in him.”

“I know,” Bobbie smiled at Levi.

“I told the kids I would take them for a horseback ride around the property tomorrow, Meri. Will you be joining us?” Levi asked innocently.

“Yes, I will be joining you.” She glared at him. “They are my horses.”

“Does this mean you are staying here tonight or what time should we expect you in the morning?”

Bobbie couldn’t stop the guffaw this time at his words, “well played, Levi. I’m sorry Meri. I don’t know how you lasted this long. He’s slick.”

“Until he apologized, all of his shenanigans were futile.” She kept a stoic face.

“He said he was sorry, mamaw,” Max defended his grandfather. “He even played a song on his guitar for maman. It made her cry, but she said it was because it made her happy.”

“You played her a song?” Meri narrowed her gaze, “what song?”

“God Gave Me You,” Levi spoke up, “but I changed a few words, so it didn’t sound like I was coming on to her.”

Meri kicked her shoe off and tossed it at his foot. “You old fool, she would know you weren’t coming on to her. You could be her grandpapa.”

He laughed as he took her shoe and winked to the kids, “now I have her shoe. She can’t leave with only one shoe.”

“I’m not leaving,” Meri looked at him straight in the face with a gleam in her eye which told Bobbie she was going to dash his hope to bits. “Maybe the kids and I will have a sleepover down here in the solarium. We can build a fort. Would you like that?”

Bobbie chortled with the look of disappointment on Levi’s face. “You two are the best. I’m learning so much and it’s great.” Her phone rang on the table as the kids were excitedly screaming about building a fort in the solarium.

She answered it, “Hi Olivier.”

“Chérie, it is so good to hear your voice. I miss you.” He gave a long sigh, “what are you doing?”

“I am watching your parents skillfully try to outplay the other. It is better than a telenovela. They are good.”

He laughed in her ear, and she smiled. “Take lessons from maman, she has the man wrapped around her pinky. Actually, I take it back. Do not watch anything. Keep your eyes averted and ears turned away.”

The squealing made her look up to see Levi chasing the kids around Meri’s chair. “They’re a bit rambunctious but your mom just promised them a fort in the solarium. Your dad was disappointed for a moment but then said game on.”

He was quiet for a moment and then gave a laugh, “poor papa. He thought he was cuddling his wife tonight.”

“He thought wrong, and I don’t think cuddling is the right word,” she smiled as the kids were screaming about going to replace blankets for their fort and Levi and Meri moved to follow them. Levi was holding Meri’s hand and she didn’t pull away. “How was your day?” she asked as the room drew quiet.

“Long. Difficult. The board is behind me which is good. We have an action plan in place to address the situation with the NDA which I’ll enact tomorrow. It should help adjust the dip we’ve had. Riggs is working on security measures for the house and has talked to Grady, Everly and Prue about what they would like to see happen since they are so interwoven in your life. They have a plan ready to implement for this. Riggs has already been in communication with the kids’ schools and safety measures will be implemented ahead of the school year at my expense of course.”

“Sounds like you were able to get a lot done in a few hours.”

“I am motivated. I want to be with my family.” He offered simply, “I miss you.”

“We miss you too.”

“How are things with you and my parents?” he asked quietly.

“Good. Your dad is taking good care of me. I’m seeing the man you said he is. I’m glad I gave him this second chance.”

“Me too.”

“Olivier,” she leaned back and closed her eyes, “I’m trying not to freak out over everything going on but not being in communication with anyone is killing me. I need my phone back and my friends back. I need to know the world isn’t burning.” Her words were a quiet plea for reassurances. She hated to appear needy but in this moment she was.

“I promise you, Bobbie, in a couple of days this will all be starting to settle, and we can begin to move forward with our lives. We will need to spend a bit more time away from the house while Riggs does what he needs to do. I ask only for you to trust me. Trust what we need to do is the right thing. Can you do this?”

“I can. I trust you. I love you,” she whispered into the phone. “I love you and I miss you.”

“I love you too, chérie,” his voice was gruff. “I will never tire of hearing you say those words.”

She smiled into the phone but what she was about to say was cut off by screaming and laughing as the kids tore excitedly into the room and Ollie jumped on her. Bobbie noticed the kids were in their pjs. Meri worked fast.

“Is that my dad? Can I talk to him?” Ollie almost pried the phone from her hands. “Dad, dad, guess what?” As she began reciting in detail every single action they’d done since he’d left after lunch, Bobbie g*****d and began cleaning up the mess of mugs and snacks.

Meri came into the room carrying a stack of pillows and was changed into lounge wear. She looked around the room as if trying to suss out the best spot to build the fort. She tossed the pillows on the blanket Levi had put on the floor earlier.

Bobbie looked at her grinning, “your back will kill you tomorrow.”

“No, it won’t.” she pointed to the sofa, “the minute they’re asleep, I’ll move up there.”

“You didn’t have to do this. They were all set to have a sleepover with me in my bed. Olivier’s been insisting on them sleeping in their own beds all week, so they were stoked about it.”

“Levi can have blue balls for one more night,” Meri giggled like a girl at Bobbie’s gasp. “Keep him on his toes.” She reached out and hugged Bobbie. “I am glad you are here, Bobbie. It means everything to me to see my family coming back together.”

“I know,” she looked over her shoulder where the echoes of Levi happily whistling as he came towards them carried in their direction, “he made a mistake, but I believe him when he says he feels badly.”

“Good. I’m glad you made amends,” she kissed her cheek gently. “Welcome home, Bobbie.”

“Thanks Meri.” She felt strangely like crying at the woman’s words.

“Bobbie, are you sleeping with us in our fort?” Levi asked loudly

“Are you nuts?” Bobbie laughed at him, “there’s a giant bed upstairs I get to have all to myself. I’m going to stretch right out like it’s nobody’s business. No kids. No Olivier. Do you know how rare this is?”

He mussed her hair up as he dropped a giant pile of blankets on the sofa. “I do not like sleeping alone. I have done too much of it lately.” He patted his wife’s behind as he walked by her.

Bobbie laughed when Meri told him he’d made his bed, so he’d had to sleep in it. She looked around the room for her phone and saw Max had it and was chattering a mile a minute and pointing to the sky. When he noticed Meri and Levi starting to spread blankets, he yelled he had to go help build the fort and then ended the call.

Bobbie sighed as she picked up the phone from where Max had dropped it. “Did you just hang up on your dad?”

“I wanted to help with the fort,” Max shrugged. “He said goodnight.”

“Fine,” she looked around the room, “do you know what, I’m going to bed. Goodnight. Have fun. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Bye!” Ollie didn’t even look up from what she was doing.

“My kids are assholes,” she muttered. “Hey! Are you not going to k**s me goodnight?”

Meri chuckled as both kids g*****d and stopped what they were doing to hug her and k**s her cheek as fast as they could before racing back to the stacks of pillows and blankets.

She made her way upstairs and got ready for bed. She was just sliding into the sheets when the phone rang again, and she answered it.

“Hi.”

“We didn’t get to say goodnight,” Olivier’s voice was warm. “The kids are very wound up.”

“They’re not going to sleep tonight. If your dad thought, he was going to sneak your mom off in the middle of the night he was wrong.”

“What room did they put you in?” he asked quietly.

“It’s your room,” she said as she looked around. “Levi thought I’d be more comfortable here.” She looked around the room with the pale blue walls and the dark masculine and chunky furniture.

“You’re in my bed?”

“I am.”

“Selfie please. Prove it.” He teased her. When the photo came through to him, he choked, “what on earth?”

“You asked for a selfie,” she giggled. “I pray nobody hacks our phones.”

“Are you naked in my bed?”

“No. I just pushed the straps of my nighty down.”

He g*****d as he was looking at her photo, “I miss you. This was an unexpected treat but it’s torture as well. Now I will be thinking of all the things I wish I were doing to you.”

“Really?” she gave a breathy whisper praying it sounded sexy. “Why don’t you tell me all the things you would do?”

“Bobbie Caron, are you trying to have phone s*x with me?”

“Yes.” She was blunt. “I’ll come if you will.”

“What?”

If she closed her eyes, she could envision the blue vein at his neck bulging from her bold comments. “talk to me Olivier. Talk to me as if I were right there under you. Tell me what you want me to do with my hands while you stroke yourself.”

“f**k,” he grunted loudly. “Chérie, you are going to get my palm on your a*s when I get home. This is torture.”

She took a photo of her finger deep in her mouth and sent it to him. “Please. I’m all alone. I don’t want to be lonely.”

At his m**n of frustration, she knew he was ready to play her little game. Neither of them lasted very long.