Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Henry
I watched her walk down to the shoreline as the water swept over her feet. I’d done a bad thing in her eyes, and I had one week to make her see why I did what I did. She was still here. That was a good sign. Walking down to where she was, I stood next to her and took in the serenity of the ocean water.
“I can still hear the sound of the waves lapping against the shore,” she spoke.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Before I completely lost my hearing, my parents took me on a trip to Florida. One quiet night, when nobody else was around, my dad woke me up in the middle of the night and took me down to the beach. I remember us sitting on the sand and in between his legs as his arms were wrapped around me. He told me to listen and listen carefully. He said if I listened long enough and concentrated on the sound of the ocean, I would always remember what it sounded like when I couldn’t hear it anymore. He was right.” She glanced at me. “As I stand here, I can hear it in my mind.”
“That’s why you always paint the water?” I signed.
“Pretty much.”
“Your dad sounds like he was a wonderful father.”
“He was. Are you going to explain to me why you kidnapped me from New York?”
“Are you ready to listen? And I didn’t kidnap you. I borrowed you.” I smirked as I signed. “We can talk over some dinner and wine if you’d like. I stocked the refrigerator with all kinds of great food. I can whip something up in a flash.”
“You don’t cook.”
“Okay. Okay.” I held my hand up. “There’s a grill, and I can throw on some burgers.”
Her eyes narrowed as she glared at me.
“I am hungry. But then I’m leaving.”
“Then I shall grill you a burger, and if you wish to leave after, then you’re free to go. But I hope you choose to stay,” I signed.
“Don’t get your hopes up,” she said as she walked back up to the house.
As I stood at the grill with the burgers, I stared through the window of the kitchen and watched while Ellie made a pasta salad. She was so beautiful and still so angry. I’d never forget the look in her eyes when she saw me standing in the living room. They were full of rage and hatred. She looked over and caught me staring, so I quickly looked down at the burgers. She walked out with the pasta salad and set it on the patio table.
“We can eat out here,” she said.
“I like that idea,” I signed as I gave her a smile.
When the burgers were done, I took them off the grill and set them in the middle of the table. Walking inside, I grabbed the rest of the stuff and a bottle of wine. After pouring her a glass, I took the seat across from her.
“Okay, now tell me why you kidnapped me.”
I let out a chuckle. “I borrowed you.”
“Same thing because you did it without my permission.” Her brow arched.
“I thought we both needed to get away from New York for a while. I certainly did with everything that went on with my parents and Kirsten. And I know you probably did as well.”
“You’re right, Henry. I did. But the difference here is I needed to get away from you. I’m trying so hard to heal the heart you broke, and you’re making it worse for me.”
“I know, and I’m sorry.”
“Stop saying that!” she shouted. “I know you’re sorry, but it doesn’t change the fact that I can’t trust you.”
“You can’t, or you won’t? I know I screwed up in a big way, and I know how badly I hurt you. I’m human, Ellie, and I make mistakes. All I’m asking from you is to give me one week. Just the two of us here in Malibu with no distractions and no interruptions. No work, no parents, no drama, nothing. The moment we laid eyes on each other at the grocery store, we both felt an instant connection. There’s no denying that. What we had was so special. You make me want to be a better person—a better man. And I screwed that up because I was too afraid you wouldn’t want to see me anymore if I’d told you about her in the first place. Then, after I called off the wedding and broke up with her, I was trying to find a way to tell you. Then my father had his heart attack and open-heart surgery, and so much shit was going on.”
“Then Kirsten told you she was pregnant and?—”
“My mother told you before I could.” I looked down in shame.
“You can make a thousand excuses, but that’s all they are, Henry.”
“I know, and if I could go back in time, I would have told you from the start.”
Her eyes stared directly into mine from across the table for a few moments as silence filled the space around us.
“If I decide to stay, we aren’t sleeping in the same room.”
“I already know that, and I didn’t expect us to. You’ll stay in the primary bedroom, and I’ll stay in one of the other rooms. There are a million things we can do here. We can go swimming in the ocean, go kayaking, shopping, scuba diving, anything you want.”
“We aren’t together, Henry. You need to understand that.”
“I do understand that. But I was hoping after this week we could at least be friends. If anything, that’s what I want the most. Because I’d rather have you in my life as a friend, than not have you in my life at all,” I signed.
“If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go down to the beach by myself.”
“Of course. I’ll clean up.”
Ellie
I sat down in the sand and brought my legs up to my chest. Looking up, seagulls were flying overhead just as the sun was about to set. What he did. God, I could hate him so much right now, and a part of me wants to grab my suitcase and hightail it out of here. But I needed to look beyond his actions. He didn’t do any of this to hurt me. That much I knew. And he really had no choice but to lie to get me here because if he would have flat-out asked me; I would have told him no. I had been filled with so much hurt and anger, and I wouldn’t look beyond what his mother had told me that day in the café. And when he walked into my apartment after I’d texted him, I was already done with him regardless of his explanation and excuses.
While I was pondering my thoughts, Henry sat down in the sand next to me.
“Is it okay if I sit here?” he signed.
“Yeah. It’s fine.”
“The sunset is amazing,” he signed.
“It truly is,” I said as I stared at it.
“Have you decided if you’re going to stay?”
“I’ll stay.”
The corners of his mouth curved upward. “Thank you,” he signed.
“How did you find out the baby wasn’t yours?”
“Addison took it upon herself to do some investigating.”
“Addison?” I laughed.
“Yeah. My sister is a little spitfire. Anyway, Kirsten lied about when she got pregnant. Addison found out and called her out on it. I got her to confess that the baby wasn’t mine, which happened to be right in front of my parents.”
“Oh shit.” I laughed. “Your mom must have been heartbroken.”
“She was very angry, and after saying a few choice words, she kicked her out.”
“Good for her, but I’m not a fan of your mother.”
“Neither am I.” A smirk crossed his lips. “By the way, I never asked you how your flight was.”
“Before or after Frankie screamed at the guy in the aisle seat next to me?”
“What?” He cocked his head.
“I was sitting in my seat reading a book and all of a sudden, Frankie was practically on top of me and in the guy’s face.”
“Wait. I booked you the window seat. Why was Frankie sitting in it?”
“He doesn’t like to fly.”
“I know that. But I figured he would be a gentleman and let you have the window seat.”
“It was fine. I offered because he seemed nervous.”
“So why did he get in that guy’s face?”
“I guess the guy was asking me a question, and when I didn’t respond, he called me a bitch. Frankie told him I was deaf with a few other choice words.”
“Did the guy apologize?”
“He did.”
“Remind me to thank Frankie. And please don’t be mad at him. I really gave him no choice. He was so worried you were going to hate him.”
“I don’t hate him. I’m a little mad, but I’ll get over it eventually.” I smiled.
“He’ll be grateful to hear that,” his smile widened as he signed.
“Did you feel that?” I held out my hand in front of me.
“Feel what?”
I let out a laugh as a large raindrop hit him in the face.
“Yep. I felt that.” He wiped it from his face.
Suddenly, the sky opened, and it began to pour out of nowhere.
“Oh my God,” I jumped up. “Where did this come from all of a sudden.”
“I don’t know, but we better get back inside,” he signed and then held out his hand.
Without even thinking about it, I placed my hand in his as we ran back up to the house. When we stepped inside, we were both soaking wet.
“Stay right here. I’ll go get us some towels,” he said.
He was back within moments and wrapped a towel around my shoulders.
“Thanks,” I said as I dried off the best I could, but I needed to change.
“Can you get me my suitcase you’re holding hostage?” I smirked.
“Follow me. It’s upstairs in the primary suite.”
Following him up the winding staircase, we stepped into the sprawling and beautifully decorated bedroom with floor-to-ceiling windows and a sliding glass door providing an incredible ocean view.
“This is beautiful.” I stared out the window.
“Your suitcase is over there. I moved it in here while you down at the beach.”
“Thanks.”
“I’ll let you change. Wait until you see the bathroom,” he signed. “There’s even a steam room off to the side.”
“I think I’m going to take a bath and get some of this sand off me.”
“Good idea. I’m going to change as well, and then I’ll be downstairs.”
He walked out and shut the double doors behind him. Grabbing my suitcase, I unzipped it and grabbed a pair of light cotton sweatpants and a tank top. Starting the water in the oversized marble-encased tub, I climbed in and let my body relax. The only time I’d texted my mom was when I landed. How was I going to tell her about Henry? It was probably best I waited until I got back to New York.