Chapter Thirty-Five - Mirabelle
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
Mirabelle
I TOUCH UP my mascara carefully in the mirror as I call Emily so she can see the finished ensemble.
Her dark eyes widen immediately upon answering. “Goddamn, you look good . I knew that dress was perfect for you. Where are you off to?” she asks, knowing full well where I’m headed, especially since she sent me the dress.
“A gala,” I answer, giggling as I swish the sequined fringes and crystal embellishments. I love this dress. Emily knows me perfectly; she’s like my fairy godmother.
“Oh, and where is your prince?” Emily teases with a knowing smile. Things have been going so well with Henry.
“Finishing getting ready himself.” It’s either that, or he’s waiting downstairs with Andrew and Wilson. Andrew’s flight arrived an hour ago for the gala since he’s also on the board of tonight’s charity. Henry and Andrew founded the nonprofit as a way to give back to the community, but until this season, Andrew was its face. After he was traded and Stacey found out Henry was the co-founder, rather than just a supporter as he wanted everyone to believe, she recommended the charity as the focus for the team’s annual gala.
Andrew has to fly out early tomorrow, but he said he isn’t going to miss it.
Emily grins, her dark eyes crinkling at the corners. “I wish you could film his reaction when he sees you, because if he doesn’t consider dragging you into his room to skip the gala, I will have failed.”
My cheeks flush, but secretly, I hope she’s right. I want to have sex with him. I want to experience that level of intimacy with him.
“We’re not skipping, but don’t expect to hear from me afterward.” I wink at her.
“Get it, girl. Make sure you tell the paparazzi just where you got your dress from.”
I swish my hips, watching the tassels dance. “Of course. Bye bestie.” I blow her a kiss as I hang up.
After slipping into a pair of Louboutin pumps, I tuck my phone into my clutch before stepping in front of the mirror again. I look fucking incredible. I smooth my palms down my dress before gathering some of the skirt in one hand to step out of my room, walking confidently down the stairs in my deathtrap heels.
Henry, Wilson, and Andrew are in the middle of a conversation, all dressed to the nines. Wilson is wearing a charcoal grey tuxedo that complements his dark skin, while Andrew is donned in navy that brings out the blue in his eyes. As attractive as they look, my eyes are only on Henry as his jaw unhinges slightly, taking me in.
Don’t trip.
Whatever you do, don’t trip.
I breathe a sigh of relief once I reach the bottom of the stairs, smiling brightly at them. “Are we ready to go?”
Henry is speechless, his full lips parted in shock. I take a second to appreciate the way his black tuxedo fits him, emphasizing his handsome features, which are already heart stopping. Literally —I think I’m going to need a pacemaker to shock my heart into normal rhythm from how often he makes it skip a beat. His dark brown hair is tousled, and I resist the urge to run my fingers through the silky strands.
Andrew clears his throat, drawing my attention to him. “So, the town car has been here for a couple minutes now. Are we going to leave, or do you plan on staring at each other all night?”
Wilson laughs, patting him on the shoulder. “Dude, at least you don’t have to live with them.”
I turn to glare at Wilson as Henry coughs, clearing his throat. “Uh, guys, can you give us a sec? We’ll be right out.”
Andrew winks at him, smirking. “Sure you will.”
I shift in place as they walk out the front door, and Henry drags a hand over his jaw. “I know I’m supposed to tell you how incredible you look, but that doesn’t even begin to describe you right now. Mirabelle, you look . . .” Henry trails off, laughing under his breath as his eyes roam over my face and down my body. “You look perfect.”
“I’m glad you like it.” I step forward to straighten his bow tie. It doesn’t need fixing, but I’m desperate to touch him.
His gaze slowly drags back up, and I nearly melt under the intensity of emotion in Henry’s face. “I’m so fucking lucky to be the guy on your arm tonight, but as exquisite as you look in this dress, I can’t help but think how much I want to see you out of it later.” I bite my lip to hide how much I love the idea, but Henry lifts his hand to pull it free, running his thumb over my bottom lip ever so gently. “Ne cachez pas votre sourire.” 42
“We should go out there, or I might keep you all to myself,” I whisper, forgetting why we have to go.
Henry exhales a shuddering breath, kissing the corner of my mouth. “That thought is tempting, but our presence is required, and you deserve to be seen in this. After you, mon c?ur. ”
It’s an effort to walk toward the door.
~
Henry hasn’t left my side all night, except for his speech, and Wilson was glued to my side during it. This was Henry’s compromise regarding Tom not attending tonight.
He and Andrew gave an amazing speech that had everyone opening their checkbooks, even before the silent auction started. Henry’s arm is wrapped around my lower back as I lean into his side while we talk with Andrew and my uncle.
“How’s Seattle working out?” Uncle Owen asks Andrew.
“I like it. The team’s solid—solid enough we might even be seeing you in the Super Bowl.”
“Hey, don’t jinx it,” Henry says, and I shake my head before sipping from the champagne flute in my hand. My entire body tenses when I realize Miley is approaching us, wearing a black gown to not draw attention to herself since she’s working.
I’m aware if my parents weren’t who they are, and I wasn’t who I am, I’d be wearing the same thing.
Henry pulls me tighter to him, clearly feeling the change in my body language.
I force a smile, attempting to be polite. “Hi, Miley.”
Her distaste for me has grown since I told her to take her issues with me up with Stacey— which she clearly hasn’t .
“Mirabelle,” she greets, and honestly, I thought she was smart enough to at least try to be nice in front of my uncle, Andrew, and Henry. I think I give her too much credit. Miley smiles at them before her eyes land on Henry, and she’s about to find out just how sharp my nails are if she isn’t careful. “Henry, do you mind if I interview you about some of the work you’ve done with establishing this charity.”
“Henry, will you hold my glass?” I ask, and he takes it without question as I slide my arm around his back, resting my hand on his chest possessively. “I thought Stacey had you working the front entrance to track who is in attendance?”
“She does, but I think it’s none of your business since you’re not working,” Miley snaps.
“Which makes her a guest, and I’ve already completed my interviews for the night,” Henry says, and Miley’s eyes widen. She looks to my uncle as if expecting him to tell Henry he has to talk to her, but he immediately turns the other way. I’m not sure why she thought he would back her up, but whatever.
“But Stacey said—” Miley stammers to continue, and Henry chuckles.
“Stacey will be plenty satisfied with what I’ve said tonight, but I’m not sure she would appreciate hearing how one of her staff was treating a guest trying to enjoy their evening. Now if you’ll excuse us, we were having a conversation.”
Henry is officially the best boyfriend ever.
She straightens up, Miley’s cheeks flaming red as she walks away. A small part of me feels bad, until I remember how horrible she is to me every single day. Still, I probably should have tried to pretend I didn’t enjoy that as much as I did.
I smile up at Henry, and the corners of his mouth quirk upward in return. “Do you want to go dance?”
“What? Henry, there’s no one else dancing.” I glance around the room, but despite the classical music playing, no one is dancing. Henry sets my champagne on the tray of a passing waiter passing, unraveling himself from around me to lace our hands together.
“So? It makes you happy. I might not be able to salsa, but I can sway pretty romantically,” he says, moving us toward an unoccupied area in the corner of the hall.
God, the way this man makes me feel has ruined me forever, and he doesn’t have a clue.
Henry pulls me into him, and I loop my arms around the back of his neck as his hands fall to my hips. “I like you,” I say honestly as we sway gently back and forth.
“Really?” he teases, his face filled with a quiet ease that speaks louder to me than any words could. “I had no idea.”
If only he knew how true that was. Henry has no idea how long I’ve been pining for him.
His eyebrows furrow in confusion as I stay quiet. “Mira? I was just teasing you,” he says softly.
“I know. I was just thinking.”
“About?”
I could tell him the truth, but then I risk the chance that Henry will look at me like I’m a lunatic, or I can evade.
I choose option two, it’s the one I’m best at when it comes to him. Now that I have Henry, I’m afraid to lose him.
“I’m thinking about how happy I am.”
Before Henry can ask more questions, I distract him by pulling him down to kiss me. He kisses me back for a few moments, smiling against my mouth. Henry pulls back, resting his forehead against mine. It feels like he sees me— the real me .
“In case you haven’t noticed because of what an idiot I’ve been, I really like you too.” Roll the end credits.
All these moments with Henry have been precious gifts beyond my wildest dreams. Honestly, if he weren’t standing in front of me, I’d think Henry was someone I had conjured up in a dream. I’ve always seen him for who he is, rather than how everyone else sees him.
Henry’s a knight in shining armor, but he’s mine.
“Magnifique,” 43 he says tenderly.
I love you. The words are on the tip of my tongue, but it’d be insane to voice them when we’ve only officially been dating for a week.
“Toi aussi.” 44
There’s a short cough to the side of us, and I turn to see my dad standing there.
“Mind if I cut in? Lia said she wanted some fresher arm candy,” Dad jokes, and Henry wisely chooses to step back so they can trade places.
Dad spins me, and I laugh as I turn toward him. “You’re much better at this than Henry,” I joke, and Dad’s smile lines are prominent. He and Mom have been so happy together; even when they’re mad, they’re still happy.
“So Owen just told us something interesting,” he says, and I roll my eyes. Of course my uncle has already told them what happened with Miley. He’s such a gossip.
“Miley is just . . .” I trail off as Dad shakes his head.
“He did tell us about her, but I’m more interested in why he said he was happy you and Henry were actually in a relationship now,” he says, quiet enough that no one else near us can hear. My eyes widen as he sways us to the beat of the music. Uncle Owen told them? What the hell was he thinking?
“Dad, I-I’m sorry. It was fake, but we are actually in a relationship now,” I admit quietly. I can’t tell if he’s mad or not. I try to look for Henry to see if Mom is ripping him a new one, but she’s laughing and he’s smiling?
“Except it wasn’t ever fake for you. This thing with Henry.”
I shake my head slowly. “No. It was never fake for me, but it was fake for him. I almost messed everything up, Dad. We’re together now, but does it ever stop feeling like it could all slip away so easily?” I ask, my voice no louder than a whisper as my bravado slips away.
His dark eyes, which match mine, soften. “Mirabelle, never in a million years could you mess things up with Henry as much as I fucked things up with your mother. And look where we are now? I’m still with the love of my life despite everyone who thought we were doomed from the start. I have a beautiful daughter who I love more than anything, and three sons who mean the world to me.”
“What happened between you and Mom?” I ask, stuck on that part of his point because I’ve never heard anything other than my parents being happy together. They started dating in college after Mom’s year abroad, and they’ve been together ever since.
“Maybe one day soon I’ll tell you that story. I just want you to know if Henry is the one for you, there’s nothing you could ever say or do that would mess things up permanently between the two of you. Live in the moment instead of worrying about the future, okay?” I feel my eyes well up with tears and Dad is quick to wipe away the one that falls. “Do you love him?”
“Are you going to kill Henry if I say yes?”
He laughs, shaking his head. “No, I’m not going to kill him.”
“I’ve always loved him, Dad. It might have started as a stupid childhood crush, but I can’t remember ever not loving Henry.”
“If he hurts you, then I absolutely will kill him. It doesn’t matter if he’s my godson, you’re my daughter. I love you, and there is nothing you could do that would ever change that. For what it’s worth, I think he loves you too. Henry would be an idiot not to.”
It’s the way he says it that makes me believe him. I hug my father tightly.
“Don’t tell your brothers, but you’re my favorite. I know I’m not supposed to say that shit, but it’s true,” he whispers, and I pull away laughing.
“ Dad .”
He holds his hands up in defeat. “I said nothing.”
Mom and Henry stop next to us, and Mom’s eyes widen. “Mirabelle, are you okay?”
“I’m perfect,” I say, just as two guests walk up to us, and my parents are whisked away as that conversation runs through my head. Henry tilts my chin up, reading me.
“Were you crying?” he asks, his face shifting into concern.
I smile at him, hoping to reassure Henry as my dad’s words echo through me. “They were happy tears.”
“Are you sure?”
I reach up to cup his face, brushing my thumb over his cheek. “I promise,” I say, and Henry relaxes, leaning down to kiss me softly.
I was wrong before. I won’t ask for forever with Henry, but having the chance to grow old with him would be enough for me. I can only hope he wants the same thing.
He pulls away again, and the way Henry’s looking at me, makes me believe every word he’s said to me. It makes me believe I do deserve everything, that it would wreck him if something happened to me, and I am his heart. It makes me believe if he doesn’t love me yet, he will.
And then Henry catches me by surprise, spinning me and causing the tassels on the dress to twirl around me. “Have I told you how good you look in that dress?” he says, holding me closely, like I’m the most precious thing in the world to him.
“Once or twice tonight,” I say, my heart beating quickly in my chest. “Mais n’oublie pas à quel point je serai belle sans. Je pense que je vais aussi garder les talons,” 45 I tease, and his eyes light up, his grip tightening.
“Mirabelle, tu es un rêve devenu réalité.” 46