23. Daphne
“What’s going on, Daph?”
Xana looks at me as she tosses her bag into the booth and takes a seat. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever after you just ran off to Florida. I’m still mad at you by the way for making me have to reach out to your dad to find out that information.”
“I know I owe you a serious explanation.” My shoulders drop, feeling like I can finally tell her everything that’s been going on. “But you might want to buckle up because it’s pretty wild.”
I explain to her about how after Weston and I had been intimate, I found out about Natalie because she showed up to talk to me, then I tell her the entire play-by-play of how I was fired and Weston found out and took matters into his own hands.
Xana’s mouth hangs open. She hasn’t said anything in several seconds. “Holy shit,” she finally says, reaching for her water. “Holy fucking shit,” she repeats herself, shaking her head like it’s going to make everything I just told her make sense.
“Yeah.” I laugh awkwardly. “It’s been a crazy few weeks. I’m so sorry I didn’t explain things earlier. I just felt—well, completely fucking insane honestly.”
“Yeah, I’d say. Damn, I just thought that you and Weston had a fight or he broke your heart or something, but this is so much more. How are you doing now? Are you okay—like actually okay?”
“I am.” I let a long overdue sigh of relief I feel like I’ve been holding in for a month. “I really am. And please, don’t think I didn’t want to tell you all this because I didn’t trust you. I wanted you to focus on your engagement and your happiness because you deserve that so much. Plus, I needed some time to figure out how I felt about everything.”
“I get it. No need to apologize.” She reaches across the table and grabs my hands. “You’re my best friend and I’m always going to be here for you. I know that sometimes it takes time to come around and other times all you need is just that person to sit with you, saying nothing at all. So where are you and Weston at? Are things good there too?”
“We are. I—I screwed up.” I hesitate for a moment. “I fell in love with him.”
“Oh my God!” She flattens her hands on the table.
“But it worked out because he fell in love with me too and actually, he said it first.”
“Don’t scare me like that!” She playfully swats at me. “Aw, Daph, you guys are in love? That makes me so happy. Wait, so you guys worked out the Natalie thing then?”
“Yeah. We talked about it and she ended up apologizing to him and me. The funny thing is, I’m pretty sure she’s messing around with Preston.” I laugh, remembering them making out behind the school. “Anyway, I go back to work tomorrow and I moved in with Weston and he wants to get married and have babies like yesterday.”
“Well, that escalated. Wait, you’re not…?”
I shake my head as I sip my iced coffee. “No. I only just stopped taking my birth control like a day ago.”
“Wow, so you’re actually doing it? You’re going to be a mom?” Her eyes well up with tears the second she says the word mom and it makes me laugh. “I’m going to be an aunt?”
“Stop it. I’m not pregnant yet, but yes.” I smile. “I realized that this is how it’s supposed to be. I was meant to meet him. I feel like I finally have that kind of love I have always wanted. I didn’t know what I was missing before and I don’t say that to talk negatively about what I had with Carson because what I had with him was exactly what I needed at that time in my life. My dad told me something that was eye-opening for me. He said, you can love somebody with every part of your being and they can love you back just the same but no love you experience with someone will be the exact same. It’s almost like different people unlock different parts of your heart and I think that’s really beautiful.”
* * *
“Hey, you’re back!”Preston pokes his head into my classroom.
“I’m back,” I say a little nervously. I have no idea what everyone was told about my absence. I came into school an hour before the kids arrive so I have time to put my stuff away and think about what I want to say to them. I know as first graders they’ll have forgotten any of this happened by lunchtime today but still, I want them to know that I missed them and I’m back for good.
“Are you okay? Back for good?” He steps into the room, walking over to my desk with a genuine look of concern.
“I am. Can I ask, what were you told by the administration as to why I left?”
“Nothing really.” He shrugs. “There was a rumor that you just quit, but Mr. Fein said that you no longer worked here and that there wouldn’t be any further explanation. Now he’s up and gone.”
“Crazy, right?” I don’t feel like explaining everything right now. Who knows, maybe I never will. “Well, I’m not gone as you can see. I took some time off but I’m back and here to stay.”
“Well, good, we missed you.” He turns to walk out, but then pauses and turns back around. “Hey, random question, but do you like bubble baths with the rose petals and champagne and all that?”
“Um…” I’m a little shocked at the forward question.
“Oh, shit. Sorry. Not like you but like women you. Do women like that kind of stuff? I, uh, I want to surprise this new woman I’m seeing and I thought doing something like that would be super romantic but she’s super successful and a little older than me so wasn’t sure if that was lame.”
“Ooohhh.” I smile, realizing that things with him and Natalie must still be going on. “Yeah, totally. I don’t think you can ever go wrong with a romantic gesture like that. I think any woman, especially one who is successful, will enjoy a night where she can be pampered.”
“Cool.” He nods his head. “Anyway. Thanks, Daph. See you around.”
By the time my day has ended, I’m exhausted. The emotions were high at school. My students were so excited to see me and have me back that it overwhelmed me and made me cry.
“Hi, Grandma!” Daisy runs to Regina from where she’s sitting with me while I organize my desk.
“Hi, sweetheart, you ready?” Daisy runs back to her desk to pack up her backpack while Regina walks up to me.
”How are you doing, dear?” She looks at me with a heartfelt warmth in her eyes.
“I’m okay. I’m happy to be back.”
“I bet. I know Daisy is happy as well. It’s all she’s been talking about. Listen”—she grabs for my hand and squeezes it—“I know he’s my son so this is biased, but Weston is a good man; he’s loyal and he loves you. I see the way he looks at you. I noticed it from the first time I saw you two together. I actually warned him against breaking your heart because I was worried he wouldn’t see what was right in front of him but I’m glad.” She chokes back a tear. “I’m glad he realizes it.”
I’m not sure what to say back to her. I don’t know where this is coming from. My guess is he must have told her that he loves me and that I’ve moved in with him.
“I appreciate that. I really love your son too and your granddaughter, more than I can express. You raised a really amazing man.”
She fans her face, squeezing my hand one more time before turning toward Daisy. “Okay, little one, let’s get going. Tell Miss Flowers bye.”
I wave at Daisy as she slides her backpack on and grabs her grandma’s hand. She waves at me with a big smile. “Bye, Mom. I love you.”
My heart feels like it’s going to burst.
* * *
“Hey, Nick, how are you?”
“Evening, Miss Flowers, I’m doing okay. How are you?”
I make small talk with him on the ride back home. It feels strange to be driving up to Weston’s penthouse and calling it home, but I guess it is now. I wish Nick a good night and make my way to the elevator. When the doors open, the entryway is flooded with candlelight. Rose petals are scattered across the floor as the sound of soft jazz and the smell of something savory fills the house.
“Hello?” I ask as my heels click across the marble floor.
“Good evening, Miss Flowers.”
I spin around to see Weston leaning against the doorway going into the kitchen. His shirt is partially undone, his sleeves rolled up. He has a hand towel over his shoulder.
“What’s all this?” I walk over to him, standing on my tippy-toes to kiss him. He pulls me in against him, spinning me around to press me against the doorframe with his body as he takes control of the kiss.
“This is because I love you and you deserve a night of romance after everything.”
“I like the sound of that.” I look past him to see two plates, wine, and candles on the kitchen table. “Did you cook?”
“I did.”
“Damn, I didn’t think you could get any sexier.” I grab his shirt and kiss him again before stepping around him to enter the kitchen. “Where’s Daisy?”
“She’s staying the night at the grandparents’, so it’s just us tonight.”
“Oh my God, this looks amazing.” Each plate has a filet mignon with asparagus and a garlic herb butter. “I had no idea you could cook.”
“I’m a man of many talents.” He winks at me, taking a seat as we dig in. Just as I’m about finished, he tells me there’s dessert, a salted caramel torte that I devour.
“You sure you don’t want any?” I ask, holding out a forkful.
“Positive, sweetheart. We both know what I want for dessert.” He drags his eyes over my body, causing a wave of heat to rush through me. “But,” he says, pulling me up from my chair and walking me slowly toward the stairs, “I promise not to keep you up too late.”
“No? That’s not like you.” I unbutton his shirt as he walks me backward up the stairs.
“Because I have a surprise for you tomorrow.”
“A surprise?” I look up as we reach the top of the stairs and he spins me around to see luggage sitting neatly by the top of the stairs.
“Are we going somewhere?”
“We are.” He wraps his arms around me, kissing my neck softly.
“Where?”
“It’s a surprise.”
“But what about my job?”
He picks me up and walks us into the bedroom. “You’ll only miss two days, but I promise, I’ll make it worth it.”
* * *
“You’re really not goingto tell me?”
“Nope. Now put this on.” He holds out an eye mask. “Turn around.”
“This is crazy, you know that?” I slowly turn so he can put the mask over my eyes, after which he smacks my ass.
“Stop being difficult, Miss Flowers, or I’ll work you over in the back of this car.”
The flight to wherever we are was smooth, granted Weston spent most of the time keeping me completely preoccupied with having as many orgasms as possible.
“Hmm, I think I like you blindfolded like this. Might have to use this later.” He runs his thumb over my bottom lip, making it tickle. I dart my tongue out to lick it gently. “Tease,” he whispers, leaning in to kiss me, then biting my bottom lip. “Now be a good girl and follow me.”
I hold his hand as he leads me down the airplane stairs and into the back of our waiting car.
“Our luggage is being taken to our hotel, but we have a little pit stop first.”
Once the car finally slows and the door opens, Weston takes my hand and leads me a few feet away.
“Okay, face this way,” he says, spinning me around. I feel his hands leave my arms. “Now,” he says quietly, “take off the mask.”
I reach up, slowly lifting the mask. I blink several times, my eyes adjusting to the light when I look up and see the Eiffel Tower.
I gasp, smiling as I spin around to look at him, but he’s down on one knee, a stunning diamond solitaire ring staring back at me in a black velvet box. My hands shoot up to cover my mouth as I realize what’s happening.
“Daphne, I never thought the day I met you right here I’d be asking you in the same spot to be my wife. You have completely turned my life upside down so thank you for spilling your coffee on me and making me fall in love with you. Will you marry me?”
“Yes!” I nod my head as I close the distance between us and throw my arms around his neck.
He slides the ring on my finger and we both stare at it for a moment, the sun dancing across the surface making it sparkle.
“This was my mother’s. When I told her that I was going to marry you, she insisted you have it.”
“That’s why she said that to me.”
“Said what?”
“She just told me how happy she was that you were happy and that you loved me. She got kind of teary-eyed and I just wondered where it came from. Oh,” I say, wiping a stray tear out of my own eye, “and then Daisy said bye, Mom to me when she left my classroom.” I shake my head, trying to hold back the rest of the tears that start to fall.
“Are those good tears, baby?”
“Yes, very good tears. I just can’t believe this is how this all turned out. It’s… just like a fairy tale.”
“Like a romance novel?” He gives me a coy smile and it makes me laugh.
“Have you been reading some of my books?” I tease as he wraps his arms around me and we both stare up at the tower.
“You know,” he says, kissing the top of my head, “the day I met you here, I was completely taken by your beauty. You had this split second where the sun was behind you and the wind was causing your hair to fly around you and you just took my breath away.”
“Is that—is that why you took that first photo?”
“First photo?”
I reach into my pocket and pull out my phone, swiping back until I find the pictures he took. “I posed for this one but when I went to look at the pictures, this one was right before it.”
He takes the phone from my hand and stares at it, a smile spreading across his lips. “I didn’t even realize I took a photo of you. I was so lost in your eyes for that brief second that I must have taken it not thinking that it wasn’t my phone. This is getting framed and put in my office.”
“And here I thought for sure you hated me after that meeting.” I look up at him.
“No, I hoped and prayed that I would somehow find you again, and then when I did at the airport, I was terrified. I knew right then that if I were to talk to you, to look at you for longer than a second, you would see right through me. You would know how infatuated with you I was and I knew that I’d never be able to walk away from you. I would rather never give you the chance to destroy me instead of risking getting everything I imagined with you.”
“So what happened then? Why’d you risk it?”
“I didn’t have a choice. There was no way I was going to be able to talk myself out of not falling in love with you so I leaped with both feet and it’s the best decision I’ve ever made.”