Chapter 86 Derrick
DERRICK
By the time we get back to the penthouse, my feet hurt and my brain is buzzing in that post-shopping high. Designer high.
“Okay, boys, you have one hour,” Caroline announces, already halfway to her room with her garment bags. “Shower, shave, moisturize, whatever it is you do. I want you looking sharp.”
“I always look sharp,” Charlie calls after her.
Faith snorts. “Only since you started dating Derrick.”
Charlie flips his sister off, which makes me laugh.
I love this family so much.
Charlie closes our bedroom door behind us with a soft click and exhales like he’s just finished a marathon. “I don’t know how you do it. Shopping is exhausting.”
“It’s exhilarating.”
“Watching you in your element is hot.” Charlie grins.
“Don’t you look at me like that, you heard your mother, we have an hour to get ready,” I warn him as he gives me hungry eyes.
“I can be quick?”
I roll my eyes. “Fine, in the shower, I’ll bounce on your dick while you clean me. Deal?”
“Deal.” He chuckles as he slaps my ass and demands I get undressed.
I lay the pieces out on the bed. Black velvet jacket.
Crisp white shirt. Slim black trousers tailored within an inch of their life.
I slip into it all carefully, savoring the fabric, the weight, the way it all sits perfectly on my body.
I do up my last button and glance toward the mirror.
For a moment, I don’t recognize myself. I look …
expensive. Like I belong in this world of penthouses and Michelin stars and frozen lakes and family trips to Switzerland.
Charlie appears behind me in the reflection, tie in hand, navy suit hugging his broad shoulders. “Oh,” he murmurs, eyes dragging over me slowly. “Yeah. This was a mistake.”
My stomach flips. “Why? You don’t like the suit.”
“Oh no. I love the suit. Except now I’m going to spend the whole night trying not to drag you into a bathroom and fuck you because you look so fucking hot.”
“I could say the same thing about you.” I turn and step into his arms, I grab the tie from his hands and loop it around his neck. “You …” my eyes meet his, “are incredible.”
Heat flushes his cheeks. “As are you.” My hands finish tying his tie, and I pat his chest, but he stops me. “Thank you for being here.”
“Hate to break it to you, Charlie, but it’s not a hardship being here with you.”
“No. I mean …” His brows pull together. “I’ve dated men before who have found out who my family is and …”
Oh. I see what he means. “I don’t need all this.
I would be happy at the hostel down the road with you.
” Charlie gives me a look. “You’re right, I don’t do shared facilities or bed bugs.
” I chuckle. “Is being here nice? Yes. Do I feel bad that I am not paying my way? Also yes. It’s the same way I feel when the girls and the Dirty Texas guys pull me onto their luxurious trips.
I appreciate the hell out of them for including me, but I would never for once ever expect it from them.
I will never pass up an opportunity to fly private.
Dirty Texas has ruined air travel for me now.
” I smile. “I’m not with you for what your parents have the same way you aren’t with me to get to Dirty Texas, cause that has happened to me too.
Or now that I’ve found out I’m related to royalty.
You are just Charlie, the fucking hot cowboy that stole my heart. ”
“D,” he says, cupping my face.
“It’s the truth, babe. I love you, for you, not for all this privilege. I will say seeing all this makes me want to work harder to provide for you.”
“You don’t have to provide for me,” Charlie says.
“I know and vice versa, but for our family, one day, I would love to bring our kids here. I mean, their grandparents are bougie, they are going to corrupt them.”
This makes Charlie laugh loudly. “You’re right. My parents are going to spoil our kids rotten, but they are also going to love the hell out of them.”
“They are. Just as they are going to be spoiled by my friends, too.”
“And your new family. You can’t tell me Davina is not going to go crazy when we have kids.”
“Oh my god, you’re right. Matching PJs in a castle, our kids are going to have no hope.” I laugh as I wrap my arms around his neck and sigh happily. “We are going to have the best life together, aren’t we?” I ask him.
“Damn right we are,” he says, brushing our noses together. “Come on, we’d better go. Ready to go pretend we’re sophisticated?”
“Speak for yourself,” I smirk, raising a brow, “I’m practically royal.”
We step out of the bedroom laughing and walk into the main living room, where everyone is waiting for us.
Faith is dressed in a sleek black dress, hair pinned up, minimal makeup, and she looks stunning.
Everly is in something glittery and short, showing off her toned legs. Robert is in a perfectly cut dark suit.
And Caroline, she turns, sees us, and her hands fly straight to her heart.
“Oh,” she gasps. “Look at you two.” For a second, no one says anything.
It’s just her, staring at us like we’ve stepped out of some movie.
“You boys look so handsome,” she says softly, eyes going a little glassy.
“This gives me flashes of how the two of you will look on your wedding day.”
Charlie makes a strangled noise. “Mom.”
Everly bursts out laughing, while Faith smirks into her champagne.
“He’s going to look even more handsome than this at our wedding.” I wink at her.
“Don’t encourage her,” Charlie teases.
Caroline claps her hands excitedly. “Encourage me all you want. You know I am dying to be a grandmother.”
“You started the baby talk.” Faith groans.
“She started it,” Charlie argues.
“And I’m going to finish it. Please, can we make our way downstairs to our reservation? I do not want to be late, and y’all always make us late,” Robert grumbles.
Caroline steps forward and fusses lightly with Charlie’s lapels. “Right,” she says, slipping seamlessly back into queen-of-the-evening mode. “My handsome boys, my beautiful girls, my grumpy husband, let’s go eat something tiny and artistic for far too much money.”
Robert sighs. “We’ll probably need to order room service when we get home.”
The Michelin restaurant is all dark wood, candles, starched white linens, jazz, and waiters in perfectly pressed uniforms rushing around. We’re led to a round table by the windows, the frozen lake just visible beyond the glass, lit softly in the night.
“Champagne?” the sommelier asks.
“Yes,” Caroline answers for the table. “We’re celebrating.”
The sommelier smiles. “A special occasion?”
Caroline glances at us, eyes glinting. “My family being all together.”
“What a wonderful occasion,” the sommelier says.
The champagne arrives, and I can tell from the label it’s expensive. Once the glasses have been poured, Caroline clears her throat and holds up her glass.
“Oh no. Here we go.” Everly giggles.
Her mother gives her a look. “Hush, let me be sentimental for a moment,” she tells her.
“Anyway, what I wanted to say was, this is the first time in a very long time that we have all been together on holiday as a family.” Her eyes start to turn glassy with emotion.
“Seeing Charlie back to his vibrant self again fills me with so much joy. Everly, thank you,” she says, moving her glass in her direction.
“And, Derrick, thank you too,” she says, giving me a nod.
“Things haven’t been great for this family these past few years …
” A couple of tears fall down her cheeks before she quickly wipes them away, “but I feel like things are looking up for us.” Her eyes land on us.
Caroline lifts her glass higher. “To my family. To all of us being here, together, in this ridiculously beautiful place. To my girls, who keep me young. To my husband, who puts up with me.” She grins at Robert, who lifts his glass and smiles adoringly at her.
“And to Charlie and Derrick. To watching you both be so happy,” she continues.
“To the way you make each other better. To finding someone who feels like home, wherever you are in the world.” She pauses, eyes bright.
“And to the future. Whatever it looks like. I know it’s going to be wonderful.
” I swallow hard. “Cheers,” she finishes.
“Cheers,” everyone echoes.
We all clink glasses. Charlie’s eyes hold mine as our flutes meet.
“To the future,” he repeats quietly.
My chest gets warm and tight at the same time. “To the future,” I whisper back.
We drink.
The champagne is crisp and perfect, bubbles fizzing on my tongue, and my head feels light in a way that has nothing to do with alcohol.
“Way to make me feel single, Mom,” Faith teases.
“Not all of us can find someone as great as Derrick,” Everly adds.
“Please, you two ladies are catches. You’re just looking in the wrong places.” I wink at them.
“Yeah, we’re not going to a gay bar,” Everly says, bursting out laughing. Faith clinks her glass with hers. I just shake my head.
Course after course arrives, tiny works of art on oversized plates.
Little towers of something foamy. Perfect slices of something I have no idea what it is, with gold flakes on it.
I lose track of what’s what somewhere between the truffle something and the scallop whatever, but it all tastes like heaven.
Everly leans over at one point and whispers, “I’m going to need fries after this.”
Faith nods. “I’m already planning my room service order.”
Robert catches my eye, then discreetly mimes biting into a giant burger. I almost snort champagne out my nose.
Later, between courses, Caroline leans in a little, her voice softer. “So, Derrick, do you see yourself in LA long-term?”
“Mom,” Charlie warns her.
“I’m just curious, sweetheart.” She shrugs.
My brain stutters. “Uh … yeah. I mean. Mostly. My work’s there. My clients. My studio.”
“My job is there, as is Everly’s,” Charlie adds.
“I know, it’s just, I wouldn’t want to bring my kids up in LA, that’s all.”
“Mom,” Charlie groans.
“Okay. Okay,” she says, zipping her mouth.
“I get it. The Dirty Texas crew has been thinking the same thing. I know Sienna and Evan love being back home in Australia. Axel and Olivia split their time between LA and England. Vanessa and Christian are always up in Big Bear. Stacey and Oscar have just moved back but are looking for a farm in Malibu. Isla and Finn commute back and forth to Hawaii,” I explain.
“I did fall in love with Montana when I was there, it felt like home. I know that is where Charlie is his happiest.”
“I’m happiest with you,” Charlie reassures me.
“I know,” I tell him. “I’ve been told I need to check it out during winter, that it’s just like this.”
“It truly is. Europe just has better bread and cheese,” Caroline jokes. “It’s a special place,” she says. “I always wanted it to feel like home for my kids. I’m glad it feels like that for you, too.”
“It does,” I say quietly. “It really does.”
“We have many years before we worry about kids,” Charlie adds.
‘I’m not getting any younger,” she tells him.
“Mom,” Charlie grumbles.
“We’ve looked into options, but it’s expensive,” I tell her.
“Do not worry about the cost. We will help you,” Robert states out of the blue.
Charlie and I look at each other. “Dad, that is generous but …”
Robert shakes his head. “If it’s only money standing in the way of you two having a family, then let’s get rid of that obstacle.”
I don’t know what to say.
“I would like to be married first before having kids,” Charlie tells him.
“Okay then, get married,” Robert states.
I blink at him and at Charlie, who looks as shocked as me.
“Yes. Come on, I want to be a bridesmaid,” Everly adds.
“Will you excuse me,” Charlie says, placing his napkin on the table and walking out of the restaurant.
“Guys, you took it too far,” Faith adds.
“I was trying to be supportive,” Robert says.
“I’ll go find him,” I say, excusing myself from the table. I find Charlie pacing in the foyer of the hotel, raking his hand over his buzz cut. “Hey, are you okay?”
“That was a lot, D.”
“It was. But it’s kind of sweet that they are so happy for us,” I say, stopping his pacing, making him look at me.
“Just felt like they were forcing me to propose on this trip, and as magical as it is, this isn’t where I want to propose,” he states.
“Then don’t. If you have a plan, stick to it. This is our life. Our timeline.”
He nods. “I love you, D. I don’t want you to doubt that.”
“Never,” I say, cupping his face. “When the time is right, everything will fall into place.”
“Thank you. I just felt all this pressure and …”
“It’s okay. We’re okay. It was a lot, but they love you and are just so happy.”
“I know.” He sighs. “We haven’t been together since Lyle’s death and my accident.”
Oh.
Now I get it. “Well, then, let’s give them the best damn family holiday ever.