Chapter 23
TWENTY-THREE
EDDIE
“This is incredible.”
Hand in hand, we stood at the edge of the lake. Admittedly, I’d been dubious about Cassius organizing our wedding, but props to the guy. Not only was the location perfect, but everything I’d been involved with had blown me away.
The man took organization and wedding planning to a whole new level. And pulling all this off in under a month was mind-blowing.
“Right? I can’t think of anywhere more perfect for tomorrow.” Pearce squeezed my hand, the whimsy in his voice impossible not to react to. I leaned over, pressing my mouth to his neck, smiling when he angled to give me better access.
“You sure we should have separate rooms tonight?” I asked, rubbing my nose along his neck, enjoying his slight shudder and the fresh goose bumps breaking out.
He chuckled. “That was your idea. Not mine.”
“I’m an idiot.” I pulled away, and he turned toward me. “I’ve changed my mind.”
A smirking, cocky grin lifted his lips. “Nuh-uh. I had to listen to your whole speech about why you thought it was a good idea. I didn’t put up with that for nothing.” He reached out and squeezed my waist. “Plus you’ve got a special night with Lottie.”
He was right. It had been ridiculously sweet when he’d suggested I spend the evening with Lottie before our big day.
My room for the night was already set up.
We had a feast of sugary goodness waiting for us, and a batch of fun sports movies to watch.
We were having an indoor daddy-daughter night, complete with mattresses on the floor.
Lottie had tried to hold back her excitement when Pearce had suggested it, but while she thought she was a teenager at times, she was still very much my ten-year-old little girl.
“I know. You’re right.” Since we were actually having ten child-free nights starting with our wedding night, missing the chance to spend the time with my daughter, the last as a single dad, was not really up for negotiation.
“We should be getting back. Our parents will be expecting us.”
Both of our parents had arrived this morning.
Tonight we were having a family meal, just the seven of us.
There were already a few other of our guests here, but legit only around thirty.
Neither of us had been lying when we said we wanted a quiet wedding.
There’d still be twenty or so more arriving tomorrow.
Combined, it seemed like a chilled, low-key number.
“Come on, then.” I tugged him in the general direction of the main property, heading toward the conservatory where the owners had organized for us to have a meal.
“You think your ’rents have survived spending time together this afternoon?”
I chuckled, only feeling slightly guilty we’d thrown our parents into the deep end.
I’d met Pearce’s parents a handful of times, and he’d met mine a little less than that.
Today was the first time they’d met each other.
But between Pearce’s mom being as outgoing as her son, and the clear fact that like my parents, they doted on Lottie, it had been enough for them to spend time making calls to each other since we announced our wedding date.
“I think they’ve been fine.”
Pearce grinned. “Mom told me today she had a wine-fueled video call with yours last week.”
I snorted, relieved they were both making an effort and seemed to be genuinely getting along. Like me and Pearce, there was a small age gap between our parents. I’d worried it would mean a possible divide, but I’d been happy to be proven wrong.
“One of many, I expect.”
In the distance, the farmhouse came into view.
Immediately my gaze zeroed in on Lottie.
Bouncing a basketball, she was laughing and calling out something.
From the clear amusement on Brice’s face, she was smack talking.
“I hope your dad knows what he’s in for.
” I gave a chin lift toward their general direction.
“Dad… well, let’s just say I didn’t get my sporting gene from him.” He chuckled as his dad dodged, tried for the ball, and missed spectacularly. “If it wasn’t for his grandad being a certifiable giant, he said he would have doubted my parentage a time or too.”
I grinned. “Uh-huh. That and your smile.”
Pearce glanced at me. “You think?”
“Your dad’s a handsome guy. I’m pretty sure I chose well if that’s how you’re going to look when you’re gray.”
“He is rather dashing, huh.”
“Dashing… sure, let’s go with that,” I teased, earning myself a shove and a “Fuck off.”
Tugging Pearce close, I wrapped an arm around him, dotting a kiss on his cheek.
I didn’t need to see his face to know he was smiling.
The pair of us were giddily in love and excited for tomorrow.
We didn’t need any of our friends to tell us that.
I saw and felt it whenever we spoke, touched, in each smile and soft gaze.
The sound of a car engine drew our attention.
I recognized the rental from yesterday and wondered if we could cut off the path and find an alternate route.
To be fair, Moira hadn’t been pissed that our wedding fell in the first few days of her being back, even though it meant we were stealing Lottie away for a couple of days.
She’d taken it in such good grace, it had taken me a while to pick up my jaw off the floor.
“Eddie,” she called once she’d exited.
“And I might just go and check on the ’rents,” Pearce said, making a move to abandon me.
Before I could mumble, “Chickenshit,” Moira’s “No, I need to speak to the both of you,” stopped him in his tracks.
As always, Moira looked elegant in a pantsuit. Not quite the outfit for relaxing by a lake on a beautiful acreage property, but then I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen or even heard of Moira letting her hair down.
I smiled, still making sure there was no mistaking my gratitude that she was being so cool with everything. She wasn’t attending the wedding—even though I’d felt compelled to invite her, since she was here for Lottie.
“Can I have a word before you get to your plans?”
“Sure,” I responded, dropping my arm from around Pearce’s shoulder and clasping his hand.
“I haven’t discussed this with Charlotte yet, but I’m intending to stay in Hong Kong permanently.”
My brows shot high. When she’d moved there full-time last year, it was with the expectation it was for a three-year contract. “Okay…,” I dragged out, already trying to figure out any damage control needed, unsure how Lottie would respond to the news.
“I’ve met someone.”
I froze, muscles turning rigid. My brain buzzed to life, heart thumping in my chest. If she thought she’d be taking Lottie…. I swallowed hard, not even able to finish that thought.
When I didn’t speak, Pearce rubbed his thumb over my hand and said, “That’s great news. We’re really happy for you.” Caution traced every word.
“I’ve already been in touch with my Stateside lawyer,” she continued, and I struggled to focus, my rapid pulse almost deafening. “I’ve asked her to draw up paperwork so you have full custody—”
“Fuck me,” I interrupted, clasping my chest, gripping Pearce’s hand so hard I wasn’t sure he had any blood circulation. “Thank Christ.”
Moira arched a brow and continued as if I’d never spoken. “I think it’s best. I’ve asked my lawyer to ensure I have a minimum of two weeks with her a year, and hope that when she perhaps turns sixteen, she’ll be able to fly out for visits.”
“Yes, sure,” I said, certain I would have agreed to almost anything if it meant I could get full custody of Lottie. “If you can make sure my lawyer gets the paperwork, I’ll reach out to him and let him know to expect it.”
While her smile wasn’t warm, it didn’t appear painful. She turned her attention to Pearce, and I felt him pull his shoulders back. “I expect you’ll want to ensure you have legal guardianship.”
As my eyes widened in surprise, I angled to look at Pearce. Heat flushed his cheeks, and he was bobbing his head. “Yes,” he croaked. “I’d love nothing more.” He turned his attention to me, our eyes connecting, nothing but love in their depths. “If you want that? If that’s okay?”
“Absolutely.” Happiness slammed into my chest, so grateful I’d found this man and opened my heart to him.
“Good. That’s settled then.” Was it strange that I wanted to hug the shit out of Moira?
Not that I’d ever try. And whether her decisions were selfish or not, I chose to think of her as being selfless for once and doing the right thing by our daughter and for me.
Having joint custody hanging over my head, knowing at any time Moira could have demanded equal time with her, had been a challenge.
Admitting that to myself was shit and selfish as fuck, as Lottie loved her mom, but hand on heart, I knew I was best for Lottie. Scrap that. Pearce and I were the family she needed.
“I’ll discuss it with Charlotte when we’re alone, after the wedding.” I cringed, wanting to be there. Her gaze narrowed. “If there’s an issue, I’ll call you.”
“Fine,” I reluctantly agreed, not quite convinced, but if Lottie needed me, I’d be there as fast as humanly possible.
She nodded. “Right, well, good luck tomorrow. Charlotte and I will leave the day after. I’ll make sure she says goodbye.”
“Thanks, Moira,” I said, still a little shell-shocked with the bombardment of emotions in the last few minutes.
And then she was gone. High-heeled shoes clipping on the concrete. Chanel mixing with the fresh lakeside breeze.
Once she was out of sight, Pearce stepped in front of me and wrapped me into a tight hug. “Fuck,” I whispered, “I thought…”
“I know. Me too.” His soft voice caressed my skin, helping to slow down the erratic beating of my heart. “But it’s okay. Amazing even.”
I nodded against his shoulder.
“How do you think Lottie will handle it?” He didn’t disguise the concern in his tone.
“Hopefully not badly. She’s been amazing this year, well, certainly the last six months. I just don’t want her to feel abandoned.”
Pearce’s hold on me tightened. “If she does, we’ll support her. It’s no hardship reminding her every day how much she’s loved and wanted.”
Easing out of his hold, I slowly shook my head, nothing but wonder making my heart beat anew. “How’d I get so lucky, having you be mine?”
With a softening gaze, a small smile appeared before it kicked up on the right, forming into an expression very much Pearce. “Because we’re fucking magic together, and try as you might, I’m a stubborn asshole who never gave up hope.”
“Who thought stubborn could be a good quality?” I teased, resting my lips against his.
He nodded against the kiss. “I hide it well.”
I chuckled, pulling away. Pearce was one of the most easygoing people I knew. He seriously wasn’t stubborn at all. “You hide it remarkably well.”
“It’s because you’re dazzled by my wit and sparkling personality.”
I kissed him again, absolutely agreeing with him.
“And how my ass looks in a pair of CKs.”
Abrupt laughter spilled out of me. “That right?”
“The bookmarks on your computer tell me as much.”
“Fucker,” I said with a laugh, shoving at him with my right shoulder but refusing to let him go.
“Seriously, best bookmarks ever. I think it’s adorable. It also explains the wet wipes you keep in your office.”
I groaned and rested my head on his shoulder. “I take it all back.”
“Too late for that, Ed. Tomorrow you’ll be mine forever.”
I embraced the rightness of the words, the perfect happiness they created, and settled into stealing him away in the fifteen minutes we had before dinner, to show him exactly how wonderful we were together.
Pearce and I were just at the start of an amazing life together.
And whether we had a year or more of commutes ahead of us, we’d make it work.
The truth of that settled in my chest, encompassing me in warmth and certainty.
And tomorrow, when we exchanged our vows, it would be the perfect reminder that there were no wrong moves between us.
How could there be when everything had led us right here?