28. Chapter Twenty-eight
Chapter Twenty-eight
Hudson
We’re lying in bed after the best night of my life. Taking Mia around London, seeing her experience everything for the first time, is something I’ll never forget. I will treasure every moment of tonight, every moment spent with her.
“You’ve mentioned your mom a lot, but you’ve never mentioned your dad. What’s the story there?” It’s late but we’re both wide awake, jetlag is a piece of shit, and I’ve decided now’s a good time for us to learn everything about each other. I want to know what makes my girl tick.
She takes a deep breath before she answers me. “He left when I was three. Woke up one morning, told my mom he couldn’t do this anymore, walked out of the house, and never came back. A few weeks later she got the divorce papers through the door. I’ve not seen him since.”
“Shit,” I breathe. “I’m sorry, baby. He doesn’t realize what he’s missed out on by not having you in his life.”
She shrugs like it’s no big deal, but I know different. Something like that hurts, it shapes you in a way you might not even be aware of, and it explains so much about her hesitation to commit.
“It’s fine, you can’t miss someone you don’t remember, right? Anyway, mom came from money and she got a massive payout from the man who fathered me. She was set for life. Money makes her happy.”
“It does a lot of people.”
“It’s why we won’t work.” My heart lurches at her words.
What the fuck?
“I don’t know how we can go from your dad leaving you because he’s a pathetic fucker, to us not working.”
“Because my mom would love you.”
“Great, that doesn’t seem like a problem to me.” I don’t understand what’s happening right now.
“I always said I wouldn’t marry like mom did. I wouldn’t marry for money.”
Oh, sweet pea.
“I might have money — and a lot of it — but that’s not why you’d be marrying me.”
“Oh no?” She raises her eyebrow at me.
“No. You’d be marrying me because you can’t imagine your life without me. You’d be marrying me because it’s what you want, because you’re madly in love with me, and it will only ever be me.”
“Sounds like you’re projecting.”
“No, sweet pea, I’m manifesting. Tell me it’s working,” I whisper.
“Yeah,” she whispers back. “It’s working.”
***
I’m in love with her.
I’m standing on the path watching her walk through the rose gardens at Hyde Park and they can’t hold a candle to her; their beauty is transient but hers will last a lifetime.
My lifetime.
She spins in a circle, her arms out at her sides and the most majestic smile taking over her face. I’m glad my cell phone is in my hand; raising it in front of me I snap a picture of her and save it as my screensaver immediately.
“You ready, baby girl?”
“I love London,” she shouts as she runs toward me and leaps into my arms.
I love you.
“I can tell.” I grin at her.
“What do you have planned next?”
“Well, you can’t come to London and not walk along the Serpentine.”
“What’s a Serpentine?”
“Come on, sweet pea, let me show you.”
Mia
I loved the Serpentine, I loved Hyde Park, I’ve loved every single place that Hudson has taken me to, and I am so excited to explore more with him. He’s going to have to drag me onto the plane to get us home.
“After you.” He holds the door open for me, and I step foot inside my first pub.
“Ohhh,” I gush the minute I’m through the door. It’s got low ceilings, tiled floors and wooden walls. It’s perfect.
“This pub dates back to 1854.”
“Holy crap, that’s old. Were you about then?” His fingers pinch my sides, and I can’t help but giggle as he growls in mock anger.
“You’ll pay for that later.”
“I thought we were seeing your friend later.”
“We’ve still got time to squeeze in a spanking.”
“I hope that’s not all you’ll be squeezing in.”
“Fuck,” he puffs against the skin of my neck as he laughs quietly. “That was terrible.”
“Made you laugh.” I shrug.
“That’s just you, baby and how fucking happy you make me.”
“Right back at ya, Daddy.”
“Fuck, baby girl, you can’t give me a hard-on in the middle of a pub.”
“Let’s get some food, then, all this walking has given me an appetite.”
***
“Did you see the stairs? They were wonky and that’s before a drink. Imagine going down them drunk?”
“Yeah, I did. I thought you’d like that place.”
“I loved it, I’ve loved everything.”
I think I love you.
“Well, hopefully you love what we’re about to do next.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s a surprise.”
***
“Harrods,” I squeal as I see the familiar gold lettering. “Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”
“What do you mean?” He frowns down at me.
“You’re willingly walking into a department store with me? A famous department store. You realize I’m a woman, right?”
His heated gaze roves over every inch of my body. “Oh, baby, I’m aware.”
“We’re going to be here for hours.”
“That’s why it’s all I planned this afternoon.”
“Fuck, yes.” I fist pump and march into the building made of dreams.
“We’ll try that one on, please.” We’ve been wandering around for hours, and his arms are weighed down with all the bags I’ve collected like souvenirs. It doesn’t stop him from lifting his hand to point at something that has my heart racing, though.
“Hudson, what are you doing?” I breathe as the saleswoman reaches into the glass cabinet and removes the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen from the display.
“Humor me.”
I hold out my right hand as the woman holds the ring in gloved hands.
“The other one, baby girl.” I turn my gaze to the man standing next to me; the man who wants me to put this ring on my wedding finger.
“This isn’t me asking you, sweet pea. You’re just trying it on.”
“Why?”
“Because I want to see what it will look like when you wear my ring one day.”
I look back to the sales lady who is smiling at both of us and then to the ring she’s still patiently holding out. It’s a large cushion cut yellow diamond, surrounded by white diamonds, and set in a delicate platinum band.
I don’t even want to think about how much it costs.
There’s not a single price tag on any item. It’s assumed you have money by just walking in here in the first place.
The ring slides onto my finger.
A perfect fit.
“They say you know the moment you wear it. The ring picks you not the other way around.” She’s nailed the subtle sales pitch.
This one has definitely picked me. Holy shit, it’s gorgeous.
“Perfect,” he whispers next to me.
“You’re not buying this.” He’s bought everything I’ve so much as looked at today, this isn’t going to be one of them.
“Like I said, you’re just trying it on.”
“Thank goodness.” I breathe out what I hope sounds like a sigh of relief, but I think it might actually be disappointment.