31. Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-One
I t had been over a week and I’d barely come up for air.
The words had been pouring out of me like a fire hose, except they weren’t a jumbled mess anymore. Instead, they were strategically placed and cohesive. Almost like the idea of writing an actual book wasn’t as farfetched as it once seemed.
Even when I was younger, this type of inspiration didn’t exist. All I could think about right now was this story and how it needed to be heard. I spent my days hunched over my computer, my nights plotting, and any spare minutes I had showering, eating, and checking in with everyone.
Everyone had been more than supportive to hear about my sudden drive to write.
Sam and Dad worked extra to cover my shifts, which thankfully meant I’d only missed two.
Chief Williams was more than okay with me canceling. And while our lunches were temporarily paused, his excitement for my writing was not. He sent me texts on a daily basis asking how it was going, among other things. I sensed his grandson might have shared a little insight too.
Speaking of his grandson, Grey had breakfast and coffee delivered to me daily—and by delivered, I mean Daniel, his driver, dropped it off at the same time every morning. A hazelnut latte, an almond croissant, and one single purple hydrangea.
Even though I expected it now, the sound of the doorbell brought a smile to my face.
“Good morning, MJ. Your breakfast.”
“Thank you, Daniel.”
“Mr. Prescott told me to tell you he’d be here at seven to pick you up.”
Racking my brain for what tonight could possibly be, it finally registered.
Holy shit, how is it already the Fourth of July?
Caught up in my own thoughts, I’d failed to answer Daniel, who stood there waiting for an answer. “Tell him I can’t wait.”
“Very well. Keep up the good work.”
A soft smile decorated my face. “Thank you.”
Anticipation rushed through me as I bolted to my closet and pulled out my pre-planned outfit, thanks to Sam and her ungodly amount of clothes.
A mid-length red silk dress hung from my hands. It was perfect.
I still had no idea what kind of party we were going to or where it was at, but with this dress on my body and Grey on my arm, I didn’t really care.
The day quickly slipped away as more and more words made their way into my story. The steam was wearing off a bit, but that was to be expected after the whirlwind of days I’d had. Not to mention, the female main character was finding herself at a crossroads, and I honestly wasn’t sure which way she was headed.
I took it as my sign to call it a day and start getting ready for the party.
A short time later, my reflection stared back at me, my red lipstick and red silk dress about as patriotic as it got.
“Knock, knock.”
“In here,” I yelled.
Grey’s footsteps rattled down the hallway and I grinned when I heard him say, “Holy shit.”
“What?”
“No one’s going to be looking at the fireworks tonight. That’s for damn sure.” Heat rose to my cheeks as the distance between us was eaten up by his strides. “Thank god you’re mine.”
I pressed his face between my hands, dropping a light kiss on his lips.
“That’s all I get?” he asked.
“Do you see this lipstick? Do you really want that all over your face?”
“There is nothing I want more.”
“Later.” I winked.
“Promise?” he asked. “It’s been too long since those pretty lips of yours have been anywhere on my body.”
The thought itself provoked a wild shiver at the base of my spine.
“Promise,” I whispered as I walked toward the door.
Per usual, Daniel was waiting for us at the bottom of my apartment stairs.
“Where are we going?” I asked, stepping into the car.
“Do you want to hear the good news or the bad news first?”
“Oh god.”
Grey squeezed my hand as Daniel shifted the SUV into drive, sending me a look of comfort as we backed out.
“It’s not that bad, I promise.”
“Let’s hear it.”
Nothing could really be that bad when I was looking at Grey. Tonight, he’d opted for a blue suit, not navy, not quite royal, and it was accompanied by a red silk tie.
“Wait, your tie…”
He cocked his eyebrow. “What about it?”
Peering down at my dress, my fingers ran over the red silk, oddly similar to his tie.
“I have to give Sam some credit. I planned on buying you a dress, but when I went to ask her some questions, she told me you’d already asked to wear this one. So instead, I borrowed it one afternoon. I wanted everyone to know that you came to the party with me , so I had a tie made from the same material and color.”
This man spared no detail.
Fire flooded my cheeks. “You know how to make a girl feel special, don’t you?”
“One girl. I know how to make one girl feel special,” he corrected.
My thumb rubbed the skin of his thumb as our hands interlocked. “Okay, sorry I interrupted. Let’s hear the plan.”
“The first part of our night is going to be spent at an over-the-top Fourth of July party that I promised my mom I’d make an appearance at. But…” His words hung in the air. “The second part of our night is going to make up for the first part. I can’t tell you why yet though. You’re going to have to trust me.”
“I can do that.”
I did trust him, but I couldn’t ignore the nerves as I ran through the various scenarios of how the first part of our night would play out. His world still very much seemed ominous and overbearing, so to be at a party where I would be consumed by politicians and socialites made me jittery.
“We’re here,” Grey said, opening the car door and reaching for my hand.
“Thank you.”
His voice was confident as he gripped me tighter. “Always.”
Expecting another stunning beach house, I was surprised when the Montauk Yacht Club sat in front of us. The large property spanned miles down the beach and was no doubt a town landmark.
The main building was old, maintaining its original architecture and décor. Everything was made with traditional shake siding, similar to Grey’s house, but instead of looking brand new, the siding was weathered. These buildings had seen their fair share of summers. The most prominent part of the yacht club was the pool overlooking the ocean, with its blue-and-white-striped umbrellas sprinkled everywhere.
It was clear the attraction didn’t come from the actual buildings but rather the history behind them. The Montauk Yacht Club had been around since, well, forever. The traditions were rich and so were the members. The club was exclusive, and only the wealthy and most elite were given the opportunity to join.
“Oh,” I blurted out.
“Have you been here before?” he asked as we climbed the stairs to the front door.
“Yeah, I have. Just not like this.”
The Wharf had catered for the yacht club for years. I’d spent my fair share of evenings serving Montauk’s wealthiest. And now here I was, on the other side.
“This will be quick, I promise. An hour, max,” he confirmed, obviously picking up on my apprehension. “A few political big wigs host their annual Fourth of July party here. My father wanted to confirm their endorsements before the end of the summer, and this was a sure way to do it. You know, shake the right hands, say the right things, everyone gets drunk and goes home.”
“Nope, can’t say I do know what you’re talking about, but I think I can handle an hour of shmoozing,” I said, gripping onto his arm tighter.
His expression loosened before he shot a wink at me.
I smiled, even though I’d gotten stuck on a few of his words: before the end of the summer . I tried to suppress the nagging feeling of doubt and what felt like our invisible expiration date, but each time I almost forgot about it, it was mentioned again.
“Ready?” he asked.
“Let’s get this over with.”
Walking through two white wooden doors, a gust of ocean air whooshed past us, leaving remnants of salt on my lips. With the breeze came an abundance of conversation and the low rhythm of music in the background.
We were outside, but you would have never known it. The outdoor tent was lined with at least thirty cocktail tables, each housing a vase of pristinely placed red and white flowers, along with a tiny American flag.
Hundreds of people swam around us, all of them impeccably dressed.
Grey pointed out his mom as we headed in her direction, and she was just as beautiful in person as she was on TV.
“Hi, Mom,” he said, leaning down to kiss each cheek.
“Hi, honey. Thanks for coming. I know your father will be thrilled.”
“You know that’s not why I came,” he protested.
“I know it’s not.” She paused, glancing at me. “This must be your date?”
“Mom, this is Miller Morgan. Miller, this is my mom.” His hand moved to the small of my back, sending a shot of confidence through me.
“Hi, Mrs. Prescott. It’s so nice to meet you.” I smiled.
Within seconds, she pulled me into a full-on hug. My expression must’ve been one of surprise because I swore I heard Grey chuckle.
“Please, call me Lisa. I’ve been dying for Grey to introduce us. You’re all he talks about.” She beamed, releasing me from her embrace.
“Mom!” he interjected, embarrassed.
“Sorry, Grey, but it’s true,” she said innocently. “You’ve never brought anyone around for me to meet, so I can’t help but be excited.”
“I’ve never been with anyone who mattered enough to introduce them to you,” he said, his eyes locking with mine.
“That’s fair,” she said. Her relaxed posture suddenly jolted into something more serious, more practiced, as her eyes registered someone from across the room.
Grey must’ve noticed too because immediately, he directed his gaze to the same area.
I wanted to look, but I didn’t need to because a booming voice came from behind me. “Grey. I’m so glad you decided to grace us with your presence.”
Lisa took her place next to him, almost as if she was moving on autopilot.
“Hello, Father.” Grey’s disdain was heavy.
“Is this a date?” He haphazardly motioned to me, the word date sounding more like a formality than a question.
“This isn’t a date; this is my date.” His voice was stern as he cast a look of animosity toward his father. “You know what? No, this is my girlfriend, Miller Morgan.”
Stunned, I almost couldn’t move.
Grey nudged me, and I stuck my hand out. “Hi, Mr. Prescott. It’s nice to meet you,” I said, the words feeling stickier than they had with his mom.
“Uh huh.” The words didn’t even require him to open his mouth. “When are you going to be done playing house with your little local here and get serious about your career?”
Grey stepped toward his father until their faces were a mere inch apart. Grey quietly spewed venom as he said, “Don’t you ever fucking talk about Miller like that again.”
Stanley Prescott’s face was blank, unbothered. “You’re in public, Grey. Don’t embarrass yourself.”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. I’m here. I showed up. And yet you still somehow find a way to degrade me, and even worse, her,” he said, looking over at me. “I’m not sure why it makes you so angry to think that I might actually be happy, but it’s pathetic.”
“Look around, Grey. You’re the one who has had everything handed to them on a silver platter, and yet you still can’t figure out how to make something of yourself. Who’s pathetic now?” His words were like knives as they pierced the air.
I lightly tugged on Grey’s arm, pulling him back.
His father started moving away, slapping Grey’s shoulder like he and his son had just been chatting about something as simple as sports. “I’d suggest you change your attitude before the Labor Day party, or I’ll do it for you.”
My eyes were on Stanley, but for the first time since the interaction began, I glanced at Lisa. Her eyes were filled with remorse, and the expression she was wearing was almost heartbreaking.
She followed behind her husband, stopping to give Grey a kiss on the cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Mom.”
I smiled at her. Her hand gracefully landed on my arm and she murmured, “By the way, you look beautiful, Miller.”
“Thank you,” I muttered.
“Fuck this party, we’re leaving,” Grey said, angling us toward the exit.
Shockingly, no one seemed to notice the interaction that had just transpired between Grey and his father. Or maybe they did and they were just used to this type of thing.
Either way, I was happy to be getting the hell out of there.
We walked right past Daniel, Grey’s steps heavy as they pounded the pavement.
“Are you okay?”
“I will be,” he said. “He just makes me so damn angry. He’s quite literally one of the most vile humans on the entire planet, and unfortunately, he’s also my father.”
“I know I probably shouldn’t say anything, but… can’t you just stop? Stop working for him or with him, whatever you’re doing. Wouldn’t that fix your problems?” I asked.
We kept walking, but this time, he took my hand in his. “I wish it were that easy. One day, maybe it will be, but I’m just not quite there yet.”
He was speaking in riddles again, but I could tell that was intentional.
“So, how about the second part of our night?” I peeked over my shoulder, catching a grin crawling alongside his face at my attempt to lighten the mood. “Is that still happening?”
“You think I’m going to make you endure that shit”—he gestured behind us—“and then not follow through on my promise?” he asked. “You’ve got to know me better than that by now.”
“I do, I—”
“We’re here,” he said.
As I looked in front of us, my mouth dropped open.
It was like something out of a movie. Lying on the beach was a blue-and-white-striped blanket with a wicker picnic basket, two glass flutes, and a bottle of champagne.
It was simple, and that made it perfect.
“Grey, it’s…”
“The marina fireworks go off just out there, so we should have quite the view from here. Although, I’m not sure anything is going to beat the view I’ve had all night.”
“There he is,” I praised him, my eyes catching on his.
“Come here,” he said, pressing his lips to my forehead. “I’m sorry for what my father said about you. Everything he does is with the intention to hurt others in order to make himself feel better. Nothing that came from his mouth was true. You have to believe that.”
I did believe it, or at least I believed Grey, and that was all that mattered. But tonight had proved that Grey’s world was vastly different than mine, and I wasn’t sure how to process all of that.
My voice was subdued from nerves, but I knew I needed to ask. “But what about what you said? Did you really mean the whole girlfriend thing, or were you just saying that to piss him off?”
“I meant every single word I said. Especially that.”
Just then, a loud boom echoed through the sky and countless flecks of color exploded in the darkness, lighting up the water and everything else in the vicinity.
The burst of color in the sky mimicked the burst of excitement in the depths of my belly and I couldn’t help but smile. “This is my kind of Fourth of July.”
He wrapped his arms around my shoulders from behind and engulfed me in a hug. I reached up to grip his forearms, enjoying his proximity.
“I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”
He grinned, his head dropping to the empty space between my chin and collarbone. His delicate kisses left little sparks everywhere they went.
One of his hands toyed with the dainty silk strap on my shoulder while the other snuck around my arm and up to my bare chest. His fingertips leisurely trailed down the front of my dress and when he dropped his hand to my thigh, my breath escaped me.
“Please keep going,” I begged.
The movement started again, and this time, he gently pushed my silk dress out of his way. The warmth of his skin on mine made me shiver. Teasing me, he flirted with the little bit of material that stopped him from taking me over the edge.
“Tell me what you want,” he growled.
“I want you to touch me.” I inhaled. “Until I can’t take it any longer.”
The desperation in my voice must’ve made him confident. His fingers deftly moved my panties aside, removing the barrier between me and ecstasy.
My body ached for him, and I couldn’t stop my back from arching. “Right here,” I said, moving his hand to where I needed him most.
“We’re greedy tonight, aren’t we?” he whispered, his breath hot on my ear. “Right here?”
The words barely left his mouth before the friction of his fingers consumed me and I threw my head back into his chest.
“Right fucking there,” I moaned.
His movements in all the right spots had me quivering so much my legs struggled to keep me balanced.
“Grey—”
Everything exploded all at once. Me and the fireworks above us, both erupting simultaneously.
“Oh my god,” I breathed, my body falling heavy into his.
After a minute, Grey rotated me toward him before he spoke softly. “Happy Fourth of July, MJ.”
“Happy Fourth of July,” I said, kissing him on the mouth.