“You did great,” I say, while wishing I had more than mere words to offer him.
“Come on boys, let’s go home and pop the kettle on,” says Mum.
It makes me smile. She really does believe that a nice cup of tea is the answer to all problems. And she has a point, at the moment it is the only thing we can do. Go home, drink tea and wait. It’s so frustrating, but we have played all our cards. There really is nothing else. I hate feeling this powerless, this impotent in my ability to protect him.
Mackenzie sighs and steps away from me. “You are giving me a tea addiction,” he says with a smile to Mum.
She grins back at him. “Good! Any son-in-law of mine needs to be a tea drinker!”
“Mum!” I gasp in absolute horror, but they both just laugh at me. Mackenzie not freaking out at my mum implying that we are going to get married, ties my guts in all sorts of happy knots.
I shake my head at them, and we make our way back to the car. My heart feels heavy, but strangely hopeful at the same time. The shit may be about to hit the fan, but I’m confident we can get through it. Mackenzie will hate the scandal and being the center of attention, but I’ll just have to whisk him away somewhere. Mexico or Panama or somewhere like that. We can hole up in a secret apartment, out of sight until it all blows over. It probably won’t even take that long until the next big outrage hits and Mackenzie is forgotten.
It’s going to be an unpleasant, bumpy road, but the destination will be worth it. Mackenzie will be free of her and we can be together in peace for the rest of our days.
Except I haven’t exactly asked him about that. Or told him my feelings. I swallow dryly. One thing at a time. As soon as this drama with his mother is over, whichever way it ends, I’ll make my big declaration.
I just hope he feels the same.
Chapter twenty-eight
Mackenzie
Sittingonthesofa,drinking tea with Kit and his mom is wonderful. My life is about to disintegrate and I’m super stressed, but I have people in my life who like me, who care for me. The novelty is mind-numbing and bewildering. Awe-inspiring. I want to get used to this. I want this to be my life from now on. I’m keen to leave the past behind.
If I keep being brave, maybe everything will change. I can’t believe I just stood up to Mother like that. I had no idea I had that courage in me. It had to have all come from Kit. I’ve stolen it from him like a vampire. Or he has given it to me along with his affection. That actually feels plausible. I never knew it was possible to feel so close to someone that such things seem possible.
It’s strange to think it was little over a year ago that I first laid eyes upon the man. One look into his kind brown eyes and I had been utterly and irrevocably smitten. Butterflies in my stomach, sweaty palms, the whole thing. Then he had seemed to like me too, and my heart had skipped all over the place, while my foolish mind flooded with stupid thoughts like ‘soulmate’, and ‘he is the one’.
I had completely deserved the punch in the gut that had been seeing him kiss Liliah passionately, while Alice slapped me on the back and said, “He is straight, bad luck!”
The pain I had felt in that moment had been soul destroying. I had stood there nearly falling to my knees in overwhelming grief, all for the death of my crazy little fantasy that had only lived for a couple of hours. A few hours in which I had nurtured it with every part of me.
Now, sneaking a discreet little peek, over my teacup at his handsome profile, I wonder if my first impression of him had been right all along. Maybe he is my soulmate.
The doorbell dings and I nearly levitate off of the sofa in fright. Kit frowns before striding to the door. I trail after him. I’m glad he is taking control of the situation but I’m not going to completely hide. As much as I want to.
I hear Deborah’s footsteps behind me and it’s a fantastic feeling to know Kit’s mom has my back, figuratively, as well as literally.
He flings open the door to reveal a woman with long brown hair. It’s not Mother or any of her lackeys. My anxiety dials down several notches. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her before, but she looks familiar.
“Julie?” says Kit.
And it comes flooding back to me. The woman who tapped on the window on our date. Kit’s stalker. He never did hire personal security. The idiot.
“You can’t…” Kit begins, but she interrupts him by holding up her hands in a pleading gesture.
“Please! Don’t send me away! I want to help!”
“Help?” questions Kit, sounding confused.
For an answer she holds up her phone, giving me a horrible case of déjà vu. Despite that, I can’t help drifting closer so I can see what she is showing him.
It’s a video of Kit’s doorway. From the angle, it looks like it was filmed from the bushes by his porch. I watch as Mother calmly walks up to the door, places a piece of tape over the security camera and rings the bell.
We never even thought to check the camera footage. She’s been two steps ahead of us the whole time. I have no idea how she knows Kit’s cameras have no sound, but it’s chilling.
I wince when I see myself open the door. It’s shadowy in the hallway and the chain means the door is only partially open but I clearly look terrified.
