"I feel awful," I groaned.
"Welcome to a hangover."
I buried my face in his chest and Luc wrapped a strong arm around me. I had spent the rest of the night by Luc while being constantly supplied with champagne. Xavier had left not long after I had caught him, and my worries and concerns were swept away in laughter and alcohol, handed over to me all too readily by Dante.
Luc kissed my head. "Let's get you cleaned up for the day."
"I feel like I've swallowed a desert."
He laughed again.
"Give me sympathy or I'm backing out of this engagement," I threatened him.
Luc gave my ass a firm slap and my eyes snapped open. "You're mine," he told me. "You don't get to back out. Not now. Not ever."
I gave him a lazy smile. I loved hearing him say I was his. More and more I didn't feel like I belonged anywhere other than with Luc. I carefully untangled myself from him. "If you say so, love," I said to him.
He kissed me and I sat up before the room spun and I groaned. "I'm never drinking again."
"Not if Dante has his way, now that he's seen what damage can be done."
After a long shower, I changed straight back into pajamas.
"You're not even going to try and make an effort today?" Luc said, eyeing me.
I watched from the bed as he pulled on some pants. I wished he didn't have to work today but he'd set up a meeting that required his attendance.
"I don't plan on leaving the house today," I told him.
He shook his head before pulling on his shirt and walking up to the bed. "Fair enough. I'll be home as soon as the meeting is wrapped up, okay? How about we visit Mom and then I take you out for dinner?" He leaned down and kissed me.
"Sounds perfect to me."
I followed Luc out of the room and down the stairs.
"Mia, you should let your Dad know," Luc said over his shoulder.
I had avoided the topic so far. Dad hadn’t been invited to the engagement party because I didn’t have the courage to face rejection, which was inevitable since the guest list had been everyone from Luc’s life. The thought of breaking the news that I wasn’t just in love with Luc but planning on becoming his wife made me sick with anxiety.
"We've set a date, love," Luc said gently. "He deserves to know what's happening."
As we reached the bottom of the stairs, I sighed. "Will you come with me?" I asked him.
"Do you think that's a wise idea?"
"I'm not sure I can face him on my own after last time."
Luc pulled me into a hug and kissed the top of my head, my hair tickling his nose. "Okay," he relented. "We'll go together. Do you want to do it tonight?"
"Um..."
"I think we should."
I chewed on my lip nervously. "Okay."
Deep down I hoped that Dad would see just how much Luc meant to me and that he would be there on the day but there was a niggling feeling that he would be furious at me for accepting the proposal.
After Luc left for work, I made myself a coffee and went back upstairs. The house was completely empty, which was no surprise considering how much alcohol had flowed last night. Dom and Lydia had the day off and the staff weren't coming to dismantle and clean up from the party until later.
