“You can’t be serious? You’re okay with this?” George demands beside her.
“Of course I’m not ‘okay’ with it, but I’m also aware that she could have chosen a lot worse and that if we don’t try to accept this, at least to some degree, we are going to lose her.”
She turns to Bella. “You’re our baby girl and I’ve only ever wanted the best for you. I can’t say I necessarily think this is it. But if he makes you happy, if you love him the way I think you do, then nothing I say is going to change that. That’s something I’m going to have to accept.”
“NO! I will not accept this, I will not accept him!” George shouts, pointing at me.
I can’t say I saw this going any differently. My friend, if I can still call him that, is a stubborn fucker. Add to that he knows far too muchabout my past, about my sex life, and it was never going to go any differently.
“I’m sorry you feel that way, Dad.” Bella rises from her seat next to me and releases my hand. “Mom, thank you. Thank you for at least giving us a chance.” She turns to me. “Give me ten minutes and I’ll be back down.”
“Where are you going?” George calls after her.
“To pack a bag,” she throws over her shoulder and exits the room.
A big fucking bag.I’m not doing too many of these trips.
“She’s not going with you,” he splutters.
“Yes, she is. I’m not spending another minute without her. I love her, George. I’m sorry you can’t believe that, but it doesn’t change how I feel, how we both feel about each other. I never saw this for myself — love, a family, someone I wanted to come home to — but, fuck, now I’ve got it? Nothing in this world will take it from me, will takeherfrom me.” I rake my fingers through my hair and let them have it all.
“I’m going to marry her. I’d like it if you were both on board with that, but you need to know she’ll be my wife with or without your blessing.”
Bella’s mum speaks softly. “She wants children, Reed. Is that something you’re willing to give her? You’ve never wanted kids, you’ve always said that.” It’s a fair question, and one I can’t blame her for asking. She’s been far more understanding than I thought she would be, she’s made this a lot easier for Bella.
“I’ll give her everything, Valerie. Fucking everything.”
Chapter Twenty-two
Bella
It’s been six weeks since we sat down with my parents, six weeks of living with Reed, six weeks of pure bliss — the best six weeks of my life. If I thought I loved this man before, it is nothing on how I feel now.
I look at him as he approaches me. I’m currently lying on a sun lounger under an umbrella that is shielding me from the fierce Mexican sunshine. He’s whisked us away for a few days, saying we both need a break, some time alone. And he’s right, we do.
It’s like we’ve been living in a glass house the last few weeks, everyone having an opinion on our relationship. We need a break from the gossip that’s been going round at work, the whispers, and the rumours, all of which have not been helped by the obvious hostilitybetween Reed and my father. I hope that one day he’ll come round, but that day is not going to be anytime soon.
Water droplets hit my hot skin, making me squeal at the cold water. Reed is leaning over me, having just got out of the pool from his swim.
His finger traces over my nose, a smile lifting the corners of his lips.
“You have freckles here,” he murmurs.
“By the end of this trip, I’ll have freckles everywhere.” I used to hate them when I was younger; the minute I went out into the sun, they would pop up all over me. Now, I’m used to them and if the way Reed is eyeing them up, I’d say he likes them. A lot.
“Hmm, is that right? I’m definitely going to have to check that out later. I want to kiss every one of them.” He lowers himself beside me on the lounger. “Move over,” he demands, already beginning to stretch out beside me.
These sun loungers are big, but they’re not really designed for two people.
“Reed,” I half laugh, half yelp as his cold skin hits mine. “You’ve got your own one right there,” I say pointing at his sun bed right next to mine.
“It’s too far away,” he nuzzles the skin behind my ear, placing gentle kisses along my neck.
“People are looking,” I whisper, conscious of the guests around the pool, some of them with their eyes firmly locked on the two of us.
“Let them,” he mumbles into my skin. “You look fucking hot in this.” His fingers pull at the string holding my bikini top up.
“You said that this morning when I put it on the first time, and when you pulled it off immediately after. It’s why we were late for breakfast.”
