His hand tightens around mine. "I want the entire world to see it. I want everyone to know you’re mine." He stands abruptly, rounds the table, and pulls me up into his arms.
His forehead presses to mine.
"Beautiful. And brave." He looks into my eyes. "And understanding, when you have every right to tell me to fuck off with my family politics. I don’t deserve you." His hands frame my face. "I love you, Harper. I'm so fucking in love with you it hurts"—he half smiles—"in the best way possible."
70
James
"The two of you seem happy." Margot folds her arms across her chest. We’re in her study, where she’d summoned us to meet her.
The rest of the family is in the drawing room for pre-dinner aperitifs.
“We are very happy.” I take my wife’s hand in mine.
We're seated in chairs facing Margot's desk instead of in the more comfortable armchairs or couch in the study.
A family meeting conducted like a board meeting? Very Margot.
I turn to find my grandmother staring at me like she’s seen a ghost.
“What is it?”
“You smiled,” she says slowly.
I wonder what she’s getting at. “I have smiled in the past.”
“Not like this, you haven’t.”
Ah, she’s referring to the fact that I’m more open with my emotions.
“Must be my darling wife’s influence.” I bring her palm to my mouth and kiss it.
“What changed?” She looks between us. “The last I heard the two ofyou were spending time apart. And now it’s like you two are on a permanent honeymoon.”
Something wistful flutters across her face.
It’s gone quickly, but I know I didn’t imagine it. Thanks to my being more aware of my emotions, I’m also noticing them in those around me. Including my gran. She’s lonely. And perhaps, she doesn’t want any of us to go through life without a partner as she’s being forced to.
She might say that she wants her son and grandkids to get married to propagate the family line, but I wonder if it isn’t because she wants us to be happy.
"Let’s just say that my wife has opened my eyes to a world of possibilities. And I’m grateful to her for it." I squeeze Ember’s hand.
When she leans in, I bend and brush my lips over hers.
My heart lifts.
That light inside seems to shine brighter the more time I spend with her.
"Seems Arthur Davenport was right to suggest giving you an ultimatum to get married." Margot sniffs.
I want to be angry with her for interfering in my life. But I can’t refute that it's why, when the crisis with the first video happened, the thought of the fake marriage arrangement with Harper entered my mind.
"Seems you did." I say without looking away from my wife.
I owe her a lot. If she hadn’t given both of us space to think things through, I’d have never come to the realization that it's important for me to voice my love for her.
It changed my approach to my brigade in the kitchen as well. No more cutting people down to size or constantly challenging them. At least not all the time.
