: Chapter 24

I lie on my side and watch Hayden sleep; her chest rises and falls, and her lashes flutter as she breathes.

I’ve never seen such a beautiful creature, so peaceful and serene.

I smile softly. It’s like I’m in the presence of greatness, constantly awed by perfection.

I am so in love with this woman.

Last night when I was watching her with my family, I had this defining moment where suddenly, I knew.

I can’t imagine a life without her, nor would I want to.

And it all became crystal clear: I want to marry Hayden Whitmore . . .

I’m going to look for an engagement ring once we get to London, and I want to try to plan the perfect proposal.

I want to really wow her.

How?

Maybe I could . . . my mind begins to wander over the possibilities. Where would we get married? I imagine her walking down the aisle toward me in her white wedding dress, and excitement fills me.

Who even am I?

Her eyes flutter open, and she sees me watching her and smiles softly. “Good morning, Miss Whitmore.” I pull her into a hug and feel her smile against my chest. She kisses my skin as I hold her close.

We lie in comfortable silence for a while. “Why are you awake?” she asks in her husky, sleepy voice.

“Just planning our day.”

“Hmm . . . what are we doing?”

“Well . . .” I kiss her temple. “I thought we could go to your parents’ a couple of days earlier than planned.”

She pulls back to look at me. “Really?”

“Uh-huh. We could go today so that you can have more time with them before we go to London.”

“But what about your family?” She frowns.

“Meh.” I shrug. “I’ll see them through work all the time. They’ll live without me. We’ll leave after breakfast if you like.”

“Oh my god.” She smiles in excitement. “Okay.” She jumps up and runs for the bathroom and then runs back and kisses me. “I love you.”

I smile broadly as I watch her run into the bathroom once more.

An hour later

We walk through the underground parking lot as Hayden looks around at the surroundings. I hit the button, and my garage doors begin to slowly rise. “This is it.”

She frowns as she looks in. “This is your car?”

“Uh-huh.” I smile proudly. She’s low and black and purrs like a kitten.

“What kind of car is that?”

“A McLaren.”

She twists her lips, unimpressed. “Do you have anything less wankerish?”

“This car is not wankerish.” I gasp, horrified. Actually, she may have a point. “I do need to wank after driving her because it makes me fucking hard.”

“Christopher.” She frowns as she stares at it. “We can’t take this to the farm to meet my parents.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s ridiculous.”

“It is not ridiculous, Hayden.” I put my hands on my hips in exasperation. “It’s a work of fucking art.”

She rolls her eyes. “We are not taking this to the farm.”

“Why not?”

“I just told you, my father will laugh in your face.”

“Not a car man?”

“Not a wanker man.”

“News flash. All men wank, Hayden.” I roll my eyes. “Okay, what about we take the Porsche.” I gesture to the car beside it.

“No.”

I wince. “The Aston Martin?”

“Haven’t you got something less—”

I cut her off. “Magnificent?”

“Showy.”

“No,” I snap, annoyed. “I don’t, and why would I want to?” I square my shoulders. “Eddie would love these cars,” I mutter dryly.

“Eddie’s not here.” She turns and walks toward the elevator.

“Where are you going?” I call.

“To call a rental-car company,” she calls back.

“What for?”

“Because my father will eat you alive if you turn up in that poser car.”

I march after her. “Poser car?”

We bounce up and down as we drive along. “Can’t complain about the suspension in this piece of shit.” My eyes flick over to her. “There is none.”

The Toyota utility she made me hire is just that, a piece of fucking shit, and to top it off the only color available was red.

A red utility. Kill me now.

I’d rather be dead than be seen in this hunk of junk.

Hayden smiles as she rides along. She rubs the dash. “I love this car.”

“This?” I scoff.

“Uh-huh.” She smiles broadly. “She’s so sexy.”

I look at her deadpan. “Nothing about this car makes me want to fuck something.”

“Well . . .” She giggles with a shrug. “I like it.”

I roll my lips. “Thankfully you have better taste in men.”

“This is it.” She gestures to a road. “Turn right.” I turn in to the road, and we drive up and over rolling green hills with huge big trees. It’s gorgeous.

Wow.

“Beautiful country,” I say as I look around.

“God’s country.”

I smile, impressed.

“Just don’t say anything about anything,” she says.

“Huh?”

“I haven’t told them anything about you yet. I have to find the right time.”

My eyes flick over to her. “What does that mean?”

“It means . . .” She widens her eyes as she articulates herself. “It means just don’t let on anything until I talk to them. I haven’t even told them I’m not coming home to live yet.”

My eyes widen. “You haven’t?”

“No.”

“When do you plan on doing that?”

“Today.”

My eyes flick between her and the road. “What time today?”

“Christopher,” she snaps, “I’ll tell them when I tell them. Just keep your big mouth shut until I do.”

“Fucking hell, Hayden,” I mutter. “I thought you sorted this shit all out.”

“I’m not facing the firing squad alone.”

“Firing squad?” I frown. “What does that mean?”

“This is it.” We get to the top of the hill and a large clearing. There is a main farmhouse and a scattering of small cottages around it. It looks homey and nice, straight out of a family movie. “Park in there.” She gestures to a clearing where a collection of utilities is lined up.

Hmm . . . maybe the McLaren wouldn’t have fit in among these hunks of junk.

I park the car, and I hear a screen door slam. “Hayden?” a woman yells.

“It’s me, Momma. I’m home.”

“Ah.” The elderly woman cries as she and Hayden run to each other. They hug, and the woman cries tears of joy. Hayden cries too.

Jeez . . . I try not to roll my eyes.

Dramatic.

They hug and hug and hug, and I stand to the side like an idiot.

Hello . . . I’m right here, remember?

“Momma”—Hayden smiles—“this is Christopher.”

Her mom looks me up and down and smiles. “Well . . . aren’t you just the handsomest man I ever did see?”

“Hello.” I smile. I hold out my hand. She ignores it and hugs me tight, so tight that she nearly breaks a rib.

Strong.

“Hello, Christopher.” Hayden’s mom smiles. “I’m Valerie.”

“Hello, Valerie.”

She puts her arms around the both of us and begins to lead us into the house. “Thank god you’re home, baby girl. We missed you so much.”

Hayden smiles broadly and kisses her mom’s temple.

“I love you, Mom. It’s so good to see your face.” Hayden smiles. “Where’s Dad?”

“He’s working. He’ll be back for lunch soon.”

Hayden smiles over at me. She’s so happy and in her element. “I can’t wait to see him.”

Hmm . . . the firing squad comment is getting some real context here.

Fuck.

We walk past three large dogs, who look dead as they sleep, and up the stairs, onto the veranda, and into the house. “Oh, you look lovely, Hazy. So much color and so relaxed.”

“Oh, Mom, it was so amazing. You and Dad have to travel.”

Hayden and her mom chat and laugh, and I look around at the house. It’s eclectic, as if everything has been salvaged from a thrift store. Four couches, none that match. The dining table is antique looking, but the chairs are all different. The artwork on the walls varies from tapestries to paintings to crayon drawings. Huge rugs in unmatching colors are everywhere, and there’s a huge fireplace. A collection of antique-looking saucers are displayed on the walls as if they are national treasures. It smells like warm cake and has a very serene Hayden feel.

I smile. This is not what I was expecting, but it all makes sense. Another piece of the Hayden puzzle falls into place.

“Have some cake.” Valerie smiles as she lifts a tea towel to reveal a cake.

“Straight out of the oven.” Hayden smiles as she cuts it up. Steam rises as the knife slices through it.

“You baked it yourself?” I ask, surprised.

“Of course.” Valerie frowns as if that’s a stupid question.

“Mom is the best cook in all of Finger Lakes.” Hayden smiles proudly.

“Great.” I smile. I have no idea what to do with that information, but anyway.

The door bangs open, and we all turn and see a huge burly man taking his boots off at the door.

He looks like John Wayne . . . only tougher and more weathered by the sun. His work clothes are dirty and old, and he has a no-nonsense kind of vibe.

“Is that my girl home?” he calls.

“It’s me, Dad.” Hayden runs to him, and they hug.

“About time you showed your face around here,” he says in his deep voice.

Hayden laughs in pure joy.

He’s big, scary looking. I stand, unsure whether to shake his hand or run.

“Who’s this?” he says.

“Dad.” Hayden holds her arm out toward me. “This is Christopher. Christopher . . . this is my dad, Harvey.”

“Hello, Mr. Whitmore.” I smile. I shake his hand.

His hand is so rough that it doesn’t actually feel like a hand . . . could be a piece of sandpaper or a chunk of wood. Who could tell?

He looks me up and down. “Christopher, hey?”

I fake a smile, and Hayden takes my hand. “He’s important, Dad.”

It’s like she’s warning him to be nice.

Great, just what I need.

He points to the chair. “Sit down, boy.”

Boy.

The hairs on the back of my neck rise.

Don’t say anything, don’t say anything. Don’t fucking say anything.

Unimpressed, I drop to my seat.

His assessing eyes hold mine across the table, and I fake a smile back.

Bring it, old man.

“Where do you live?” he asks me.

“Dad,” Hayden splutters, “let Christopher settle in before you give him the tenth degree.”

Or maybe don’t do it at all.

“Oh my god,” Hayden cries. “Who is this?”

We all look to see an entirely black cat. He’s long and skinny. More of a rat than a cat, really.

“That’s Milly’s baby.” Valerie smiles.

“Milly had a baby?”

“She had eight.”

“He’s like a jaguar.” Hayden swoons.

Only much less impressive.

“Good cat, that one,” Harvey says sternly. “Good judge of character. His name is Bryan.”

Harvey is a cat man?

Good fucking grief, we have literally nothing in common. Hayden smiles over at me, and I’m reminded why I’m here.

Focus.

I try to make conversation. “Beautiful place you have here.”

“Thank you.” Valerie smiles. “We’ve lived here . . .” She keeps talking, but I can’t concentrate. The cat is now rubbing up against my leg. I subtly move my leg out of its way, and it flops across my feet.

“The farm two properties over . . . ,” Harvey continues.

Bryan begins to chew my shoelaces, and I edge my foot away.

Fuck off, cat.

“Where do you come from, Christopher?” Harvey asks.

Bryan grabs my legs between his two claws and bites my shin. “Ahh.” I jump and look under the table. “Bryan’s getting a little vicious down there.” I frown as I watch the sneaky fucker. “Little-jaguar-for-real kind of thing.”

“New York,” Hayden replies for me. She sips her coffee casually.

Sharp, vicious teeth sink into my anklebone through my socks, and I inwardly wince, pretending that nothing is wrong.

Ahh.

The fuck is going on down there?

Harvey carries on the conversation. “Busy damn town, that place.”

“Yes, yes, it is.” I peer under the table to see Bryan winding up to attack me again. His tail is whipping side to side as he leans back, ready to launch, and I begin to sweat.

A little help over here, Hayden?

“Where do you live?” Harvey asks.

Do you catch rabies from cats? Sharp pain shoots through me as Bryan attacks for real. “Ahh,” I cry.

“What’s happening?” Hayden frowns.

“Don’t he like you?” Harvey asks dryly.

“Oh, he likes me.” I smile as razor-sharp teeth sink straight to the bone. “Maybe a little too much. My mother is allergic.”

“You don’t like cats?”

“Love them,” I lie with a smile. “Looking forward to snuggling with little Bryan later tonight.”

Not an actual lie. I am a pussy whisperer from way back. Small inferior jaguars with attitude problems, maybe not so much.

Harvey’s cold eyes hold mine.

“Let’s go unpack into our room.” Hayden stands, breaking the moment. “It’s so good to be home, Dad.”

Harvey pulls his daughter in for a hug.

“Dinner at six.” Valerie smiles.

I follow Hayden out the front door and over to the car. We grab our bags, and I go to go back into the house.

“This way,” she says.

“Where?”

“I have my own house on the property.”

“You do?”

Thank fuck for that.

“Great.”

We walk about 150 yards up the road and come to a pretty little cottage. Hayden opens the door, and I smile.

Now this . . . is more like it.

It’s decorated in pastels and homey, comfortable furniture, and instantly I can feel Hayden’s calming presence. “This is beautiful, babe.” I smile as I look around.

“I like it.” She looks around as if seeing it for the first time. “My bedroom is upstairs.” She leads me up the stairs, and the entire top floor is her bedroom. It’s feminine and sweet and romantic . . . just like her.

And unlike my bedroom, where she can hear the moans, all I can feel in here is the love she had with her ex.

I look at the bed as I imagine another man in it. Did he have her in there? Of course he did. I snap my eyes away angrily.

I fucking hate that he had her.

“It’s a new bed,” she says as if reading my mind.

I nod, grateful. “Good news.” I take her into my arms and kiss her softly. “Your father hates me.”

She giggles. “My father hates everyone.”

We kiss again, her tongue curling around mine, and I walk her backward. “We need to christen this bed.” I smile.

She looks up at me, all gorgeous and fuckable. “How did I know you were going to say that?”

I throw her onto the bed. “Lucky guess.”

I pull the razor down my face as Hayden gets dressed in the bedroom behind me.

“So you know the plan?” she asks.

“Yes.”

“What is it?”

“Let you do all the talking.” I roll my eyes as I wash the razor out.

Hayden is freaking out, and I have to admit it’s catching. I’m sure dear old Harvey has a shotgun or two around here.

And then there’s that feral cat who wants to eat me alive under the table. Let’s just hope that fucker is out hunting what cats hunt at night.

“And whatever my mother dishes up, you eat it.”

I look up from shaving. “Huh?” I stare at her as my brain misfires. “What do you mean?”

“My mom is real country. Just . . . if you want to stay on the good side of my father, eat whatever she plates up.”

“Like what, what would she cook?”

“I don’t know.” She rolls her deodorant on. “She likes to cook with offal.”

“Offal?” I frown.

“You know, like brains and kidneys and stuff.”

“You’re joking, right?”

She shakes her head. “Nope.”

I stare at her as I begin to sweat. I imagine organs all laid out on a table, and I feel faint.

“Just. Eat. It.” She widens her eyes.

“Of course I’ll eat it. What kind of wimp do you think I am?”

Fuck me dead.

“Move out of the way while I do my hair,” she says.

I leave her to it and walk downstairs. I text Elliot.

Just about to have dinner with her family.

Her father hates me.

Her mother cooks organs and the cat wants to

rip my nuts off under the table.

Send this to the police if you never hear from me again.