Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 49189 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 246(@200wpm)___ 197(@250wpm)___ 164(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49189 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 246(@200wpm)___ 197(@250wpm)___ 164(@300wpm)
“Apologies, Mr. Hart. I’ll take care of you myself for the rest of your evening, and please. Accept tonight with our compliments,” he gushes, practically bowing as he grovels his way out of a Mike Hart-sized hole.
I relax when I feel Vanessa’s hand reaching mine across the table.
She runs her fingers over mine as I relax, deciding there’s no point ruining our night because of someone else’s misunderstanding.
With a glance, the manager’s gone, and before the custom-made chocolate dessert arrives, with Vanessa’s initials and birthday wishes in gold leaf glistening on top of it, I notice just one thing about her fingers.
They’re small, sure.
Small, soft, and warm.
But there’s just one thing missing.
The one thing I decide on the spot needs to be on her finger before much longer.
Proof for all eyes to see, no matter how dumb they are, that she really is mine.
That we belong to each other.
Forever.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Vanessa
Michael and I talk about anything and everything over dinner. Without beating his own chest about his achievements, I can see he’s spent his entire life helping people.
Helping the people who work for him now and helping those who didn’t return the favor.
Like Jase’s mom.
But he asks me more about me than tells me about himself. I’ve never met anyone who was just interested in knowing what I do or how I think, but it amazes me how much we have in common, even though we’re so different at a glance.
But it isn’t until dessert and the little surprise the chef’s made. Not until after the waiter puts his foot right in it, I can see we’re always going to have people see us, just like a younger girl with an older guy.
A thought that would’ve bugged me just a day ago.
Hell, it’s something I beat myself up over in my mind, almost convincing myself I’d never stand a chance with Michael. Now it feels like something only other people could notice or even care about.
People like…my Dad.
Oh crap.
Michael’s eyes widen as I start patting my dress, reaching for a phone I don’t have on me as if I’m still in my jeans and sweater.
My old life.
“What is it?” he asks, worried by my sudden shift in mood.
I don’t know what to say or even how to say it. But it isn’t long before Michael reads my thoughts.
“My phone!” I gasp. “I just gotta make a quick call,” I stammer, feeling all the old tension and panic creeping back into my body.
The old me I thought I was free from finally.
Michael frowns, and fishing for his own phone from his jacket, he powers it up and slides it over to me.
“I deliberately switched mine off and left yours at home,” he says in a low voice.
But he’s okay with it if I want to call my Dad or anyone else.
But before I can snap it up, before I can call my Dad and tell him God only knows what, he tells me something.
“I switched mine off and left your’s behind so we could have the rest of the day for us,” he sighs.
“I know there’ll be fallout. I know there are a million things waiting for me, too, wanting me to fix or explain to people. But I just wanted you, Vanessa. You and nothing else for the whole day.”
I feel stupid suddenly. Hearing Michael give a voice to my feelings so easily, because really? That’s exactly what I want too.
There’ll be hell to pay, but I crimp my mouth and nod, sliding Michael’s phone back over to him.
I’m relieved when he switches it back off and slips it into his jacket again.
“Now,” he says firmly, “Let me have some of that… whatever you call that chocolate thing they’ve made,” he grins.
Both of us are sharing dessert, talking about anything and everything again.
And not once mentioning Jase or my Dad.
The restaurant’s empty by the time we leave, and once we’re outside, I shiver with cold, so Michael takes off his jacket, putting it over my shoulders before helping me back into the limo.
It feels so big, so heavy. But feeling his warmth still in it, his manly scent like a cloak within a cloak, it isn’t long before I feel so warm and cozy that I doze off on the way home. Only waking up for a moment as I feel him lifting me out of the car and walking me upstairs again to bed.
He tucks me in. And his kiss on my lips as he wishes me happy birthday is the last thing I remember until the next morning. Sleeping so deep and so sound that it really does feel like every night before this one has been a dress rehearsal.
Not just for a new me, but for a new life.
A life I feel like I don’t wanna miss one minute of it from now on.