“I have to go, Gray. Chloe messaged me.”
“Absolutely not. You’re not going anywhere. My cock seems to have slipped out of you in the night, and that’s totally unacceptable.”
“Gray,” I laugh, “I have to go. It’s Chloe’s wedding weekend and apparently there’s a problem with the florist. I’m meant to meet her at nine.”
“Then we have plenty of time.” He pulls me in even tighter.
“No, we don’t, it’s got to be after half-eight by now.”
“Impossible. I never sleep past six.” Is he serious? Never? Who doesn’t sleep in on the weekend?
“You’re joking right? That’s just when you’re working, you sleep in on the weekend? Everyone sleeps in on a weekend.”
“Not me. I don’t sleep well. This is actually one of the first nights I can remember that I’ve slept through.” I smile to myself, not only hashe slept through the night, but without even realising, he’s laid in well past 6.00 am.
“Well, your old age is catching up with you because it really is gone half-eight, and I really need to get up or I’m going to be late.” One of his arms releases me and I hear him rustling around on his night-stand. His phone appears in front of me, the home screen lit up showing the time. It’s already gone eight-thirty.Shit. I really need to go.
“Well, it appears you’re good for me in many ways.”
“That’s sweet, but you’re not going to be good for me if you don’t let me go.”
“I always knew that girl was going to turn into a brat. My first morning with you and she’s already stealing you from me,” he grumbles, but his arms relax from around me allowing me to slip free and get out of bed. I glance back at him as I make my way into the bathroom. His hair is mussed, his eyes are sleepy, and he looks so damn adorable. I’m also internally screaming that Chloe is indeed a brat.
***
Grayson
I had plans this morning, plans that involved spending hours inside of Paige. Instead, I got a peck on the lips and a wave goodbye as she walked out the door. It’s been six hours since I saw her. Six goddamn hours, since I held her, smelt her, kissed her. The issue with the florist was more complicated than they thought and apparently her and Chloe went straight from there to the afternoon event the women areall attending, whilst us men get to go pheasant shooting. I’ve heard all this from Angus, because like the absolute idiot I am, I don’t have Paige’s number. A call sounds up ahead and the dogs charge, I ready my gun for the inevitable flush that’s coming. My body is performing the familiar tasks, not that I’m a regular, but Angus and I tend to go on a shoot each winter when I visit. But my brain is still focused on Paige. What are her and the girls up to? Is she having fun? Why the fuck did I not think to get her number?
“Looking forward to the dinner tonight?” Angus comes up beside me, I lower my gun and turn to him.
“Yes, very much.” It’s true, I am, more than he realises. Tonight’s dinner is a close family and friends affair, I believe there’s about twenty or so of us in the ballroom, which means I get to spend the evening with Paige. We’re going to have to talk about how we’re going to play that. If I had my way, I’d walk in holding her hand and let everyone know that she belongs to me. However, I’m not sure how she’ll feel about that.
“How are you feeling? Ready to see Chloe get married?” My best friend's daughter is getting married this weekend; I probably should have asked him before now.
“Are we ever ready to see our kids marry? I’m happy for her, beyond happy for her, and David is a wonderful man. I’m not sure I could have picked better myself,” he pauses, gathering his thoughts before he continues. “But I can’t look at her and not see the little girl who used to run to me when I picked her up from school. Or the girl who asked me to kiss her ‘ouchies’ when she hurt herself. Seeing her with Paige this weekend reminds me of the summers they’d spend up here together, of how they used to beg me to take them out on the loch. I guess what I’m getting at is, that although Chloe hasn’t been thatlittle girl that needs me for a long time now, her getting married this weekend feels like the final goodbye.”
Well shit, I actually feel a little choked up at that. Grabbing him, I pull him into a hug, probably not the wisest move when on a hunt, but my best friend needs this.
“She’ll always need you, Gus. You might not always be her first choice, but there will be no time in your life, when Chloe doesn’t still need her Dad.” He squeezes me back and gives me the universal manly shoulder slap.
“Thank you, Gray, I needed that. Now, shall we go shoot a pheasant?”
“Sure, let's give it a go.” Shaking his head at me, we move through the woods.
“So, you’ve known Paige a long time then?” Am I fishing? Damn right I am.
“Paige is like another daughter to me. She was always close to us, like extended family. Then, when her parents died, and she moved in with a distant Aunt, she spent every minute she could with us. Every holiday, long weekend, she was with us.”Fuck.Her parents died? I’d wondered why they weren’t here.
“How old was she?”
“Sixteen. They died in a car accident, a collision with a drunk driver. One day she had everything a girl could need, next thing her life was ripped apart.”Oh Sweetheart. I’m here now.I want to be her home, the one who cares for her, the one she turns to for help, for anything.
“We wanted her to live with us, but her Aunt had legal custody and unfortunately, Carol and Stephen hadn’t changed their will. We’d discussed it, but nothing had been put in writing. I guess you always think you’ve got more time. Thankfully, she only had to stay with her for about eighteen months before she finished school and starteduniversity. I’d hoped she would attend St Andrews with Chloe, I wanted her close, to be there for her. But she wanted a fresh start, somewhere with no memories, and I can hardly complain about her attending Oxford.” Oxford? Doesn’t he mean Oxford Brookes? I know my son had said she was at uni with him. Did he lie about that too?
“You mean Oxford Brookes, right?”
He scoffs at me, “Oxford Brookes?! Where on earth did you get an idea like that? That girl has a first-class honours degree from Oxford University in Business and Economics; she’s a genius. She could give you a run for your money.”Great.Another thing my son lied about. I can hear the love and pride Angus has for Paige in his voice. That girl means so much to him, so much to both of us. I’m beyond proud of her. An unwanted thought comes to me. He’s her father figure.Well shit.At some point I’m going to have to tell my best friend I’m fucking his pseudo daughter.
