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“He loves me and Beau.”
“Yes, but?—”
“No buts.” Holly holds her hand up, halting her mother. “Just because you don't agree doesn't make you right. Maybe this isn’t your idea of perfect or ideal, but it’s mine.”
“And Beau?” Our guests are trying not to hang onto every quietly spoken word, but the tense silence hanging over us all makes it hard to ignore. “Ismine. My child. Mother, you didn't agree with my life when I was in London. You don't agree with it now. What difference does it make? We’re not the same people, and if you love Beau and I, you’ll learn to accept this just like I did when you left Dad and I here in Richmond.”
Margaret flinches and Holly touches her arm. “I never judged you. I didn't understand, but I accepted thatherewasn’t for you. That Dad and I didn’t make you happy, even if you loved us. Something was missing for you. I gave you your happiness without an argument. You can do the same for me.” Holly leans to brush a kiss on her mother’s cheek and steps around her, moving quickly into a chorus of congratulatory cheers. I don't bother wasting my time with her mother. The only parent I give a shit about is the one clutching our daughter on her hip.
Holly chances a look over her shoulder at me, and I smile supportively. All I need now is for her to tell me she’s pregnant and I’ll be the proudest man to walk the earth.
“I love you,” she mouths.
“Olympic wife,” I mouth back, making her throw her head back in a husky chuckle.
Mine.
Fuck me, she’s finally mine. After all this time, I won her again.
My Holly.
My love.
Epilogue
Holly
Three years later…
“Don’t run too far!”Cameron’s voice carries. I give his hand a gentle squeeze and watch as Beau spins to look over her shoulder, her hand gripping Noah’s little podgy one in her own.
“We won’t! I can see the park from here!” her voice calls back as she steers her little brother along the grass. The sea air whips her long blonde tresses round her face, and she yanks it into place.
Noah cries excitedly as the park comes into view and Cam laughs. “I’m going to go grab the gate.” He slips his hand out of mine, and I watch as he pulls it open, bowing to let both of our children through.
We stayed in Richmond. Too fond of our house and happy to be close to our friends. Over the years, people moved away, others forgot about the vile stories, and we began to live the life we dreamed of. We married that year and started trying for a child of our own, and Noah arrived a little over a year and a half ago. We want more. Cameron is desperate for more.
I’m watching him carry our little green-eyed bruiser and assist Beau through the gate when someone calls my name.
Twisting, my smile drops away when I see Cameron’s parents seated outside the cafe on the other side of the road. “Holly Matthews?”
Both have aged considerably, but the stuffy air of money and self-importance round them is as evident now as it was back when Cam and I first started dating. I swing to look for my husband, worried.
His father stands and walks towards me, using a cane. I shake my head and fight the bile swimming in my stomach. Cameron appears at my side, oblivious, because he dips to kiss my neck. “Hey, baby, come on, the kids are waiting.”
“Cam,” I whisper, but he doesn’t hear me.
“Cameron?” My husband's head snaps up, and I grip his hand wrapped round my waist.
“Cameron, is that you?” His mother is also making her way over. Her simple linen dress and matching cardigan are prim and expensive. They look like they are still living a life of luxury. Rich, respected, and purposely unaffected by the past thirteen plus years.
“We can go,” I whisper, and he nods. Turning, we start to leave. My eyes search out the kids, and I see Beau pushing Noah on a swing a few feet away, just past the gate.
“Cameron, wait!” his father says in a panic. My husband stops, and I bite the inside of my cheek as he turns back and walks towards his parents. My eyes flick between the children and my husband. “You’re together?” Reggie asks, perplexed. His eyes jump between each of us.
“Any aspects of mine and Holly’s life are none of your business or our children’s, for that matter!” he seethes.
“You have children?” Martha blinks at me in shock.
