Chapter 31

31

TALLULAH

O nce upon a time, cut off from the outside world once I got home after school, I used to lock my bedroom door and devour the tabloids I’d snuck into my house. My parents didn’t approve of celebrity gossip or entertainment news, but like all teenagers, I’d had a curiosity about the lifestyles of the rich and famous.

Kaitlyn Hillfox as well as Sarah Weston had been a couple of the “it girls” of my generation. Gorgeous, glamorous, and belonging to families so wealthy that the thought of it made my head spin, they’d been a few years older than me.

As old as Niall, apparently.

I remembered envying them for always jetting off to exotic locations, vacationing on yachts and partying with the stars. I also remembered them both always having a different stud on their arms. Never in my wildest imagination would I have thought I’d even meet someone who knew them. Let alone someone their mothers wanted them to marry.

When I’d heard Gretta saying their names, I’d realized that Niall belonged to those Morrisons. His family was responsible for developing pretty much the entire eastern seaboard, which meant his background was even more affluent than I’d thought.

Immediately when I’d put two and two together, I’d expected the anxiety to slam into me. I’d expected to feel uncertain again and for those familiar doubts about what he wanted with me when he could have Katilyn or Sarah to start plaguing my mind once more.

But it just didn’t happen.

Instead, I’d seen how worried he’d suddenly become and I’d had the urge to comfort him. Looking deep inside myself, I hadn’t been able to find a shred of doubt or worry about any of it. I didn’t care that he belonged to those Morrisons.

To me, he was just Niall and I loved him, and sure, it’d stung to hear that his mother wouldn’t approve of our relationship, but I also knew her opinion wouldn’t sway him. They weren’t close and clearly he hadn’t let her control his life—romantic or otherwise—at all.

So while I would’ve liked to have had the approval of his mother, the only remaining member of his immediate family, I didn’t need it. Hell, I didn’t even have the approval of my own mother. His would just have to get in line.

Leaving him to handle her, I went back into the haunted house and helped the team working there to make sure the décor in the guest rooms was perfect after our VIPs had spent their first night here. After that, I wandered around the festival, talking to guests and being peppered with compliments.

If it hadn’t been for Gretta’s unexpected appearance, I would’ve been in seventh heaven right about now. I still didn’t let her presence stop me from enjoying myself, but I was curious to know what was keeping her and Niall so long.

Tomorrow was Halloween and a lot of people were dressed in costume for tonight’s concerts, but I stuck out in my plain clothes. As evening approached, I considered going back to the guest house to change, but the thought died in its tracks as I spotted Gretta storming over to me.

My heart stumbled over itself at the furious expression she fixed me with, her eyes narrowed and her features drawn into a sharp scowl that made her look so much like Niall that I almost smiled. But I didn’t because I knew what this was about.

Niall must’ve told her that we were dating and this was what he’d been speaking about when he’d told me she wouldn’t like it. When she reached me, she planted her hands on her hips and arched a steep eyebrow at me. “What do you think you’re doing with my son, Miss Pruette?”

Oh, it’s Miss Pruette now, is it?

I sighed but dug in my heels. Even just a few weeks ago, I may have cowered in the face of her wrath, but the very same son she didn’t want me with had given me the confidence to stand up to her. “I love him. Why else would I possibly be dating him?”

She scoffed, her eyes narrowing further until they were barely slits as she raised her chin to look down her nose at me. “I know your type, and I know exactly why someone like you would be dating him. It’s nice to be spoiled with lots of shiny things, isn’t it, darling? It’s lovely when you can just point at whatever you want and have him buy it for you, but I won’t stand for it. I’m his mother and I will protect him and our family from gold-digging little sl?—”

“Careful,” I said, surprising even myself when I interrupted her. “Niall loves me too. I doubt you want to call the woman he loves nasty, petty names, am I right?”

“No,” she said haughtily. “He doesn’t love you, sweetheart. Don’t fool yourself. That boy hasn’t discovered love just yet. He only thinks with that thing in his pants.”

“He would probably be the first to agree with you,” I said. “Until he met me, that is. I can’t change what you think of me, Gretta, but I want you to know that I do love him and I realize that you want to protect him, which is why I want to assure you that he doesn’t buy me shiny things. I’ve never pointed at anything I wanted in a store and expected him to buy it for me, nor will I ever behave that way.”

Her chin finally lowered a fraction of an inch. “If it hasn’t been shiny things, it’s been other things.”

“Well, I suppose you’re right about that. He’s bought me dinner a couple times and he stocked my fridge with groceries when I first started working for him.”

She blinked at me. “Dinner and groceries?”

I nodded. “That’s all he’s ever bought for me. He offered to buy me a dress he liked on me in every color once, but I turned him down.”

“Why should I believe you?”

I shrugged. “Because it’s true, but if you don’t believe me, ask him.”

“Perhaps I will,” she said, but her voice had lost some of its fighting edge. “I’m surprised by you, Tallulah.”

“You are?” I frowned. “Why is that?”

She finally looked into my eyes properly again, hers relaxing out of the slits they’d been in as she searched for something in mine. “I’m not used to people standing up to me like this. You’re the first of Niall’s girlfriends who’s had a backbone. I do like that, women who aren’t afraid to stand their ground.”

“Well, I’ve got your son to thank for that.” I drew in a big breath, wondering just how far I should take this.

In the end though, I decided to just be honest with her. If I wasn’t and she found out about it some other way, she’d never trust me again and I really did love her son. I wanted a future with him and I suspected he wanted the same thing.

While I knew her disapproval wouldn’t break us, I’d rather not have her think I was a gold-digger for the rest of my life. “I was married before. To an emotionally and financially abusive man. He alienated me from everyone and dictated my every move. When I told him I was filing for divorce, he racked up thousands of dollars of debt and refused to sign the papers unless I agreed to take it over.”

Gretta’s eyes widened. “Why are you telling me this?”

“I’d rather you hear it from me,” I said honestly, looking right into her clear blue eyes. “It took me a while to tell Niall about it, but after I did, he was contacted by a collection agency. He paid off that debt on my behalf. I didn’t ask him to do it, and honestly, we nearly broke up because of it, but that’s the extent of it. He’s never bought me jewelry or anything else, like I told you, but he did pay off my debt without my knowledge.”

Her long eyelashes fluttered a few times before she nodded. “I’m sorry about your ex-husband. To be perfectly honest, I’m surprised by Niall, but I suppose this proves you were right. He does love you, and in addition to that, I’m proud of him for clearing your name of that burden.”

“You are?”

She suddenly laughed and reached for my arm, giving it a little squeeze as she nodded. “You’re okay, Tallulah. Really. I’m glad he’s finally found someone who’s worthy of him. I just hope that doesn’t change as you become more serious.”

“All I want from him is his love,” I assured her, a little stunned by the encounter. She nodded again, smiled, and walked away.

With no idea what to think, I went back to the main festival area in search of Niall just as the fireworks started. They exploded overhead in bright colors, a spectacular display to signal the beginning of the biggest concert the Hallow’s Eve Festival had ever had, and I stopped to watch them, surprised when Niall suddenly appeared beside me.

He wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling my back to his front and propping his chin on my shoulder. “There you are. I’ve been looking all over for you.”

“You have?” I asked mildly. “I’ve been right here.”

He chuckled, pressing a hot kiss to the side of my throat before he hugged me even tighter. “What have you done with my mother?”

“What do you mean?” I frowned. “She was fine when she left me.”

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about,” he said, sounding genuinely confused. “She just came to find me and told me that we have her blessing. Apparently, I’ve found myself a wonderful girl and I should put a ring on your finger before you realize that you can do better.”

I chuckled, but happiness exploded through me as bright and as colorful as the fireworks above. “I think she and I are going to get along just fine.”

Niall spun me around in his arms so I was facing him, giving me a look I couldn’t decipher. Almost like he was up to something he didn’t want to share with me just yet. Instead, he just smiled and spread his arms to his sides.

“Look around, baby. You did this and it was a total hit. People loved it. Even my mom’s snobby friends are raving. You did an amazing job, but I have bad news.”

I frowned. “Yeah? What’s that?”

“You’ve set the bar high for all the other events that are going to be taking place here now. I hope you’re up to the challenge.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” I pushed myself up against him and sealed my lips over his, fireworks exploding high above us in a cascade of all the colors of the rainbow.

I didn’t quite know how I’d become so lucky to have the actual love of my life in it now, and I still couldn’t believe just how much things had changed since I’d met him, but Niall Morrison was it for me and now his mother knew it too.