Chapter 43

I look around the large room. The massive chandeliers on the vaulted oak ceiling cast a warm golden glow over the beautifully dressed people—our friends and family—chatting and laughing. The meal and speeches are all over. Drew gave us a hysterical tale of Ivan’s life until me, bypassing the trauma Kate brought but mentioning how amazing he is as a father. Now suited waiters bring crystal glasses of champagne on silver trays around the room as we wait for the evening entertainment to start. Ivan is holding Milo on his hip. He’s now eighteen months old and resembles his father more each day. Ivan scans the room. Is he looking for me?

Yes.

He smiles at me, and the warm feeling in my stomach sets off the butterflies as they unfurl their wings and take flight. After nearly two years, the sight of him still has me captivated. Time stands still as I lose myself in the love shining in his eyes. I’ve never seen him so happy. He gestures with his head to go to him. How can I resist him? I snake through the people, saying hi as they congratulate me not just on my wedding but on the amazing barn and how good it looks. They’re right; it does.

We had the bulk of the work done at the same time as the gym, getting all the messy building completed and out of the way, but we left the interior until the gym was finished and functioning. That was another huge achievement. The memberships are increasing as word spreads. The classes are full, and I have hired two full-time qualified instructors to work with me.

When I reach them, Milo opens his arms for me to take him. Ivan hands him over. “Happy?” he asks, even though he knows the answer.

“More than I ever thought possible.” I kiss him, pressing my lips firmly on his. I want to take it further, but I hold back. We have plenty of time for that on our honeymoon.

God, he’s so beautiful. The dark navy blue suit fits his long, lithe body like a second skin. The trousers accentuate his firm thighs and tight, round arse, while the jacket and crisp white tailored shirt show off his broad shoulders and tight pecs. My mouth waters. “Have I told you how hot you look?”

“You think? Should I smarten up more often?” He gives me a roguish grin and waggles his eyebrows suggestively.

Maybe he should, seeing as he spends most of his time at the garden centre and nursery he and Merlin now own and run. His daily attire consists of jeans, heavy work boots, and T-shirts, all of which come home covered in mud and dirt every day. Not that I’m any different, as I’m constantly in gym kit.

“It may be worth your while,” I whisper against his lips. God, I wish it was time for us to leave. “Okay, you two, knock it off.” Sarah smiles at us. I know how proud she is of Ivan, and I adore her for it. Not only has she been a godsend for looking after Milo when we’re working, but she also stepped in as my surrogate mother when my family never contacted me again. I hoped the wedding invitation would cause some kind of interaction, but nothing. Not even a simple ‘fuck off’.

“We’re allowed to. It’s our wedding day. Kissing is expected.” Ivan proves his point by pressing his lips to mine.

“I’ll let you off this one time. I’ll take this sweet boy home. It’s past his bedtime.” She takes Milo from me. “Kiss your daddies goodnight.”

After cuddles from our son—and he’s officially ours after I adopted him on his birthday in April—Sarah carries him back to her house for the night.

The music starts, and the dance floor fills up. I wind my arms around Ivan’s neck and press up close. The music is louder and faster than the dance we’re enjoying. While everyone is letting their hair down, I’m lost in Ivan’s gaze. It’s as if we’re back in the club. His piercing blue eyes flash as the coloured lights catch his face.

He pulls me tighter against his firm body, snaking his hands around my hips and down to my arse. When our lips touch, there’s no holding back. I swirl my tongue into his warm, wet mouth and stroke it languidly with his. I want to close my eyes and let the emotions wash over me, but I can’t tear my eyes away from his. The feeling of total rightness from that first night is back, as I lose myself in someone so wonderful.

Ivan – Eighteen years later

“Happy birthday, Milo!” a chorus of voices calls out as he enters the pub.

Someone, probably Drew, shouts, “The first pint is on you.” Everyone claps and cheers.

Milo grins, not a shy bone in his body. “Yeah, thanks, Uncle Drew.”

My son, my greatest joy, walks over to Brodie and me. I take my arm from around Brodie’s waist and hug Milo. “I’m sorry about this, but Brodie insisted.”

“Hey!” Brodie elbows my ribs. “That’s not true. Happy birthday, Milo. I tried to stop him, but you know what he’s like.”

“It’s great, Dad. I knew he’d do something.” He smiles the lazy, confident smile that has all the holiday kids swooning. He’s built the same as me. At just over six foot tall, with golden-blond shaggy hair, he has the whole surfer look mastered. And while the young holidaymakers crush on him, he’s down to earth and friendly.

At sixteen, he didn’t so much come out to us but came home with one of his school friends and introduced him as his boyfriend. Until that relationship ended, and he brought home a girl.

Willow comes bounding up to him and throws her arm around his shoulder. “Aww, you’re all grown up now.” She laughs and kisses his cheek. As far as I know, they’ve never been more than friends, but they both have the same relaxed outlook on life, so they may have had something more.

Milo accepts his first legal pint and takes a drink. He looks so happy and carefree. I wonder, as I have done plenty over the years, if Kate thinks of him on his birthday. Did she ever regret the selfish way she abandoned him? Has she had more children with the man I never knew about? Milo has asked questions about her over the years but decided he wasn’t going to reach out to her.

“Do you think she’ll turn up?” Brodie asks.

We’d discussed the chance of her coming back, if only to catch a glimpse of the child she abandoned. “Possibly, maybe. Honestly, I don’t know. She may never have given him another thought. Would I recognise her after all this time?”

“I doubt she looks that different. You don’t, just a little older. You’re still hot. I’d do you.” Brodie laughs. “In fact, I doubt Milo needs or wants us here. So why don’t we go home?”

He’s right. Milo has his friends, and we’ve covered the tab for his drinks. “I like your way of thinking.” I kiss below his ear, knowing how much he likes it. After nearly twenty years together, we still want each other as fiercely as we did when we first met.

“We should let him know.” Brodie nods to our son. It only takes a minute, and after hugs, we walk out together, holding hands.

We make it to the corner when a car door opens. Brodie was right. I instantly recognise the woman getting out of the car. Brodie tightens his grip on my hand. He too knows it’s Kate.

“Ivan, I—”

I hold up my hand. “Don’t. Don’t say a damn word. You need to go. Leave him alone. Milo doesn’t want or need you in his life. And I sure as shit don’t want to hear your lies.”

“You don’t know what happened. You don’t know the stress I was under.”

“Stress from your other lover because the baby wasn’t his. Yeah, right. You had it all planned. You had it all set up to walk away from your child, your hours-old son. You had money ready for him. You planned the whole fucking thing. You let him go to foster care for nearly three bloody months rather than come to me.”

Brodie rubs my arm, shushing me. “It’s okay, love. Let’s go home.” He turns to Kate. “You have no reason to be here. Go away and leave us and, more importantly, Milo alone. He doesn’t want to know you.”

“Dad?” Milo says from behind us. “What’s going on?” When I turn around, he’s looking past us at Kate.

“Milo.” Kate’s voice is low but harsh, painful even. “You’re so handsome. I knew you would be. Just like your dad.”

“No! Shut up,” Milo says firmly. “No, I told you before I didn’t want to hear your shit, and I still don’t want to hear it. Not now, not ever. Just fuck off.”

Kate closes her eyes and nods, gets back into her car, and drives away.

“What do you mean ‘I told you’? When did she get in touch?” I can’t believe she went against her own conditions.

“She contacted me through Facebook. I shut her down, Dad. I told her I wanted nothing to do with her.”

“I’m sorry, Milo,” I say.

“You have nothing to be sorry for. You’ve been the best parents ever.”

I wrap my arms around him. “I’m so proud of you. Go back to your party. We’re going to head home.”

I let him go, and Milo walks back into the pub.

When we are back home, I can’t get the audacity of Kate out of my mind. To think she could step back into our lives. That anything she said would make up for what she had done.

“Hey, Ivan, love. Don’t give her any head space. Let’s go and do dirty things to each other.” Brodie brushes his mouth over mine. He nips at my bottom lip. The sting sends sparks through my body straight to my dick.

“What would I do without you?” I murmur and pull his hips to mine.

“You never have to find out.” He kisses me, and every thought floats away as I lose myself in him.