Chapter 28

28

AMELIA

There is no greater feeling than watching your father and boyfriend finally resolve their issues.

I’d been somewhat dreading our trip back home, unsure of how Dad would react. He never said we couldn’t visit as a couple, but he didn’t exactly welcome us either. His choice of staying quiet on the subject had left me uneasy, yet his part in the takeover was a sign of better times to come.

When Will asked Mom of Dad’s whereabouts, I did my best to reassure him it will be okay. However, inside—I was panicking. The two men are both as stubborn and egotistical as each other—one of the many things they had in common.

It wasn’t just resolving their fall out over me; they have business ties too.

The entire time they sat in the office, I almost ate a whole red velvet cake Mom had baked. In my defense, it was delicious, and something about the chocolate calmed the nerves eating away at me.

Finally, during a conversation over Addison’s new boyfriend, who Mom didn’t exactly approve of, Will and Dad walk into the kitchen while discussing work, of course.

I didn’t care if they wanted to work all day, flopping back into my chair and finally able to relax knowing they reconciled. Neither one said anything, but their expressions were enough to tell me all in the world is well again.

My glance shifts toward Will, noting how at ease he appears. Even Dad looks happy, something I never imagined seeing again with Will inside the same room. As for Mom, she doesn’t hold back her joy, unable to stop grinning while we joked over Ava’s tragic love life.

However, in the presence of my parents, I wasn’t sure if kissing Will is acceptable. It was still all new, and I sensed Will felt the same. As they say goodbye, I give him a quick peck on the cheek, not wanting to push boundaries just yet.

With the two of them retreating to the office to work, Mom suggests we head to Aunt Adriana’s for lunch. Their house is only ten minutes away, giving us some time to chat.

“How do you feel?” Mom asks, looking relieved.

“Of course, I’m happy they’re on speaking terms again, but I guess I’m still trying to get used to being back together with Will. It’s only been a week, and we haven’t stopped to catch a breath.”

“I remember when your father and I first got back together. It was the same. We both had demanding careers, plus I was pregnant with you. Your father technically lived in London. I lived in Manhattan. There was a lot of adjusting and compromising.”

“How did you end up in LA then?”

“Your father had a business opportunity, and I wasn’t comfortable raising a child in the city. Rocky and Nikki did it with ease, but it wasn’t for me. I grew up in California in a house with a backyard. I wanted the same for my children. But also, your grandparents were considering moving, so that made the decision final.”

“And Eric?”

“Please, Hollywood?” Mom sneers while raising her brows. “There was no need to convince him.”

Mom pulls her SUV into the driveway. We exit the car and knock on the door; Aunt Adriana answers in an off-the-shoulder red floral dress. As usual, she looks terrific. Although she had similarities to Dad, being they are siblings, she is a very beautiful woman with defined features making her even more unique.

She ushers us in but quickly pulls Mom aside, needing some legal advice for a friend of hers going through a divorce with four kids. Something about a wandering dick came out, which was my cue to leave.

I walk through the house and toward the kitchen to find Uncle Julian inside on his laptop. He stands up to greet me with a hug, dressed in a sports top, shorts, and sneakers.

I take a seat across from him with ease, always enjoying my conversations with him.

“How is Yale going?” he asks, pouring me a drink.

“Good, hard, challenging.” I sigh, then chuckle softly. “I’m trying to stay focused and reach the end.”

“I remember my days at Harvard. I used to think the same.”

“Andy and Ava are so lucky to have graduated and to be following their dreams,” I confess, wishing sometimes I wasn’t chained to studying. “Andy is so excited about the trip to South America, especially Brazil.”

Uncle Julian shakes his head while laughing. “Yes, I may need to take him down a notch. I’m not sure what he’s expecting when we get to Brazil, but it isn’t the land of supermodels.”

“Don’t burst his bubble.” I laugh along with him. “I almost did, and it didn’t end well. It was the night I ran into Will. We both drank way too much. I don’t even know how Andy made it home. I guess we’re just as bad as each other.”

“The two of you have somewhat been a troublesome duo,” he muses.

I smile at the fond memories. “And now look at us.”

“I’m proud of you both. You’ve come a long way to get where you are.”

“Thanks, Uncle Julian,” I say, then twist my hands uncomfortably. “So, um, listen. Thank you for stepping in the night of the Hamptons. It wasn’t my finest moment, and I never got to thank you for taking Austin home.”

He glances at me with a downcast expression. “It was best he went home. Nothing good would have come from him staying.”

“Was it that bad? I mean, in the car with him?”

“He was hurt, which was to be expected given the situation.”

“I wish it didn’t end that way,” I profess while lowering my gaze to the table. “I love Will, but I should have done the right thing from the beginning and not accepted Austin’s proposal.”

“We all make mistakes and have these not-so-pleasant moments in our lives. Don’t beat yourself over it. Austin will move on. It just wasn’t meant to be.”

I tinker with the glass in front of me, treading carefully on the subject though equally as curious. “Is that what happened with you and mom?”

“That was quite some chapter in my life,” he reminisces with a smile on his face. “If it weren’t for Charlie, I would never have met Adriana and have my family. I can’t regret what brought me my blessings.”

I nod my head in agreeance. “You’re right. In the end, family is everything.”

“It always is, Amelia. No matter how it may come into your life, once you have it, you wonder how you lived without it.”

I jump off my chair to hug him as he holds onto me tight. Uncle Julian always understood me. No judgment. Just thoughtful words and advice helping me move forward. Unlike Dad, he is very rational. He’s seen a lot in his lifetime and easily opened my eyes when I’d lost my way and focused on things that didn’t matter.

“You did the right thing. Will and you were always meant to be together.”

“You really think Austin will be okay?”

“I didn’t think I would be at one point in my life, but look at me now?” He quips with an upturned face. “I have everything I want.”

Aunt Adriana and Mom walk back inside the kitchen while continuing to discuss the so-called impending divorce matter.

“Oh no, why the long faces?” Aunt Adriana questions with a frown.

I smile, reassuring her it’s nothing serious. “No long faces, just a much-needed pep talk from my favorite uncle.”

Aunt Adriana snorts. “Don’t let Noah hear that.”

“I’m famished,” I tell them, already eyeing the food on the countertop. “Lunchtime?”

Uncle Julian says goodbye as Willow thunders down the stairs with all her soccer gear. According to Aunt Adriana, Uncle Julian coached her team, and they’re currently division one in their competition, meaning they must adhere to a strict training schedule.

“I don’t know why I agreed to this,” Adriana complains. “The soccer moms are all over Julian, and it is driving me crazy.”

“All perky?” Mom asks, cringing.

“Perky and going commando.”

“Ew,” I cringe, unable to get the image out of my head. “Moms go commando?”

Mom and Adriana laugh together. “When you’re trying to get the attention of your hot soccer coach, then yes.”

“Julian loves you, Adriana,” Mom assures her.

“I know, I know, and he shows me every night.”

“Every night?” I raise my brows, doing a mental calculation in my head of her age which I believe is the early fifties. “You mean at your age you have sex every night?”

I quickly turn to Mom, pointing my finger at her. “You are not allowed to answer this question nor even partake in this conversation.”

Mom raises her hands, calling defeat.

“Yeah, I’ll second that,” Aunt Adriana complains while scowling. “Don’t go talking about my wild stallion of an older brother.”

I let out an exaggerated groan.

“Did you have to use the words wild stallion and my Dad in the same sentence? This is just as bad as when Liesel mentioned the whole Dad being online with gray sweatpants.”

Mom purses her lips, her smile fixed. “I am aware my husband somewhat went viral all because I sent him out to the store late one night.”

“Okay…” I breathe, trying to rid my head of this conversation. “Change of subject. Anything but this, please. I’ve got Ava’s string of dating fails as the top contender.”

* * *

Our dinner at Nobu was fantastic as usual, but when we got home, the sleeping arrangements were somewhat left unanswered. How on earth do you have a conversation as to where your boyfriend should sleep? Austin never stayed in this house since his parents lived not too far from here. Given that I’m an adult, you would think this shouldn’t be an issue, but we are talking about the great Lex Edwards here. There was a strict rule of no boys staying in the house though that was years ago and surely—should no longer apply to me.

We’re standing inside the kitchen when I expel a yawn. Mom suggests I head to bed, given the time zone change can be tiresome at times.

“Um, sure.” I turn to look at Will, unsure how to bring this up. Thank God Dad had left the room because of a phone call. “But, um…”

“It’s fine for the two of you to stay in the same room if that’s where you’re getting at.”

I breathe a sigh of relief, thanking my lucky stars. Mom is fine, which means Dad must be the same. “It’s just different. Will has always stayed in our guest room.”

“I can stay in the guest room again if you want to relive old times?” Will proposes with a cocky grin.

I punch him in the shoulder. “You’re still a pain in the ass, Romano.”

I’m waiting for Will’s comeback, but he knows better than to say anything in front of Mom, especially if it involves anything sexual.

We say goodnight and head to bed but not before showering and brushing our teeth. My room hasn’t changed much over the years, still the same king-sized bed and a few prints on the wall. There is a shelf near my desk, housing all the books I loved to read.

Beneath the doona covers, Will caresses my stomach.

“Look, this is weird. It’s my parents’ house.”

“We fucked in the guest room,” he is quick to remind me. “I’m sure you haven’t forgotten the midnight rendezvous?”

“Shhh…can you not use that word? What if my sisters hear?”

“So, wait a minute,” he begins, then continues, “I’m supposed to sleep beside you and not touch you?”

“Think of it as some sort of a challenge.”

“I’m challenged enough. I run an empire. I’d like to fuck you, please.”

“Can we just hold off?” I plead with a squeaky voice. “I mean, what’s three nights?”

Will groans. “Fine, good night.”

He rolls over and falls asleep within a matter of minutes. What’s with men being able to do that? Meanwhile, I’m here trying to figure out my whole life while having flashbacks of middle school when my dress got caught on the chair, and the whole class saw my underwear.

Somewhere during the night, I wake up unable to sleep. It’s still dark out, and when I turn to look at my phone, it’s just past two in the morning. I toss and turn to no avail, desperate to touch him but bounded by my morals. Maybe, all I need is to touch his skin. There’s no harm in that.

I run my hands down his torso, hovering around his stomach until temptation is too much to bear. My hands slide into his pants, resting on his shaft. He is hard, making me crave him even more. As I begin to stroke him, his soft moans escape until I can’t take it anymore.

“Hey, you said no touching,” he whispers.

I quickly climb on top and ease myself on him. “If it takes less than a minute, it doesn’t count.”

At a slow and agonizing pace, I begin to ride him. It doesn’t take long, despite the speed, to feel the familiar build. That is until every sensation heightens, and I explode into a blissful finish.

I remove myself from him, falling beside his body while we both catch our breath.

“I feel used,” he scoffs, laying on his back with his arm behind his head.

“Oh please, you were hard already.”

“I don’t deny that. You caught me in the middle of a great dream.”

“Was it about me?”

“Hmmm…maybe?”

“Maybe?” I turn, suddenly annoyed. “Who else are you dreaming about who made you hard?”

“Not sure…” he teases.

“You know, dream cheating is a real thing and can hurt just as much as the real deal.”

“Will you relax?” he tells me, pulling me into him. “I was dreaming of you on all fours while I ate that sweet pussy of yours.”

I feel my shoulders relax. “Okay, you’re lucky this time. But there’s just one problem.”

“What?”

I place my lips on his tempting mouth, rolling my tongue against his. “It wouldn’t hurt you to fulfill that dream of yours. Now, would it?”

* * *

Our stay on the West Coast came and went in the blink of an eye. Before we knew it, it was time to say goodbye. It was always hard to leave home; I’d grown up here and while being in the city is exciting, there is nothing like views of the canyons and basking in the Californian sun.

Dad is due to fly over in a week. He has many meetings scheduled with Will, so I assume I will barely see either of them. The takeover is going to take all their time, but not wanting to pull the selfish card out just yet, I kept quiet on my boyfriend having to travel over the next few months.

“I hate saying goodbye,” I confess to Mom.

“Not for long. Now, remember, any questions if Nikki isn’t around, just call me.”

“I will, promise.”

We say our goodbyes, but before we head to LAX, we detour for lunch at one of my favorite restaurants as per Will’s request. He mentioned something about coming here years ago and enjoying the food.

Two hours later, we finally board the plane. When we’re in the air for less than twenty minutes, the pilot informs Will of needing to make an emergency landing in Vegas because of some light that came on.

“For the love of God,” I panic, fastening my seatbelt, “Please buy a new plane because this is the second time this has happened.”

Will kisses my hand with a reassuring smile. “How about we take the opportunity to spend the afternoon walking around. A nice walk on the strip, have some dinner until they’re sorted?”

I nod, agreeing, then gesture the sign of the cross to pray we land safely.

The pilot informs us he will need a few hours to solve the problem and gain clearance to fly again. Will organizes a car to take us to the strip. It’s been two years since I last visited, and absolutely nothing has changed. Tourists are everywhere, and casinos are lit up with people trying to get you to come inside with all these offers of shows and free drinks.

We hold hands, walking down the strip. I enjoy the simplicity of being able to be with Will out in the open without the worry of being caught.

Upon seeing the wedding chapels, I laugh to myself, remembering a bit from some movie. I’m unable to remember which movie, but it was something with two people completely drunk who stumble into a chapel and end up getting married.

“There’s this movie….” I begin laughing until Will stops walking, and I’m forced to turn around. “What’s wrong?”

His eyes glaze over with a dreamy stare while he stands quietly. I start to worry, wondering why he won’t move.

“Amelia?”

I swallow the lump forming inside my throat. “Yes?”

Will reaches out both his hands, standing tall in front of me, looking incredibly handsome dressed in his denim collared shirt and khakis. His dark hair, normally styled when dressed in a suit, is loose and making him look like one of those bad boys you see driving a motorcycle.

“I’ve spent days racking my brain of how perfect I wanted this moment to be. But no matter what I came up with, it all seemed insignificant. You see, wherever we are, together, is perfect because when you are by my side, nothing else matters.”

“Will…” My voice begins to quiver. “What are you trying to say?”

I watch with wide eyes as he slowly bends down onto one knee. Around us, people have stopped to observe, a few taking out their phones.

“I promised you it was all in—no turning back. I love you. I’ve always loved you. Marry me, here, tonight.”

He produces a box from his pocket, opening it, and inside sits Mom’s emerald ring. I throw my hands over my mouth, hiding my smile while exhaling the deepest of breaths. Carefully, he removes the ring from the box and slides it on my finger, without even waiting for me to respond.

“I could wait for you to say yes,” he gazes at me with an arrogant smirk, “But we know you were always meant to be my wife.”

I’m unable to speak, and with a burst of excitement, I take his face into mine and kiss him deeply as people around us applaud.

“Yes, a million times over,” I sputter while grinning hopelessly.

“Do you trust me?”

“Of course, I trust you, Will.”

“Then follow me, please.”

He takes my hand as I follow him inside the chapel. When the door opens, my entire family is there, all of them with bright smiles on their faces the moment they see us. My parents and sisters, aunts and uncles, cousins, and even Eric and Tristan.

“What?” I turn to him, shocked at seeing everyone. “How did you plan this without me knowing?”

“It’s all Charlie and Adriana,” he praises, with a beam in his eye.

I shake my head, trying to calm myself down to be able to think straight. “Wait, so we’re getting married here?”

“Only if you want to. I know it’s not grand, and if that’s what you want, we can do that later. I didn’t want anything to stop you from finishing your degree, but I’m a selfish man. I want you to be my wife now. I’ve waited too long.”

He leans down, kissing me softly.

“It’s perfect, Will. We have waited too long. As long as our families are with us, nothing else matters.”

“Okay,” Aunt Adriana interrupts. “Can I steal you now?”

“Steal me?”

“Well, you ain’t getting married in a pair of jeans and a midriff tank.”

“Hold on,” Nikki comes between us. “We need a quick trip next door to obtain a marriage license. We’ll be back in five minutes. I’ve already spoken to Joe, and he is waiting for you.”

We head next door to see the Clark County, but my head is elsewhere, half-listening but not really caring as I sign the documents required. The entire time, Nikki is chatting away and before I can even get a word in, we are back inside the chapel.

Before I leave to get changed, I place my hands on Will’s chest while taking a deep breath. Lost in his loving gaze, there is no doubt he was always meant to be the one.

“See you at the alter?”

“I’ll be there.” He winks, kissing me one more time. “Last kiss as a single woman. How does it feel?”

“It feels like time is too slow, and I just want you to be my husband,” I tell him excitedly.

Aunt Adriana takes me to the back room but asks me to close my eyes. When we enter, she tells me to open them, and hanging from a rack is a stunning ivory laced dress in a mermaid silhouette.

I run my fingers over the delicate lace, admiring the detailing around the neckline, then turning it around to see a low back hem. The design takes my breath away, something I never imagined I would feel over a wedding dress.

“Do you like it?”

“I love it,” I choke, unable to hide my emotion. “It is perfect.”

Aunt Adriana claps her hands. “Well then, hurry up. Let’s get you married!”

The dress, of course, fits perfectly. Ava does my hair and makeup, keeping it minimal. Beside me, Mom sits quietly but never without her adorning smile.

“You’re beautiful,” she tells me softly. “Your father is nervous.”

I take a deep breath, not from nerves but from excitement. An hour ago, I was complaining about Will’s malfunctioning jet and wondering what I should wear to the office on Monday. Now, I’m moments away from getting married.

“Are you nervous?” Ava asks, touching up my cheekbones.

“I’m excited. I just want to marry him.”

Ava leans in with a knowing grin. “It’s the spark. You guys have always had it. Even when you thought you hated each other’s guts.”

There is a gentle tap on the door as Ava finishes up on my face. I look into the mirror and see my father in the reflection. He is dressed in a tuxedo, despite us getting married in a Vegas chapel. I turn around and stand up, moving closer to him.

His eyes fall upon me with a shallow sigh following. I reach out my hands for his, then squeeze them tight.

“I’ll always be your little girl,” I remind him gently. “That will never change.”

In my entire life, there’s been a few times when my Dad expressed any sentimental emotions. It didn’t mean we didn’t feel loved. He was just always in control and knew what to convey through words rather than expressions.

But standing in front of me, his eyes glass over—a mixture of sadness and honor.

“You look beautiful, Amelia,” he croaks, followed by a smile. “Are you ready?”

“Been waiting a lifetime…”