Page 15 of Always Been You
“Wait, what do you mean? Is she… wait, is she—OH MY GOD.” There’s a pause on the other end, as if he’s trying to process it all. Then he practically shouts, “She’s the one, isn’t she? The girl who got away. The one you’ve been pining over like some tragic hero!” I can practically hear him pacing, his tone turning from shock to frustration.
“Goddammit, Edmund! Are you serious? You should have tried to win her over like a normal person, not… sneakily marry her. Do you realize how insane this sounds?” He lets out a sigh. “This is not going to end well, and you know it.”
I’m not a saint. Hell, I’m the furthest thing from it. But this? This was different. This was… necessary. Lawliss has always been the one thing I couldn’t control, couldn’t bend to my will. And that’s exactly why I need her. Because if I can make her love me—if I can earn that—I’ll know I’ve won in a way I’ve never won before. “Do you realize how insane this sounds?” Josh’s words echo in my head, but I push them aside. People like him wouldn’t understand. To them, love is neat, clean, and orderly. But love isn’t like that. It’s messy and ruthless. And sometimes, it means doing whatever it takes to make sure the one person who matters never slips away.
“Tell me about it,” I belatedly reply, running a hand through my hair. It’s not that I didn’t know what the consequences could be. “But since when have I ever let something or someone slip through my fingers once I’ve decided I want them?” I say instead of telling him my true intentions and plan. Moreover, it’s true. No business I’ve wanted has slipped through my hands.
“You do know the possibility of running into her when we go back is high, right? You also know she’s probably going to tear you apart once she figures this out,” Josh says, a hint of amusement in his voice.
“You think I don’t know that?” I snap, though there’s a smile pulling at my lips. “She can try, but I’m not about to let her go that easily.”
“Right, because trapping her into a marriage is the most romantic thing I’ve ever heard.”
“You don’t get it, Josh. This isn’t about romance. It’s about making sure she doesn’t walk away.” I pause, my tone softening. “She was always the one who could just… slip through my fingers. And I’m done letting that happen.”
“Yeah, well, good luck with that, Romeo.” Josh laughs, but there’s an edge to it. “Something tells me she’s not going to see it your way.”
I down the last of my wine, feeling the familiar weight of determination settles over me. “I’ll make her see it my way. One way or another.” I pause to change the topic, “Is everything ready for the move?” I ask.
“Yes. The office is ready. The staff that wish to move have. The press released it out and your grandfather explained everything”
“I bet he said I’d taken over already.”
“Yeah, the same thing he said to the Board.”
“And I’m guessing I need to finally show my face?”
“You got that right. We hired the best PR firm to take care of that when we get to Louisville,” I nod, although he can’t see me.
“When do we leave?”
“Tonight”
Tonight… from tonight onward I face my past and my wife.
Chapter Eight
Lawliss
Driving to my family’s estate, my mind drifts back to a week ago. Since I came home, all I think about is the night I spent with Eddie. The way he looked at me, Gosh! It was as if I could hang the moon. The feel of his hands, his tongue, his voice on me. Every damn day since then, it’s like he’s engraved himself in me, so deeply that I barely even think about Derrick, my ex-husband.
When I woke up that morning, he was sound asleep. So peaceful, I couldn’t bring myself to wake him. And in the clear light of day, without the liquid courage coursing through my veins, it all felt a little surreal. I never thought I’d be with him. Eddie always seemed so far out of reach, too wild, too untouchable.
I don’t regret it, but I can’t shake the memory of that document he gave me to sign. I know it’s crazy that I didn’t ask more questions, but Eddie has never done anything to hurt me.
He’s always put himself in harm’s way for me—like the time he fought my prom date without even knowing the details or the night he carried me through the rain to shield my broken heart. I think that was when the crush I had on him first began. That trust was what led me to sign without hesitation. And yet... what could he possibly need from me that he couldn’t just ask outright?
The family estate looms before me; its familiar shape is a reminder of the life I used to live before Derrick. It’s sprawling and grand, yet it doesn’t intimidate me the way it does others. To me, it’s a safe place.
My eyes find the old sycamore tree by the driveway, its branches spreading wide like welcoming arms. I remember climbing that tree with Lauren, our bare knees scraped and dirty, and my father’s voice calling us down to dinner. Even now, the sight of it helps me breathe a little easier.
Time to face the music with my family. I haven’t seen them for over a month, which is new.
My first instinct was to leave when I first discovered Derrick cheating. Since then, I’ve ignored my family most of the time in the last month, trying to make decisions that wouldn’t be influenced by them. In the end, my sisters convinced me to go out.
I pause just inside the foyer, letting the familiarity settle over me. For a second, I feel small again, safe. But then my mind flickers back to Eddie, the way he pushed me against the wall, the way he kissed me, and then to that signed document I still can’t understand. I shake the thoughts off and press forward into the family I’ve missed but kept at a distance.
A smile slips through when a tiny body rushes down from the stairs to hug me.
