Page 79 of Speechless

“Ahh, well in that case you’ll have to dress as an elephant.”

I scoff and smack him lightly against the chest. “Rude!”

“A baby elephant. They’re adorable, and wobbly, just like my Luzu.”

“Wobbly? That’s how you’re choosing to describe me?” I refuse to acknowledge the “my Luzu”because my heart cannot handle that right now.

“Well, yes. It’s cute, endearing really. You trip quite easily, love. Sometimes I do wonder how you’re able to balance on the surfboard at all. Low center of gravity must help.”

I can’t argue with him. I stumble more often than I care to admit—and baby elephants are ridiculously cute.

“All right, it’s decided then. A giraffe and a baby elephant for Confuzzled 2024.”

“Graham will want to come. Should I pencil him in as a kangaroo?”

“No, I don’t think that really suits him to be honest. Maybe a crocodile? No, a gorilla! Or maybe one of those flying monkeys fromThe Wizard of Oz. Wait a second . . .”

“I definitely don’t think he’ll be on board with a gorilla cos—”

“Oh my God, Henry! That wasOver the Rainbow. What the . . .” His eyes peek at me under thick lashes while he bites his lip. “You seriously just got me off toSomewhere Over the Rainbow!?”

His lips seal shut but he isn’t able to suppress his amusement. “Is that, erm, okay?” He looks nervous now, like he’s in trouble. But I can’t hide my smile any longer. It’s not long before we’re both breathless with laughter, Henry entwining his fingers with mine. “Ahh, I thought you’d like it.”

He pulls me back into his arms, where I gladly stay for the rest of the night.

36

Henry

Each timeI wake up next to Lucy feels bittersweet. This lovely girl whom I can’t seem to live without is so close I can touch every inch of her, and yet, she’s still out of reach, taunting me, like a mountain I can climb but can never get to the crest.

She rolls over to me and smiles lazily, before reaching for my waist and pulling me toward her. “Good morning, Maestro.”

“How’d you sleep, love?” I give her a quick kiss but try to keep just enough distance between us. I think I used up the last of my self-control last night.

“Like the dead. This bed is heavenly, it’s so fluffy it feels like I’m lying in the clouds.”

She does a little twist and roll movement before stretching out her limbs like a cat. Her golden hair is absolutely everywhere, an angelic Medusa lying next to me. I want to wake up like this forever.

I’m a bit nervous to tell her our plans for today. I’ve gone back and forth as to whether meeting my mum will be a good surprise. I feel like this is the one thing I can do to demonstrate how serious I am about her. I know there’s something she’s not telling me, but it has to be her fear of my intentions. That idiot husband of hers left after one year of marriage, and now he wants a bloody open relationship. God, hearing Sarah say that made me ill.

I may not know all the details, but she made it clear Jack abandoned her. I know exactly how that feels, and I’d never do it to Lucy.

Of course she’s nervous about my commitment to her. If I can just prove that I intend to have a real future with her, that I’m nothing like Jack, I know that will set us on the right path, quell her apprehension. I have to believe that’s the issue, because the only other option is that it’s me, that Graham was right, that Lucy thinks being with me would be too difficult, that I’m not normal.

No, I know that’s not it. She’s never made me feel like I’m anything less than the man I hope to be. She’s too kindhearted, too compassionate to think like that.

Sometimes it seems Lucy’s like a sparkly jigsaw puzzle. I’m so determined to figure her out but I just keep getting distracted by all her glittering pieces. Maybe I don’t need to fit them all together if I can love each morsel on its own. It’s rather apparent I already do.

I should tell her where we’re going now, before we leave the hotel. And yet, there’s a twisted part of me that is yearning to see her reaction. Lucy gets so animated every time I surprise her and I’m a selfish bastard who wants to see her face light up like a firework.

“So, would you like to know our plans for today?” She’s up and leaning back on her heels. I’ve got her attention. “We’re going for a drive, going to get out of the city for a while. How does that sound?”

“Sure, I’m up for anything. Where are we going?” Her eagerness radiates from her face and I fight the urge to kiss her.

“I was thinking we could go to Oxford. Did you know they have over one hundred libraries there?” Her eyes flash brighter as she shakes her head. They’re an intense shade of green today, like freshly cut grass glimmering in the sunlight.

“I would love to go there. Can we go to Blackwell’s? It’s been on my bucket list forever.”

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