Page 71 of Knotting Hill
Storm smiles sleepilyas she sees me putting my pants on. “Morning.”
I return it and lean down to kiss the top of her head. “Go back to sleep, princess. It’s early.”
“Where are you going?”
“Coffee.”
“Ah. Go, good knight, go.”
I snicker and sit on the bed to put my shoes on.
She yawns and turns over, cuddling up to Josh, who is more than happy to take my place next to her. One of us took turns on the couch, which wasn’t ideal, but this bed isn’t big enough for the four of us. As soon as Storm gives us her approval to mate, we will ask her to move into our house. I am under no illusions that she has one hundred per cent forgiven us. Well, me, specifically. We ambushed her, I will admit to that. I did not expect her to invite us up, and I did not expect to end up in her bed. Instinct took over, which proves to me who she is to us, but it’s now up to her to decide. I will walk away with a broken heartif she decides we aren’t for her. But I’m hopeful. What we shared last night was something beyond my wildest dreams.
We have been through so much, and yet, here we are, in her bed, safe and sound. I turn to Storm, who looks back with a sweet smile.
“It’s good to have you here,” she murmurs.
Feeling a wave of warmth and contentment flow through me, I reach out to squeeze her hand, and then stand up. I haven’t felt so happy, ever. I thought I was happy living my life the way I wanted to, but I was only kidding myself.
This right here is true.
Josh clears his throat. “This is the first night in many, many nights I’ve slept more than two hours.” His voice is thick with emotion. This is huge for him.
Storm eyes him curiously but doesn’t question him. “It feels like everything is finally starting to work out.”
Russell looks up and kisses her shoulder before saying, “Took us a while, but we did it.”
I smile, relieved that we are all finally together. I think of all the hardships we have faced, all of the obstacles that had stood in our way, ourselves and our actions mostly, but we persevered and now we might end up with everything. I won’t pressure her. She doesn’t need that from us.
“I’ll be back soon.”
Josh and Russell get up as well, stretching and yawning, and follow me into the kitchen. A sense of calm and peace, a feeling of knowing that things are finally going to be okay settles over me.
“Stay with her. Don’t leave her alone to forget about us and change her mind.”
Josh looks alarmed. “Do you think she might? Change her mind?”
“She hasn’t made up her mind yet. I haven’t heard the words. Until then, we do whatever we can to make her life easier and happier so she can’t live without us.”
I set off to the coffee shop down the street. The day is beautiful, the sun warming me, and birds are singing in the trees.
Luckily for both Franco and me, he isn’t working today. I might’ve ruined my bliss at seeing his face this morning. Although I would’ve also felt the need to brag about where I’d come from, even though the scent of cherries is all around me.
I place my order, choosing a variety of baked goods to go with the coffee, tapping my fingers on the counter as I wait.
When the order is ready, I do a balancing act to carry the four coffees and baked goods back to the flat, enjoying this sense of domesticity. It will be better when we have her at home where we can wait on her hand and foot, be at her beck and call and worship her the way she deserves.
Using my elbow to press the buzzer, my heart stops for a moment as no one answers, but then the door opens, and I’m let up to Storm greeting me at the front door to her flat.
“You’re a god!” she exclaims, grabbing the bag and pulling a coffee out of the cardboard holder.
“All black,” I call as she makes her way to the kitchen.
“That’ll do,” she says with a smile.
Josh and Russell descend on me with gusto, grabbing their coffees, and I kick the door closed, shutting out the world.
I gather my courage by taking a sip of hot, bitter coffee and approach with caution.
