Page 69 of Georgia: Britain's Story: Part 1
“Definitely. Before that, it was this morning. And before that, it was the night on the deck. Then it was the morning I left for Sonoma. And before that, it was the night before. All my ‘bests’ have been you, baby. A lot of my firsts, too.” He winks at me. Dropping his head down to my stomach, just laying it there while we talk.
“What firsts?” I find it hard to believe I can give Liam any firsts.
“You’re the first woman I’ve ever made love to, not just fucked. You’re the first woman I’ve ever loved. The first woman I’ve ever been bare with and the first I’ve ever choked. You’re my first fiancé and you’re going to be my first wife…and the first mother of my children.” He lifts his head, placing a kiss on my lower abdomen, making my heart soar.
I run my fingers through his hair, and say quietly, “I love you, Liam.” He just nods against my stomach and says, “I love you more.”
TWENTY-FIVE
Britain
We were supposed to be at Colton’s at 8:00 tonight, but I asked to make it earlier so I could eat there. It might be my last chance for a while. I can’t believe it, but I’m really going to miss this place. I’ve gotten used to always being able to see the lake and taking my morning walks in the forest. I love how it’s never humid and how the warm days always lead to cold nights. I wish there was a way for me and the girls to move here, but I just don’t see how it could ever work.
Liam’s taking a quick nap while I call Damian. I wanted to nap, too, but I also really need to make this call. Probably best to do it while I don’t have someone listening over my shoulder. Not that Liam does that, it would just feel weird I guess. A wave of anxiety washes over me as I hit the call button.
“Hey, Britain.”
“Hi, is now an okay time for a quick chat?” It’s so weird, I used to know his schedule like the back of my hand. I could tell you what time he took a break in the morning for coffee. Or whether he was doing a push or pull day at the gym, and now, we’re back to being strangers.
“Yeah, what’s up? Wait, before you start, though. I just wanted to say congratulations.”Shit.
“You already know?”
“Yup.” I’m trying to gauge his tone, but I can’t get a read on him.
“Damn, Jess and Tommy work fast. Sorry, I was planning to tell you myself.” He just laughs lightly.
“It’s alright. I’m surprised, Iwassurprised. I, uh, didn’t know that was something you were looking for. I just mean, last I asked, Jess said you were very opposed to dating.”
“You asked Jess if I was dating? Why?”
He lets out a long sigh. “What do you mean, why? I still care about you. I still love you. I still want you to be happy, but I also selfishly hoped you wouldn’t move on. I don’t know.” This is awkward.
“You left me…for someone else, and you hoped I wouldn’t move on?”
“See, it sounds stupid when you say it back to me and I hear it. I just hoped that you’d finally realize how much you actually loved me after I left, but instead you found someone else to love. I guess I just always felt like I was your runner-up, your number 2 pick, and there was a part of me that wanted you to feel the same way, that you were now the runner-up.”Wow.
“Jesus, that’s pretty fucked up…but I, uh, I do understand. There were a lot of things I never told you about why I left home, and that wasn’t fair to you. I think, maybe, what you’re trying to say is you feel like I never gave our relationship my all, I never gave all of myself to you. And I’m trying to say, you’d be right. There was someone who hurt me, badly, and I never got over it, over them. I’m sorry, Damian.”
“I’m sorry, too.”
“Right, so,” moving past whatever the fuck that was, “I want to make sure you’re okay with me introducing the girls to him. And then we also need to start figuring out living arrangements so we can key in on the custody agreement.” I need to keep the conversation to logistics. That’s what Damian and I do best.
“I would like to meet him myself first, but then regardless, you can introduce him to the girls.” That’s right, because regardless of what he thinks, it wouldn’t stop me from moving forward with Liam. This is all just out of courtesy. “Summer and I are looking for a place in Virginia right now. Probably inside the beltway, though, since we’ll keep commuting to the city for work. I’d love it if the girls could stay with you the rest of the summer until we’re settled, but then once school’s out next year, we split the time in half? Either every other week, or just half and half. I’m flexible.”
“Okay, that works. We can worry about next summer when it comes. Do you have any vacations you want to take them on during summer break this year?”
“Yeah, Summer wants us all to go to Disney World, like end of June. Does that work?”
“By all means, go. The girls would love that, and you know I can’t do Florida in the summer.”
“Yeah, by all of us, I meant you, too. Summer wants to know if you’ll come, too.”Oh.
“Oh, um, I don’t know, Damian. I think you and the girls and Summer should just go. It’ll be a good chance for you guys to get used to being your own family unit, you know? Maybe help the girls bond with Summer?”
“Copy, I will relay that. I’ll book everything then and get you dates.”
“Great, because I’m thinking I want to bring the girls here for a couple weeks towards mid to late summer. They’d love the lake, and I could show them where I grew up, and Georgia’s house. You good with that?”
