Scrooge

29. Haylee

29

HAYLEE

I wake to the side of the bed next to me empty. Stretching out, my muscles are sore, and I smile, thinking about my night with Alex. But then I remember the evening at the restaurant, and the overwhelming feeling of remorse comes back to me. I need to call my parents and check in on them. I need to ensure Alex’s hand is okay. I wonder if Jillian’s kids got to school or if I ruined that for them as well.

I swing my legs out of bed and notice a bathrobe waiting for me, as well as a pair of slippers, and I put them on. Smiling as I make my way out to the living room, I take a deep breath, not sure who or what I will find.

“There she is,” Alex says, leaning back in the dining chair, where he is sitting with a coffee. Chest warming, I walk up to him, not able to stop the smile that spreads on my face.

“Morning,” I say, stepping straight into his open arms, kissing him good morning.

“Hmmm, I can’t get enough of you…” he admits.

“The feeling is very mutual,” I tell him, smiling wider as his warm hands circle my waist and he pulls me to him so I’m sitting on his lap.

“How did you sleep?” he asks, and I sigh.

“I slept great, but as soon as I woke up, I felt awful again,” I tell him honestly.

“You don’t need to feel awful. I took care of everything,” he says, seemingly more relaxed than I am, and I sit forward to look at him.

“What do you mean?” I ask, wondering what is going on.

“Your parents are fine. I put more security on their street, had a truckload of groceries delivered, and I called the kids’ school and organized them to be out for a few days. Plus, I sent them a few new games and toys and things to keep them busy. One less thing for your sister to worry about.”

“What?” I ask in disbelief, my eyes hitting my hairline.

“Laurent has calmed the media, so they should all be fine to go back to work and school in another day or two.” Almost every concern I had fades as he explains everything he’s done.

“But what about you? Your work? Your hand? Oh my God, what about the police?” I ask.

“We’re all good, Sunflower. I work wherever I want. The office, my den here at home. The media are assholes, but they won’t stop me from doing what I want to do.”

I take in a breath, feeling calmer.

“And I spoke to the police,” he says, watching me carefully.

“Really? When?” It has me wondering how late I slept in. How has he already taken care of so much?

“Last night,” he says, and I frown.

“Last night?”

“Once you fell asleep, I got up and sorted it out. I didn’t want you to worry about anything when you woke up.”

I would say something if I could, but I am rendered speechless. I glance around the room, the whole place looking like it usually does. Then I bring my attention back to him. He’s freshly showered, that much is clear, but I’m not able to tell if he’s even slept.

“You should have woken me up… I could have helped with all that.”

“You needed to sleep; it was a big night. I had it handled.” His tone means business. He wanted to take care of me, and he did. It has my stomach fluttering, and I lean in to press a light kiss to his lips. When I pull back, seeing the look in his eyes, it has me asking one last question that’s on my mind.

“So what are we going to do now?” I ask him tentatively, because the goal posts have moved. We both know it.

“We throw out the agreement,” he says simply, knowing exactly what I’m talking about. Lifting my hand to his lips, he kisses my knuckles.

“That is so unlike you,” I tease. This man has almost done a one-eighty in terms of his personality. Although, I knew he was always soft underneath. Underneath all the grief of losing his father and the pressure work places on him.

“Hmmmm. Probably the biggest risk I have taken…” He continues to kiss each knuckle slowly.

“I would like to think I am a good investment…” I tell him, and I feel him smile against my skin.

“Oh, the dividends are very worth it…” A small chuckle escapes him, and I huff a laugh.

“Are we going to try this for real?” I ask again seriously, my heart flip-flopping. He pauses, lifting his head, and sits back to look at me for a moment. I watch him. He is frowning in thought, and I wait, feeling like I’m dangling at the edge of a cliff.

“I want you to be mine. But not because of any agreement. But because you want to be mine too,” he says, his eyes locked on mine, and my breath gets caught in my throat.

I can tell he is being genuine, and he’s letting me decide. He is protective, arrogant, and somewhat demanding, yet I still feel entirely in control.

“I want that,” I say quietly, nodding to him. I don’t know how it happened, but it has.

“We need to face the world.” My chest feels heavy as the memories of last night start to sink back in. I grab his hand. I didn’t end up finding ice, and we were too consumed with each other to think about what else to you.

“Ouch.” I squint at it, seeing it still red and swollen.

“Yeah… I think I will add frozen peas to the grocery list,” he admits, flexing and stretching it and wincing a little.

“Laurent has emailed through a brief about the media. Probably best not to look at your social media for a while.”

I’m not too worried about that because I stopped looking at it weeks ago.

“What is the general consensus?” I ask, wanting to get a feel for what is being said.

“Well, it’s positive, but it appears that the media are now painting us in a somewhat fairy-tale couple scenario,” he says, his shoulders lowering.

“Fairy-tale?”

“Since I saved Deloris from the shelters on Thanksgiving, and now I am pictured saving you from an assault. Apparently, that means I’m a real-life Prince Charming to the woman I love from Tucker Toys who has stolen my heart,” he murmurs, a small grin coming to his face.

Love. There is that word again. I swallow, because I have thought I was in love in the past, but that wasn’t what love is. Now, the feelings I have are strong, but I don’t know how I can be sure.

“But…”

My eyes flick back to look at his, as I take another sharp breath.

“But what?” I prod, my anxiety spiking, then lowering, then spiking again.

“But we are everywhere .”

“The office is bombarded, and here, downstairs is a mess, with media on the sidewalk outside. My team has doubled at your parents’ place and the toy store because of it.”

“Not good,” I say as I cringe. I know he’s taken care of my family, but I hope they’re not upset with me because of this.

“Been to the Hamptons before?” he asks, looking at me.

“Ahhh, no…” I say tentatively.

“Laurent has advised that we lie low for a few days, because it is getting a bit out of hand.”

“Oh, okay…” I’m not sure where he’s going with this.

“So, I’m taking you to the Hamptons for a few days.”

“The Hamptons?” I confirm, raising my eyebrows.

“I have a house there.”

“Of course you do.” I roll my eyes, and he pinches my hip.

“I haven’t been there since my father died, but I think it is the perfect place to hide. My helicopter will be here in half an hour, so that should give us enough time,” he says, grinning mischievously. That’s a new look I haven’t seen yet, and it has me giggling.

“Helicopter? Enough time for what?” I ask.

“To make you come one more time,” he says cheekily before he stands with me in his arms and throws me over his shoulder, taking me back to the bedroom.