I needed to find some fucking composure!
“You know that is fucking mean that we didn’t get to give you a buck’s night,” Brian started.
“Yeah, it is tradition,” Billy got in on it.
Charlie laughed. “I would have asked you but Kate would have not played up as much.”
“Who is Kate?” Ryan asked.
I frowned and walked out of the bathroom.
Charlie gazed at me and looked confused as he pointed at me.
“You are nuts mate! That is Shorty.”
I stared at Brian and the rest of my family, until that moment, they had just called me by my nickname. None of us realized that the kids thought my name was Shorty.
“Ryan, Ella… Shorty is my nickname. Like when I call Emma Red,” I explained.
“So… your name isn’t Shorty?” Ella clarified, omg three-year old attitude.
“What is it then?” Ryan exclaimed. “My whole life is a lie!” He threw his hands up.
“Kaitlyn Grace. Or Kate for short,” I told them with a blush.
Both kids made a face.
“What?” I asked.
“It is just so girly,” Ryan muttered making a face. “Like a princess name or something.” He shuddered.
Thanks son, way to go making Mummy feel gross.
“Yeah.” Ella sighed, obviously loving it. “You should be called that more often. It’s pretty. You could wear dresses if you were called Kaitlyn.”
Charlie smiled as I introduced him to the kids. They sat on his lap and told him stories about the real me. He listened and laughed.
There was another knock on the door and Ian was standing there with two little kiddies who were as adorable as mine. “They just arrived and want to see Charlie.” He looked apologetic.
“He is inside go get him.” I smiled at them.
They went past me bursting into the room.
“Hello Monkies!” Charlie exclaimed.
Ian and I went to the bedroom and shut the door, so we could talk.
I looked up at Ian. “Are you ok?”
“Are you?” he asked.
I shook my head and I bit my lip to stop it from trembling. I didn’t want to cry.
“Come here,” he whispered.
I face planted his chest and hugged him, trying desperately to compose myself.
His arms held me. “Do you want to come sit and just process?”
I shook my head. “All my family is here.”
“Do you want to sleep with him tonight?” he asked.
“I don’t know what he wants.” I shook my head and biting my lip.
“He wants us to get married.”
“Ian, after the things we have done. I don’t think you really want those qualities in a wife.”
“Actually, they are. My wife was a princess. Delicate, petite and not a violent or retaliatory bone in her body. She was always worried about her weight and was always if I were to be honest, a little too skinny. She wasn’t adventurous, wouldn’t go camping or try different things. She couldn’t see the bad in anyone. That is what I suspect got her killed.” He tilted my chin up so I would look at him. “When Charlie picked you, you looked beautiful and petite and like every other girl. Then you took up the challenge of helping him with this bucket list. I thought well, she will moan and complain. But you didn’t. You stepped up to every challenge, watching you get head was sexy as fuck. I love watching you come.”
I blushed. “I watched you too.”
“I know.” He smiled. “But I think it was when you saved Charlie. I watched you argue with your instructor when even he didn’t want you to do it. On the ground, he called you batshit crazy.”
I giggled. “It’s just me. I haven’t acted like anything else. What you see is what you get.”
“What I see is a beautiful, elegant woman. What we got was a little badass dressed like a princess. That excites and scares me.”
“Why? I would never hurt you.” I said softly.
“Because getting put in the doghouse could hurt. Why do I get the feeling you could kick my ass?”
“Because I could.” I grinned and winked at him.
“If you two are in there doing wicked and wonderful things to each other, could you please open the door so I can watch?” Charlie called.
I giggled as I looked up at Ian.
He grinned at me. “Charlie! I am trying to propose here,” Ian called back.
Wait what? I looked up at him, shocked. My heart started pounding through my chest.
“She will faint,” Gerrard called and the doors opened. “I love it when she faints. Proceed.”
I glared at Gerrard and my family and then looked back at Charlie who just smiled. I could tell he was feeling how I was. A little heartbroken and overwhelmed from the last few days. I pleaded with my eyes to him for help.
He mouthed, ‘Just say yes.’
I turned to look back at Ian as he took my hand. He was on one knee. He held out a ring with a diamond so big I was sure I would never lift it. I gazed at his blue eyes which were uncertain but set with the decision. He didn’t love me but would marry me for his brother’s happiness.
Charlie
Kate eyes rolled and her knees gave out.
Ian grabbed onto her looking a little surprised. He glanced at me as he put her on the floor gently.
Her family stood around laughing.
I smiled, I hadn’t expected that. She looked so small on the floor. It hurt that she wasn’t my wife. I’d been making arrangements for her when I died. I had more plans for her.
“Dad? Why did the lady faint?” Tim asked as he went to his father, Ian patting him on the shoulder.
“Well, I’m hoping she will be your new Mom.” Ian smiled.
Oh no, Ian. Please don’t say this and break their hearts later. If you don’t love her, don’t do it!
Ian glanced at me as though he’d read my thoughts. His expression told he would marry her for me and look after her but love wasn’t a promise.
“You want to be our Dad?” Ryan asked wide eyed.
“Yep.” Ian gazed at him and Ella then at me, checking to see if I was ok.
I nodded.
There were children involved.
He looked back to Kate who’d opened her eyes and he again, held up the ring.
Her eyes rolled and she went limp again.
“Get the ring out of her face. Ask her the question and then give her the ring.” Brian chuckled.
“Fucker makes us all look bad,” Gerrard grumbled shaking his head.
I glanced at him wondering why he would say that.
“I wouldn’t change the ring you gave me for the world,” his wife, Carrie said. “Having you is enough.”
He smiled and kissed her, she wanted him regardless.
Only Kate had ever been like that with me. I looked back at Ian and Kate.
Kate opened her eyes.
Ian smiled at her. “I was in the process of asking you to marry me.” He chuckled.
“Is this forever or cause Charlie made you?” she asked softly.
“Forever,” Ian replied and he looked like he meant it. If he was acting, he deserved an academy award. He sat her up and hugged her while he whispered in her ear.
She was reduced to tears and then looked at him and nodded.
He went back to whispering in her ear.
She gazed at me and I felt like the most loved man in the world. I smiled and nodded. I needed them to move on. I had to believe he would fall for her.
Time was ticking.
She looked back at him. They both just gazed into each other’s eyes for a moment then she nodded. “Yes.”
My heart felt shattered for a moment—now she wasn’t mine. Then full because he had moved on, she would make him happy and look after him for me.
All the kids started cheering as they went and piled on top of them.
I sat back and sighed, this was fucking awesome. A glimpse of the future. One I w
ould never see.
A hand touched my shoulder and I gazed up to see Brian, he oversaw the company that ran my security. His business was under my umbrella. He sat beside me. “Hard not to love the little bitch, isn’t it?”
I looked at him, nodding. “Yeah, I found that out, for sure.”
“How long you got?”
“Grim reaper is stalking me. The doctor gave me a month. I don’t think I have that long,” I said softly. “If he tries to divorce her, beat him to his senses and tell him it was from me.”
He grinned. “Done. Anything else?”
“Are you her brother?” I asked.
“We are technically in laws but when Chris died, we made her our sister.” He smiled as he loved and respected Kate like a sister. “You met her already, remember? The crazy investigator?”
Oh, you have got to be shitting me…So she does own a brush. “She doesn’t have any blood relatives?” I asked to see what he did know.
“Well, she’s the product of a one-night stand. The man that raised her and her mother died eight years ago.”
“So, she doesn’t know who her biological father is?”
“Yeah, she had a photo. When I came to work over here, she asked me to track him down.”
“Find him?”
“Yeah, he died twelve months ago. She has a brother but when we contacted him, he didn’t want to meet her.”
“What is his name? I will make a phone call.” I grinned because I already knew.
“Ben Henderson. Supposed to be some hotshot lawyer.” Brian sighed. “I think he thought she was after money. But she just wanted to know him.”
I looked at Brian, I was going to drop Ben in it. “Well, that is just fucking funny.”
“What is?”
“She’s been hanging out with him for the last week. He likes her, thinks she is a bitch but he does like her and he hates pretty much everyone.” I got out my phone and texted Ben and my family party in Kate’s room. “Want to meet him? And not tell her who he is?”
“I like games but if Shorty finds out? She won’t forgive me if she finds out I know.”
Brian and I sat debating and when everyone arrived, we studied Ben and then Kate. Then we looked at each other.
“I don’t know how I didn’t notice the real similarities, they have the same eyes,” I whispered to Brian.
“She’s got her mother’s height,” Brian whispered back “But yes, eyes are very similar. Was her Dad tall?”
“Bit shorter than Ben.”
I introduced everyone to my family and mom, well she had her eyes locked on Ian, the ring now on Kate’s finger and the kids that were all over them. I took her hand and she looked at me. I got up, gave her a hug and then kissed her cheek. “Please, just accept it. She will look after him when I’m gone. I need to see him move on. I want him to be happy.”
She looked up at me and went to talk and her mouth shut.
I could pretty much get away with murder right now. She would let me. I gave her another hug.
Brian slapped Ben on the shoulder in a brotherly way. “So, Ben, do you like to drink?”
I tried not to smirk.
“I love to drink.” Ben grinned.
“Good, cause that fucker looks like he needs a hangover.” Brian pointed at Ian.
Ben nodded thoughtfully. “He does, doesn’t he…” He looked over at me. “How much shit have you got left on your bucket list?”
I smiled “Those two getting married and a few other things.” Like the house I’d bought for Ian and Kate to live in while they had their two-year marriage. I bought it and it literally had an army of workmen repainting it and furnishing it as I sat here.
“Well, come on then. Rita and Joe have unpacked. We can leave the kids with them and we can go play,” Richard said rubbing his hands together and winking at Kate. “You hold your drink well my girl but tonight, you might be out of your league.”
Kate laughed. “Honey, I will drink your arse under the table and still be up at the gym in the morning.”
“You didn’t go to the gym this morning.” He smirked.
“I had a personal trainer give me a cardio work out.” She grinned and looked at me.
I smiled.
“What do you say Charlie? They should have given you a bachelor’s night too.”
“Oh, this is going to be epic.” Billy rubbed his hands together.
“Hey, we are coming too,” Emma said.
Billy glared at her. “No.”
“Yes,” she said.
“It’s a buck’s night,” he growled at her.
Yes, I would say they fought like siblings.
“Yeah well, I want to party and Shorty is too much trouble when she’s drinking. Going to need help,” Carrie stated firmly.
Billy pursed his lips. “Alright, just dress hot, so you’ll drive the boys nuts. Hey kids, do you want to have a sleepover?”
Kate
Emma and Carrie were going to get dressed with me, but we ended up having another fight. I kicked them out of my room, so I could have some time with Ryan and Ella. They’d sat on my bed and we had a look at the selfies and photos that I’d taken so far on my holiday.
“You didn’t tell us that you were coming to find us a new Dad.” Ella stared at me.
I kissed the top of her head. “I didn’t plan on it.”
“Is he going to be our Dad forever?” she asked.
I shook my head. “No only for two years.”
Both kids pouted
“I know it’s a bit silly but it will be fine. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Does that mean we don’t have to listen to him?” Ryan asked.
“You still have to listen to him,” I said. “He is an adult and you need to respect him.”
I got dressed, with their help. Ryan kept telling me how pretty I looked, making me blush. When Brian’s parents, Nelly and Harry, arrived to pick them up for the night, the kids couldn’t wait to go. Harry had another quick dig at me. I just shook my head because I didn’t want to hear it.
I sat in my room in the silence and shook my head. I was an idiot. Ian didn’t love me. I knew in my heart that he was only doing this for Charlie. So, I had to ask myself, why was I? I owed him nothing. I could be there for him through his last days and not have to pretend that Ian and I would have a happy ending.
Ian picked me up and we walked in silence. I suppose when you lose a bet and you’re too stubborn to back down from a dare, there wasn’t all that much to say. In the elevator, I looked up at him. “You don’t have to marry me Ian. We can do the wedding and just not sign the paperwork. He would never know.”
He nodded. “Have you got cold feet?”
“You don’t love me. I don’t want you to feel trapped.” I avoided his gaze while staring straight ahead.
“We’re going to get married. He’s going to share you until he goes. We’re going to play happy families and when he goes, we will work it out.”
“Are we even going to try?”
“We will work it out.” he said softly. He took my hand as the elevator doors opened to our families waiting.
Everyone seemed to be mixing well. I though, didn’t want to do anything but go hide in my room.
It only took half an hour for Ben to pull me aside. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“This is supposed to be your bachelorette night,” he pressed.
“Us Aussies call it hen’s night.”
He rolled his eyes. All American and thinking the title was silly. “You also, aren’t talking to anyone.”
“That’s because everyone on my side spent a good two hours pointing out how stupid I am and well, everything else…I’m fine.
I will smile. Will that get you off my back?”
He shook his head. “Nope. Do you want to pretend to be sick and we can go gamble for a while and get drunk then come back when you’re in a better mood to party?”
I glanced at
him. “I’m ok.” I patted his arm. “You’re the only one not calling me a gold digging fucking idiot who is out of my mind. I’m not sure I even deserve your good grace.”
“Yeah alright, I am worried now. Come on.” He took my arm, got me up, and started walking me towards the door.
“Oi, where you goin’ with Shorty!” Billy called.
Ben turned. “I’m going to see if she can have more fun drinking and gambling with me.”
“What? Do you want in her panties now?” Billy smirked.
I turned and stared at him feeling more hurt than I had in forever.
The look on Billy’s face a second later when he realized what he’d said, told me he hadn’t meant it. “Shorty, come on, that wasn’t directed at you. I was kidding.”
I held up my hand and shook my head. “I’ll be back. Ben and I are going to gamble for a while.”
“Shorty, I am sorry.” He touched my arm watching me. “I know we were a bit rough on ya before…”
I nodded. “Yeah, it’s all good Billy, I wouldn’t expect anything less from you. You all said what I was thinking anyway. Well, except for the money stuff. I just need a little time out. It’s been a big day. I will come back and play up.”
Charlie
Ben walked off with Kate and I almost followed her. I looked at Ian and pointed. “What did you say to her?”
He held up his hands. “I didn’t say anything for her to be like that.”
“No, that would have been us,” Brian muttered. “She came clean and we went off.”
“Had security come up to the room twice to check and see we were ok,” Carrie shrugged.
I cocked an eyebrow. “Why did you let her have it?”
“Because she’s an idiot,” Brian stated he pointed at me. “She loves you, I don’t doubt it. And you…” He pointed at Ian. “You are under her skin in a big way and you like her for a fuck and nothing more. You put on a fucking good show but that was all it was.”
Ian took a long drink. “Who the fuck are you, to tell me how I feel about her?”
“I know love when I see it. He loves her. You don’t.” Brian pointed at him.
The Vegas Random Page 16
