Miss South
Page 23
Rosemary and Jonathan were waiting for me as I said my goodbyes to the hotel staff and thanked the manager again for his support and quick actions during the assault.
I shared one last loose hung with Heronsgate, who also embraced Rosemary in the same fashion and shook hands with Jonathan.
I zoned the press out so I could wave to the fans waving at me and climbed into the car.
Rosemary and Jonathan joined me, the latter blowing out a relieved breath once the door was shut and we were on our way.
“Do you think English fans are going to be this exhausting?” He asked.
“Grouch,” Rosemary grinned.
# # #
Henry Heronsgate
My phone buzzed and it made me grin.
South had kept to the promise to a selfie every day and I saved every one of them, my phone currently held four weeks’ worth of shots. Some of them she had taken earlier in the day or the evening before and other times they were obviously taken just before they were sent.
South was getting more relaxed in front of the camera and she had even admitted to planning a few modelling sessions with a professional photographer to help become more confident and comfortable; news which had caused Ignis to scowl and complain that he would have done that with her if she had asked.
South always sent the photos about her lunchtime to coincide with my breakfast so we could exchange a few texts.
Yesterday it was her standing in front of her house, she was back home for a two-week break in her UK tour, something that South might have felt was too intense for her first public foray but which I felt had been meticulously planned and very well-conceived. Her author board was flooded with pictures and compliments, she had been closely followed by all kinds of media and Jonathan had made sure to divide her interview time between all who asked for it.
South had done more than enough to remain in the public eye and I missed her more now than when she had first left. We might have texted every day and I called whenever I could but it just wasn’t the same. We had originally agreed on a three month break to think out our relationship but I was going to go crazy if I had to to wait that long to tell her I loved her, and I knew she felt the same way.
I needed to see her; grateful that she had two weeks off with my fundraiser sat right in the middle of it. I silently thanked Rosemary for that, I had no idea if it was good luck or if South had mentioned the date to her at some point but I wasn’t about to question it.
Instead I had sent her the invitation which should have been delivered in her mail by now, along with flight times for my private jet to bring her out here and the promise that we could catch up for a week with the party in the middle before she went back on tour.
I picked up my phone as a waiter brought my breakfast and I opened the message.
No selfie of South today, instead there was a photo of the invitation with a rejection in the RSVP box, I knew South well enough to know she was teasing, if she hadn’t wanted to come she would have called with a proper explanation.
‘Not funny.’
‘Seriously. I’m going to be busy.’
‘Liar.’
‘Am not!’
I grinned and decided to take advantage.
‘Every time you tell a lie I get to buy you something for the evening. So far you’ve lied on the RSVP, about being busy and lied about not lying. So I get to buy you three gifts.’
‘Absolutely not.’
‘Blame yourself, you should have just said yes and thank you and I miss you very much.’
‘Yes I will come, thank you for inviting me, I miss you much more than very much.’
I laughed softly, thankful that this early there weren’t enough diners to be worried about anyone watching or overhearing.
‘I miss you as well, sweetheart, but I will be buying you jewellery, shoes and your dress, and I forgive you for the lies but you still have to pay for them. So I will compromise and you can pick out the items yourself.’
At least there were no more complaints about my choice of endearment, but I had to fight dirty to keep using it. Calling her mother, Angela, and asking for the use of it had been both embarrassing and utterly satisfying when she said I could and would make sure South stopped giving me a hard time over it.
“That’s not a compromise; that is you still getting your own way.”
I dropped my fork and jerked in surprise at the familiar voice and looked up at South who was leaning over the partition separating her table from mine.
“What are you doing here?” I managed, knowing I was staring at her with wide eyes but unable to blink the expression back. “You should be in England!”
“I got your mail yesterday. I thought about waiting around a few days for your plane, but couldn’t find a good package to match the flight, but there was an earlier package with flights, transfers and with a great hotel I know and love. So, I just decided to come early.”
“And you didn’t tell me?” I complained.
“Surprise,” South grinned. “And you are not buying me three gifts.”
“No,” I agreed. “This stunt means I’m buying you four and you don’t get to choose!”
South laughed at me and vanished behind her partition, after a minute to pull myself together I gathered up my breakfast and moved to her table.
I wasn’t about to admit that it was a good surprise, a welcome surprise or that my masculine ego was well soothed by her eagerness to get to New York as fast as possible to see me again, but as she topped up my coffee and her legs tangled with mine hidden under the long tablecloth I would admit one thing.
“You are beautiful, Harriet South.”
I enjoyed her bright blush, stole her slice of toast coated in honey and knew it was going to be a good day.
THE END
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