Niall
I stare at the text moments after I type it. Seeing her wasn’t on my plan for the day. Fucking her in a closet definitely wasn’t. But walking out on her afterward was the worst part of it all.
I’m such a feckin’ idiot.
She won’t listen to me if I try to explain why. No one in their right mind would.
I just hope I can make her listen in a language she’ll understand.
Me: To make this look good, we should get to know each other a little better. What do you say we go out just the two of us? No kids.
I press send and hope she’ll show.
***
I’ve barely been at the park ten minutes when I see her.
Showtime.
Pulling out the iconic diamond pendant with the sapphire stone, I climb up on the park bench and pump my fists in the air. “Having my daughter kick the shite out of the boy you were paid to watch, was the best thing that ever happened to me. It brought me to you. Don’t give up. No matter what happens, promise me you won’t ever give up on me.”
“Niall, what are you doing?” Laken asks, her fists clenched by her side.
“Movie.” I pause mid-theatrics. “I need the movie name.”
“You somewhat quoted Titanic. Again, what the hell are you doing? Get down from there, people are staring.”
Pulling the poignant teddy bear from the bag on the bench, I cross the few steps between us and drop the necklace and the bear in her hand. “This is what I’m doing. All the insignificant things we’ve done together, when you think they’re nothing at the time, but you add all that shite up? They mean we’re supposed to be together. The first time I saw you, touched you, kissed you, it was like coming home.”
A small smile breaks the corners of her mouth. “Sleepless in Seattle.”
Snapping my fingers, I make the signal and Laken lets out a blood curdling scream as Vince tosses two buckets of water on us both, drenching us from head to toe.
“Niall! What the actual fuck?”
Grabbing her by the shoulders, I pull her into me. “This is going to be hard as feckin’ hell. I’ll probably screw up most every day, but I’m willing to screw up because I want you. All of you, forever. Every day. Every single feckin’ day.”
Tears run down her face and mix with her already drenched shirt. “Oh God, did you just absolutely destroy my favorite quote from The Notebook?” A small laugh escapes as she tries to cover her mouth.
“Completely.” I’m winning her over and I haven’t even gotten to my Hail Mary yet.
“Are you done?” she asks, trying to look serious.
I give her a wink. “Almost.”
Backing up, I stand on the bench again and clear my throat, belting out The Way You Look Tonight in the most off-key singing voice ever heard in public. Children stop playing, adults come to a complete stand-still, and everyone stares as I finish the last few lines and take a deep breath. Thunderous applause erupts, and after a few bows to my adoring public, I climb off the bench and wait for a reaction.
She lets out a long breath, still obviously in shock. “Wow.”
“I’ve never sung in public before,” I admit.
“I can see why.”
Holding her eye, I finish my speech from the nine-hour rom com marathon I watched in preparation for this moment. “Tell me you love me. Say it out loud. Say it right now before the moment passes. Because in this park, I’m just a photographer asking an ex-nanny to love me.”
“You just did a My Best Friend’s Wedding-Notting Hill bastard hybrid.”
“I’m going for extra credit.”
“We need to talk.” She sighs, sitting on the bench, fidgeting with the ring on her finger. My ring. She’s still wearing it. I’d refused to take it back when she tried.
Although I know she’s right and I’m the one who asked her to meet me here, that phrase evokes dread inside of me. Nothing good ever comes from those four words.
I sit down. “I know.”
“I miss you.”
“I miss you too.” And I do. I miss her so much I can’t feckin’ sleep at night because I know I’ll dream of her. I have a hard time getting dressed for work in the morning because every time I go to my closet, all I can taste is her on my tongue and remember the way her knees buckled in the small closet. But mostly, I can’t turn on the television because undoubtedly there’s some feckin’ rom com movie on and all I can think is I bet Laken has seen this one. It’s maddening.
“The job’s going well?”
She nods and smiles. “Vince is a little hard to handle.”
“Vince is a pushover,” I answer palming the back of my neck that my grand attempt at winning her back failed miserably. “All you need to do is field calls from his conquests that can’t get the hint and you’ll be in his debt forever. But if you tell him I said that, I’ll deny it.”
Her fingers play with the fur on the teddy bear. “Duly noted.”
I can’t stand it anymore. I’m going crazy, and I have to break the monotonous chitchat. “Laken, I’m sorry for walking out of the closet. I’m sorry for ignoring your calls after the gala. We have a lot to work on, but I’m willing, if you are. The beginning of our story may have started on a lie, but it doesn’t mean it has to end on one.”
“Do you forgive me,” she asks tilting her chin as she squints into the sun.
I don’t even have to think. “Nothing to forgive, Laken. I overreacted out of shock. I’m Irish. Cut me some slack.”
Clipping the sapphire necklace around her nape, she glances up with a dramatic sigh. “What are you doing for dinner?”
“I’m busy,” I say, managing a deadpan stare without an ounce of enthusiasm.
Laken’s face falls as she grips the bear closer to her body and stands up. “Oh.”
Without hesitation, I grab her and crush her to my chest. Pressing our lips together, I deliver a kiss that can make all her rom com movies go fuck themselves. “What are you doing for breakfast?”