Chapter Twelve
“We could just pretend that we’re here as friends,” Jared said.
Freya glared at him. She had organized this restaurant and this day for a reason. It was the weekend, which gave her mother time to rant and rave at home. Also, it was in public, meaning her parents wouldn’t cause a scene. They both hated people that caused scenes, and to her that made it the perfect place to have this kind of conversation.
“That’s not going to happen.” She took his hand. “I want them to know about us. I’m not going to hide the fact that I’m happy, and that I’m in love with you.” She leaned in close and kissed his lips. “See.”
He cupped her cheek, running his thumb across her lips. She wanted him already. His eyes always followed her, and she loved that. She just loved this man, and it was never going to diminish. It was only going to get stronger.
She wanted to be his wife, the mother of his child. To spend years of planning vacations, and decorating Christmas trees, organizing parties, and just loving her life with him.
“You’re blushing,” he said.
“I want you.”
“Once this is over, I’ll take you home and make love to you in every single room in the house.”
“Do you think you can keep up with me?” She teased.
He threw his head back, laughing. “You’ve got nothing to worry about from me.”
She pulled away and gave them both some room. If she didn’t she was going to do something completely inappropriate in a very crowded restaurant. She had to keep reminding herself that it wasn’t right. Instead, she kept hold of Jared’s hand, drawing on his strength as well.
Licking her dry lips, her heart began to race as nerves gripped her. Her mother and father had arrived at the same time. Neither of them spoke, and they were acting like spoiled children.
“Here we go,” he said.
“Watching them now, it makes me wonder why they even tried to make it work.”
He chuckled. “They were both stubborn. Even your father tried to prove everyone wrong. What he didn’t realize was he needed to be a one-woman man to achieve that.”
She turned to him. “Like you?”
“Yeah, like me.” He gave her hand another squeeze, and she breathed out another sigh. It felt good having him there, supporting her, loving her.
The maître d’ pulled out her mother’s chair.
“Hello, Freya, I hope there is some meaning to this. You know I don’t like being with him.”
Freya watched as her mother sat down, and kept her body as far away from her father as humanly possible without causing a scene.
“I see you’re still one for dramatics,” her father said. “Typical that you make our daughter grow up, but you can’t seem to handle the same kind of advice you give.”
“How dare you? Do not even for a second think you can speak to me like that. You have no right. You forfeited that right.”
“Yes. I remember. I remember every time I tried to visit Freya, you’d spit nothing but abuse at me.” This was news to Freya. “I also know that every time she spent time with me, you’d do nothing but question her as well.”
“You’re going to blame your lack of a relationship on me?” her mother asked, glaring at him.
This was why she avoided them getting together. They had a lot of unfinished business, and it always got in the way.
“I’m always to blame, isn’t that right? Yes, I’m to blame for the fact I don’t know anything about Freya, but you are just as much to blame. I told you I wasn’t the settling down kind of man, but you told me you could handle it. You lied. You went against your word, and in doing so that resulted in our marriage breaking down. If you’ve got a problem with anyone, look in the damn mirror.”
“I don’t think this is the time or the place for you to be talking about this,” Freya said, looking between her parents. “Did either of you actually talk at all during your separation, divorce, all of it?”
“No. There was no point in talking to him.”
Freya frowned. “But you married him even though he warned you that he may not be able to stay faithful?”
Her mother pushed some hair off her shoulder. “It doesn’t matter. I thought I could change him. But I realized long ago that cheaters never change.”
Freya rubbed at her temples. This was just boring now. Her parents hated each other, and she was the only person that brought them together.
“I take it you’ve got a reason for bringing me here with him, Freya. I suggest you tell me what it is so I can leave.”
Freya stared at her mother, seeing a cold person. All of her life she had felt sorry for her mother. She had nothing to do with her parents’ separation. This was between the two of them.
She never wanted to turn out like her mother, never wanted to be so cold and selfish. That was what her mother had been, and Freya didn’t like what she’d seen. Squeezing Jared’s hand, she smiled at him, and then turned to her parents. “I invited you here to tell you that Jared and I are getting married.” This got both of their attention. “I’m happy and I’m in love, and we’re going to get married.”
Jared put his arm across her shoulders, pulling her close to him. “We wanted you both to know, together.”
In a crowded restaurant, so neither of you would make a scene. See, I think of everything.
Freya saw her mother glaring at Jared, and her father didn’t look too impressed.
“You’re making the same mistakes that I did. Men do not know how to be faithful, Freya. You think he’s going to stay faithful to you when he’s got a bunch of twenty-somethings running around? He’s not. All men stray, and you’re going to be sitting at home, twiddling your thumbs waiting for him to come home. You want that kind of a life?”
When Jared went to say something, Freya held his hand. She didn’t need him to deal with this. She had to do this for herself, and for them.
“I feel sorry for you. You’ve always put everyone you know into a little box of how you judge people. I love you, Mom. You’re my mother, but I don’t have to sit back and live my life like yours. Jared’s not going to cheat on me, and if he does, I’ll deal with it. I know him. He makes me happy, and I make him happy. One day, I hope that both of you can find that happiness for me.”
She looked at her father, and he was staring at Jared.
“He’s older than you,” he said.
“I don’t care. I love him. I asked him to marry me. I’m happy. That’s all I wanted to tell you.” She laughed. “And I want you to think about the fact that in order to tell you I was happy and getting married, I could only do that in a crowded restaurant.” She shook her head. “You’re supposed to be my parents. Instead, I’m the one treating you like children. There will be an invitation. If you only want to cause trouble, don’t bother coming. If you want to see me get married and be happy, then of course you’re invited.” She stood up, and Jared followed her.
Leaving the restaurant, her heart was pounding. She had done it. She felt liberated. Like she had achieved something amazing in standing up to them. When they were at his car, she threw her arms around him.
“I love you.”
“I love you, too, baby.” He held her tightly, and with him at her side, she knew she was never going to feel so lost and alone again.
****
Six months later
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Jared smiled at his woman. The wedding dress she wore molded to every single curve. Watching her walk toward him while being on her father’s arm would stay with him for the rest of his life. She looked utterly beautiful, breathtakingly so.
He loved her more than anything.
This was what time and dedication achieved. He finally had the woman all to himself. Pressing his lips against hers, he heard the cheers of their friends and closest family. He didn’t care as they all faded into the background. Over the past six months, it had been about them, and preparing for the day that they wanted. Sophia and Lucy had helped.
Lucy and Stefan had gotten married three months ago in Vegas, and were already waiting for their first child.
Pulling away, he smiled down into her eyes. They were glistening, but he saw the happiness inside them.
“Still happy that you hired me that day?”
“Yeah. I have no regrets.”
“None at all?”
He shook his head. Taking her hand, he led them all past the cheers and congratulations. Neither of them were needed.
They stopped for the necessary pictures. He didn’t like being without her, but he had no choice but to step back, and to allow her to have this.
“They’re beautiful, aren’t they?” Alfie asked, coming to step in beside him.
“I never doubted that they were beautiful. Thank you for agreeing to help me get Freya close to me.”
“You agreed to help me with Sophia. It was a win-win for both of us.”
Pushing his hands into his pants, he watched as Freya, Sophia, and Lucy cuddled together for the camera. Both girls had been bridesmaids.
When he couldn’t take it any longer, he went to his wife, banding his arm around her waist and pulling her back against him.
“Did you miss me already?”
“Yes.” He held her tightly, pressing a kiss to her lips. “God, I love you so much.”
She giggled. “We’ve still got to get through the party.”
He groaned. “Can’t we send them home, and just be us for the rest of the day?”
Freya shook her head. “We need to have tales to tell our children, so they can look forward to their special day.”
The guests were already getting into the waiting cars, and making their way toward the reception. He took Freya’s hand, and helped her into the back of one of the limousines waiting for them.
The moment the outside world was closed off, he pulled her into his arms. Stroking her cheek, he stared into her eyes.
“Your dad didn’t hit me,” he said.
“I can’t believe my parents were in the same place and didn’t make it all about them. We’ve got the reception to get through yet. Lots of alcohol. They could cause a scene,” she said, with a warning.
Her parents had agreed to put their differences aside. The tension was still there even though they endured each other.
William hadn’t liked that Jared was sleeping with Freya.
Jared told him straight. There was no one else that was ever going to love Freya more than he did. He knew her.
“What are you thinking about right now?” she asked. “You’ve got this really intense look.”
“I’m thinking about your father, and how he doesn’t know you.”
“You do. That’s all that matters to me, Jared.”
She cupped his face, and he was addicted to her touch just as he knew she was his. Their nights were filled with love. He still banned her from the kitchen. Sophia, bless the girl, had tried to teach Freya how to cook lasagna, and he’d rather order takeout that go through that experience again.
“I love it when you look at me like that.”
“Like what?” he asked.
“Like I’m the only woman in your world, and I can see that you love me.”
He smiled. “That’s because you are, and it’s never going to change. I love you more than anything.”
“Don’t change, Jared.”
“I won’t, Freya. I told you. I’ll love you for eternity, and that is exactly what I’m going to do.”
He kissed the top of her head, finally feeling complete for the first time in his life. The future was what they were going to make it, and he was determined to make it a success.