Embrace Me (39 page)

“
You are such a heartless bitch, Megan Field.” I tried to fight back the tears, knowing that I was stronger than this.

“
Have a nice life, but mark my words, Shannon Downing, I won’t ever forgive you for taking Charlie.”

“
I know what you’re trying to do!” I called. “It won’t work. I have no guilt when it comes to Charlie and me.” She started to walk away but I followed her. “Charlie loved me when I was nothing. He saved me, helped me find the
real
me. You might think you love Charlie, but you can’t love him like I do. Would you have sacrificed
everything
for him? Would you have done the same thing if you’d been blackmailed? Would you stand in front of a gun for him?” She turned an ice cold stare in my direction. “I know you wouldn’t have, Megan. You will only ever put yourself first. It’s in your nature.”

“
Don’t think you know me,” she snarled as she reached the hotel entrance.

“
I do know you. That’s why, deep down inside, I know you’re realising that I’m right. You’re too proud to ever admit it, and I’m fine with that.”

“
You
don’t
know me!” she seethed, but I knew her better than this. The truth was behind her blue gem eyes.

“
Try to be happy, Megan. Don’t live your life being bitter. It will eat away at you,” I pleaded. “I care about you enough to want you to have a life. Don’t be drowned by the darkness and hatred.”

She was about to leave through the double doors when she stopped and turned a soft stare in my direction.

“
Okay,” she sighed. “This ends here. Don’t expect me to be happy, though, and please, God, do
not
invite me to the wedding.” I exhaled deeply and nodded. Had I finally gotten through to her? That seemed impossible, but it was better to end things with a little understanding, than to have Megan trying to pull my hair out. “And for what it’s worth, I am sorry.”

“
An apology from Megan Field,” I teased, gasping and clutching at my chest.

“
Don’t get used to it. It won’t ever happen again.”

“
Just be happy, Megan.”

“
I would say the same to you, but I already know you are.” There was sadness in her eyes I couldn’t read. “I’ll miss it.”

“
Miss what?” I asked, confused.

“
Our friendship.” My eyes widened; I wasn’t expecting that.

“
Megan, we can’t…”

“
I know there’s no going back—not now. I just wanted you to know, seeing as we are being truthful just this once.” She looked at her watch briefly. “I have to go, Shan. I have a flight to catch in an hour.”

“
Another photo shoot?” I grinned.

“
You know me too well,” she replied with her heart stopping smile. “I might see you around.”

“
Maybe,” I mused. “Goodbye, Megan.”

“
Bye, Shannon.”

It felt liberating to watch Megan Field leave. The last of my past had been laid to rest, and now all I had left to do was embrace my future with Charlie.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

“
Where do you want these boxes to go, Shan?” Bradley asked.

“
They should be labeled,” I stressed, checking the box. “Look, see? It’s labeled
kitchen
.”

“
You know you could have paid people to do this, right?” he teased.

“
And watch them break it all?” I commented as he walked off.

“
Stop stressing,” Charlie beamed, walking in with another box.

“
Are there many more?”

“
There are only a few left…stop worrying,” he breathed, pecking my lips softly as he

moved. “This is meant to be
fun
.” He put an emphasis on the word fun.

“
I am having fun,” I beamed as Lorna called me into the front room.

“
You have more stuff than my grandmother, Shan, and she is a hoarder,” Lorna joked.

“
You are meant to be helping.”

“
Hey, you’re the one who decided to move
and
get married in less than two months.”

“
Mrs. Gray is handling the wedding.”

“
Which is a good job. Shannon, is that a grey hair?” she teased, pulling a strand of

hair from my ponytail.

“
Funny,” I breathed. “Let’s just get these boxes unpacked. I’ll feel better once some of the stuff has been put away.”

Lorna and Bradley stayed until the late evening. As Charlie and I settled on the couch, I let out a deep sigh.

“
We’re here now, Shan. You can relax,” he chuckled, pulling me against his chest.

“
Does it feel as if we’ve waited a lifetime for this, as well?”

“
In many ways, yes,” Charlie muttered, tracing his fingertips over my engagement ring. “I always knew we’d get here eventually. I just didn’t expect all these obstacles to get in our way.”  

“
It’s been quite an eventful few years.”

“
Eventful
?” he chuckled, moving to pour us a glass of wine. “I could use a few other words.”

“
It isn’t over yet, either,” I pointed out.

“
I think the worst is finally behind us.”

“
You’ve said that before,” I replied, stretching for my wine glass. Charlie stopped me, pulling me back as he pressed me against the couch with his body.

“
Are you teasing me?” he purred, his hand slowly inching up my leg.

“
I thought I was stating a fact,” I groaned as his lips began to travel down my neck.

“
I can’t believe that in less than two months, you’ll be my wife.”

“
Me, either,” I groaned as I succumbed to Charlie’s powers. Our first night in our new home couldn’t have been more perfect.  

“
How is the house coming along?” my mother asked. She had arrived in London a few days ago for a business meeting—which I had also attended—but couldn’t leave without taking me for a high tea at the Ritz.

“
Wonderful. Charlie’s studio is really coming together.”

“
That’s the new outbuilding, am I right?” I nodded. “It really is a beautiful piece of land, Lizzie. I’m sure you and Charlie will be very happy there.”

“
We are looking forward to building our life there,” I beamed before taking a bite of one of the small, dainty cakes.

“
Are the wedding plans going well?”

“
Yes. Mrs. Gray is amazing.”

“
I have to agree. She does take the stress out of the whole experience.” My mother was thoughtful for a few moments until she spoke again. “It’s going to be hard walking you down that aisle, Lizzie. I feel as if I only just got you back.”

“
You know you’re not really losing me, right? You’ll always be a big part of my life. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

“
I wouldn’t be able to hand you over to anyone more deserving. I know Charlie will take good care of you. He’s proved that to me time and time again.”

“
It’s going to be an amazing day.”

“
Of course it will be,” she grinned, touching my hand over the table. “I’m so proud of you, Shannon. The way you have dealt with everything since we found out your identity—you have been nothing but confident and inspiring. I am in awe of you.”

“
Even if I did decide we should introduce partners into the business?”

“
Shannon, that was the best idea you could have ever come up with. I was always too afraid to give up any sort of control to anyone, but I have something other than my work to live for now. I have all this new freedom, and I love it.”

“
You see? I told you,” I giggled, dabbing my napkin over my mouth.

“
I want to take you shopping after this. We need to sort out your honeymoon luggage.”

“
Has Charlie told you where he is taking me?” I asked.

“
I only know it’s somewhere hot.”

“
That’s a big help,” I sulked while my mother smirked at me.

“
Come on, finish your tea. I want to hit the shops,” she grinned.

I came back overloaded with bags. Charlie was talking to the builders outside as I pulled up, but he quickly rushed over to help me.

“
What have you been doing—buying most of London?” he joked.

“
My mother got a little carried away.” When he began to peer into one of the bags, I slapped his hand away. “No peeking. These are all for the honeymoon.”

“
You’re buying clothes for the honeymoon already?”

“
Like I said, my mother is a force of nature.” I giggled as we entered the house.

“
I think I’d have to agree with that. Oh, and Mrs. Gray called while you were out. I said you’d call her back.”

“
Okay,” I called, putting the bags in one of the spare rooms.

“
How did lunch go…other than the shopping?” Charlie asked when I joined him back in the kitchen. He was already making a hot drink. I was mesmerized by his body as he stretched momentarily. He truly was glorious, and
all
mine.

“
Good, the board members came back with positive feedback.”

“
Are you still flying to New York next week?”

“
Yeah, we have a few things to sign over, but it’s all looking very promising.”

“
Has there been any more news on Maisy’s progress?”

“
No. I’m still undecided as to if I should step away from all of that now or not. I’m starting the next chapter and need the closure.”

“
Are you ever going to tell me what you and Megan spoke about last month?”

“
We came to a truce. That’s all you need to know.”

“
Megan agreed to a truce? I find that hard to believe.”

“
We just agreed to go our separate ways and not hold onto the past.”

“
Please tell me she wasn’t still hankering for me?” Charlie gasped, stroking my face. “Surely she knows where my heart is by now.”

“
She does.” I wrapped my arms around his neck. “But I promised we wouldn’t shove it in her face.”

“
Well, that won’t be difficult seeing as how I don’t want you within a mile of any of the Fields.”

“
Are you worried that they might crash the wedding?” I teased, but his face dropped. I knew he worried, and after the last few years, I knew why.

“
Nothing will go wrong. I will be marrying you on our beach, and we can finally start our new life together.”

“
I know that, Sweetheart,” Charlie whispered, brushing his lips against mine. “It’s just habit, ignore me.”

“
I was thinking we could have a picnic tomorrow in the poppy field we found last week.”

“
That sounds like a lovely idea.”

“
I knew you wanted to take a few pictures, so we can decide where on the beach we want the canopy for the wedding to go, too.”

“
Something tells me you’re getting a little excited about this wedding,” he purred, pulling me into his arms and kissing the breath out of me.