Chapter 15—Heather

If I thought Darian looked good in jeans and a T-shirt, he looked downright sinful in a tuxedo. My God. One look and my panties were damp. But tonight was about my dad, and I needed to focus on him. Hopefully, me coming here would show him I wanted to make amends, and Corrine assured me he was slowly accepting my relationship with Darian. I only hoped seeing me with Darian wouldn’t set him off.

“Heather!” Corrine waved to me from across the room, where she clung to my dad’s arm. And he was smiling. Why couldn’t he see that Darian made me as happy as Corrine made him?

“Ready?” Darian asked, squeezing my hand.

I nodded. The botanical gardens weren’t just gardens, it was a large greenhouse-style structure with a massive banquet hall that my dad’s company designed and built. The place was stunning. Darian and I made our way over to Corrine and my dad. I gave her a hug and complimented her on her dress. Then I held my breath, waiting for Dad to acknowledge me. He did so with a hug.

“You look beautiful, Heather,” he whispered.

“Thanks. You clean up pretty good yourself.” I smiled.

He laughed, and I relaxed a bit. “I’m sorry,” he said.

I shook my head. “Not here, Dad. Not tonight. This is about you.” I waved my arms around to indicate the entire event.

“I know, but none of this means anything without you. I’m glad you came.”

“Me too.” I stepped back to Darian’s side, who rested his hand on the small of my back. I expected my dad to say something to Darian—a hello, a nod, something to show he knew his friend was here—but he didn’t. He took Corrine’s hand, made an excuse about needing to mingle, and then walked away. Punching me in the gut would’ve hurt less. I could not believe he’d snubbed Darian that way. What the hell was wrong with him?

Sadly, the night progressed much the same way. When I did get a moment with my dad, he refused to acknowledge Darian’s presence, and he spoke to me like I was there alone. Corrine— God, I love her—tried to smooth things out and make it a little less awkward, but it didn’t help.

“Dance with me?” Darian held out his hand.

I accepted his offer. He led me to the dance floor and wrapped his arms around me. It amazed me how his embrace could make me feel so safe, like all the bad stuff didn’t matter and that somehow, everything would work out the way it should. I put my head on his shoulder and swayed to the music, losing myself in the moment.

“You’re amazing, you know that?” His voice was low at my ear.

“Why do you say that?”

“The way you’re handling yourself tonight. So mature and graceful.” He kissed the soft spot below my ear, and my eyelids fluttered. “Even though he’s being a raging dick to me, your father did a hell of a job raising you, Heather. You’re a remarkable young woman.”

His compliment warmed my heart, and I pulled back just enough to plant my lips on his. He welcomed my kiss, his hot breath mingling with mine as he coursed his hands down my back. I waited for the feel of his palms on my ass, squeezing and yanking me closer, but he didn’t. Disappointment swirled inside me, but I had to remember we were in a public place, and this was no time to get carried away.

The song ended, and we were instructed to find our seats. After a delicious five-course meal, the mayor took center stage. He gave a speech about the botanical gardens and what he hoped they’d do for the town of Haven’s Creek. Then he talked about my dad and his contribution before presenting him with an award. My dad accepted the award amidst a round of applause. Tears pricked my eyes. He’d worked his entire life building Abrams Design and Construction, and I knew how much this meant to him. I was so proud of him. I only wished there wasn’t an irreparable rift between us. He gave a speech, thanking everyone who’d ever helped him along the way. He acknowledged Corrine, and how she changed his life for the better. And then he caught my gaze in the crowd.

“And finally, this”—he lifted the award—“is for my daughter, Heather. She has always been my shining ray of light. When I didn’t think I couldn’t work another day or land another client…when I was ready to throw in the towel, all I had to do was look into her eyes to know giving up was never an option. Not then. Not now. Not ever.” He took a deep breath, the sound echoing around the room.

“Excuse me,” I said, pushing out my chair and leaving the banquet room just as my father ended his speech. I rushed into the bathroom. He said giving up wasn’t an option, but wasn’t that what he was doing now? He was giving up because he didn’t agree with me dating Darian? I wiped at my eyes, hoping to keep the tears from streaking mascara down my face. I needed to have a serious conversation with my dad. After taking a moment to compose myself, I left the bathroom, intent on finding Darian and telling him I was ready to leave.

I turned to go back to the banquet hall when I heard loud voices to my right—voices I’d know anywhere. My dad and Darian. “I trusted you with my daughter, and you stabbed me in the back,” my dad said.

Oh God. They were not going to fight here, were they? I followed the sounds of their voices, hoping I could find them and stop them before things got out of hand.

“You’re right. I fucked up, okay?” Darian said.

My steps faltered. He fucked up? What the hell did he mean by that? I rounded the corner and stopped. Darian and my dad were standing in the middle of the azalea garden, both of them red-faced and angry.

“I made a mistake, Noah. It never should’ve happened the—”

“What?” I did not just hear what I thought I had.

Darian whipped around to stare at me. Then he reached for me, but I jerked out of his way before he could touch me.

“So…I’m just a mistake to you? Something that never should’ve happened?” My heart splintered in my chest, the jagged pieces cutting me deep. I cupped my hand over my mouth and shook my head. I should’ve known better. A man like Darian didn’t want someone like me. A barely legal girl.

“Heather…” He took a step toward me.

“No.” I shook my head then spun on my heel and took off, but not before I heard him call my name. And my dad telling him to leave me alone. Tears blinded me, and I had no idea where I was going, but I ended up in the rose garden. My shoulder bumped into something, or someone, and I stumbled a few steps before plopping down on the first bench I found. “Oh God,” I groaned, clutching my stomach and doubling over.

I was a mistake. A silly girl who’d thrown herself at an older man. Maybe my father was right. Maybe Darian had just used me for sex. I never expected him, of all people, to treat me this way.

“Heather.” Corrine sat and put her arm around me. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

I hiccupped. “Darian said being with me was a mistake.” I hastily wiped my tears, but they fell faster than I could get rid of them. “Why would he say that?”

“I don’t know.” She frowned and hugged me.

I straightened and sniffed. My head throbbed, and my stomach churned. “With a few words, he completely destroyed me, Cori.” The ache in my chest intensified. “I love him, and he broke my heart.”

“What did you just say?” Darian’s voice made me jump.

“Nothing.” I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter.” I turned to leave, but he grabbed my hand, the touch like a zap of electricity up my arm.

“It matters, Heather. It matters a whole fucking lot.”

“I’m going to give you two a minute,” Corrine said, excusing herself and leaving us alone.

“Why? I heard what you said to my father. Being with me was a mistake.” I nearly choked on the words. “You know, if that’s how you truly felt, why did you say all that other stuff to me?” My lips trembled. That hurt worse than anything else—knowing he’d lied to me, made me believe there was a future for us when the entire time he’d been looking for a way out.

“No.” He gave a firm shake of his head. “What I said was that it shouldn’t have happened the way it did. I should’ve been man enough to face your father first, to take you out on a date, to wait until you’d come to terms with Noah and Corrine’s relationship.” He licked his lips and stepped closer. “I do not regret being with you, and you sure as fuck aren’t a mistake.”

My breath hitched. I turned my hand in his so we were palm-to-palm then laced our fingers. “That’s not how it sounded.”

“I know, and I’m sorry.” He lifted our interlocked hands and kissed my knuckles. “I was trying to make peace with your father.”

I nodded, unsure what else to say.

“You told Corrine you love me,” he stated.

“Yes,” I whispered, lowering my head. It was stupid. We’d been together less than a month, and I was already head over heels in love with him. I hadn’t planned to tell him, not so soon anyway.

“Good.” He slid his free hand along the side of my neck. “Now say it to me.”

My head jerked up. “What?”

A smirk flitted across his face. “Tell me you love me so I can say it back to you.”

I swore my heart stopped, and my mind raced. Was I dreaming? I looked up into his shining blue eyes, floored by the burning desire, the sincerity, the love. “I love you, Darian.”

Sighing, he closed his eyes and rested his forehead to mine. “I love you, too, Heather. So goddamn much it hurts. And I want you in my life. Forever. You and me, remember?” His eyes twinkled with our personal promise.

I grabbed his face and crushed my mouth to his, but in typical Darian fashion, he took control of the kiss, and my body reacted without hesitation. I’d do what I could to make amends with my dad, but not at the expense of my heart. I loved Darian more than I ever thought it was possible to love another person, and I wasn’t going to give him up.

“Can I please take you home now? I’m fucking dying to get you out of this dress.”

I laughed. “Only if you agree to leave this on.” I tugged at the lapels of his tuxedo jacket. “It’s kinda hot.”

He groaned then snatched my hand. “Deal. Now let’s get the hell out of here.”

###

A month and a half later, I stood in the living room of Darian’s new house in Haven’s Creek. He’d subleased the loft to Rick, who was now the acting manager of the garage. The expansion project my dad was working on was days away from being finished. My relationship with my dad was getting better by the day, and I’d moved back home. It was still weird seeing my dad and Corrine together, but the more time I spent around them, the more I realized how good they were for each other. I couldn’t remember a time my dad, or Corrine, had been that happy.

Darian came up behind me and slid his arms around my stomach. “Last chance to change your mind about moving in with me before I send the moving truck away.”

I sighed and leaned into his embrace. “You know I want to be here with you, but my dad is finally starting to accept our relationship. Let’s not give him a heart attack by me moving in with you, okay?”

He grumbled something I couldn’t understand then kissed my cheek. “Fine. We’ll do this your way.” He gave my ass a playful smack. “But you’re sleeping over tonight. We have a house to christen.” He winked.

I laughed. “And we will. But first, I have a date with Corrine, Jessa, and Kalani.” It had been far too long since the four of us had gotten together, and I missed them. Besides, Darian had a lot of unpacking to do, and I knew none of it would get done if I were here. “I’ll come back here tonight, though. Promise.” I kissed him good-bye.

When I got to the front door, he said, “Heather?” His voice dipped low, just like it did every time he told me he loved me.

“Yeah?” My heart fluttered in anticipation of what I knew he’d say next.

“I love you.”

I grinned. I would never get tired of hearing that.