his eyes wide. “Was that…?”
“Your mother,” I finish his sentence. “Sorry but she’d called several times, and I was worried there was an emergency.”
“Everything is an emergency to an Italian mother.” The bed dips as he sits down beside me and takes my hand in his. “I’ve been dodging her calls for days.”
My eyes blink up at him. “Why?”
“I was nursing a broken heart.” He winces slightly. “And my relationship with her is complicated. I know she’s a victim, but so am I, in a sense. We both have very different journeys to take with this, and she sometimes loses sight of that and tries to force her strength onto me. She is amazing, but I process things differently.”
“You’re both amazing.” I reach up to stroke his face, his eyes seeming brighter and clearer than I’ve ever seen them. “Do you feel better now after sharing it with me?”
“God yes,” he replies with a laugh. “You know, I dated all those women searching for perfect love and expecting a perfect life to come after. But I don’t want that anymore. I want real love with a real life. And I want that with you.”
My eyes begin to mist. “I want the same.”
A Few Weeks Later
“Happy three-month anniversary,” Tilly says, holding her coffee mug up to me in a cheers at an outdoor restaurant near Harrods’ corporate office. “I’m your first official girlfriend that made it past the two-month chump mark. Are you feeling okay? Feet toasty warm still? Do you need a cuddle?”
“I need a lot more than a cuddle.” I shoot her a dirty wink, and her cheeks flush.
She glances around nervously. “We’re in public, Sonny.”
I arch my brows. “It hasn’t stopped us in the past.”
“I was a wild party girl back then. I’m a properly employed adult now with responsibilities.” She sips her coffee daintily. “And I’ve been crushing it at my new job, I’ll have you know.”
“I don’t doubt that for a second,” I drone, glancing down her body from across the table. “And I must say, your professional business attire makes meeting for lunch really fucking difficult.” I sip my espresso for strength. “I’m sure all the men in your office have to hide from you all day long.”
“What does that mean?” Tilly asks, her blue eyes wide and shocked. She glances down at her ensemble featuring a black pencil skirt, a cream blouse, and heels that I’m definitely going to want wrapped around my hips tonight when she comes over.
“It means you are a walking fantasy, and I think I should start dressing you for work from now on. It’ll be baggy joggers and my dirty T-shirts so all the men can get a good whiff of me and kindly fuck off.”
“Okay, you have turned into a complete caveman now. Are you happy?” She hits me with a scowl, but I can see gleeful mirth dancing in her eyes. “I half expect you to eat your lunch with your hands when the food arrives.”
I respond with a growl, and she giggles shamelessly. God, I love her.
“Let’s get back to our discussion,” I state, setting my mug down.
“What discussion?”
“You moving in with me, of course.”
She sighs. “Freya is still pregnant.”
“And off bed rest. And you’re working full-time and spending most nights at my flat as it is. What difference does it make?”
She chews her lip nervously and gets a serious look on her face. “I want to wait a bit longer.”
“Why?” I ask, my brows furrowed in confusion.
Her eyes grow pensive. “Because this is my do-over with my brother. We really grew apart while I was getting sober, and I don’t want them to think I’m slagging them off.”
I exhale heavily. “Tilly, I understand that, but you eventually have to forgive yourself for things of the past and realise the brilliant person you are today. And we’re still going to see Mac and Freya a lot. I’ve quite enjoyed those Friday night barbecues. We can make that a weekly thing if you like.”
“You’d do that?”
“Of course, I would,” I reply quickly. Christ, does this woman still not realise I’d do anything for her?
My heart thunders in my chest because I have these moments where I look at Tilly and think my entire life was just marking time until she came into it. I know that’s insane and there’s loads more to life beyond finding a partner, but with all my baggage, I had no idea how much resentment I was holding on to by not being