“Yeah, the place is a tip though. It was closed up for almost a decade, so it needs some work.”
“Some work? Bella showed me the photos.”
“Okay, short of tearing it down and rebuilding, yeah.” Christopher laughs, he looks genuinely happy and I can’t help but smile because I feel it too. I’ve been bobbing along for so long that I didn’t quite realise what happiness was until Cassie. She has a way of making everything better and worthwhile.
“The builders are going in tomorrow, they think it’ll take them a few months to have it done, but with the wedding and everything that’s going on, it works out. Bella’s been stressed enough; I think it’s a relief that the house will only be ready after the baby is here.”
“So, basically, what you’re saying is that you’re glad that you’ll have your mother around to fuss over the child.”
The smile on his face is guilty as sin obvious. “She’s going to need someone to fuss over. I can’t see Cassie staying here much longer. Can you?”
“We haven’t spoken about it, I mean, she’s got a fuck tonne on her plate with graduation and then her Masters.”
“And you haven’t thought about it?”
Yeah, I have. Non-stop when she’s not with me and every time I have to say goodbye.
“All I’m saying is that…Fuck, I don’t even know. She’s my sister. I’m trying to figure out what the deal is because you two don’t give much away.”
“Do I want her to move in with me? Yes. Am I going to rush her? No. When she’s ready to talk about it, we will, and we’ll go from there.” Grabbing the bottle off the table I top up our glasses. “Don’t you have enough to be worrying about? You haven’t even got a name for your child.”
“We would do, except Bella keeps changing the damn list every fucking day! Seriously, naming a child is hard work. This whole fucking baby thing is hard work, actually.” Rubbing his face like just the thought exhausts him, he takes a drink. “I think she’s a fan of Livia and Florence, but last night she was rattling on about Elsie and Ophelia.”
“Ophelia? Really? Florence?”
“You know how much she loves Shakespeare and Florence and the Machines.”
“Still, you don’t have to name your child after them.”
My eyes drift to the door at the familiar trill of Cassie’s laugh and Arabella’s voice.
“These fucking Spanx were a bad idea. Maternity my arse, seriously, things are already tight in there as it is!” Arabella continues on her tirade as Cassie walks through the lounge double doors laughing.
“Jesus, she’s so much more chilled when she can drink.” Christopher groans as we stand from the sofa, but I can’t even make sense of what he’s saying because I’m struggling to breathe.
Cassie looks magnificent in her white grey ball gown; her long hair is coiffed back and tousled in thick light blonde waves down her back. She looks like a white queen.
“Hey, Neat Freak.” She’s beaming as she wanders over to meet me half way and I’m completely mesmerised.
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The light catches on the gauzy tulle that’s studded with glitter like crystals. The tight bodice showing off her tiny waist pushes her breasts together…fuck me, isn’t that a sight?
Lacy tulle straps drape around her shoulders, covering up the fading bites I left on her breast. They give her this regal air that’s accentuated by the diamond filigree choker around her neck. The column of her throat looks so elegant that I almost forgive the damn thing for covering up my mark.
“Hey, Buttercup.” Taking her hand, I spin her into me. Pulling her as tightly to me as her dress will allow. “You look beautiful.”
Blindingly so, with the large glittering nautical star hanging all the way to the crease of her trussed-up tits.
Fuck, I bet she’ll look exquisite in nothing but that necklace.
Quirking up into a smile, her coral stained lips are an open invite to taste her, and as I brush mine on hers, my heart gallops in my chest.
“I thought your mum was coming? Wayne’s out there with the driver…”
“She’s going to meet us there. She likes to slip in without notice.”
Pulling back to look at me again, she cups my face with so much tenderness I want nothing more than to forget about tonight and melt into her. “Are you ready?”