Page 279 of The Heart You Kept

“Okay.” I look up to catch the flight attendants exchange glances at him calling me sweetheart. It’s obvious the both of them are crushing hard on my man.

Grrr….

Yeah, you heard it straight from the horse’s mouth…wench.

I’m his sweetheart, so eyes off.

And get me my damn champagne.

I twist my lips, annoyed, and look out the window to see that they are still loading suitcases.

“Jeez,” I whisper. “How many suitcases did you bring?”

“A few.” He types.

“Your champagne.” Wench number one smiles.

“Thank you.” I take it from her, now feeling a little embarrassed about my alcoholic ways. I wait until she’s out of earshot and I lean in and whisper, “Couldn’t you have at least ordered a drink to make me appear less loserish?”

“Perhaps being less loserish would help your situation,” he mutters as he types.

I think for a moment and then lean in to whisper to him again, “I’m going to get rolling drunk and do a striptease while I stand on the seat.”

“I look forward to it.” He smiles as he reads something.

I sip my champagne and look around. “What do you think we will do today when we get there?” I take a big gulp.

“Fuck,” he says loudly.

I snort my champagne up my nose and cough. “Shh,” I whisper as I look around. “They’re going to think you’re a complete sex maniac.”

“Says the stripper.”

The plane begins to move. “Did you pack me stripper clothes?” I whisper.

“Absolutely,” he whispers back as he plays along.

“What else did you pack for me?”

“Handcuffs.”

I smile goofily as the plane hurtles down the runway and I grip his hand in mine. “This pilot knows what he’s doing, right?”

“I sincerely hope so.”

My eyes roam over the huge stone wall that is covered in ivy as my stomach flutters with nerves.

We’re here, at Edward’s family home and I’m about to meet his father for the first time and I can’t help but feel that I’m here to get his seal of approval, what happens if I fuck this up? The black Bentley pulls into the drive and stops at the giant metal gates, a guard smiles from the watchhouse and pushes a button, the gates slowly open.

My breath catches at what I see….

A light gravel driveway lined with giant trees, rolling green hills and white fences. This place is straight out of a movie. “What are those beautiful trees?” I whisper in awe.

“Oak trees.” Edward smiles as he holds my hand in his. The car slowly drives in and the gates close behind us. We drive up and over the hill and past giant white stables with horses, and not the usual kind of horses you see, like sporty horses. There are people wandering around, one person is leading a horse by its lead, another is sweeping out a stall. There’s a tractor driving along with a load of hay on its tipper.

“What kind of horses are they?”

“Racehorses.”