Page 10 of Love in Beauty
“Yes, I guess that’s a good way to describe it. I never believed in all the love at first sight you read about in books or see in movies. I thought it was a myth, then I saw a look in your eyes. It was like seeing my future for the first time. I saw love, marriage, and a family.” He pulls me closer to him, kissing me with every feeling of love, lust, and hope. “I’m scared you’re going to resent me if you have to move here.”
“In the last week of being here and even tonight, seeing your banter with Nate makes it all the more home to me. This is where I’d love to raise a family. Lucas is already talking to me about taking a major role in the family business, so I can be here ninety percent of the time. I need to be in Boston for a week a month if that, but it’s doable. If Lucas can see how good we are, then why stop what we have or worry about the what ifs? Embrace the beauty of us.” I fall more in love with Sebastian each minute we’re together and can’t help but adore my best friend’s husband a little bit more, too. We walk back to my place. “Would you want a house?”
“Not right away. I think I like the idea of you and me alone in the apartment so close to each other. We can get on each other’s nerves, work out the kinks of living together, get the honeymoon period over with, then find a place where we want to raise our family.” With the heavy conversation out of the way for the night and questions that have been looming over us, we’ve finally figured out what we want from each other and this relationship.
The next few days are so busy as the festival gets underway and the Sweetheart Dance prep is in full swing. I’m so busy as the secret Valentine’s Day gifts come in, while the salon is nonstop, and Sebastian is working in my apartment. He even makes time to get to know some people who live here. He’s enjoying himself while Stephanie tortures Lucas with all the festivities. I’m standing on the sidewalk in front of my salon as I watch the crowds wander around.
“Hey beautiful.” Sebastian kisses me before handing me a rose. One kid from the elementary school kids made in art class for this week. “I wish I could walk around with you, but I know this is your late night to stay open.”
“Thanks for being so understanding. I feel like I’m letting you down, though.” I sigh as I lean into him.
“Don’t think like that at all. It’s been nice working during the day and spending time with my sister and brother-in-law while getting to know the town. I actually found an office space to set up shop here as well. Lucas and I went today to sign the contracts. We’ve been working together about his duties back in Boston. Stephanie is over the moon about it. She’s even thinking about helping. Lucas wants me to convince you to put your business degree to work, too. Make it a big family affair.”
“I could do that as long as it doesn’t interfere with my salon work. I enjoy working with the girls from the school. They have a lot of talent. I think I’m going to keep this going all year round. Rotate them out so they all get salon hours. Mãe told me today she wants me to buy her out. She’s ready to travel and be free from the responsibility of the past. It stung when those words left her mouth. I couldn’t imagine she actually meant free from me, could she?” I swipe the lone tear that falls.
“Baby, she could never mean you. With the conversations I’ve heard between her and Edna, I think she needs to be free of your dad’s ghost for a while. He meant so much to her and everywhere she looks reminds her of him. She needs to find herself without his identity.”
“I can understand that to a point, but she’s leaving me behind.” I sniffle, not sure where all the emotions is coming from.
“You’ll always be here, and this is home. You’re home to her. To me,” Sebastian whispers squeezing my hand. His words cause me to snuggle closer to him. He feels like home.
“You make it everything better.” I don’t think I’ve ever spoken any truer words. I smile.
“What gift did you get today?” Sebastian asks with a smirk on his face. We walk back into the salon. I hold up the box of donuts while he looks at the card with“?”written on it. He steals one and eats it. “Always, And,”and“Me”arrived with candy hearts, coupon for the chocolate shop, and tulips. I still can’t decipher the code. “These are excellent, baby. I might need to order these for breakfast more often for you.”
“They are my favorite donuts. I think either my secret Valentine knows me that well or he asked them to send my favorites.”
“Not it, babe. I keep telling you. I didn’t even know how to arrange all of this,” he comments, swiping another donut. I kiss his powder cover lips then laugh at him.
The day goes by with no major issues and Sebastian is busy typing on his laptop when I walk into the apartment.
“Honey, I’m home.” My voice is sweet. I slide off my sneakers and moan.
“Hey, no making that noise unless I’m buried deep inside you, beautiful.” I giggle as he comes over to kiss me. “Feet hurt?”
“Yes. My feet and lower back are always killing me. I don’t think I sat for over fifteen minutes today. I enjoy being busy, but sometimes I want a nice, boring day. Do you want to watch a movie?”
“I’d love to cuddle up with you, baby. Come on, I’ll make the popcorn while you go get changed.” I nod to him with another swift kiss and him smacking my ass I head to my bedroom to change into my pajamas for a nice relaxing night with my guy. Stephanie and Lucas are coming over tomorrow for a movie night and a business meeting so it should be fun.
chaptertwelve
Sebastian
SeeingCarmen’s face every time she gets a new gift makes me smile. It is so hard to keep the secret from her. I don’t know how I’ll be able to top this next year or the years to come but I’ll continue to try. The balloons I sent her were a bunch of silly random ones including get well and congratulations which made her laugh so hard. I had the word “The”attached to it. The necklace on February thirteenth was a simple silver chain with a heart locket with instructions not to open it until after the Sweetheart Dance. The word of the day for the necklace was “You.”
Now as I stand in the bathroom getting ready at the hotel with Lucas since it’s asecretValentine, Stephanie thinks it is hilarious for Carmen to ditch me so she can meet up with her secret then choose. She knows it’s me, but the torture is fun for her.
“Your wife is mean,” I tell Lucas walking out of the bathroom holding my phone up. “She’s sending me random pictures of Carmen but not a full one. I see a finger, her hair, her cheekbone. Why is she doing this to me?” I groan flopping onto the couch.
“Do you remember your relationship with Michelle?” I nod. “I remember it well too. She sucked the life out of you and hated Stephanie. You would’ve never done this festival with her or spent the time with me because if it took the attention away from her I hated how it hurt Stephanie and Carmen saw that too. Carmen loves your sister so much and will always put your relationship with her first because she saw the damage it caused. But in the same spectrum, Carmen is the one person to push you to be a better man for you, not her. Stephanie enjoys this new look on you.”
“What look?” I’m so fucking confused. I never saw it from Lucas’s point of view as he’s been there from the beginning and end of Michelle.
“Happy. In love. She likes being a part of the relationship. You don’t have to hide it from her. She can be involved in it.”
“I hate how Michelle wrecked things. No, I take that back. I hate myself for letting Michelle wreck things. I missed out on so much with Stephanie and in retrospect, I lost years I probably could have had with Carmen.”
“Stephanie forgives you. She loves you and knows it wasn’t your fault. Sometimes you get caught up with your dick; it happens.” We laugh as he hands me a tumbler with whiskey in it. “Carmen and you weren’t ready to be together. She was going to college, coming back, then grieving for her dad. She needed to find herself before being able to love. I love her like a sister, but she was so focused on getting back here to work with her parents that the few times she dated in college were just for fun. It was a double or triple date thing. Nothing serious because she knew Boston wasn’t her home.”