All or Nothing (20 page)

‘Right, a meal then you lovebirds can fly
off into the sunset’ Grant announces ushering us out of the hotel into a
waiting limo. 

‘This is very good of you Grant thank you’
Bella declares.

‘My pleasure, it’s good to see you both so
happy’ he acknowledges.

‘Where are you off to after?’ I enquire
unaware they were flying straight away on their honeymoon.

‘The Caribbean for some rest and sun’ Mike
announces ‘my wife and I need some alone time’ he grins at using the W word,
Bella giggles. 

I tilt my head towards them, ‘you two will
be fine’ I murmur ‘a match made in heaven’ and Bella nods emotionally.

‘God woman you are always crying’ I lighten
the mood ‘bloody hormones’ and she giggles.

We pull up outside the Stratosphere where
Grant and I had our first date and my eyes turn to his he smiles gently,
‘memories’ he mumbles and I smile back emotionally.

‘You been here before?’ Bella asks.

‘Our first date’ Grant announces and Bella
smiles regarding us fondly.

We are shown to what must be the best table
in the revolving restaurant overlooking the beautiful sights and I sit adjacent
to Grant who rests his arm across the back as he did on our first date.  I lean
back and inhale his scent so close to me.  Mike and Bella are cuddled up
admiring the view oblivious to us, Grant orders champagne and sparkling water
as we are given menus. 

‘What are you having?’ he questions.

I shrug ‘fish maybe’

‘Come on find your appetite please Abi’ he
soothes.

‘The crushed cod please’ I hand the menu
back to him and he hands me a glass of champagne.

‘Ok, to Bella and Mike long may their
partnership last’ Grant calls and we clink glasses, I smile over at them before
moving my glance back to Grant.  He glances down at me his eyes alight, ‘you
ok?’

‘Yes I think so’ I mumble and he lifts my
chin up towards him placing a kiss on my lips gently.

‘This is the first place I did this too’ he
murmurs his eyes drinking me in. 

‘How did you two not make it work?’ Bella
mutters from opposite us.

‘Outside influences’ Grant murmurs.

‘Not only’ I add but Grant just regards
me.  The bubble has burst and I glance away as our meals are placed before us. 

********

We are standing outside the hotel, ‘have a
great time’ I hug Bella ‘text me when you get home and we will meet for a catch
up’

‘Thank you for coming Abi. Grant you will
make sure she gets home safe won’t you?’ she confirms with Grant who rolls his
eyes.

‘I guarantee her safe return Bella’ he
assures her.

‘Yes but what if you two have one of your
falling outs’ she worries.

‘We won’t’ Grant calls gently ‘if she misbehaves
I will tan her back side’ he teases and I throw a dark look his way.

‘Bye Mike, congratulations again’ I hug
him.

‘You will be fine Abi’ he nods in Grant’s
direction ‘give him a chance’

I nod at Mike before I address Bella, ‘I am
quite capable of making my own way home anyway Bella I don’t know why you worry
so’

‘She won’t be making her way anywhere alone
Bella’ Grant confirms.

‘See already you are bickering’ she looks
to Mike who sends a pacifying smile her way.

‘It is their idea of foreplay Bella, come
on or I will find someone else to take’

We wave them off and I turn suddenly
feeling extremely shy, ‘so……’

‘Come let’s get a
drink’ he holds his hand out and I take it. We walk into the Wynn hotel and
move into the bar where we sit, ‘what you having?’

‘Mojito please’

‘Mojito and a Jack
Daniels please, no ice’ he turns to me ‘You have gone very quiet Miss Stephens’

‘Have I?’ I glance
down at my hands.

‘Extremely’ the
barman places our drinks down with some snacks which Grant pushes towards me.

‘Seriously, you
have to stop doing that you just saw me eat’ I am aggravated.

‘You eat like a
sparrow’ his eyes take on my dress ‘you do look stunning though’ he murmurs.

‘Make your mind up’
I grumble.

‘Well you never
used to eat so little, I prefer a few curves myself. So what’s with the weight
loss?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I mean you left me
Abi not the other way around.  I went to work walking on air and came back a
broken man’

‘You want to do
this here and now?’

‘No!’ he shakes his
head, ‘I don’t want to go over old ground I want to move forward.  I realize I behaved
badly and I hurt you for that I apologize’ he glances at me lifting his drink,
I tilt mine towards him, ‘to us’ he mutters before we drink.

‘I hear things
sorted themselves out regarding your dramas in the end?’ someone has to mention
the elephant in the room.

‘Eventually’ he exhales
a breath ‘I will never put myself in that circumstance or the distinct
possibility of that situation again’

‘So what you are saying is you are going to
remain celibate?’ I snort.

‘No, I am saying that I only ever want to
be intimate with one person on this planet and if she gets pregnant…..’ he
shrugs.

My stomach flips as
I gaze down into my glass bringing it to my lips to keep myself occupied.

‘The drama has
resolved itself Grant, the way you handled it unfortunately remains’ I test a
glance up into his eyes.

‘I realize that. I
recognize that.  All I can ask is that you forgive me and take a gamble on me
Abi.  I only handled things badly because it was all alien to me! That isn’t an
excuse, I have never taken on the responsibly of someone else’s feelings
before. In regards to my keeping you separate from my office, yes I wanted to
keep you to myself for no other reason but the fact that I love you.  I should
have informed you that Amber was an employee but to me that wasn’t important
because she was unimportant to me.  I have missed you so much Abi, I feel as
though there is a gigantic void in my life’

‘Our feelings have never been the issue
Grant, but I always sensed you held half of your life back from me, I still
don’t really know what you do for a living’ I breathe ‘I don’t care how much
money you possess I just want to know you the whole you’

‘Then give us a chance, teach me how to do
this?’ he pleads. My gaze moves over him his hair is slightly shorter on top
but other than that he appears no different just a little more serious perhaps.

I look into his anxious gaze and know that
I am going to allow him back into my heart because he never left.  I am
miserable without him, I go about my days on autopilot living a half-life.

‘You have to let me in’ I warn him quietly
‘to all aspects of your life, I should be able to walk into your office and
bring you lunch or just pop in to visit.  None of this separate business where
my imagination runs riot wondering what you are hiding?’

He pulls me in between his legs draped over
the bar stool wrapping his arms around me, ‘whatever negotiations I agree,
anything’ he sighs ‘I cannot be without you Abi, I am so sorry for everything’
he squeezes me tightly and I pull his head into my chest placing a kiss on the
top of his head.

‘We are getting married’ he informs me and
I pull away from him.

‘No! One step at a time’ I murmur.

‘No, all or nothing Abi’ his face is set
like stone ‘no more one foot in, you either love me or you don’t I cannot be
feeling insecure about whether I am going to say or do the wrong thing and return
to an empty house.  We work through our problems like adults in love’

‘Grant!’ I attempt.

‘No, non-negotiable we love each other’ he shakes
his head, ‘we are getting married I have the ring’ he reaches into his inside
jacket pocket pulling out a Tiffany box.

‘When did you get that?’ I enquire shocked.

‘I bought it months ago, I was going to
surprise you at the airport then….’ He rubs his hand over his face.

I regard him with surprise he is struggling
here, I sense his panic ‘Ok’ I whisper calming him frowning ‘ok! Relax’

‘You don’t know what it has been like living
without you’ he growls ‘I have been a monster’

‘Of course I do I lived it too Grant!’ I
snap sitting back down ‘I lost my best friend and the love of my life in one
fail swoop! Don’t you dare tell me how bad you had it, I had to move home and
start again’

‘I know, I am sorry’ he sighs pulling me
back towards him ‘I love you, please marry me and allow me to spend my life
loving you’

I stare at him my anger subsiding ‘you have
a lot to learn Mr Fitzgerald’

‘I know, educate me’ he rubs his hand up
and down my hip ‘I am a fast learner I promise’

‘Ok’ I sigh and he grins.

‘What yes you will marry me?’

‘Well you have spoiled it for me now, no
other man measures up so I guess so’ I smile gently and he stands lifting me up
and swings me around kissing me soundly.

Ellie Golding is playing ‘
How long will
I love you? As long as the stars are above you’
as I walk down the aisle of
the chapel in Grant’s new Las Vegas Hotel.  Grant has flown out our entire
families who are facing me as I link my dad’s arm Bella following behind me her
swollen abdomen pushing against the fabric of her lemon dress.  I am dressed in
a short wedding dress with long sleeves in cream lace, the entire back cut out
leaving my spine exposed for view.  I have my hair long and wavy pulled back on
one side. I am holding yellow gerbera’s and my eyes are focused entirely on
Grant.

He is standing there looking all handsome
in his suit his eyes anxious but relaxing the nearer in proximity to him I
reach.

The past few months have been an absolute
whirlwind, on arriving back home after Bella’s wedding Grant moved me
immediately into his apartment.  He paid off the lease of my flat and insisted
we would not be living apart leaving room for insecurities to creep in. 

My parents were nervous at the speed of our
relationship my mum reminding me that I hardly knew Grant despite the fact she adores
him.  I assured her that I knew enough and that I couldn’t live without him to
which she smiled tears appearing in her eyes.

Grant’s family were amazing, his brother
could charm the birds from the trees and they have a great relationship despite
the distance they live apart.  His parents love mine and bond immediately.

Grant insist that I join his Company and
work alongside him which eventually after a series of arguments I agreed to, he
introduced me to his business on our return from Vegas.  I am now aware that
Grant buys crumbling or struggling properties renovating them then the majority
of them he sells off.  Working together works tremendously for us, it allows us
to have our own lives within a work environment with the added bonus of knowing
we are never far away from each other. I am learning a huge amount working with
Grant he is a patient teacher and I am enjoying every moment.

The most recent dispute, yes we have
realized that having such a passionate relationship works both inside and
outside the bedroom, is that Grant desires a baby to which I have quite
adamantly refused.  My mind revisits our conversation of a couple of days ago,

‘I want us to start a family immediately’
he wraps his arms around me.

‘No Grant’ I shake my head.

‘Why not?’

‘Because I need time to adjust to all the
changes that have transpired over the past few months, I have moved, yet again!
I have a new job which I absolutely adore and I have you who I wish to dedicate
my time to loving.  I don’t have any time for another human being’

‘I want us to start a family while we are
young, I am thirty soon’ he groans ‘I want to watch you blossom growing my baby
inside you.  All the drama with Amber has made me realize that I want to be a
father’ his eyes glance to mine surveying my reaction to him using her name.

‘I want to work Grant, I need to earn my
own money’

‘We have enough money Abi, we are getting
married this week what is mine is yours’ he grins ‘and believe me you couldn’t
spend the money we have’

‘I love working’ I frown ‘I love having you
a few rooms away, I don’t want to be at home all day’

‘You can still work we own the Company you
can bring the baby with you’ he kisses my neck ‘I want you barefoot and
pregnant’ he growls as I groan against his hair.

I stand gazing at my handsome husband whose
eyes are sparkling with love for me, his brother is standing alongside him as
his best man.  My dad places my hand in his,

‘You look after my precious girl’ dad
murmurs to him and Grant smiles to my dad,

‘For sure’ his eyes find mine once again,
‘you look beautiful’ he whispers.