Page 10 of Her Kensington
“I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just when I think of her she’s still an annoying little seven-year-old in my mind. I forget she’s now all grown up.”
“Does it bother you that I’m so much younger than you?”
“What? No, of course not. I actually quite like having a younger woman,” he says with a wink. “All I care about is you, Summer. I couldn’t care about any of that, so get the thought out of your head.”
“Okay,” I mutter, but I’m not sure it’s something I’m going to forget about any time soon.
“You ready?”
“For what?” Not two seconds after I’ve asked do my ears pop and the plane suddenly starts to descend. My hand goes to my stomach as it drops. The color drains from my face and I start praying we touch down very soon.
Once again Harrison grabs my hand and the feeling of him rubbing his thumb against my skin helps keep my breathing steady as we make our final descent. When we break through the light cloud cover, all thoughts of dying on a plane are forgotten as I stare out the window at the gorgeous country we’re about to land in. Excitement takes over as the buildings begin to get bigger and I start to make out the details of the ground below. For just a few seconds, all the unanswered questions flying around my head and my uncertainty about the future vanish as I take in the view.
“Hold on,” I hear Harrison say and I just turn to him when the thud of the plane hitting the tarmac reverberates through me. My heart pounds as the force of the brakes throws me back into my seat. But the second we’ve slowed to a normal speed, I turn to him with a wide smile on my face.
“You want to do that again, don’t you?” he asks with a laugh.
“Maybe.”
“Thank god for that. I wasn’t looking forward to getting you on another one to London if you hated it.”
* * *
“Oh my god.That man has our names on his board.” I point over to the guy standing in arrivals in excitement. This is the kind of thing I watch on TV. I never thought I’d get to experience it.
“He’s driving us to our villa,” Harrison says, like it’s the most normal thing in the world. Transport hadn’t even entered my head. I guess I just presumed we’d get a taxi or something. I keep forgetting that Harrison lives a little differently to what I’m used to. “Come on, it’s only a short drive.” He squeezes my hand and pulls me toward the guy with Mr. and Mrs. Abbot on his sign. I’m holding in my squeal of excitement. I just about manage to contain myself as we follow him out to an awaiting town car.
The drive is beautiful. The sun is beginning to set, casting everything in a warm orange. It’s like paradise.
“What are you doing?” I ask the second Harrison’s hand covers my eyes.
“We’re nearly there. I want it to be a surprise.”
Excitement and disappointment duel inside me. As much as I can’t wait to see where we’re staying, I don’t want to miss seeing anything. This is my first time outside of America and I want to make the most of it.
Harrison
My concernabout telling Summer the truth about my life is still bubbling under the surface but as we travel towards our villa I push it aside, instead concentrating on watching my wife. Her nose is practically squashed against the car window as she takes in all the passing scenery. It looks like a stunning place and I can’t wait to experience it with her, but right now I can’t take my eyes off her. I truly thought I’d had my one shot at love and when it was thrown back in my face I thought that was it for me, that I was destined to live out a lonely life filled with my few friends, family, and antiques. I understand why Zach feels the need to take the piss out of my life when I think about it like that. I make no effort to go out and meet someone for fear of history repeating itself. Rebecca was very normal and I believed my childhood best friend was meant to be the love of my life, so it hurt like hell when it all went to shit in front of my eyes.
As we get closer, I shift over and place my hand over Summer’s eyes. If this place is even half as impressive as the images I saw online, I think it’s going to take her breath away, and I want us to be alone when that happens.
“Really?” she huffs against my palm.
“Really, beautiful. I promise it’ll be worth it.”
She mutters something under her breath that I can’t quite make out but I smile anyway.
Switching off from everything I’ve left behind is almost impossible, but being here with Summer is the closest I think I’m ever going to get.
I watch our home for the next week appear in front of us and a little more excitement buzzes through my veins that I’m going to get to have her all to myself for a whole week. No outside bullshit from anyone else; just the two of us in our own little world.
“Are we there yet?” she complains as she feels the car come to a stop.
“Yes, but you can’t look yet.”
Her shoulders slump as my words register. “Not fair.”
“Just a few more seconds. Can you promise to keep your eyes shut while I get out the car?”
