Page 61 of It Started with a Kiss
Her eyelids fluttered open, and she stretched like a satisfied cat after a bowl of cream. ‘Mmm. Good morning, handsome.’ God, I loved her sexy morning voice, and that bloody accent was enough to send me over the edge before she even touched me.
‘Good morning yourself, beautiful. We have all day to spend together. What do you want to do?’
* * *
We chose to spend a lazy Sunday morning at Star’s apartment following a call from Alec to say he was heading to Livingston with Gil for the day. Later, we sat munching on bacon rolls and planning for the evening. We were meeting my boss and his wife in the city to help Star feel more at ease when we attended the charity ball a couple of weeks hence.
Sitting on her bed with her wardrobe doors wide open and clothes strewn round the room, she stamped her foot like a petulant child. ‘But what do I wear?’ I pursed my lips, trying not to laugh, and failed, which earned me a playful slap to the arm. ‘Finnn, this is serious. I’ve never met these people, and it’s important that I make a good impression.’
I leaned forward and swiped a blob of ketchup from her lip before sucking it off my thumb. ‘Just wear whatever you want to wear and be yourself. They’ll love you. Stop worrying.’ The fact that she seemed so hung up on what people thought was completely out of line with her appearance, and I wondered why.
She lowered her gaze. ‘I just... I want to be... I want them to think I’m good enough for you.’
What?‘Star, why in hell would you think anything to the contrary?’
‘Because you’re a lawyer, and I make coffee. You’re all normal looking, and I have pink hair and wouldn’t know normal if it jumped up and bit me. You’re intelligent, and I’m—’
Anger niggled at me. ‘Whoa, hang on there. Okay, point one, I’m a lawyer because it’s what I waspushedinto, and it’s all I know. Two, I love your pink hair, it makes you you. And three...’ I inched closer to her on the bed and slipped my hand around to the nape of her neck. ‘Qualifications don’t mean you’re intelligent. They mean you’re good at answering questions at length within a time limit. You are the most intelligent, fun, caring, talented woman I’ve ever met, so don’t go getting a bloody inferiority complex on me, okay? And anyway, Alasdair isn’t at all like that. He’s so cool, Star. He doesn’t judge on appearance. Hell, he’s fine with my beardy weirdness and shaggy, unlawyery hair, so he isn’t going to care what colour yours is. I can’t quite believe you’re so eaten up about what people think.’
She chewed the inside of her cheek and folded her arms around herself protectively. ‘I wasn’t... I mean I never have been. Not until...’
My heart sank. ‘Not until you met me?’ She nodded. I placed my plate on the floor, and once my hands were free, I pulled her until she straddled my lap. ‘You really have nothing to worry about. I don’t know why you feel like this. If I’ve done something or... or said something to make you feel this way then I’m so sorry. But believe me when I say that I don’t care what anyone thinks ofeitherof us. As long as we’re happy then that’s all that counts, okay?’
Her lip trembled. ‘I know. I just... I love being a part of your life and I want to make sure I don’t give you any reason to make that change.’ She lowered her head, unable to look in my eyes.
I sighed and cupped her face, forcing her to meet my gaze. ‘I could say the very same thing.’
She smiled, but her eyes were still filled with sadness, so I pulled her down to kiss her in a way I hoped would express what I felt unable to say out loud in case I scared her away.
Suddenly an idea came to mind. Hopefully it would help her see that supposed status meant nothing to me. ‘Let’s go out this afternoon. There’s someone I’d like you to meet.’
* * *
I gripped Star’s hand as we entered Southern Cross Cafe, and a familiar pair of friendly eyes locked on mine. I glanced at Star and smiled before pulling her eagerly forward.
As soon as we arrived at the table, Hetty was on her feet, pulling me down into her arms. For such a small person she could certainly squeeze hard, but she gave the best hugs ever.
‘Fin. It’s so good to see you, love.’ Her emotion-filled voice tugged at my heart.
A lump formed in my throat almost trapping my voice, but I managed to choke out, ‘And you too, Hetty. I’ve missed you.’
‘Oh, my sweet boy. Let me look at you.’ She held me at arm’s length and trailed a parental, assessing gaze over me. ‘My, you do look well. Rugged, but well, all the same.’ Her smile widened as she spotted Star beside me. ‘And who might this beautiful young lady be?’
I gently pulled Star forward. ‘Hetty, I’d like you to meet my girlfriend, Star Mendoza. Star, this is the other important woman in my life, Hetty Mackenzie.’
Star held out her hand, but a sob broke free from Hetty, and she grappled Star into a hug. ‘Oh, bless you both. How wonderful. How perfect.’
‘Hi, Mrs Mackenzie. I’ve heard so much about you,’ Star told her.
‘Oh, please call me Hetty.’ She glanced between the two of us. ‘I can see the look in his eyes when he talks about you. He’s clearly smitten.’
Star’s cheeks coloured, and she smiled over at me as she chewed her lip.
‘I was so relieved to know you hadn’t gone up to Arisaig yet. I wanted so much for you to meet Star.’
We sat down, and a waitress came to take our order. Once it was just the three of us again, I grinned like an idiot between the two most important women in my life.
Hetty patted Star’s arm. ‘I’m guessing you’ve met Callum and Tori and wee baby Charlotte?’
