Page 50 of Heston
The dim lighting from downstairs illuminated his loft, making his already dark eyes seem black. Extra serious. He trailed a fingertip over her forehead, between her eyes, and down her nose. Cupping her jaw, he lowered her head and pressed his lips to the middle of her forehead. “I bought it the day I joined the Army. Remember the errand I ran after we visited your folks? That’s where I went. The jewelry store texted me while we were at your parents’ place, but I couldn’t give it to you then. The mood was all wrong. You were upset that night, so I waited for another time. Just didn’t think it’d take this long.”
Oh, no.She squeezed her eyes shut. “The night they said those awful things?”
“The night you defended me, London. I was proud of you. You have so much on the ball. You’re smart and beautiful, the perfect woman in so many ways, and the only one for me. Youstood firm that night. Didn’t let your dad bully you. Didn’t take crap from your mom. I know they were just looking out for their only daughter. I’m sure they didn’t mean what they said, but right away, you set them straight. You defended me. Then you walked away from the toxic home you grew up in, and you chose to stay with me.”
“I was so angry with them. So disappointed.” London bit her bottom lip.
Her father had called Heston a ‘useless Hispanic’that night. But Heston had no idea what hateful pejoratives her father used the next day when he’d called, trying to convince London to come home. To use her brain, for God’s sake. To leave that lazy Latino behind, that she could do better. To pull her head out of her spoiled ass and grow up. That Heston was just another lazy‘beaner’who’d never amount to anything. He’d even called Heston a‘muchacho’, another derogatory slur that inferred Heston was just a‘boy’. That he didn’t deserve the respect a man extends to another. Yeah,those words.
London’s neck muscles worked hard as she swallowed the pain her parents’ words caused Heston. But what had she done then? In a fit of ego and stupid, stupid, stupidity, she’d done precisely what her parents had wanted her to do. She’d run off and left him. London wanted to bang her hard head into a harder wall. Instead, she told him, “I am so, so sorry for leaving you. I’ll never hurt you again, Hes. I was so dumb. I thought I needed to prove something. All I did was prove I’m as bad as my parents.”
“No, babe, you’re not. You aren’t anything like them. Trust me. I know.” That warm finger pressed over her lips again, ending her rant. “How about we let the past stay in the past? We’re here now, London. We’re together and we’re in a good place. You were brave and took a chance. I understand. You did what you had to do, and now you know. Let’s focus on the positives we’ve learned from our time apart; the smartthings we’ve done instead of the mistakes we’ve made. Hey, congratulations. We’re engaged.” His brows lifted like he was surprised.
“Even if we weren’t, we’d still be in love,” she whispered, trailing her fingers up the back of his head and into his soft, lush hair. “I promise, Heston Contreras, I will spend the rest of my life loving you. Now snuggle with me.”
The warm smile on his face was exactly what London needed. He did as she asked. Stretched his long legs over her, then settled his handsome body close behind her. With his front to her back, he wrapped her inside his arms and whispered, “You’ve just made my mom very happy.”
She wiggled her butt into his lap. “Because we’re engaged?”
“Yes, babe. She thought I’d never settle down.”
“It’s been so long since I’ve talked to her. I’ll call her tomorrow so we can start making plans.”
His chest expanded with a deep sigh. “She missed you. I think she likes you better than me.”
“No mom loves anyone better than her own son.”
“Mama does. You were always special to her. She’s proud of your accomplishments. I think because you’ve accomplished what she always wanted to do. It’s your college graduation picture on her wall by the fireplace, not mine.”
London squirmed around until she faced Heston. “Are you lying?”
“Promise. Mama likes you best. You’ll see.”
“But I hurt her when I left you. I know I did. I need to apologize, but what can I say?”
“Just show up, babe. I promise, all you have to do is show up and she’ll take it from there. Oh, yeah, bring Kleenex because Mama’s a crier.”
London swiped a finger under her leakiest eye. “So am I.”
The tenderest smile bracketed Heston’s mouth. He leaned into her and kissed the tear away. “My dad’s another story. But Mama? Yeah, bring Kleenex. Maybe a box of it, because she’s going to cry all over you the second she sees you. If she scolds anyone, it’ll be me for not telling her you’re back.”
“I don’t understand why your mom’s always been so nice to me.”
Heston took her jaw in both hands and pressed a kiss to the end of her nose. “Because she loves you. Now go to sleep. Tomorrow’s another day, and we’ll be busy. You can call her then.”
London did him one better. Got up in his grill and French-kissed the hell out of her man. “I love you, Hes,” she declared, licking her lips when the steamy kiss ended.
He pulled her back under his arm. “I know, babe. Go to sleep.”
“I am tired,” she admitted.
Before long, Heston’s breathing evened out. But try as she might, sleep wouldn’t come for London. She lay there listening to his heartbeat, wishing she could go back in time and make better decisions that night. She’d hurt him more than she’d ever realized, and she’d hurt his beautiful mother, too. Regret was a sucker punch she hadn’t seen coming. How could she ever make those wrongs right? What do you say to the woman whose son you nearly destroyed just because you were a selfish brat and acted out? London had no idea. She eased from under Heston’s arm, so her tossing and turning wouldn’t disturb him. He grumbled in his sleep but after the day they’d had, she knew he wasn’t waking up.
The night dragged on, but no brilliant plan for forgiveness came to mind. Sleep eluded London at every turn. Insomnia and guilt nagged until—
“Enough,” she told herself, somewhere between two and three in the morning. Quietly, she gathered her scattered clothes, washed up at his bathroom sink, and dressed for the day. She brushed her hair with his brush and used Heston’s toothbrush because morning breath—Ewwww.
Maybe a good run would settle her brain. She tiptoed past him, pausing a moment to gaze down on him as he slept. Heston was the most beautiful man in the world. His olive-skinned face was boyishly slack with sleep, and his dark lashes laid like crescents on his cheeks. There was a fierce hardness about him that hadn’t been there before. Which stood to reason. She’d changed during their time apart, too. In some ways, she was stronger and tougher. She knew how to draw a hard line when push came to shove. She knew how flawed the federal government was. But while she’d drifted from one federal job to another, Heston had gone to war. He’d seen horrible things, might’ve done a few horrible things, too. But he’d served his country instead of himself.
