Page 30 of The Accidental Wife

“I’m going to miss you too, both of you.” We pull apart, and Aimee sulks, watching me as I walk to the door. “I’ll come and see you guys all the time. It will be like I never left.” They nod and wave when I blow them a kiss.

I leave the apartment and make my way down the stairs. Suddenly it feels like everything in my life is changing, and I don’t like it. I’ve never lived with a man before. I’m quite nervous, and after what just happened in my bedroom, I can’t trust myself around him. I just have to find a way to avoid getting into situations like that.

As I walk out of the building, I see Cole leaning against his car, shades on, arms crossed. When he sees me, he straightens and walks over to me. “You okay?” He asks, wiping away a tear that I hadn’t even noticed rolled down my cheek.

I nod, “Yeah. I’m going to miss my girls, that’s all.” Cole smiles and wraps an arm around my shoulder, and pulls me against him as we walk over to his car.

“Sweetheart, I’m not locking you up and throwing away the key. You can come and see your friends whenever you want, or they can come and see you at our place.” I look up at him as he opens the door for me to get in. Our place. He didn’t say my place; he said our place.

“Really? They can come whenever they want?” I ask, and he smiles and nods, tweaking my nose.

“Whenever they want.” I slap his hand away from my nose, and he grins down at me. He helps me up into the car as I was a little too short, and the steps to the range rover was a little on the high side. I look up at the girls who were at the window watching us. I wave up at them as Cole gets in and starts the car. They wave back and blow kisses at me as we drive away.

I sigh and sink back into the plush leather seats. “By the way, we’ve got to go and see my family tomorrow. I can’t avoid them anymore.” I tell him, and he looks over at me and nods.

“Sure, we can go tomorrow. It’s the weekend, so we can have some breakfast and go see them around lunchtime? That work for you?” I nod silently and look out the window. I miss my family so much, but I am terrified of what awaits me. It feels like I’ve not seen them in so long when it's only been a week.

I watch Cole as he drives, and I wonder what he usually does on weekends. I bet he has a schedule that he sticks to religiously. “What do you usually do on weekends?”

Cole smiles and licks his lips, “I play golf most weekends.” When I look at him blankly, he laughs and glances at me sideways. “What?”

“I’m starting to realise why God has put me in your life,” I respond dryly, and Cole cackles.

“Oh yeah, and why is that?” He questions, amused.

“Because your life is depressing as hell. Golfing on weekends? What are you sixty years old?” I retort, shaking my head. “No, I am convinced now more than ever that I have been chosen to bring some colour to your life.”

“Hey, I happen to really enjoy golfing, and I do other fun activities.” He says, put out, and I roll my eyes.

“Please, do enlighten me.” I urge, crossing my arms over my chest and stare at him expectantly.

“I shoot skeet.”

I roll my eyes. “Bore. Next.”

“I enjoy horseback riding.”

I shrug, “Okay, I like horses. Go on.”

“I go sailing.” He adds.

“Oh, cool. You have a boat?” He nods and looks over at me.

“I have many boats. Have you ever been sailing before?”

“Of course you do, and no, I’ve never been on a boat. Come to think of it, I’ve never gone horseback riding either. I always wanted to go as a little girl, but my parents were always too scared to let me get on a horse.”

Cole smiles, “Maybe I can teach you one day. Would you like that?” I look over at him, surprised.

“You would do that?” I question and he nods.

“Yes, of course. I tell you what, every weekend we do one thing and experience what the other person enjoys. What do you say?” I muse over his idea and nod.

“Okay, but I swear, you try and take me antiquing or some shit, and I’m out of there,” I warn him, and he laughs.

“Antiquing? What am I sixty years old?” He drawls, using my own words on me, and cheekily smiles when I poke my tongue out at him.

“That is still up for debate, my darling,” I say as we pull up at his apartment complex. Cole parks up, and we get out of the car. He helps me carry my suitcase and boxes up to his apartment.

There I stood, in his five-million-pound apartment, completely clueless as to what was awaiting me.