by Pratt, Lulu
When my feet touched the floor, I felt weak, as though I’d emptied my tank completely. It was more than a release, a rebirth of sorts. I felt like a new woman, fulfilled and whole.
Ford took me back into his arms, carrying me to the bedroom without another word. There was nothing left to say, only action. We fell to the bed with our tongues intertwined, and he made love to me, slowly and passionately until my body all but collapsed. He took everything I had to offer in the most beautiful way. I wanted him to have all of me, and he received everything with a zeal that was unmatched.
When I finally drifted off to sleep, it was him I dreamed of, and our life together. My dream man was going to give me my dream life. I slept on a cloud.
Chapter 50
FORD
IT HAD BEEN so long since I took Charlotte out on a date, I felt a bit guilty. Before Emma came into our life, we found ourselves more interested in staying home to be alone with each other. And since we’d begun caring for my daughter, we rarely had a moment to ourselves.
Thankfully, my mother was happy to watch our little girl for the evening so I could enjoy a night out. Charlotte deserved to be paraded around the city we loved. No matter where we went, she was always the most beautiful in the room. Tonight was no exception.
When I’d called her to tell her about my plan for the night, I could hear her excitement as she discussed what she might wear. Picking her up, I was blown away by the black dress and the way it magically fell over her curves. She’d matured in the short time we’d been together, more into the woman she wanted to be. I felt proud whenever she talked about it, hoping I played a positive role in her growth.
“What are you thinking about?” She jolted my thoughts, interlacing her fingers with mine atop the crisply ironed white tablecloth.
“How beautiful you are,” I honestly answered, watching her blush.
“You always know what to say, don’t you?” she teased, looking away.
The waiter arrived, announcing the first of four courses. I’d called ahead to have the chef prepare a special menu. I wanted it to be a romantic and memorable night, considering I wasn’t sure when we would get another chance to be alone.
Emma had not only taken over the house, but our lives. In the span of a few weeks, Charlotte and I had both altered our schedules and routines to accommodate the little lady. She made it all easy, because looking into her eyes, I wanted to give her the world.
I was still in awe by how much Charlotte loved her. She woke up early every morning to prepare the house for her, and stayed up late every night preparing her meals for the next day. More than what she did, it was how she did it. She was always smiling, patient, and kind. She’d told me she always wanted to be a mother, and it was clear from the way she cared for Emma she was meant for the role.
“We’ve paired every course with the perfect wine. We do hope you enjoy,” the waiter explained before excusing himself as the food arrived.
“This looks fancy,” Charlotte smiled, looking at the small plate. The first dish was a deconstructed spring roll, with the filling delicately plated and the crust crumbled atop the vegetable and shrimp mixture.
“Let’s dig in,” I shrugged, unsure of why they had to be so fancy. I’d picked the top restaurant, but I was beginning to question my decision.
Charlotte was like me – we didn’t need any of the over-the-top additions. We were from the city, and Cincinnati was anything but glitz and glamour. Trying to stay positive, I planned to enjoy the meal.
I could tell from the look on Charlotte’s face, she thought the flavors were as extravagant as I did. I knew with the first bite I’d made a good call bringing her here. It was nothing like we would normally do, and worth every penny for the new experience.
“How was it?” The waiter arrived as a woman came to retrieve our empty plates.
“It was fantastic,” Charlotte smiled. One thing about fancy restaurants, they barely gave you two bites of food. The waiter announced he would be bringing out the next dish after explaining the wine selection. I nodded, trying to sip my wine rather than guzzle it.
“How was your day at the internship?” I asked after the staff quietly disappeared into the sea of white tables in the dining area.
“I’ve been meaning to tell you about that. I’m not in the internship program anymore. A few weeks ago, I was promoted to the head decorator,” she smiled, feigning modesty. I could see the pride in her big blue eyes. “That’s why I can make my own hours and be flexible for Emma.”
“Are you kidding me? This whole time I thought you were still in the internship program, and you’re leading a whole department? That’s amazing! I thought there was still a few weeks left on the program,” I asked, finishing the last of my wine.
“There is. I was bumped up. The instructor said I never truly needed the program, and he didn’t want me wasting any more of my time going through remedial courses.”
“That’s what I’ve been saying! You’re so advanced, I know you were light years ahead of anyone in the class, including the instructor,” I said.
From the first time I saw Charlotte’s work, I knew there was something special about her and the talent she had. Not everyone knew what they wanted to do so early in life, but Charlotte had a vision, and I respected her ambition.
“I know, you were the first person I wanted to tell when I got the news. There was just so much going on, and we weren’t speaking. Then, when we started looking after Emma together, I just didn’t want to worry you with my trivial news. You had so much on your plate with the changes. I knew you would want to make a big deal about it.” She shook her head dismissively.
My stomach tightened at the realization that she could ever think I didn’t have time for her. Of course my life had changed so much since Emma came into my life, but that never changed the way I felt about her, or how much I wanted to know and help her. I had to make sure she understood that if anything, I wanted my role in her life to increase.
“Charlotte,” I reached across the table, taking her hands in mine as I locked eyes with her so she knew how serious I was. “No matter how our lives change, you will always be the center of my world. I want to know everything and make a big deal about each of your accomplishments, because they are big deals!”
She giggled bashfully, and I made her promise that she would never hold back any news from me again. Her new position was what allowed her to care for Emma so freely. I had known things changed in her schedule, but had no idea she was leading the decorating department. I just assumed her instructor had noticed her talent and made her sessions optional.
“For your main, we have filet mignon, with garlic mashed potatoes and seasonal organic vegetables. These are grown locally, picked fresh daily, and delivered with the simplest ingredients to allow the natural flavors to shine through,” the waiter announced. It was clear he was passionate about his job.
Charlotte watched him with gleaming eyes, nodding along as he described the flavors in the red wine that would accompany our meal. Though this course felt more familiar, the look was anything but. The mashed potatoes were placed in small circular drops on the plate. The steak was already sliced finely, and the vegetables presented in purée.
Nonetheless, it was another exceptional dish. Everything was cooked to perfection, and the wine complimented the meal like another flavor on the plate.
By the time dessert came, I was shockingly full. I’d expected to need a stop at McDonald’s on the way home after seeing how small the servings were. The final lemon tart with a crushed cookie base was as delicious as the rest of the meal, with a glass of Champagne to top it off.
“That was amazing, Ford. You always go above and beyond for me, and I appreciate it.” She beamed as we left the restaurant.
“I always want the best for you,” I explained, leading her to the waterfront.
The wind was crisp yet refreshing, the first signs of summer ending making an appearance. Charlotte looked off at the skyli
ne of our city, which was growing so exponentially, at times it felt Cincinnati was becoming unrecognizable from the place we’d grown up.
Business was booming throughout the city, and the sports teams were having some of the best seasons in recent years. Everyone appeared to be prospering, and I counted myself in that. Ever since I’d moved back home, my life had taken a turn for the better.
First was reuniting with some of my closest friends and family, an invaluable addition to my life I hadn’t even acknowledged was missing. Living in Minneapolis, I thought the city was what I disliked, always searching for ways to improve it. But it was never the place, but the people missing from my life that left every other place in the world feeling foreign.
When Charlotte came into my life, it was so obvious I had been missing the partnership she provided. The butterflies she gave me took me back to my adolescent years, reminding me how simple life could be. Whenever we were together, I wanted time to stand still, allowing me to enjoy every moment. She was so special, the dream woman I didn’t know I needed.
As if that wasn’t enough, Emma elevated things even further. She’d taught me to care for someone else, loving more than I thought possible. Instantly, I knew I would give my life for her, but what was most remarkable was how she loved me.
It was my first real experience of unconditional love. Little Emma was pure, untainted by the evils of the world. The love in her gray eyes touched a deep part of me, a feeling only a parent could understand. Seeing a small person grow and develop, with features that mirror your own, was an indescribable experience that had undoubtedly changed me for the better.
Walking along the waterfront with Charlotte, I was overcome with gratitude for how my life was shaping. It was more than my wildest dreams, the definition of perfection.
“What are you thinking about, Mr. Delvey?” Charlotte asked, her bright eyes looking up to me with a mix of love and lust.
“I’m thinking about the other night, when we decided to get back together. That moment in the kitchen, when I asked you–” I started, but Charlotte cut me off.
“No, don’t worry about it. I know you didn’t mean it. It was just in the heat of the moment,” she rushed to excuse me.
I couldn’t believe I’d asked her to marry me that way. So happy to have her back, and caught in a whirlwind of emotions, my mouth was working faster than my mind. Instantly, I wanted to take it back, certain it was completely inappropriate. When she told me yes, I felt like the king of the world, but I needed her to know she deserved better.
“No, I definitely meant it,” I said, turning to face her as I held her hands in mine. “I just never meant to ask you in that way. You are the woman of my dreams, Charlotte. Everything that was missing in my life, I have found within you. Our relationship has allowed me to become the man I always wanted to be, simply because you love and believe in me in a way that pushes me to be my best self.”
She watched me closely, her lips pressing together as her eyes glassed over. I took a deep breath before going down on one knee, releasing one of her hands to retrieve the ring I’d purchased that day in the jewelry store. It was perfect for her, but I knew that day wasn’t the one to ask for her hand. Thankfully, the jeweler recommended a pair of earrings as well, but this was the piece I really wanted her to have.
“Will you honor me and be Mrs. Delvey?” I asked, looking up at her, in awe of her beauty.
“Yes! Yes! Of course!” she yelled, jumping up and down.
After clumsily sliding the ring on her finger, careful not to drop it, I stood and wrapped her in my arms. Our kiss was one of passion, excitement, and commitment. We were dedicated to each other in a way that brought the security only another person could give you.
Our life paths had always been aligned for this moment, but nothing could prepare me for the fulfillment it brought. With Charlotte in my arms, I felt invincible. She was the key to my success, and I knew I would never disappoint her again. She deserved her happy ending, and I was committed to creating it for her.
Epilogue
CHARLOTTE
Three Months Later
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” I sang to Emma while carrying her personal cake to the high chair. I had heard it was traditional to prepare an individual cake simply to allow the baby to destroy it. She wasted no time, taking a fistful of cake as everyone laughed and applauded her efforts.
Ford and I had decided to keep Emma’s first birthday intimate and small, only inviting the people who played a role in her life. Jackie had helped me prepare the food before Marshall and Ford barbecued. Ford’s mom made a few of the sides, and of course I handled all the desserts.
My baking career was taking off. After months of listening to Ford’s not so subtle suggestions, I took his advice and decided to strike out on my own. Just last week, we closed on a storefront downtown that would be my very own bakery, Artful Eats. I was excited and terrified, certain it would be an incredible new journey.
“Come on, let’s cut the big cake so everyone can enjoy your delicious creation,” Ford whispered while wrapping his arms around my waist. As always, he reached for my left hand, running his fingertips across the flawless teardrop diamond he’d slid on my finger not so long ago.
We’d already begun planning the wedding, though Ford was a bit apprehensive. He wanted to get married as soon as possible, but I had visions of my dream wedding, and Ford was always game to make my dreams come true. We’d already discussed trying for another baby after the wedding. Emma needed a playmate now that she was getting older, and we both wanted a large family.
“Let’s go inside, everyone,” I announced, lifting my daughter from the high chair. She put up a small fight, but I gave her a piece of cake to hold in each hand and she was distracted enough.
Our new family home was a four-bedroom standalone unit, with more than enough room for us. It was perfect, allowing us to have fun events like Emma’s first birthday right in our back yard. I’d even debated throwing our wedding there, but Ford would hear nothing about it. After admitting I wanted a grand event, he was determined to give me just that.
Ford’s mother was kind enough to cut the cake for everyone so I could tend to Emma. I’d prepared a two-tier strawberry shortcake for the celebration. It was Emma’s favorite and one of my signature flavors.
Emma had just finished her last bites of cake, so I washed her small hands clean before setting her on the floor to play with her toys. I’d just turned away, looking to the kitchen to see what I could clean or prepare, when I heard it.
“Mama!” she called so loudly it garnered everyone’s attention.
I turned to see Emma standing with her hands outreached. Slowly, she placed one unsteady foot in front of the other, taking her first steps to make it to me. The room erupted in applause as I wrapped her in my arms, fighting back the tears.
Knowing that calling for me was her first word brought tears to my eyes. Emma had come into my life so abruptly, but I had fallen for her just as quickly. No matter the circumstances, Emma was my daughter through and through.
When her own mother decided to abandon her, I feared she would never be able to accept me, but that was proven false immediately. Virginia decided to sign over her parenting rights after being offered a position in Paris. She said it was her dream job, and Ford and I happily accepted the responsibility we had already been fulfilling.
Only now it was official. We were working on legally signing paperwork to make me Emma’s guardian, an honor I didn’t take lightly. Being her mother was the most rewarding job of my life. I only looked forward to adding wife to my résumé, which would take place in a few short months.
As the party wrapped up and everyone went home for the day, I felt like the luckiest woman on the planet. An adventurous day meant Emma fell asleep in my arms before I could dress her after bath time. She was exhausted, sleeping sweetly as I tucked her in bed.
It all felt like a dream, even better than I ever imagined it could be. I had my
dream career, wonderful friends, and finally a family to call my own. My brother was thrilled to be an uncle, and soon a best man in our wedding.
Walking down the hall, I took an extra moment to look at the photos we’d chosen to line the wall. It was important that we surrounded ourselves with family, as Ford said it was the cornerstone of happiness. His time away from home had taught him how special the bonds he’d created were.
There was a photo of my parents at the end of the hall. I stared at the photo often, looking into my mother’s blue eyes as though it were really her. Everyone told me I looked more and more like her every day.
I only wished I could know if she was proud of me. Despite the tragic loss of my parents, I never let that stop me from loving and accepting love. My heart remained open to the possibilities of the world, and my mind free to dream without limits.
I was never one to settle for less than what I wanted, and I hoped my mother was proud of that. I had set out to live a life, and it all had come to fruition, including the man of my dreams. It always brought a smile to my eyes imagining my mother seeing me and Ford so dangerously in love. She knew how big of a crush I had on him, and I knew she would be tickled by her baby girl still finding ways to get just what she wanted.
It was so special to me that Ford had known my mother, a part of me not many could understand. But he did, and it helped us connect deeper than I would be able to with anyone else.
“Is she down?” Ford asked as I made my way down the stairs.
“She’s out cold. Emma didn’t even make it through bath time,” I smiled.
“Dishes are done. It’s time for the parents to relax,” Ford said, reaching into the refrigerator to pull out two cold beers.