Read Courage in the Kiss Online
Authors: Elaine White
Courage in the Kiss (33 page)
One Year Later
At four o’clock on the button, the doorbell rang through the house, surprising Hadley as to how quickly the time had gone by. It had been such a hectic day that she’d barely realised how little had actually been done.
“I’ll get it!” she shouted as she left the kitchen, brushing back a fallen strand of hair from her face with the back of her hand. She caught Maxx’s reflection in the hallway mirror and smiled to herself.
It had been three months since their wedding, in the back garden of Emerson’s house, and every day had been like a dream. Losing Ruben had brought them so close that she almost couldn’t believe it was real. They’d never forget that sweet boy, whose plaque was embedded into the paving in their garden; he was a constant reminder of how unpredictable life could be.
When she opened the door, she found Conway and Abelie on the other side, the new mother holding little Calise on her hip.
“Hey, beautiful.” Conway smiled at her as he stepped inside. He took a step forward to kiss her cheek as he always did.
“Hey.” Hadley stepped back to let them come in and waved at little Calise. “How are you, sweetie?” she asked, as this was her first trip outside since getting the last of her baby jags.
Conway and Abelie talked a mile a minute, about how Calise was keeping and how good she was, as they removed their coats and exchanged bags in the hallway.
All the while, Hadley kept her eyes on Maxx, thinking about that little boy who would have been almost seven months old by now. He would have been bouncing, clapping, and would probably have gotten his first tooth. There were so many milestones that they were missing out on, but Hadley stuck firm to what he’d once said.
Having another baby wasn’t going to cure their heartache. It was possible that nothing ever would.
But they’d healed, and they could think about Ruben without crying or breaking down. Hadley could look at Calise and other babies with their mothers, without falling into Maxx’s arms, inconsolable.
Their relationship had become stronger because of all they’d fought through, and she hoped it stayed that way, constantly growing and adapting to their surroundings. Tonight was one such success. They’d finally finished renovating their new home; a two story, three bedroom house, just five minutes from Emerson’s mansion.
It was hard to believe she’d once been a maid there. Now, she painted in the spare room and sold her work in a local gallery. Maxx still ran his father’s company, now that Emerson had ‘officially’ retired, for the final time.
Life was slowly starting to revolve again.
“Hadley?”
She blinked and found herself staring at Calise, while Conway attempted to talk to her. It was Maxx’s soft voice by her ear that woke her in time to hear his question.
“We’re not late for dinner, are we? Because I’m starving,” Conway claimed, not looking her way, as he wiped Calise’s nose with a tissue.
“Nope. Right on time. It will be ready in around twenty minutes,” Hadley replied, gesturing for them to head into the living room.
Other than the study, the kitchen, and the dining room, it was the only other room on this floor. But that’s what she and Maxx loved about this house; the excess of rooms and opulence of his family home was nowhere to be seen. This was a regular, quaint old country house. The most extravagant thing about it was that it had Sash windows.
She finally had the simple life she’d always wanted.
Maxx returned to the living room with Conway and Abelie, while Hadley rushed off to the kitchen to join Gracie and Jess, in preparing dinner. Those two girls had stuck around a long time, falling ‘madly’ in love with Micah and Rowan during their last year of high school.
It was kind of nice to have everyone together, even if Micah and Rowan were currently playing military games on the living room TV. It was good to feel connected to Micah again, to be married to Hadley and know that neither his brother nor father had to hate him for ‘coercing’ her into it.
They loved each other and they’d promised never to keep secrets again.
Which was why he’d wanted to get her alone for five minutes. With buying the house, renovating it, and Hadley getting her new job at the gallery, their lives had pretty much been turned upside down in one year.
Maxx had a team of assistants, who allowed him some valuable time alone with his wife whenever they were able to get it. But they hadn’t gotten any; not in a long time. He wanted to get her alone, for more than just sleeping or a quick kiss or five minutes to discuss décor.
He wished they could go back to the days when things were simpler. He could finally understand what Hadley meant when she said she wanted a simple life. To just kick back and enjoy life, without all the drama and stress. They were so close to it now that he could almost taste it.
The very thought brought a smile to his lips, as he sat back on his recliner chair and held his hands behind his head.
Their wedding photo caught his attention as he relaxed, sending warmth through him. He loved Hadley to pieces, but even that day, watching her walk down the aisle of a quaint country church in a white dress, hadn’t been perfect. It had rained and Hadley had cried over the teasing from one of his aunts, asking if she was pregnant yet.
The vultures had shown up, without needing an invite, and it hadn’t exactly gone to plan. But still, he’d married Hadley. He’d put a ring on her finger and claimed her as his wife, for the rest of his life.
Nothing would beat that memory.
He’d always hidden how he felt for Hadley, believing it wrong and nothing more than lust. And it had been, for a long time. Until she opened his eyes and made him see what she could see, so clearly.
Without the truth, he and Hadley would still be stuck in a rut. One practising avoidance to perfection, and Hadley desperately waiting for him to notice her.
But it was all worth it now.
Maxx cast his eye over the two teenagers discreetly, taking the opportunity while his father was busy with a phone call in the study to figure some things out. He’d caught the signs, over the last few weeks, that Micah was growing a little more sensible, a little more responsible, and it all came down to Gracie. She’d really lit a fire inside his brother, and it had taken him until now to realise what that was.
Micah was in love. It really was quite beautiful to see.
He looked toward the bookcase where all their memories were gathered. Maxx treasured each and every one of them. Hadley had photographs and trinkets that she’d gathered over the years; each one reminding her of a precious moment of their lives. There were photographs of their parents, of their wedding, the pair of baby boots that Jay and Ronnie had bought for Ruben, and various other bits and bobs that represented important memories.
His gaze settled on the framed baby scan from their first appointment. Every time he caught Hadley looking at it, he saw a little piece of her being stitched back together. Micah had thought it might be painful, to keep seeing it and knowing that Ruben couldn’t be with them, but Maxx knew his wife. He knew that trying to pretend Ruben never existed, or trying to forget what he’d meant to them, would be more harmful than acknowledging what a gift he’d been.
Ruben had made him realise just how important those years were, when he and Hadley were kept apart by insecurity and uncertainty. Maxx no longer regretted that time apart. He realised that it was all those years of being apart that finally woke him up to reality. Without spending that time mindlessly running the business track and seeing how empty his life was, Hadley would never have become his sunshine.
All Maxx wanted was to see Hadley and her smile; to hear her soft, beautiful voice telling him that she loved him. At this rate, he’d settle for her saying anything just so he could hear her voice and be reminded that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him.
This was the start of something new. This was the first step toward the rest of their lives.
This house wasn’t where they’d grown up, become friends, lovers, or all the things in between that they’d been to each other. This wasn’t where they’d discovered their love for each other, become more than friends, or experienced all of the heartache with Ruben.
This house was their fresh start.
Everything that had ever been a significant turning point in their lives, had happened in his father’s house. Everything that had some hidden, deeper meaning, had occurred there. Most importantly, it was the very place where Maxx had proposed, and he knew, in her heart of hearts, that Hadley would always be at home there.
But this was their home now. This was where they would build their future and start their family. This was where they had healed, where they had loved, and where they’d found the strength, in each other, to live again.
Hadley had trusted him enough to take that leap. She’d left the house that had been her home for the better part of eighteen years. She’d left the house where she’d grown up, evolved, studied, worked, and loved. She’d left memories, her unique imprint, her dreams, her childhood, and her fears.
Maxx would make sure she didn’t regret it. He didn’t care what fate held up her sleeve for their future; it was nothing compared to what they’d been through already. As long as he and Hadley were together, they would get through anything.
They were a team and that would never change.
The End
Elaine White
was born and raised in the small town of Haddington, Scotland. She began writing from an early age, experiment with various writing styles. Fighting cancer in her early teens taught her that life is short and dreams should be pursued. Now, she finds inspiration everywhere, which has led to numerous novels and series in any genre that can involve romance.Elain
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currentl
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lives at home in Scotland with her parents and a pack of wolves cleverly disguised as one standard poodle. She is a full-time writer.
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