After Forever & Ever

Chapter 77

Hardin-Present

"Wow." I reply to everyone standing in front of me...really not sure what to say. I wasn't expecting this.

Ken comes up and gives me a handshake and a half hug. "Congrats son I'm really proud of you."

"Uhh thanks Ken." I say hugging him back.

I grab Emery from my mum. "Congrats sweetheart."my mum says to me as she hands Emery to me and kisses me on the cheek.

"Thanks mum." I reply and give Emery a gentle kiss on the forehead since she is sleeping.

This is nice don't get me wrong...but this is Tessa's day....

I take a seat next to Tessa as they bring out appetizers.

"You did all this?" I ask her.

"I just...I wanted you to know how proud I am of you." She tells me.

I squeeze her leg and give her a kiss. "Thanks babe....I love you." I tell her.

"I love you." She replies. Even though I can tell she's nervous about the news I gave her before we walked in.

Fuck...I'm nervous. I am actually thinking I might turn it down even if it means I lose my job producing for the label.

I just...Can't risk anything coming between Tessa and I. And I wouldn't let Bray but I know Tessa has already hinted at the fact that she isn't 100% cool with me working with her and so I don't know I don't want to upset her anymore than I already have and trust me I have done enough to last a million lifetimes.

When I ask her to marry me in 9 days I am not only making a vow to her to be the best man I could possibly be but to myself. No more bullshit.

I feel pretty zoned out I just have so much on my mind....

After dinner the waitress brings out a cake to sing happy birthday to Tessa. I am glad the focus is moving back on her as it should.

After cake I end up walking out back to the courtyard and decide to have a cigarette. Unfortunately this has become a regular thing again....I guess I'll make it my New Years resolution to quit.

I am looking away when Landon comes up behind me. "Congrats man." He says to me.

"Yea thanks Landon." I reply.

"So making the big move, huh? He questions.

"Yep. I simply reply.

"Just take care of her okay." He replies.

Just as I am about to respond Tessa comes out so I put the cigarette to the ground and put it out.

"What are you guys doing out here?" She asks.

"Just talking about LA." Landon replies.

"Yea we are going to miss you." Tessa replies.

"You guys too." Landon replies.

I look away...because well I don't know if there is a we in either statement.

Landon walks back inside.

"Are you smoking again?" Tessa asks me.

"Yea. I'm going to quit ... I have been a little stressed." I tell her.

"Mhm." She replies annoyed.

She stumbles into me as she moves to go back inside.

"Are you drunk?" I ask her.

"No I just had a few glasses of wine" she replies.

Yeahhhhh she is definitely drunk.

We go back inside and 'mingle' a little bit.
"Hardin is going to make a whole album with Savannah his new artist." Tessa announces to everyone.

"Really Hardin...that's great." Vance replies. But also senses my face that he doesn't really know how to react.

"That hasnt been decided yet. It's getting late we should head home." I say out loud.

Tessa surprisingly agrees.

I of course drive. She is pretty silent the whole ride home. When we arrive home Emery goes to sleep pretty easily I guess a lot of excitement will do that.

I'm pretty exhausted myself...seeing as how I didn't sleep but the nap at the studio hours and hours and hours ago. So I'm pretty sure I am running on fumes at this point.

I lay down on the bed and Tessa lays next to me. She is trying to have more of a conversation on what I found out on the phone....and I can't even keep my eyes open.

"Do you still want me after I had Emery?" She asks me.

"Stop....of course I do I will never stop wanting you....you're fucking gorgeous." I try to reassure her.

"Promise me you won't do anything with Savannah." She says.

"Do you trust me?" I ask her.

"I want to...." she replies.

"So you don't." I respond this sending me out of my fog I'm in.

"I trust you Hardin I don't know why I said that." She says grabbing my face.

I pull away and turn over.

"Goodnight Tessa." I say to her.

I don't remember falling asleep but I wake up and turn over and Tessa isn't there.

I walk out of the room and she is laying on the bathroom floor.

I pick her up and bring her in bed...and I get her a cool wash cloth and lay it over her head and grab the garbage can just in case.

I wake up a few hours later because Emery is crying so I make her a bottle and feed her rocking her back to sleep. And end up rocking myself to sleep and I fall asleep holding her in the rocker in her room.

I wake up to the sun shining in the next morning. I look down at my phone and I already have missed calls and texts from the label.

Without me knowing they released our song on Spotify today. And it already has 100,000 streams.

Fuck. This is crazy.

Bray texts me "did you know they were releasing the song?"

"No." I text back.

"I posted a clip of the song to my Instagram and comments are blowing up asking if we are a couple." She texts.

Before responding I go over to her Instagram and look at the comments.....fuck!

I don't really care because obviously people on the internet have no idea. But I know Tessa will care....and I don't want her to read these comments even though she knows the truth too I wouldn't like it if I were in her shoes.

Maybe this was all too fast....too soon.

I have to turn down working with Bray....there is just no way I can do this...

I put Emery down in her crib and go to the kitchen and make some coffee. I pour Tessa a cup and set in on the nightstand.

I nudge her to wake her.

"Good morning babe, how are you feeling?" I ask her.

"Good morning, I'm never drinking again." She replies.

I laugh "ahhh it happens." I reply.

My phone is going nuts and I am ignoring it. Tessa isn't able to do that.

"Don't you have to get that?" She asks me.

"No." I reply simply....not ready to tell her about the song. Or Bray. I just need to hit pause a second on all of this.