Flutter |h.s|

73

Harry

It feels so surreal seeing Grace talk to my mum and sister. Gemma has fit herself right into their group, finding so many things in common with the girls. Even though Gem is thirty and the girls are in their early twenties, they are getting along like they were best school friends.

I know it must be making Grace feel so much better about today. Seeing her so upset and nervous just about killed me and when she disappeared during lunch today I was worried I sprung too much on her too soon.

Then Eli left and I was sure the whole day was gonna go to shit and they were gonna leave to a hotel for the night. Thank god for Holly and her being able to get through to those two. I know mum and Gem were a bit confused so I had to try and explain to them that they've just been through a lot.

I'm gonna make sure to talk to Grace later in bed so I can make sure she's really okay. I can't believe mum brought up talks of weddings and babies to her. I'm gonna have to say something to her about that too. Thankfully it didn't seem to throw Grace off too much. I mean, of course I want to marry her and have kids with her, but I can't even tell the girl I love her in English.

I've told Grace I love her.

I thought I was ready to see her in lingerie, but god, I don't think I ever will be. She looked like a goddess. Like she belonged in a museum. And knowing she picked that pink set because I said one time in passing that I loved pink, it makes me melt.

After that, I knew that there was no way I was getting away with not saying those three words to her. But I didn't want the first time I said it to be during sex. That just seems so cliche and if she didn't feel the same way things would get awkward so fast. So I figured if she didn't know what I said, that would be best.

She's it for me. I know that I'll never be attracted to someone like I am to Grace. My whole life led up to us meeting on that street. I wish I knew what street we were on. If I have to walk every street in London to find it, I will. It can't be far since I had left my house maybe twenty minutes before we met. That'll be my next mission.

My arm rests on the back of her chair and I watch her as she animatedly listens to Gemma go on about some business venture she's thinking about starting. I booked us a private room in the restaurant so that no prying eyes interrupted us tonight. The last time we were in London things were so different. We were only just strangers, barely even friends.

I take a sip from my glass of whiskey, smiling as my mum gets the table's attention.

"Has Harry told you the story of how he nearly gave me a heart attack when he was in nursery school?" she asks, and I immediately start shaking my head.

"Mum, do not tell them that story." I warn, knowing very well she's gonna tell it.

Grace and Holly get wide smiles and nod, "Tell it, you have to!" Grace says. Elias just chuckles, sitting back with his beer.

"Well, he must have been around three years old at the time. He's always been a cheeky little one and thought he could charm his way out of anything. So one day, he just wanted to come home early. He was having a day where he just didn't want to be in school anymore." She sets up the story, and I just want to hide.

But I know Grace is getting a kick out of it and she'll laugh. I love her laugh so much.

"So, he goes up to the teacher and is all cuddly and puppy eyed and is saying how his tummy hurt and he needed to call up his mummy to pick him up. So the teacher was obviously suspicious of him, so she asked what could be making his tummy hurt all of a sudden. And he claimed that it was because at snack time he had some apple slices that made him sick."