Farraway Mist ?A Wattpad featured story?

Chapter 25: Meetings

"I haven't been to London since I was fifteen!" Scout exclaimed, clapping her hands like a child.

George looked at her delightedly. They were sitting in the back of a plush black SUV, much like the one they'd driven to Surrey in, except this one was hired for the day and had a privacy screen and a driver. George decided it would be easier than looking for parking all over the city while they ran their errands and he went to his various meetings.

"Thank you, George, for letting me tag along," Scout declared, leaning over to kiss him.

"You're so very welcome," he responded, smiling and kissing her back, putting his arms around her and making the kiss last. "You know, having a driver makes being in a car with you much more fun," he murmured a few minutes later. "Except, Jesus, we have to get out in a minute, and I'm sporting major wood," he laughed, sitting up and adjusting the front of his pants.

Scout laughed her melodic, musical laugh, sitting up and smoothing down her dress. She'd lately begun to wear actual maternity clothes, and today she was wearing a pretty dress, covered with pink lace and snowflakes. George thought he'd never seen her look so beautiful.

They got out in front of a tall building, where George had a meeting scheduled with his "team", a group comprised of lawyers, a manager, a publicist, and Kelly, along with some other people Scout didn't know. Scout had been mildly surprised that morning to see George in a shirt with a collar, and realized that it was the first time she'd ever seen him so attired, and with a tie, no less, though it was a loosely knotted, whimsical Christmas tie.

George grabbed her hand and helped her out of the car and they entered the building, where he greeted the security guard by name. They took the silent elevator up to the twenty-seventh floor and got out, where, again, he knew everyone by name, and they headed down the hall to a conference room.

Everyone was already assembled, and all looked their way when they entered. They all looked mildly surprised to see Scout, and stared curiously at her, but Kelly was the one Scout was worried about. Scout saw the blonde woman blanch as her gaze locked on her and George's clasped hands, and she also saw her eyes widen as she saw Scout's maternity dress.

Greetings were called out all around as George waved and grinned at everyone.

"Everyone, this is my girlfriend, Scout," he said, putting a hand on her back. "And this is our bump," he added, dropping her hand and stroking her tummy. "We might have a name for you come next April, okay?" And he smiled happily around the room as people cried out in surprise and gladness.

Scout heard calls of, "Wow, man!" and, "Jesus, George, really?" and "Congratulations! Why didn't you tell us sooner?" as people came around the table to shake his hand and hug him and, in some cases, her.

But through it all Kelly remained seated, smiling cautiously, disbelieving. Probably no one but Scout noticed her lack of participation in the well wishes which the people in the room were bestowing on Scout and George. Scout uneasily recalled the conversation she'd overheard between George and Kelly on the staircase at Farraway Mist, when he'd told her in no uncertain terms that there was no chance of there ever being anything between him and Scout.

And now she was carrying his child.

Scout sat and listened attentively to the relatively short meeting, considering how long George had been out of the game. He was going to head into the studio next year to record, and probably film another movie in the fall, which seemed so exciting and alien to Scout, though George had assured her that it was actually extremely tedious and boring. He really just wanted to stay home with her and the baby, and if he'd known his personal life was going to get so exciting, he would've put all this other stuff off a few more years, he'd told her.