Page 88 of The Greening of Thaddeus Grey
“You’ve been alone together all morning,” she pointed out, then looked between us and sighed. “Fine. I need to put the sarma in the oven anyway. Don’t be long. This is supposed to be a celebration. You’ve waited a long time to get the freehold deed to your property in your hot little hands.”
“We know, Mum. And thank you.” I kissed her on the cheek and set her on her way. She made it three metres before turning back around.
“I meant to tell you that I got a call from Phillip yesterday.”
I blinked. “You did?” I hadn’t heard from Phillip since he’d let me know he was selling his share in the company to the people who had bought mine and that my company name would be available again, if I wanted it. I didn’t. It came with far too much baggage, and I loved my new name better.
The sale of my share in the company had gone pretty much as I’d predicted. Judd had been let go almost immediately by the new partner. He ended up working as some kind of tech influencer. Phillip had moved with the company to Auckland but quickly found himself sidelined, becoming little more than an overseer with limited actual power—a role that wouldn’t have suited him at all. I had no idea what he’d done with himself since.
“Yes,” my mother answered flatly. “It was an apology, of sorts, for what he’d done. He’s leaving to work for a company in Australia, and I think he wanted to get it off his chest. I toldhim the apology was a bit late in coming and that it wasn’t me he should be apologising to. But I thanked him anyway. It took some guts to call. He asked if he could call you. I told him he should try an email first. I hope that was the right thing to do?”
I nodded, not sure how I felt about hearing from him at all. “Thanks, Mum.”
She left, and Ryder’s arms enfolded me from behind, his chin on my shoulder. “Are you all right?”
“Yeah.” I turned and kissed his cheek. “It seems like a lifetime ago now. I barely recognise the person I was back then.” I turned in his arms and slid my hands around his neck, my fingers tangling in that quirky patch of curls at the base of his neck. “I’m sorry about Mum. All that talk about babies and stuff.”
Ryder’s mouth curved up in an affectionate smile. “She means well.”
I shook my head. “It doesn’t excuse it. Are you sure you don’t mind? She’s a lot, I know. I can tell her to stop. I think she’ll listen. I don’t want you to feel like children are something I need to have, because I don’t.” I drew him down for a kiss. “If my mother ends up disappointed, then she’s disappointed. We’re not here to make her happy. We’re here to make each other happy. It’s you I want.” I kissed him again. “Everything else is optional.”
Ryder smiled and brushed our noses together. “I feel the same. One step at a time, yeah? But as for your mother? I honestly don’t mind. And I suspect she doesn’t either. To be honest, it feels kind of nice. Like it’s something my own mother might’ve done, although maybe not quite so enthusiastically.”
I chuckled. “You’ve got that right.” I went up on my toes until we were almost eye to eye. “I want you to know that you’re it for me, baby. Married, unmarried, kids, no kids, interferingmothers or not, it will never change how I feel for you. I will love every version of you, so you better get used to it.”
Ryder’s arms tightened around my waist, those crisp blue eyes shining with unshed tears. “I will never get used to waking up next to you. The daily surprise of having you in my life. Of knowing that out of everyone you could’ve loved, you chose me. You’re it for me too, sweetheart, and I’m the luckiest guy on the planet.”
The End
