Page 137 of Without a Hitch
“Honey, I’m home.” Tilly’s voice rings out through my office door, and my clusterfuck of a day is forgotten. Tossing my pen aside, I close my laptop and rush around my desk to greet her.
“That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day,” I say, catching her around the waist in the foyer. Burying my nose in her hair, I breathe in deeply. I love how all the stress of the day vanishes on an exhale.
“Hey,” she says softly. “Tough day?”
“Oh, darling. A bloody fucket nightmare.” Today was the first meeting with the prosecutors in charge of Christine’s case.
“I know it’s hard to rehash everything, but just think of all the people you’re saving from the same fate. You’re doing a good thing, lover.”
“I know. The lawyers need me in California next week for the preliminary hearing.”
Tilly lifts her phone and pulls up the calendar. “Okay. What day do we need to leave?”
Love I could never have imagined just pours from this woman. “We?”
“I’m not letting you face the twatsicle alone, Lochlan. Plus I think she’s a little scared of me now, and that makes me crazy happy.”
“Your events?”
“I’ve hired enough employees for The I Do Crew to run things for a few days. They’re truly amazing. Wait until you see them in action.”
I regard her fondly. She’s built this business from the ground up and refuses my help at every turn. Except for the venue access and the built-in clientele searching for those specific spaces, she’s built a remarkable company and has increased reservations at my hotels by twenty percent in three months. I’m in awe of her every day.
“I’m sure they’re amazing.”
“They really are.” Her smile lights up the entire room. “I’m so proud of them, Lochlan. Every event has gone off without a hitch.”
“Without a hitch? That could be your slogan!”
“Hmm, it should be. Maybe I’ll start a new blog with it.”
When she partnered with me, she shut down her blog. She didn’t want to be accused of favoritism, but I know she misses the community she’d built. “You should. People love you, Tilly. And no one knows more about weddings than you. Speaking of which, can we set a date now?”
She giggles and walks past me into our home. “There isn’t any rush, lover. We’ve made the promise. That’s all I need.”
The irony of this conversation is not lost on me, but Jesus, I need that piece of paper. I want her to be mine in every way, and my inner caveman grunts wildly every time she puts it off.
“Tilly?” My tone is harsh, but I scrub my face with my palm to make sure my expression stays neutral. “Set a date. I want a date. I don’t want to wait anymore. Never in a million years did I think I’d desire that legal bond tying us together, but I do. I require it more than my next breath.”
“Lochlan, are you sure?”
“For fuck’s sake, woman. Yes! Yes, I’m sure. Please, please set a date.”
“Well, it just so happens I have May twenty-eighth blocked out at the winery next year.”
“You do? For what?”
“In case a certain mercurial man decided a legal contract was something he really did want.”
My eyes go wide with incredulity. “You’ve been testing me?” I move toward her with panther-like precision.
“No. I’ve been giving you time and not pushing.”
“Push, darling. Always push,” I growl before hauling her off the floor in a bear hug that leaves her feet dangling at my shins.
“There will be a lot to do. A lot of parties, plans…”
“The only thing I care about is that we say I do. The rest is just details.”
