The Do-Over (The Miles High Club #4)(143)

“And we got food.” He continues to talk at a million miles per minute.

“What did you get?” Christopher asks.

“Chicken something and then dessert. What was the dessert called, Hazen?”

“Chocolate brownie.”

“Yeah, that, and it was so good I had Hazen’s, too, because she was already full. And I had lemonade, and then the lady gave out hot towels, and I didn’t know what you did with it, but you wash your face, in case you didn’t know.”

Christopher chuckles as he listens.

Eddie keeps chatting away and telling Christopher about every little detail about the flight, and I smile as I stare out the window.

This is a happy day.



An hour later we are still driving, and I look around, confused. “Where are we?”

“This is the back way. There’s heaps of traffic through the city tonight.”

“Oh, okay.” I smile as I imagine Eddie’s face when he sees Christopher’s swanky apartment. I can’t imagine how foreign this must all feel to him. Not that you would ever know it. He’s so excited that he hasn’t shut up.

We pull off the highway and drive up a country road. “This is a real back way.” I frown as I look around.

“I’m just going to call in and pick something up from a friend. He lives out here.”

“What are you picking up?”

“He has sons and has some things for Eddie. I haven’t had time to call in and get them. I’ll be quick.”

“Oh, okay.”

Weird.

We pull into a driveway, and a sign is hanging on a pole beside the gate.

BUMFUCK, NOWHERE

Huh?

I glance over to Christopher in question, and he smiles over at me with a sexy wink.

“Your friend called his property Bumfuck, Nowhere?” I frown.

“Uh-huh.”

My eyebrows rise by themselves. “Now . . . I’ve seen it all.”

Christopher chuckles, and we continue up the drive. The sun is just setting over the mountains, and all I can see is rolling green hills for miles. “Wow, it’s beautiful out here.”

“It is, isn’t it?” Christopher says casually as he focuses on the road.

We drive and drive and drive. This is the longest driveway road of all time. “How big is his property?” I ask. “Must be huge.”

Christopher shrugs. “I don’t know, a couple of hundred acres, probably.”

“Hmm.”

We drive up a hill, and there’s a huge big beautiful row of trees that leads to an old house. There are a few cars parked, and a man is sitting on the front steps.

Christopher waves out the window and gives a toot of his horn, and the man waves back.

Eddie and I peer in as our car pulls in around the huge circular driveway.

“You guys coming in?” Christopher asks.

“Um . . .” My eyes meet Eddie’s. “Okay.”

We tentatively get out, and the man walks down the front steps. “Hi, Hayden,” he calls.

I frown. Do I know him? As he walks toward us, I see that it’s Elliot, Christopher’s brother. “Oh, hello.” I smile. That’s right: he lives in a country house. “How are you?”

He kisses my cheek. “It’s so good to see you.”

Christopher introduces Eddie. “This is Eduardo. This is my brother Elliot,” he tells Eddie.

“Hey, buddy.” Elliot shakes Eddie’s hand.

“Your farm is beautiful,” I gush.

“It is, isn’t it.” Elliot smiles. He leans up onto his toes as if excited. “Eddie, I want to show you something in the stables.”

Eddie’s eyes flick to me in question, and Christopher rubs his back reassuringly. “It’s okay. Go with Elliot.”

Elliot walks off, and Eddie tentatively follows. I watch as they walk off.

“I have something that I want to show you, Grumps.” Christopher takes my hand and leads me up the stairs of the house. It’s old and weathered and has an otherworldly feel.

“God, this house is beautiful.” I smile.

Christopher opens the door, and my mouth falls open. The room is full of flowers, and lit candles are everywhere. My eyes flick to Christopher in question.

His big sexy eyes hold mine, and he takes my hands in his. “I realized something, Grumps.”

“What’s that?” I whisper as my heartbeat sounds in my ears.

“It doesn’t matter where I live, because you are my home. As long as I’m with you, I’ll be happy.”

Oh . . .

He kisses me softly, his lips lingering over mine.

“I bought this farm for you.”

“What?” My eyes widen as I look around. “You did?”

He drops to his knee and pulls out a ring box and flips it open. “Hayden Whitmore, you have taught me how to love somebody with all of my heart. I thought to be happy that I needed to be a diamond, but you showed me that it’s okay to be coal, and you loved me just as I was. You didn’t need me to be anything else. I was enough. I need to grow old with you, to love and protect you for all of my life. Will you marry me?”

My heart swells. Is this happening?

“I’ll commute to work in London, and I know it’s not your family farm, but—”