Lost in Paradise (Paradise Club #2)(59)

The last of my bags make it to the bottom level, and a heavy knock on my door sounds. Butterflies flutter around in my stomach as I realize how excited I am to see Alex.

This isn’t me, nor was it the me before Steve.

Stop comparing the two, and stop letting Steve into your mind ruining all the good that’s happening in your life. He’d get off knowing after all these years he still has pull over my life.

Shaking those horrific memories away, I suck in a deep breath and open the front door. Alex is attractive in his dark denim jeans, white shirt, and tweed jacket. He’s ridiculously handsome, and the smile he gives me when he sees me lights up his entire face. It makes me so happy knowing that he looks as happy to see me as I am him. I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him to me and put all my happiness into a kiss. He reciprocates the kiss, pushes me up against the front door, and then chuckles.

“As much as I would love for this to continue, Mom hates tardiness.” He groans, fixing himself in his jeans. “You’re a wicked woman teasing me like that.” He growls as he walks past me and grabs my bags.

After locking up, Alex is there waiting for me to get into his car before closing the door for me. I will never tire of his gentlemanly treatment. He walks around to the driver’s side and then buckles up.

“You ready?” he asks, giving me a boyish grin. I nod, and he eases the high-powered sports car away from the sidewalk and into the busy London traffic. Alex explained that his parents moved into his mother’s family home down in Surrey, which is over an hour from Chelsea, so not far, but a million miles away from the city. I am looking forward to relaxing in the country this weekend, enjoying the fresh air, and hopefully, some sunshine. I’m anticipating the chill of winter is starting to come to an end and there isn’t any snow.

Thankfully, the traffic isn’t too bad on the A3, and we make good time. Alex turns off the main road and up a dirt driveway which is covered by trees, and that’s when I catch a glimpse of a red brick house as we drive up the never-ending driveway. Eventually, he turns into the car parking area out in front of a stunning yet modest home, but then he continues on further until we get to another house, which is equally as beautiful. This must be it, the other one has to be their neighbor, but then he drives on further. Where is he taking me? The driveway then opens to an enormous, graveled stone area, and the most imposing red-brick Georgian-style mansion with large white pillars emerges high above the countryside. It’s the size of a hotel. Has he brought me to a hotel?

“This is it,” Alex states as he continues to drive toward the impressive structure in front of me.

“I thought the two other houses before this was your home,” I add in awe.

Alex chuckles. “One of the houses was the house we grew up in on the weekends and holidays, and the other one was for my mother’s sister and her family, and my grandparents lived in the larger home. When my grandparents passed, my parents moved in as her sister moved to another family home in the South of France,” he explains.

Sounds like his family is like Olivia’s minus the forced marriage. The closer we get to the entrance, I notice two figures standing in the doorway.

“Oh, no, brace yourself, my parents are greeting us.”

What does he mean, brace myself? I thought his parents were going to be lovely. That’s what he indicated this entire time.

Are they not?

Will they hate me?

My anxiety skyrockets with all the crazy scenarios rushing through my mind on overdrive.

“Breathe, they’re going to love you.” Alex smiles when he stops the car and jumps out, next he rounds the front and opens the door for me. I hold his hand and hop out. Then I hear a scream from the beautiful woman dressed in caramel-colored pants and a white jumper, with her brown hair pulled up in an elegant bun. Her face looks a lot younger than she probably is, but she doesn’t appear like she’s had much work done, it’s probably good genetics. And then there is a tall, grumpy-looking man dressed in head-to-toe tweed with a mop of silver hair patting a golden retriever. He looks like Alex, but a silver fox version of him.

“Alex,” his mum calls out to him as she holds her hands against her mouth. “What? Who? Ivy Starr is here,” she says, pointing to me, and her excitement fills me with so much warmth.

“You must be Judy. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I say, holding out my hand, which she ignores and gives me a big hug instead.

“Alex, did you kidnap her for me?” Judy asks her son. “Sweetie, blink once if you are in danger,” she jokes, which puts me at ease instantly and makes me smile widely.

“I’m here of my own accord, I promise, but he did lure me here saying he would be the favorite if he brought me,” I joke with her.

“Oh, he is now. Nate who?” She giggles while staring at me.

“Hi, I’m Trevor, Alex’s father,” the grumpy tweed man interrupts, holding out his hand, to which I give it a shake and am rewarded with a smile.

Then the dog jumps up at me.

“That’s Buckley … be careful he likes crotches.” No sooner has Trevor said the words than Buckley’s nose is right in there, in my crotch.

“Easy, boy,” Alex says, grabbing the excited dog and wrestling with him.

“Come … come inside. You must be freezing out here. Trevor, take Ivy’s coat, please,” Judy orders her husband as I follow Judy inside her home. I shimmy out of my coat and hand it to Trevor, who gives me a curt nod.