Page 37 of The Rest is History

Elodie

I f I thought Charlie’s home was gorgeous, his brother Jack’s place is insane.

When Charlie described it as a compound, he hit the nail on the head.

It’s vast. Huge converted barns punctuated with gorgeous black Crittal windows house Jack’s software company and non-profit.

The house itself is an even more massive converted barn, and it’s so beautiful it makes my heart hurt.

There are stables filled with actual horses, a massive pool, and dogs and kids everywhere. Luke and Leia chase Jack’s dogs ecstatically around the grounds. Charlie drops them here every weekday morning during term-time for the jammiest brand of doggy daycare, so it’s their second home.

I can’t believe everyone here is Jack’s family. It’s like an entire village has congregated. Grace and Olive are joining us in a little while. Charlie thoughtfully included them, which makes today feel like an even bigger deal: family introductions all around.

Charlie has brought me out through the house onto the vast flagstone terrace, and I stand shyly, my hand in his.

I know his brother, his wife and his ex-wife as well as I know any of the parents in my class: that is, we’ve done a couple of parents’ evenings and we exchange niceties at drop-off and pickup, but we’ve never actually acknowledged each other beyond that since I started seeing Charlie.

I happened to mention this to him in the car just now.

‘That’s because I didn’t tell them it was you,’ he said.

I sat up straight. ‘What the hell? They don’t know you’re dating Augie’s class teacher?’

‘Nope.’ He looked far too pleased with himself.

‘Who do they think I am, then?’

He shrugged. ‘Told them you worked at the school but that they didn’t know you.’

‘Oh my God.’ I covered my face with my hand in mortification. ‘What are they going to think?’

‘They’ll think I’m punching way above my weight, and they’ll be so overexcited that I’ll have to go somewhere else to protect my eardrums,’ he predicted.

He was definitely right about the over-excited thing, because as soon as we get to the terrace, I see Augie’s beautiful stepmum clock me and hit his equally gorgeous mum—the glamorous American blonde—on the arm.

They stare at us in disbelief before setting off towards us at what could conservatively be called a run.

‘Oh. My. God,’ his mum shrieks. ‘It’s Miss Peach ! You’re dating Miss Peach? Shut the fuck up . ’

They stop in front of us, slack-jawed, their gazes moving between me and Charlie like they’re at a tennis match. Augie’s stepmum has the most beautiful baby girl in her arms—she must be about a year old.

‘Guilty as charged.’ Charlie squeezes my hand and holds up his free hand in surrender. I sneak a glance at him. He’s grinning so, I don’t know, proudly, maybe, that my heart thumps out an infatuated dance.

‘Hi,’ I say shyly, giving a little wave while I cling onto Charlie for dear life.

‘Hi!’ Augie’s mum replies, shoving Charlie aside and pulling me in for a hug. She smells incredible. Looks incredible, too. ‘I am so thrilled for you guys! This is insane!’

She releases me, and Augie’s stepmother nudges her and steps in, hugging me to her and her baby just as tightly and fragrantly. ‘This is so exciting! I’m Emmy, by the way. And this’—she bounces the baby on her hip—‘is Aurelia.’

‘And I’m Stacey,’ the other one clarifies. ‘Charles Vaughan, you have so much explaining to do.’

‘Yes,’ Emmy says. She’s stepped back but is still clutching my upper arm with her free hand. ‘We have many, many questions. Mainly, how the hell did you manage to convince the gorgeous Miss Peach to give you a shot?’

‘Exactly,’ Stacey cuts in. ‘Isn’t he, like, the grouchiest colleague ever? Did you actually find that hot?’

‘Definitely not,’ I lie, smiling at my gorgeous boyfriend.

He seems unfazed by the noise, the barrage of questions, and the number of exclamation marks these women are throwing out.

I suppose he’s used to it. ‘He actually persuaded me to be his Anne Boleyn at Hampton Court. That’s how I saw another side to him. ’

The I’ll ravage you with my magical body parts side, but they don’t need to know that.

They gasp in unison. They’re a good audience.

‘He did not,’ Stacey says. ‘That little rogue.’ She turns to Charlie. ‘So, this is your Anne Boleyn, you sneaky little fucker. No wonder you’re infatuated.’

‘No wonder,’ Emmy chimes in. ‘You’re stunning,’ she tells me. ‘I’ve often thought that when I drop Augie off.’

‘Me too,’ Stacey agrees. ‘Hashtag girl crush.’

‘Er, you’re the ones who waft into school looking absolutely perfect,’ I say, embarrassed at this scrutiny.

‘Stop trying to change the subject,’ Emmy says. ‘So Charlie has been making a play for you for… how long? And keeping it quiet? He is such a sly dog.’

Charlie and I exchange a glance.

‘A few weeks,’ I say diplomatically.

They both tut. ‘Charlie, Charlie,’ Stacey says. ‘We’re family. This is the kind of stuff you tell family. When you get yourself the world’s most beautiful girlfriend after years of being a miserable bastard, you tell your family . Fuck’s sake.’ She pretends to clip him around the ear.

‘I think Elodie and I need some rosé before you subject us to any further investigation,’ Charlie says, twinkling at me.

‘Better idea. You go find a bottle, and we’ll keep Elodie here company,’ Stacey says, batting her eyelashes at him.

Uh-oh.

Charlie looks as unconvinced as I feel. ‘That’s a terrible idea.’

‘Nonsense. Go say hi to your brother,’ Emmy orders. ‘And we need wine.’ She brandishes her almost-empty glass at him.

He sighs. ‘Okay, then. Be gentle with her. Don’t scare her off.’ He leans in and kisses me on the cheek, squeezing my hand before releasing it. ‘I’ll be back in five.’

When I look back at the two women, they’re both practically swooning.

‘I’ve never seen him like this before,’ Emmy says, looking shocked.

Stacey cocks her head. ‘You wouldn’t have, I guess, given you came on the scene after he and Adeline…’ She trails off awkwardly.

‘It’s all right,’ I say. ‘I know he was married before.’

‘Phew,’ Stacey says. ‘Do you know the full story?’

‘Not really,’ I confess.

They exchange a glance. ‘We’ll be discreet then,’ Stacey says. ‘But let me say that I’ve never met a single woman of his since the divorce. So. Tell us. How’d you guys get together? Was it super romantic? He must have been so shy. He’s such a sweetheart, under all that grumpiness.’

I consider how to answer this diplomatically as my mind’s eye feasts on its favourite memory: Charlie consuming me in that room. Lifting my skirts. Making me crazy with lust.

Holy hell. It’s still one of my favourite memories of all time.

‘Um. He wasn’t particularly shy, no. It was very… hot.’

Their eyes widen. ‘Really?’ Emmy asks. ‘Oh my God. Tell us everything.’

My mouth twists in amusement, and I shake my head. ‘I really can’t. It’s completely inappropriate.’

‘What is? The story, or telling it to us?’ Stacey demands.

‘Definitely both.’

They exchange another glance. ‘Go Charlie,’ Emmy says. ‘Who knew he had that side to him? So he swept you off your feet, did he?’

‘That’s a fair way to describe it,’ I concede, noting with relief that Charlie’s approaching over Emmy’s shoulder, a bottle of wine in one hand and a couple of glasses in the other.

Except that—oh, shit—he has his brother with him.

Now that they’re together, I can appreciate the resemblance.

Appreciate being the operative word. What a good-looking pair they make.

Jack’s slightly taller than Charlie, with a bigger build, but they share thick dark hair and classically gorgeous faces.

Jack’s grinning at me like he’s tickled pink.

I’m definitely the novelty at this party.

‘Elodie.’ Jack sweeps in, his hands going to my shoulders as he kisses me on both cheeks. ‘Not sure I’ve ever been happier to meet someone. I’m thrilled my brother’s brought you along.’

‘It’s so lovely to meet you,’ I say, smiling at him. This guy is utterly charming. I can tell he’s far more outgoing than my gorgeous, quiet man. ‘You have the most beautiful home.’

‘Thank you.’ He inclines his head graciously. ‘Home-slash-circus.’

‘Are these all your kids?’ I ask.

He looks around vaguely. ‘Six of them are, yeah. Two of them are Stace’s step kids—just don’t ask me which two. Emmy’s sister’s coming later with her two—and your sister, of course.’

I laugh. I can see there’s a the more the merrier philosophy around here.

Emmy’s looking at her husband as he speaks like the sun shines out of his arse, and his baby girl gurns at him in the most delicious way and reaches for him.

He gathers her up in his arms and smothers her in kisses. These guys are adorable.

Stacey leans in. ‘My husband is the extremely hot Israeli guy playing lifeguard.’

I follow her pointing finger and squint.

There’s a guy in shorts and a billowing shirt who looks like he should be on a yacht, standing by the pool.

Very short, dark hair. I can’t see him in detail, but he has a commanding presence, even from this distance.

I smirk and give Stacey a nod to show I appreciate the view.

‘Stacey has excellent taste in men,’ Jack quips, and we all laugh, even Emmy. Stacey rolls her eyes.

‘So.’ Jack redirects his attention to me. ‘I’d given up hope on my brother ever bringing a woman along to a family thing, but let me say that you are definitely worth the wait.’

‘Hands off, fucker,’ Charlie growls, and Jack laughs and wraps his free arm tightly around his beautiful wife. He gazes down at her with so much love that it almost chokes me up and drops a gentle kiss to the top of her head before turning his attention back to me.

‘I’m very happy to have you here with us, Elodie. I hope life’s not too boring with old Eeyore here.’

‘Ouch,’ I murmur as everyone sniggers.

‘Fuck’s sake,’ Charlie moans. His grumpiness seems to be a running joke, but I feel for him. He’s not grumpy with me. Not anymore.

He’s utterly perfect.

I get a flashback to this morning, after we’d both come. I sat straddling him, savouring the fact that he was still pulsing inside me, and I held his face in my hands.

That face. The face that brings me to my knees (sometimes literally). Makes my body want to do unspeakable things and my heart want to explode right out of its cage.

‘My Charlie,’ I whispered, and I swear the look in his eyes when I said it nearly finished me off.

Now I move closer to him, sliding an arm around his waist and looking up at him. It’s all very well for them to tease him—I’m sure it’s just some family ribbing—but this man is the best man I have ever known, and I want to make it extremely clear how lucky I feel to have found him.

‘You don’t have to worry about that,’ I tell Jack, Emmy, and Stacey now. ‘I assure you, there is nothing boring about this guy. He makes me very happy.’

He inhales sharply and brings the arm bearing the wineglasses carefully around me, pressing the sweetest kiss to my temple. I’m pretty sure Emmy and Stacey are swooning again, but I’m not really interested, because all I can think is, I love this man so much it’s astonishing.