“No, don’t ‘son’ me. Addie is my wife, and I fucking love her. I’ve put up with your crap because you’re our parents. You’ve invaded our life one too many times.”
“You’re being inappropriate, Shaun,” his mother said.
Snorting, he wiped his mouth, and threw the napkin on the table. “No, being here is inappropriate, and bad for my appetite. You’re disgusting people, and I can’t believe I’m even related to you. Come on, Addie, we’re leaving.”
“Don’t you dare!” His mother got to her feet. “We raised you, and everything you are is because of us.”
He laughed. “No. The only reason you have a company at all is because of me. The only reason you’re still sitting in this damn museum is because of me. Dad couldn’t run shit. That company is mine, both companies are mine, and if you think you can take them from me, go ahead. You lost all control the moment you signed them over to me. Addison is my woman, my wife, and we don’t want to have kids yet. We’re going to be together, and get to know each other. She wants to cook, and I fucking love her cooking.” He grabbed his plate and threw it against the wall. “This shit is not food. It’s not a home, and it’s not the kind of parents Addie and I are going to be.”
While he’d been ranting, Addie had moved from her seat and walked toward his side. Taking hold of her hand, he locked their fingers together, and gave their parents one last look.
“We’re done here,” Shaun said.
“You leave, don’t even think of coming back,” his mother said.
“Gladly.”
Walking out of his parents’ house lifted a huge weight from his shoulders. He was done, and it was a huge fucking relief.
Helping Addie into the car, he rounded toward his side, and sat behind the wheel. “Where do you want to go?” he asked. “The night is still young.”
“Take me to your place, Shaun. I want to go and see where you spend a lot of your time.”
“Your wish is my command.” He started up his car, and they headed toward his apartment near the center of the city. “There’s something else I want to show you,” he said, reaching into his jacket pocket, and taking out the tickets. He handed them to her.
“What are they?” She opened the tickets and gasped. “Plane tickets for England and Italy?”
“Yes. I spoke to Paula, and even though you book hasn’t been released all that long, she thinks we can take a short break. I figured a couple of days in each. I’d planned for us to take an extended vacation for our honeymoon, the one we didn’t get a chance to do.”
“You want us to go on our honeymoon?”
“Yes. I want us to start over, baby. From the beginning, you and me.”
“We’ve finally let them go.”
“We have, and now we can do whatever the hell we want.”
“Did you mean what you said in there? About us being together?”
“Yes. I’m proud of you, and I wouldn’t have you any other way, and if that means eating your delicious food, then so be it.” He linked his hand with hers. Together, forever.”
“I like the sound of that. I’d like us to go to England first.”
“I’ve made all the arrangements.”
He parked up in the parking lot for the building, and took her up to his apartment. Opening the door, he flicked on the light, and watched as Addie entered his space.
“This is where you lived away from that house?” she asked.
“Yes. I couldn’t stand to be in that place. To be honest when your mother told me it was the house you wanted, I was shocked. I wanted it to be a surprise.”
“It was a surprise. I think I was just shocked more than anything that you thought I’d like a place like the one you picked out. It wasn’t who I was, or ever would be.” She shrugged. “She lied to you.”
“Our parents tried to mold us into what they thought we should be.”
“It’s not the case. We’re better than that.” She pressed her hands together, and he saw the moment she caught sight of the large wedding picture he had. “You had it enlarged.”
“It was the best and worst day of my life.”
“Why?”
“I wanted you, and I couldn’t have you. We were together, and yet like strangers. This photo was supposed to be the start of something new.”
“We made it something it didn’t have to be,” she said.
He nodded, moving up to stand behind her. Staring at the photo of them together, both giving hesitant smiles, Shaun vowed to make their life something he always envisioned.
“I love you, Shaun,” she said.
“I love you, too, baby.”