Statham Page 5

  I just need a way to find her and talk to her, or maybe more importantly her father.

  I’m about the same age as the guy. If I can just show him that this is real and not some passing fad like he probably thinks it is then maybe we can give this a shot again. We will give it a shot again no matter what it takes. I’m a man who knows exactly what he wants and what I want is her.

  I just can’t wait much longer. It’s messing with every part of my life. Her dad’s going to have to come around or I’m just going to have to go over there and let him know how things are going to be from now on. That’s my woman and I will have her. Nothing will come between us, even her own father.

  CHAPTER 11

  Isla

  One week later

  I wake up feeling a little off again. The part that scares me the most is that I missed my period.

  It was only a few weeks ago that Statham and I got hot and heavy, but something tells me that’s all it took.

  I could just feel something happening inside me when we were having sex. Something different when he was inside me.

  I’ve heard those crazy biology studies where women are way more likely to conceive when they cheat. Something about humans being programmed for “sexy sons.” Well I didn’t cheat, but my body certainly knew this was an absolute alpha unlike anything I’d ever had.

  Not that there was much to compare to. I’d only ever been with one guy and he wasn’t exactly knocking it out of the park. A boobie grab here an ass slap there and then a putter of weak creamy stuff, on my back or stomach is how most of our “date nights” ended.

  I’m not even sure why he referred to them as dates. It wasn’t like he took me anywhere fancy, let alone anywhere at all.

  ‘We can save money for our future by watching movies at home,’ he used to say. Yeah…our future. Look how far that so called future really lasted.

  But I do see a future with Statham even if my dad doesn’t. He’s the total package, but I think when he gave me his package I may have got a gift I wasn’t quite prepared for.

  I exit the pharmacy and try and casually meander over to the mall. What’s wrong with me? It’s not like there’s some sort of government surveillance on me right now so why am I so worried about having a pregnancy test in my bag? I just get that feeling like my dad’s lurking somewhere waiting to catch me trying to get back with Statham. I definitely miss the power he exudes and I’m just about ready to tell my dad to leave me alone. I’d rather get thrown out of the house and exiled from my boring family at this point in exchange for an adventure with Statham.

  But it wouldn’t just be an adventure. It would be a journey. I know it.

  A lifelong journey that the two of us would share.

  But first let’s see if we’re going to share something else. Parenthood.

  I dart into the mall bathroom thinking this is probably the lowest point in my life. My dad walking in on me as I just finished having sex currently takes the cake, but if I’m pregnant then there’s no doubt that my world has officially bottomed out.

  I pull the test out of the package. It’s one of those early pregnancy ones, not that I know too much about them. It’s not like I’ve ever had to do anything like this before.

  I do what I have to do and then wait for sixty seconds. I don’t even want to look at it.

  I count down backwards from sixty. When I hit zero I put down the toilet seat and sit down. I want to be prepared just in case.

  My entire body goes limp and my shoulder hits the stall divider as I stare at the plus sign.

  My life is officially over.

  CHAPTER 12

  Statham

  “What the fuck are you doing here?” Isla’s father Ian says.

  “I came to talk to you about your daughter,” I say.

  “Who in the hell do you think you are? You can’t just show up at my house like this.”

  A big part of me wants to tell him not only that I can, but I just did in case he’s blind to the facts. But another part of me remembers to use restraint. I’m not going to get anywhere coming in like a bull in a China shop.

  “Sir, please. I only ask for five minutes of your time. After that I’ll be gone,” I say.

  I pull out a stopwatch so he can clearly see the timer set for five minutes. It’s one of those old school stopwatches, not some iPhone or anything like that. I want him to know I’m a simple guy. I’m old school, maybe the same as he is.

  And I’m true to my word. After five minutes I’m gone.

  “I’ll give you three,” he says.

  “That’s more than enough,” I say.

  I adjust the stopwatch to three minutes and hit the start button.

  “We grew up in a time where honesty, directness, and to be straight up with our intentions was the norm. There was no need for a contract for most things because we had handshakes. Even though that’s the case I come with both this, my word, and my handshake.”

  I hand him a piece of paper.

  “What is this?” he asks.

  “That is my life’s work. If at anytime your daughter is unhappy while she’s with me…anytime…I’ll leave immediately. I’ll pack up my things and be out of your life forever.”

  “So what does this have to…”

  “I visited a lawyer in town. He drew up this page. I told him I wanted it simple yet something that there’s no backing out of. A contract that even the best lawyer in the world wouldn’t be able to pierce.”

  “So you’re…”

  “That’s right. If your daughter is unhappy at anytime you get my shop. Most of the cars in it aren’t mine, they belong to clients. You don’t get those. But you do get what I do have…a motorcycle, a Ferrari and a G-Wagon.”

  “A Mercedes Benz G500 4x4?”

  “That’s the G-Wagon,” I say.

  “That’s always been my favorite car,” he says silently.

  “Well if your daughter sheds one tear that’s not a tear of joy then it’s yours.”

  He keeps the paper in his hands, as he looks up at me slowly. I hope he’s not the kind of guy who’s only interested in material things. That defeats the whole purpose of my coming here. The material things mean nothing to me. She’s all that matters.

  “And you’re willing to just hand this all over at the drop of a hat?”

  “Not at the drop of a hat, because I know what we have isn’t something that can fall apart that quickly or easily.”

  “But you’ve barely just met?”

  “But when you know, you know. And I know. And I am a man of my word. The contract is already signed. There’s nothing for you to even do other than take it inside and put it away for safekeeping.”

  “Are you mad?”

  “Madly in love with your daughter and one hundred percent confident you’ll never need to refer to that contract ever again because I’m here to tell you I’m going to make her the happiest woman on the face of god’s green earth.”

  He stares at me like I’m crazy. Maybe I am. Maybe I’m the smartest son of a gun to ever live. I know what we’ve got and I’ll gladly risk it all to get it back.

  “I’m not sure what to say,” he says.

  “I’m almost out of time,” I say, looking at my stopwatch which is drawing ever closer to the double zero.

  “Can I think on it?”

  “What is there to think about? I love your daughter and as far as I can tell she loves me. I’ll do everything right by her and her entire family. That of course includes you, and her mother.”

  “Her mother passed away,” he says.

  “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “Thank you,” he says. I can see his eyes watering up and I can tell his wife meant as much to him as his daughter means to me.

  Beep! Beep! Beep!

  “I’ve used up my three minutes, sir. Whaddaya say?”

  “I say” he begins,….”I hear you like your coffee black.”

  “I do.”

  “Would you like to c
ome inside for a minute?”

  CHAPTER 13

  Isla

  I watch and listen from the top step as my dad tells Statham about my mom. It’s gut-wrenching to hear about it again, but I think in some strange way there’s a bond there. They’ve both experienced loss. They’re both about the same age. They both love me very much.

  Statham listens, letting my dad talk for long stretches at a time. I think it’s a kind of catharsis for my father. He kind of closed up when mom passed. He never really got everything off his chest until now. Strange that it’s with a man he supposedly hates. It’s one of the things I never understood about guys and maybe never will.

  It’s like guys at the bar who get into a fight and then are suddenly best friends. I guess it’s like some sort of admiration they have for each other for standing up for themselves and being willing to live their lives to the fullest and go to battle for what they believe in. It’s primal and I know if Statham came here looking for a fight he’d easily win. He’d kick my dad’s butt in a heartbeat, but smart warriors adapt as Statham has. He shows there are other ways to win a man’s trust and admiration without resorting to violence.

  I’ve seen him use both ways. Once with his father who tried to rob the garage, and now this way. He’s a man of few words, but the words he uses sure are powerful. I guess he understands people better than most of us understand ourselves. That explains his introversion. He’s always watching, learning, and paying attention even if it seems like he’s not.

  “Well,” my father says. “I can see you’ve come with honest intentions. I’m sorry I doubted you.”

  “I would have done the same thing,” Statham says. “To me it’s just water under the bridge now.”

  “Thank you,” my dad says. “But I guess the person whose opinion matters the most now is Isla. I should go up and get her.”

  My dad turns from his position on the couch and prepares to get up but he sees me in the hallway watching through the bannister.

  “How long have you been there?” he says.

  “Long enough,” I say.

  “And what do you think about Statham’s offer?” he says.

  “I think it’s the best thing I’ve ever heard,” I say.

  My dad pauses and my heart races. He’s not the boss of me and ultimately I can do what I want but we are close, especially after mom’s passing. It would mean the world to me to have this relationship on good terms and not bad.

  “All right then,” he says. “Who am I to say no?”

  I take off down the stairs and watch as my dad and Statham shake hands. I clear the last stair just as their hands part, and before Statham even has time to put his hand down he uses it to catch me as I jump into his arms.

  EPILOGUE

  Isla

  One week later

  “So, I never asked you,” I say. “How did you find me?”

  “A magician never reveals his tricks,” he says.

  “Oh they don’t do they?”

  “Definitely not, not past, present or future tricks,” he says with a wink.

  “Present tricks?” I ask. “What are you up to?”

  The London Eye comes to a stop as we look across the South Bank of the River Thames. We’re on the absolute top and I feel like we’re on the top of the world.

  “Did you know that the London Eye was designed by a husband and wife team?” he asks.

  “I didn’t know that,” I say.

  “It’s true. Julia Barfield and David Marks of Marks Barfield Architects.”

  “Okay…,” I say. “But what does that have to do with anything?”

  “Well it just seems better that some people can rise to new heights when they work together. Both in business and in life.”

  I feel goose bumps and wonder if this is going where I think it’s going. I quickly do the mental math and realize we weren’t lucky to get this capsule all to ourselves. He had it planned this whole time.

  Statham gets down on one knee and my hands and knees wobbling like a baby deer.

  “Beautiful. I came into this life in this very land, but I’ve raised myself to new heights in your land because of you. Because of us. But I know if I want to truly keep my head in the clouds for the rest of my days, as it is now, then I’ll need you by my side…forever.”

  He opens a small black box and the most beautiful ring is inside.

  “I made the ring myself, but the diamond is one of the rarest in the world. It’s a true one of a kind, just like you. And every time you look down at it I want you to be reminded of that. You’re a one of a kind and you’re only mine…if you say yes. Will you marry me?”

  “Yes,” comes out softly. “Yes,” I say louder. “Yes! Yes! Yes!” It sounds so perfect echoing inside our capsule.

  He slides the ring on my finger and suddenly two fighter jets whizz by our capsule.

  “Oh!” I say, jumping into his arms just as he stands.

  “Is that even allowed?” I ask.

  “Depends on who you know and who your friends are. And I know you as my best friend, my lover, and soon to be my wife.”

  I suddenly hear clapping coming from every which way. I realize the sound system in our capsule has been activated.

  “What are you waiting for, mate? Give her a kiss,” comes over the loudspeaker.

  I start laughing. I’m learning to really love the English sense of humor.

  Statham looks deep into my eyes and leans in to kiss me for probably the one-hundredth time today, the first day of our holiday together.

  It may be our one hundredth kiss today, but it’s the first as two people engaged to be married and that’s what matters most.

  The cheering and clapping grow louder and I realize in this moment I truly am the luckiest girl in the world.

  EPILOGUE

  Statham

  The next day

  “Yesterday was incredible,” she says. “Thank you so much.”

  “Thank you,” I say. “We did it together, as we’ll do everything now.”

  “I’m glad you took some time off,” she says. “And I’m really happy that you’re open to hiring more people to help out at the garage.”

  “Yeah, it makes sense. It will probably make us more money in the long run and free up a lot of time. It’s really a no-brainer.”

  “What made you decide to do it so suddenly?”

  “You,” I say, leaning over in bed to face her. “You taught me I could trust people. After all these years I have more faith in humanity and I’m ready to consider opening up a bit more to others…give people a chance instead of just staying pulled back and in my shell like a turtle all the time.”

  “I like the idea of that,” she says.

  “But not all at once,” I say. “We’ll have to see how it goes. And it’s not going to be easy to find the best talent. It will take time.”

  “Well I know one place where we’ll be able to recruit talent.”

  “Where’s that?” I say.

  “Well, assuming the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, and I’m sure it doesn’t, there will be someone for you to train in the next…oh, decade or so.”

  “Someone to train in the next decade or so,” I say softly, trying to figure out her riddle.

  “Apple far from the tree?”

  “I don’t get…wait a second. Are you telling me?”

  She nods her head yes.

  “Woo-hoo!” I say. I grab her face and kiss her hard. “You’re pregnant?”

  “Yeah.”

  “When did you find out?”

  “Actually when we were apart.”

  “You’ve known all this time?”

  “Well, I took a pregnancy test, but those things can easily give false positives. I went to the doctor later and got confirmation. I didn’t want to tell you that day you came over because that day was about us getting back together. That and you’d just convinced my dad to let us give it a shot. If I would have yelled out that I was pregnant it could hav
e been too much for him all at once.”

  “So you were thinking ahead. You kept it to yourself to protect us?”