Errol's POV

After returning from getting Elise her dress which I couldn't believe how beautiful she looked in that dress. It was like Mrs. Brown made it just for her. I knew that she didn't trust my driving skills 100% but to be honest I had probably been driving longer than her. Now did she know that or even take it into consideration? Probably not, I could tell she had enough stress in her life at the moment.

Walking back into the castle was like walking into a war zone. I knew what my version of war looked like but this was a new kind of war. There were people running around everywhere, some that I am pretty sure Elise and I had no idea had even gotten to the castle. Great more introductions. Not that I minded but I really didn't appreciate when people called my wife and "Ugly Duckling".

"Elise! Grandma said she needed your help with the lights outside." one of the girls call out from the top of the stairs.

Elise rolls her eyes as we start walking up the stairs. Right when we get to the first landing there was a girl standing there with her hands on her hips, if I remember correctly this was Amanda and she was already someone I didn't like.

"Go help your grandma, there is nothing you need up here." Amanda tells Elise who I can tell is not taking her statement kindly.

"Listen, all I am doing is putting my dress away. Then I will gladly go and help my grandmother." Elise said trying to pass Amanda but Amanda wouldn't let that happen.

"I'll take your dress." Amanda said and tried to grab the bag.

Elise pushed her away and Amanda looked shocked by such an action. Thinking this might lead to a fight that to be honest I didn't want to happen I took Elise's hand and she looked up to me. For a second I thought that she may slap me but she didn't instead she took my arm and we walked right past Amanda.

"He won't be around for you all the time! Remember your relationships never last." Amanda calls out to us.

Looking back to Elise I can see a tear fall from her eye. Stopping right where we were I held her in my arms. I wanted her to tell me but I knew that I couldn't force her to tell me anything that she didn't want me to. Feeling her grab onto me made my heart jump. I didn't know what I had to do but I knew I would do anything to keep the woman in front of me safe.

"Don't listen to her, she's just jealous." I tell her trying to comfort her and she nods into my chest.

"I don't trust people easy Errol." she tells me as she looks up at me. "Yet with you I just went with whatever you said. Like I knew I could trust you from the start. Maybe that's what scares me, I trusted you so easily."

"You can always trust me, I haven't let ya down yet have I?" I ask her as I wipe a tear from her eye.

She shakes her head no then lays her head back down on my chest. It killed me to know my woman had been hurt by someone before. Holding her close to me I tried to comfort her but I knew I couldn't erase her past. No matter how hard I wanted to.

After setting up for the party which almost landed two of Elise's sisters friend in the nearby hospital, Elise was dragged away by her sister and friends to get ready for this garden party. I got dressed in our room and wasn't surprised to see that both Elise and her dress were missing from our room. Once I finished getting ready I walked back out to the hall just in time to run into Elise's grandfather.

"Well don't you clean up well?" He asks me with a smile and a glass of whiskey in his hand.

"You too, I take it the girls are still getting ready?" I ask him as he takes a sip of his drink and nods at me.

"Oh yeah, they tend to take their sweet time. A woman thing I'm sure. You know I have to admit since you got here Elise has smiled more than I have ever seen her smile in her life. However I don't want to be a great grandfather anytime soon, though my wife would surely disagree." he says as we start to walk down the hall.

"Elise, is everything to me. We haven't known each other in that sense though so I can tell you that will not be happening for a while sir." I tell him as he just shrugs.

"Don't get me wrong, Elise would be a great mom. Probably a better one than her sister but she has always been afraid to take chances you know risk something she knows she might loose." he says as we start down the stairs and head to the gardens. "You want my advice? Don't push her to hard but when you do give her a little nudge, be there to catch her if she falls."

His advice did make some sense to me. I knew a lot about risks, then again I have also lived a lot longer than the man before me. I wonder if he knew that someone much older than him was dating his granddaughter would change his opinion of me? That wasn't something I was willing to risk yet. Finally arriving at the gardens I see the twinkle lights that Elise helped her grandmother put up while risking falling off the ladder and breaking her neck. I was there beside the ladder though and I wouldn't have let that happen.

"I swear sir, I'll be there for her as long as she'll let me." I say to reassure him.

"There's your mistake my friend, why do you need her to let you? If you need her permission for everything how can she depend on you to help her when she really needs you?" he asks me as we walk over to the bar.

"I don't think I quite understand what ya mean?" I ask as he sighs.

"Elise is so stubborn like her mother, my daughter. She will be perfectly happy not changing a thing, however what kind of life is that? When I say to be there for her I mean through the times where I guarantee she will push your Scottish butt away. Trust me she will, it's that darn red head temperament but it is also her only form of defense to make sure she doesn't get hurt." he tells me and it clicks in my head.

Even if she did push me away I would make sure to stay at least near her. I wanted her to want to be with me but I wouldn't force her. Something told me I wouldn't have to force her and that the little progress I was making with her was showing that her feelings for me were not only changing but becoming stronger as well.

"Ah here come the beauty queens." he says pointing to the door.

Just as he said, beautiful women start walking through the door but I only have my eyes looking for one in particular. Once the seventh girl walks down the stairs I finally see her looking around for I am hoping me. After a few second our eyes lock and I can see her smile at me. Once her foot lands on the ground, I start walking up to her and offer her my hand. I can hear her giggle just a little as she take my hand and I start to walk with her.

"I didn't know you'd look like such an angel." I tell her as we walk to the dance floor where many other couple have gathered.

"You need to work on your pick up lines." she tells me with a smile.

I notice her sister is dancing with another man as other couple start to dance. Taking her hand I decide to take the leave not really giving her an option. Instead of pulling away from me as a part of me feared she went along with me as we began to dance to a song I didn't know but didn't really care. As long as I was here with her nothing else mattered. Looking into her beautiful eyes I can't help but wonder will what we have grow or will one of us stop it out of fear?

"Errol? What's the matter? You keep looking at me like something bad is going to happen." she says putting her hand on my cheek.

"Nothing good tends to stay in my life, I'd really hate to loose you Elise." I tell her in complete honesty not knowing how she will re act to it either.

"What makes you think you are going to lose me? If I remember correctly all this time I still had the option of getting out of whatever we had yet here I am dancing right here with you." she tells me as if she is now trying to comfort me. "Are things confusing between us oh definitely but do I feel like I need to run away from you? No, for some reason I feel happy here. However we figure this out this is one feeling I know I don't want to lose."

Just hearing that she didn't want to run from me made a part of me jump for joy. I grabbed her and kissed her holding her so close to me that no one there could deny that even just for this moment she was mine. When she kissed me back I could see the one thing I wanted with her more than anything, I could see a future with this woman before me. I would give anything for that.

"Errol I am pretty sure people are staring." she tells me as we press our foreheads together.

"Let them stare, cause right now you are the only one I care about." I tell her as I lean in and kiss her again.

The second kiss doesn't last as long as the first but I could even feel her smile. I pulled away and looked as her smile at me. Just that smile was enough to set my heart on fire. That's when I felt a tap on my shoulder. Turning around I see Amanda yet again, I'm starting to regret not letting Elise just knock her out.

"Hey now, you could dance with some of the other girls. After all there are a few guys wanting to dance with Elise." Amanda said rolling her eyes and crossing her arms.

I was about to say something when Elise pulled me to her side and leaned against me. It was as if she was claiming me and making sure that Amanda knew there was no way in hell that I was going to dance with her. Was it strange that a part of me actually liked her being this way?

"Amanda I am sure you could easily persuade another man to dance with you. So do yourself a favor and stay the hell away from mine." Elise said full of confidence.

I held her close proud of the woman beside me not only for standing up for herself but believing that I wouldn't betray her trust in me. Amanda looked at me awe struck, that seemed to be one of the three expressions that she actually knew.

"Knowing your past, it won't be long before he leaves you just like all the others." she says with a smirk about to walk away.

Elise then takes action and before I can stop her Elise punches Amanda full force sending her backwards into the refreshment table getting red punch all over Amanda's red dress. Elise's grandfather looks over as us from the edge of the table and claps twice and smiles at Elise. Amanda stands up in a rush and looks around for help only to have no one there. Turning she starts back to the castle completely drenched in red punch.

"Wow, that actually felt really good." Elise says with a sigh.

"She deserved it, ever since fifth grade." Elise's Grandpa says with a big smile.

"However something tells me I am going to regret it." Elise says now probably regretting her actions.

"Nah, if she tries anything I will make sure to step in. Though I have to admit you think fast on your feet." I tell her as I wrap my arm around her waist.

Elise smiles as she looks up at me.

"Elise!" we hear the shrill voice of Grandma heading our way.

"Before you going misjudging things, Elise was only defending herself and if I were you I would be proud of her." Grandpa comes to her defense.

"Did she have to defend herself through the refreshment table?" Grandma asked in an angry tone.

"Well, sorry grandma I just kind of re acted without thinking." Elise says as I feel her lean against me.

"Oh, well like you said Amanda did deserve it. Would you two go to the kitchen and see if you can get more punch while Grandpa and I clean this up?" Grandma asks us.

Elise nods as she takes my hand and we start back to the castle. This woman definitely knew how to surprise me but it just made me fall for her even more. Could I have defended her? Of course and I would have yet something tells me I probably would have been knocked into the table as well.