as he claimed her mouth again in a series of hard, hungry kisses that merged into one and left her feeling drained and incredibly happy.
‘Work on Warren...?’ she mumbled against his mouth.
‘Yes, this place is a bit small and my grandfather is getting too old to live there alone. We thought that a ground-floor apartment would give him privacy—’
‘We? A conspiracy...?’ Before he could respond to the teasing she pressed her hand to his mouth. ‘What is this with you and houses? I don’t give that—’ she clicked her fingers with an expressive snap ‘—about houses. It’s people that I care about, you and Emmy. I love you so much, Ben—’
The rest was lost in his mouth as he kissed her until her head spun. When he placed her back on her feet she needed his support to stop her falling over.
She might have said he had kissed her senseless, but actually she realised she had only just come to her senses.
He stroked her face with a loving hand. ‘I don’t care about where I live either. My home is anywhere you are. I just wanted to prove to you that I was sincere, that I could be a good father and husband, that I am totally into this.’
Heart singing with joy she had never imagined ever feeling, she slipped her arms around his waist, tilted her head back to look up into his face. ‘Are you totally into me too?’
His mouth curved into a wicked grin. ‘Oh, absolutely—and ready and willing to prove it.’
‘Can you get upstairs without buying another house?’
‘I’ll try,’ he promised, scooping her up. At the door, he paused. ‘I should say there is a builder stopping by tomorrow. I thought I’d do a few renovations before I hand it over to the hospital... With a bit of work it could be perfect for families who find themselves in the situation we did.’
Lily’s eyes filled with tears. ‘Oh, Ben, that’s a lovely idea.’
‘I just hope that some of them have the happy ending we have had. This time last year my life was empty, and now I have...everything I need.’
Lily framed his face with her hands. ‘So do I.’ Adding, ‘Shush,’ as he ran up the stairs with her. ‘We don’t want to wake Lara. Too late,’ she added as there was the sound of someone loudly weeping from the door they were passing. ‘Sorry, Ben...’
He sighed. ‘Well, just remember where we were and promise me that if she comes to our wedding you’ll hide the booze.’
‘You wanted family life,’ she teased.
He covered the hand she had placed on the door handle with his and looked down with fierce longing into her face. ‘I’ve always wanted you. I always will.’
A few weeks later they exchanged vows in front of their friends and relations, but for Lily what he said at that moment meant so much more.
Emily Rose Warrender
Year One Homework.
MY WEEKEND.
I was going to ride my pony this weekend. He’s cool, but my mummy and daddy had to go to the hospital, so I stayed with my grandma and we played tea parties because she is quite old, maybe even twenty, and she needs to sit down a lot.
Mummy and Daddy brought home a baby this morning. Mummy says he looks like Daddy, but I don’t think so because my daddy is very tall and handsome and baby Harry is wrinkled and red. My mummy has red hair like me and she is very pretty and so am I.
Harry can’t do anything yet but Daddy says when he’s older, maybe next week, I can teach him stuff like how to kick a ball and other things that I’m very good at. Daddy says I can be the boss.
I love my mummy and daddy a lot, and Harry, but my pony is better. I am going to be a very good boss.
Louise Fuller
To Jane Arnold.
For Friday coffee and shopping;
for making it up to Southwold so many times;
and for being my friend.
Thank you.
SHE SHOULD BE PLEASED. Good publicity was what charities like hers survived on. Only it was doing more than surviving, Addie Farrell thought with a small smile of satisfaction as she glanced down at the newspaper. It was just five years since they had opened their doors to offer music to disadvantaged children in the city, but the way things were going, they might be able to open a second centre soon.
Addie frowned. The article was one hundred per cent approving—even the photograph was flattering. So why did she feel so deflated? Her smile faded. Probably because the glossy red curls tumbling over her shoulders and the nervous excitement in her blue eyes hinted at a different Addie—an Addie she had been a long time ago, for a few blissful months. The Addie she might still be now if Malachi King hadn’t taken her heart and tossed it aside like some unwanted corporate gift.
Don’t go there! she warned herself. The article was about her hard work and determination. It had absolutely nothing to do with her rat of an estranged husband. Or their foolhardy and doomed marriage.
That was all in the past now.
Her present—her future—was a world away from that dark place she’d slipped into after Malachi had broken her heart. And she had survived worse than his defection. Her muscles tensed as she remembered the car accident that had shattered her dream of playing the piano professionally. It had been devastating, but she had not given up and now she had the best job in the world: bringing music to children whose lives were a constant battle with poverty and neglect.
She sighed. Only that would keep happening if she got on and knuckled down to her admin.
Opening her laptop, she began clicking through her emails. Twenty minutes later she reached across the desk and picked up a pile of envelopes from her in tray. Glancing at the one on top, she felt her breath catch sharply in her throat, the beat of her heart suddenly swift and urgent. As though mesmerised, she stared blankly at the embossed logo on the front of the envelope.
King Industries. Owned by her very rich, very handsome and very estranged husband Malachi.
The blood was roaring in her ears, and for
