Page 102 of Daydreaming at the Boathouse Cafe

‘So he’s back.’

It was the first time Alex had spoken and she turned to look at him.

‘Briefly,’ she replied, deciding it was time to tell him the complete truth. ‘He sent me a couple of texts over the years and each time I blocked the number, hoping it was the last time. Yesterday he got back in touch after a long time. I had no idea that he would track me down here.’ She exhaled a long breath. ‘He’s a bully. He’s always been a bully, even when we were together. But he doesn’t frighten me any more.’

Alex immediately looked concerned. ‘He frightened you?’ he asked, his eyes running over her. ‘Did he hurt you?’

‘Not today but in the past, yes, he did,’ she confessed, with a sigh. ‘He destroyed what little self-confidence I had, making me feel small and worthless. That was bad enough until one evening he shoved me to the floor. That was when I walked out for good on our relationship and came home.’ She looked up at Alex. ‘I should have told you the truth about him before now but I wanted him to stay in the past where he belongs.’

‘I’ll kill him for hurting you,’ he said, his eyes narrowing.

She held up her hand. ‘He won’t get that opportunity. Not any more. When we went outside, he began to threaten me so I threw him to the floor.’

Alex looked at her in open-mouthed astonishment.

‘It turns out that Aimee is a really good self-defence teacher,’ carried on Hannah with a grin. ‘Seriously. We need to hold some regular classes.’

Alex ran a hand through his hair, looking confused. ‘You threw him to the floor?’ he asked. ‘And then you threw him in the lake?’

She laughed. ‘No, that was Tiny. Turns out his bark really is worse than his bite.’

Alex let out a shaky breath. ‘I should have been there,’ he said, frowning. ‘I shouldn’t have let you leave with him.’

Hannah reached out and took his hand in hers. ‘You were there every other time I needed you,’ she told him. ‘When I needed confidence and had none. When I needed support and your friendship too. You gave me strength that I never knew I had.’

She could still feel him holding back. Still not sure of her feelings towards him when he had declared his so openly.

So she took his other hand in hers and held them tight. ‘And I need you now,’ she carried on. ‘I want you in my life every single day for now and always. I need your big, generous heart. Those oh-so sexy muscles. And your love. Most of all your love. I want it all.’ She took a shaky breath, suddenly nervous that he might not forgive her. ‘If you’ll have me.’

‘If I’ll have you?’ His voice trailed off as he looked at her in disbelief.

‘I love you,’ she told him. ‘I love you so very much. I’ll make sure I tell you how much I love you each and every day until you believe me. I know I hurt you by not telling you that earlier and I’m truly sorry. I’ll spend forever trying not to hurt you again, I promise.’

‘Don’t apologise,’ he told her, pulling her close with a groan. He wrapped his strong arms around her and looked down at her, his face almost touching hers. ‘I should have given you more space. My timing was way off.’

‘No, it wasn’t,’ she said, reaching up to stroke his face. ‘Can we start over again, please?’

He nodded. ‘I love you.’

‘And I love you,’ she told him.

‘You’re the love of my life,’ he said. ‘I knew from the first moment I ever saw you that there would never be anyone else for me. I promise to never make you feel anything other than the wonderful, beautiful and talented woman that you are. I promise to be your biggest fan each and every day. I will be there for you today and always.’ He took her cheek in his large hand and smiled down at her. ‘Every day these past few weeks has felt like a dream come true just being able to take you in my arms and kiss you.’

‘Then let’s not stop now,’ she murmured.

They both moved into the kiss at the same time and it was as sweet, perhaps even more so, as all the other kisses they had ever shared. Because this time Hannah knew that it was forever and that nothing would keep them apart ever again.

56

Alex watched as a couple of golden leaves fluttered onto the surface of the lake.

Despite the sun shining down on him, all around the signs of autumn were beginning to appear.

It had been an incredible summer, he thought, looking out at the swimmers making their way around the lake in front of him at the end of the late-afternoon session.

The water sports centre had been more of a success than he or the Jackson family could have ever dreamt of. The swimming sessions were still hugely popular, even though it was the middle of September already.

Of course, some swimmers would disappear when the colder months appeared. But he and Ben had come up with a plan to keep the centre open. Alex had an idea to add a sauna to help everyone warm up when the water temperature dipped. He had been reading about the Nordic trend of adding a sauna session to a cold-water plunge. They already had some tentative ideas about using one on wheels so that it could be moved on and off the beach for the changing seasons.