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He sighed. "Look, I'm not crazy about you moving out, and you know why. But I know it’s important to you, and it’s a big part of you taking your life back. I get it, and I’ll support you."
She tilted her head. "It's a big part ofbothof us taking our lives back. I loved living on my own in Boston. And like I said, it's not a huge step, but it's something."
"I know. I already called the alarm company. They'll be out first thing Monday morning to install the alarm system, the intercom, and the motion sensor lights. The landscaping guys are coming Tuesday, so I'll ask them about the flagstone then."
"Okay. Thanks. Oh, I talked to Julie last night. She’s coming to visit this weekend. I thought it would be a good time, since you'll be gone."
“That's great. It's about time." He was pleased to see her reconnecting with her best friend. What happened back in January had nothing to do with Julie; it was just unfortunate that everything happened at her uncle's home. "You two will have fun. Which reminds me, about tonight—can you still take Elizabeth somewhere for an hour or so?"
"Sure."
"You can drop her off at her house after. I'll already be there."
"What are you planning?"
"Um…nothing big." He rubbed his hands together. "So…where’s that tray?"
* * *
When Elizabeth wokeshe was alone, and was glad for the time to examine her newly realized feelings. She knew this was it; this was real. It was sudden, it was soon, it was probably a bit irrational…but it was love. She felt it with every fiber of her being, with every beat of her heart.
Her stomach flipped, mostly in excitement but with a fair amount of apprehension. Her fears lingered, demanding attention, but she tried to quell them. Jane was right; falling in love was a game of chance. There were no guarantees she and Will would last forever, but she would live in the moment. At this point, there was no way she could pull back; it was far too late.
She rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling.Where is he, anyway?Their clothes were strewn haphazardly onto the wingback chair, and she spied one of his dress shirts buried under his suit jacket. She jumped out of bed and went into the bathroom to freshen up and brush out the tangles in her hair, and when she came out, she pulled on the shirt, buttoning it loosely. It fell to mid-thigh, and as the sleeves extended well beyond her fingertips, she rolled them up several times.
Confident he would be back soon, and not ready to leave the comfort of his room, she opened the French doors and stepped onto the deck. It was small, with two rattan chairs and a table for two, and instead of railings, it was enclosed by a waist-high wooden wall.
It was a beautiful morning, and she looked out over the backyard, the guesthouse—soon to be Georgiana's home—and then beyond to the Adirondack chairs. She smiled as she remembered their first date, listening to him sing, kissing him for the first time... She closed her eyes and turned her face up into the sun, letting her mind wander happily. It always went back to him.
* * *
Will entered his bedroom,and at the sight of Elizabeth standing outside on the deck, he nearly dropped the tray. She was a vision with the sun beaming down on her, her hair tumbling around her shoulders, looking like a ray of light herself.And she's wearing my shirt.
He carefully set the tray on the bed, walked to the doorway and leaned against it for a moment, his eyes slowly wandering over her as he took the time to brand the image of her onto his brain.
"She has risen," he finally murmured.
She started at the sound of his voice and turned to him. Her eyes sparkled, and her smile stretched from ear to ear.
"Good morning," she said, and held out her hands.
He grasped them and kissed her, and then ran a hand through her hair.
"You are stunning." He fingered the collar of his shirt, letting his hand trail down the V-shaped opening to where it was buttoned between her breasts. “Especially in my shirt. I think I like this look for you."
"Oh, this old thing?"
"Mm-hmm,thatold thing. It looks much better on you than it does on me."
"You do wonders for this shirt, believe me." She wrapped her arms around him. "Did you bring me food?"
He chuckled. "Yes."
"And coffee?"
“Of course.” He led her into the bedroom, leaving the French doors open, and gestured to the tray. "I wanted to serve you breakfast in bed."
"You still can." She climbed onto the bed and fluffed the pillows behind her. "Are you going to join me?"
