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“What made you return to England?” she interrupted his reverie.
“University, I chose to come back here to finish my education. I alternated between living in digs and my grandmother’s house in Oxford. She was my blood father’s mother. It was wonderful; I felt I’d got to know him through her. Sadly, she passed away three years ago. I am blessed to have had that time with her.”
“I’m glad for you. Are your mother and stepfather both alive?”
“Yeah, Mom and Dad are just fine. Still living at the ranch, but Billy and Joe have the run of things now. Mom prefers to spend time more at their condo in Florida these days.”
“Do they visit you much?” she asked.
“Not so much now, I tend to make the trip over to visit them. They haven’t been over since the wedding.”
“Yours and Penny’s, you mean?”
“Yeah.”
They both fell silent this time, each caught up in their own thoughts.
“David, how old are you?” Her voice sounded tentative.
“I’m thirty-three. I’m guessing you’re twenty-nine?”
“That’s right. Where were you and Penny married?” she asked.
“We were married at St. Stephen’s church here in Dulwich, and vacationed in New York. We’d just picked up our first American contract and decided to combine our honeymoon with business since this was our life and lifestyle combined,” he explained.
“I see.”
“So, what about you, ever been married?” he asked.
“Who, me? No, never. I live, lived, alone in Highgate. I never met anyone special, and to be honest I didn’t believe there was a right man out there for me. I concentrated all my efforts into my career.”
“What about leisure?” he asked.
“I read a lot, and I take my niece and nephew on outings. You know, the cinema, to the park, cycling; all the things kids like to do. We have, we had a ball,” she amended sadly.
“You know those things you liked to do with your niece and nephew? Penny enjoyed them as a little. You can still do them in the here and now, with me.”
“I suppose.”
“No ‘suppose’ about it,” he told her.
“David?”
“Mmm?”
“I-I feel so lost and alone. I wondered...”
“Yeah?” he prompted.
“I hope you don’t think me too forward, but I-I don’t mind if you, if you, you know... want to make love to me.”
Did I hear correctly?He shifted toward the nightstand and clicked on the lamp.
“Why’d you do that?” she complained, blinking owlishly.
Crooking his arm, he rested his chin in his hand. Gazing down at her, he kept his expression blank. “Because this is serious; if I make love to you, for me it has to mean that you accept me as your husband.”
“Does it?”
