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‘Good timing,’ Naomi is saying, leading him into the house. ‘I was about to take Tommy up for his bath, but you can do it on your own if you like?’
‘Cool.’
In the living room, Tommy is sitting on his play mat surrounded by bright plastic toys. At the sight of Sam, he raises his arms and groans to be picked up.
‘Hey there, little chap.’ Sam lifts him, kisses his cheek.
When he looks at Naomi, she is smiling at him. ‘I brought beers,’ he tells her, handing her the carrier bag. ‘A-a-and… dinner is arriving at eight. I ordered tandoori lamb chops and steamed rice for you, chicken jalfrezi and Peshwari naan, which you will nick half of, for me. Poppadums, all the chutneys and a side order of sag aloo. Did I miss anything?’
She laughs. ‘Oh my God, you really remembered! Do you want a beer now?’
‘I’ll just have one,’ he says. ‘I’ve got the van.’
‘Oh.’ For some reason, she looks disappointed. He follows her into the kitchen, where she fetches glasses from the cupboard. On his hip, Tommy drives a truck round his chest, making a brum-brumming sound. Sam closes his eyes a second. I am with my future wife, he thinks. My baby son is driving a plastic truck over my chest. It is nothing, but it is everything.
‘Are you OK?’ he asks.
‘It’s fine, I just…’
‘Did you… I mean, did you want me to stay?’
‘I do, Ireallydo, I just don’t want Tommy waking up and finding you here. I’m not changing my mind at all, but he’s still my number one. I mean, he always will be – you do understand that, don’t you? I’d expect him to be your number one too. More important than me even.’
He nods. ‘Yeah. I guess. I hadn’t thought about that. I love both of you. In fact, can you hold him a sec?’
‘Sure.’ She takes Tommy from him. ‘He weighs a ton, doesn’t he? Sam? What are you doing?’
He’s kneeling – for the second time – that’s what he’s doing.
‘The other night,’ he says, gazing up at the flyaway strands of her hair dancing against the setting sun, ‘when I drove over, I wanted to give you this.’ He digs in his pocket, pulls out the box and opens it.
Her free hand flies to her mouth. ‘Oh my God!’
‘This was Joyce’s. She gave it to me after you left on Wednesday and I’m giving it to you. Nomes, I know we’ve had our ups and downs, but it would make me the happiest man on the planet if you would agree to marry me and wear this ring as a symbol of my love and my intention to make you and Tommy my family for ever. What do you say?’
‘Oh, Sam.’ She bends to kiss him and he rises to meet her lips with his own. When he pulls away, he sees that her eyes are filled with tears. ‘Of course I’ll marry you, Sam Moore. Already said so, didn’t I?’
‘I suppose it’s taken me two goes to believe it.’
She lays a hand on his cheek. ‘Funny old Sam.’
‘Ah! But what would you say if I told you I’ve already called the register office? If we marry on a Monday, they can fit us in at the end of next month.’
Her mouth drops open.
‘You said you wanted something small. The only thing you have to decide is whether you want the Guildhall or the offices up in Dorchester. Unless you prefer here in Bridport?’
Her hand floats up to her forehead then down to Tommy, who she shifts over to the opposite hip. ‘Sorry, it’s just… Let me… let me think about it, OK?’
He fights to keep his face from falling.
‘Hey,’ she says. ‘I’m not saying let’s not get married. It’s just quick, that’s all. I mean, we’ve only just got back together.’
‘But we’ve already done the getting-to-know-you stuff. This last year I remembered only the bad parts, but being with you again, I… I was just trying to show you how decisive I can be, that’s all. I want to arrange it all. That way you’ll see I’ve changed too.’ He is not so sure about this last claim, but at least now Naomi is laughing, all trace of unease draining from her features.
‘Oh my God,’ she says. ‘I’d love to see that.’
He laughs too, delighted to have not screwed up smack in the middle of trying to repair his last mess.
