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Eva clapped her hands and stroked over my not yet blooming tummy. ‘Oh, a baby. Oh yes, you must stay. I have just the place for the two of you.’
‘And Gladys?’ I said, not wanting to have taken an old woman to Spain just to ditch her.
‘Gladys can stay with us, if she’s willing?’
‘Above the taverna? It’ll be the most excitement I’ve had in years.’ Gladys smiled as she patted Alec’s hand.
‘Let’s get you all a good feed first and I’ll go fill Jock in.’ Eva led us into the taverna, the locals smiling and nodding in welcome.
‘Maybe hide his shot gun...’ Alec said as he pulled out a seat for Gladys.
As I sat in the taverna, the bustling of the town around us and the smell of food wafting out from the kitchen, I finally let myself relax. I reached for Alec’s hand when he took the seat next to me, squeezing his fingers below the table.
‘Does it feel good to be back?’ he said, kissing the area behind my ear lightly in a way that made me swoon.
‘It does. Thank you for agreeing to come.’
‘Wherever you are is my home, baby. I’d follow you to the ends of the earth as long as you're in my arms.’
My heart thrummed in my chest as I leaned forward and grazed my lips over his, breaking the wall that had been keeping us close but separate since the dinner at my father’s house. Ending the kiss, I spoke against his lips. ‘There’s no place I’d rather be.’
‘Right, you soppy buggers,’ Gladys chimed in. ‘Enough of that before you make an old lady jealous. Alec, go help Eva with the drinks and make mine a double.’
She shooed him off as I giggled, watching Alec helping Eva and feeling contentment flare within me. And for the first time, hope.
FORTY-TWO
ALEC
The dinky cottage was perfect for Esther and I. Jock and I had stripped out the old moth bitten furniture, after he’d eventually stopped cussing me out every three minutes, and I’d worked tirelessly to clean, repair and paint.
Finally, it was looking ready for my girl. I’d thrown the windows open to clear the paint fumes as I moved in our new furniture, setting the house up as best as I could, but leaving plenty room for Esther to fix it to her liking when she finished up at the taverna. Watching her was like watching a new leaf on a plant unfurl, from a tight, stiff spike into a beautiful, relaxed and open leaf. As the first week had turned into the second, and into the third, she relaxed more every day. Her skin was sun-kissed and her shoulders were no longer tense. I’d been giving her space, letting her flourish under the fuss of Eva and Gladys, and even Jock, but being there when she needed me. Every night she would crawl into bed next to me and place her head on my chest, her warm skin soothing me.
If it was all she could give, it was enough. Knowing she was safe and happy would always be enough.
The sun dipped outside, and I stopped working, showering myself off and letting the hot water soothe my skin. A knock at the door startled me before Esther’s pretty face popped around the frame. ‘Can I join you?’
I tensed as she watched me showering. Despite every part of me wanting to say yes, I’d been giving her space and time to get over what Harold had done to her. I didn’t want to push anything too soon and hurt her more.
‘Please? Before you use up all the hot water?’ She was in the room and stripping off her clothing before I found any words.
‘Course you can.’
I couldn’t help but skirt my eyes over her as she stripped off, her freckled skin and delicious curves making my mouth water. Tearing my eyes away, I focused on the water running in rivulets down the tiles. I didn’t want to go getting a hard on and scare her off.
She stepped in over the side of the tub and shimmied past me to get under the spray, turning to face me and sighing.
‘Good shift at work?’ I asked, keeping my eyes above chest level.
‘Yeah, it was pretty busy, so went really quick. My feet are aching.’
‘You know you don’t have to work, right? We have some money put aside.’
She smiled up at me. ‘I know. I like it.’
‘If that changes, let me know.’
We stood quietly as she lathered up her hair; it becoming more and more difficult not to watch the soapy bubbles cascading down her chest. Her hand found mine, and she pressed it against her waist, looking up at me with pleading eyes.
