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She and Rafe had bought their own place in Melville’s Cross, on the opposite side of town from her parents’ house—a private cottage in dire need of renovating but with magnificent views of the mountains and enough room for a nursery. Which they were going to need in approximately three months time.
But even with their crazy life, filled with home renovations and a new business and Rafe’s legal office open to the public, they’d fallen into a comfortable routine. One that entailed ripping each other’s clothes off and screwing each other’s brains out at every given opportunity, as though they were trying to make up for lost time.
Sixteen years of it.
And Jane had finally gotten to read Rafe’s letters.
Lines like“Today’s sunset reminds me of you, the bright red and orange clouds undulating across the sky make me think of the day we went swimming at the creek and your hair fanned out around you as you floated on the surface of the water”and“…went on a day trip to Ireland today. My heart ached for you and the sight of your beautiful eyes, as emerald and as lush as the rolling hills I saw all around me. I miss you so much, Janie. I love you so much. We’ll be together soon. I promise”had cracked open her heart and she’d sobbed uncontrollably.
She’d been ashamed to remember how she’d felt when he’d left her, then despaired at the time they’d lost because of her stubbornness and fear. Until Rafe had wiped her tears away and slid his hand over her belly, had felt the little lives inside her kick for the first time and reminded her they had the rest of their lives to be together. That their time apart had allowed them to grow, to date and love other people, and to realise they would always come back to one another.
Always.
Now she stood in front her loved ones, wearing a white cotton maternity dress her mother had embroidered with pale pink roses, getting married to the love of her life.
It seemed her perfect proposal wasn’t Rafe asking her to marry him, but the other way around.
Jane didn’t think it possible to be any happier than she was in that moment. Not without exploding into a million excitable pieces.
Of course, the exploding sensation could have been due to the copious amounts of water she’d drunk prior to the ceremony. Mother Nature had chosen her wedding day of all days to throw a tantrum and crank up the Queensland heat and humidity.
Her wedding was being held on the hottest November day on record in ninety-seven years. Also, being six months pregnant with twins, her babies and bladder were locked in an endless cage fight for dominance.
And her bladder was currently winning.
The marriage celebrant smiled indulgently. “Do you have the rings?” Oliver, who was acting as Rafe’s best man, reached around his older brother and placed two matching loops of gold in the celebrant’s slender hand. “Rafael, please place the ring on Jane’s finger and repeat after me.”
Rafe parroted the celebrant’s words then slid the ring home.
“Jane, please place the ring—”
“I got this, babe,” she said, and ignoring the snickering coming from their families, she quickly repeated what Rafe had said then slid the ring on his finger.
Rafe’s brow pulled down as he stared at her, undoubtedly trying to figure out why she was rushing.
Jane pursed her lips together and tried not to squirm, but when Rafe’s frown deepened she relented, whispering, “Pregnant lady, remember? I need to pee.”
Oliver burst out laughing, Abby, acting as her maid of honour, got a fit of the giggles, and the celebrant blushed. Rafe cupped her face in his big warm hands, then grinned unrepentantly at the celebrant until the poor woman shook her head, threw her hands in the air and said, “You may kiss the bride.”
And he did.
Jane’s toes curled in her shoes as Rafe kissed her slowly, deliberately and without any room for doubt that he loved her.
And always would.
The End
