In the End (Lifetime #3)
Page 25
Hooking my arm around her shoulders, I pulled her close. “We got through it. I know it’s hard to let go, even for a little while, but it’s good for Finn and Sam.”
She planted a hand on my chest. “I know. I’ve been so scared of this, but it’s been okay. Seeing Finn with you when I came in the door was the best thing ever. He loves you so much.”
“I love him too. All three of our children just blow my mind, Ell. They’re so smart, and maybe one day they’ll club together and support us in our old age.”
Ella laughed. “Now, there’s an idea. Maybe we should get them to sign contracts to that effect.”
“If only it was that easy.” Kissing her temple, I breathed her in. “As long as I have you, everything’s good.”
“So, forever then?”
“Forever.”
Running my hand down her arm, I winked. “Wanna Netflix and chill with me, Mrs Carver?”
She had that thoughtful look in her eyes. “Doesn’t that mean …?”
“Just what you think it does.” I grinned.
Ella licked her lips. “How about we skip the Netflix bit?” She did that innocent look she was so good at. The one that never failed to work.
“You’re so naughty.”
She grinned. “Always when it comes to you.”
Forever.
BONUS SCENE
The Proposal
Connor
It was Tuesday.
I don’t know why proposing to Vanessa became a Tuesday thing. Maybe it’s because I first met her on a Tuesday. I bet anything Vanessa doesn’t even remember that fact, but I do.
I swung my legs over the side of the bed, and reached for the clothes I left out the night before. Vanessa was already out of bed, making the most of the later shift she was working this week. By the time she got home tonight, Isabella would already be asleep.
It sucked, but it was just a part of life. She’d had to spend longer on her internship, having taken time out to have our baby. It’d be worth it in the end, but we were nearly at the point where she’d completed that stage of her career.
Dragging my clothes on, I made my way out to the kitchen.
She stood at the bench, whisking eggs in a bowl. Isabella sat on the floor, just outside the kitchen, playing with her toys.
“Good morning.” I said.
“Daddy!” Isabella stood, launching herself at my legs, and I reached down and scooped her up into my arms.
“How’s my girl? Being good for Mummy?”
She looked at me with the big hazel eyes she shared with Vanessa and grinned, cupping my face and planting a kiss on my nose.
“Hey. That’s my move.”
“She started doing that yesterday. I’m surprised she didn’t catch you last night.” Vanessa laughed.
I smiled. “She flaked right after dinner.” Tickling little Ella until she giggled, I dropped her down and she returned to playing with her toys.
“I hate working this shift.” Vanessa turned back to what she’d been doing, and I wrapped my arms around her waist, dropping my nose to her neck. Caressing her thighs, I ran my hands up her body until I cupped her breasts.
“Connor, Ella’s right there.”
“She’s not paying any attention to us, and you’ve got your back to her. I hate this shift as well. Lucky it’s only for two weeks every two months.”
Leaning her head back on my shoulder, she sighed. “Maybe I should become a GP and work days.”
“Whatever you want to do is fine by me.” I planted a kiss on her neck.
“It’s hard to focus when you do that.”
“Marry me.” Might as well get her when she’s distracted.
“Okay.”
I groped her breasts before running one hand down to between her legs. “I’ll be waiting for you tonight. No falling asleep, I promise.”
“Better keep that promise, or else.”
“Or else what?”
She twisted free, turning toward me. “You’ll be in so much trouble. Now, let me get breakfast finished so you can get to work and I can get on with spending some time with my daughter.”
“Yes, boss.”
PEOPLE SOMETIMES DIDN’T GET our relationship. Vanessa could be sweet, and she could also be sour, but I loved every aspect of her personality. I always knew where I stood with her, and her love for our family was raw and unconditional. From the outside she could be prickly, but when Vanessa loved, it was everything.
I sat at my desk and flicked on the computer. It was the end of the month, and today would be a bitch as I analysed billing data for the internet provider I worked at. Back when Isabella was born, I’d been able to spend more time at home. The company had grown, and with it; so had my responsibilities.
Maybe if I got through as much as I could today, I could slip off a little early and spend time with my little girl. Sure, we got time together at the weekends, when Vanessa wasn’t working, but every single second counted. I missed them both when I wasn’t with them.
“Wanna order in for lunch today?” My boss, Terry, asked.
“That’d be great. If I can get everything out of the way, I’d like to leave a bit earlier today.”
He smiled. “Should be fine. You work hard, Connor. As long as I’ve got my reports, you can go.”
“Thanks, boss. I want to spend some time with my daughter before she falls asleep. She was so tired last night.”
Terry sighed. “I understand. My girls never see enough of me.”
He disappeared back into his office, and I turned my attention back to my computer.
“I think that was his way of telling us to work through lunch.” Colin, my colleague, spoke up.
I laughed. “I think you’re right.”
Opening the programme that collected the data, all I could do was watch as it downloaded.
The sooner the day was over, the better.
By lunchtime, I’d made a huge amount of headway. Colin had coded a new piece of software to help us and this was the first month he’d put it into production. It was processing data like a dream, and we both grinned when the pizza turned up.
“You’ll be good to go early, Connor,” Colin said. “This’ll be done in an hour.”
“That’s brilliant. I’m freaking starving. Let’s eat.”
I picked up a piece of pizza from the box. Grease dripped from it, and I screwed up my face as I set it on a napkin.
Colin laughed. “Gross, but delicious.”
“It’s only the delicious part that matters.”
I kept an eye on my screen as the computer went through its tasks.
Wait.
This morning, Vanessa said yes. Well, she said okay, which is as good as yes. I mean, it means … Even my thoughts are jumbled. Two years, one hundred and seven proposals.
At least, I think that’s what she said.
I picked up the phone and dialled her mobile. If I was lucky, I’d catch her at a good time, otherwise I’d have to wait until tonight to confirm what I thought I’d heard.
“Hey,” she said as she answered.
“You said okay.”
She chuckled down the phone. “Yes, Connor. I said okay.”
“So that’s a yes?”
Vanessa hesitated. “It’s nearly 1.30 p.m. Have you just worked that out?”
“Well, you said no a hundred and six times.”
“Maybe the hundred and seventh is the charm?”
I laughed. “I so want to kiss you right now.”
Across the room, Colin, stared at me with raised eyebrows.
“Well, if you’re a good boy, I’ll see if I can find someone to cover the second half of my shift and try and get home early.”
I sighed. “I would like that very much. Love you, Ness.”
“Love you too, you doofus. I’ll text you and let you know what’s going on.”
“Okay.”
“See, now you’re saying okay. It must be our thing.”
Laughing
I rolled my eyes. “Must be. See you tonight. Bye.”
I grinned at Colin as I hung up the phone. “Vanessa and I just got engaged.”
He smiled back. “Really? Over the phone?”
“No, at seven this morning. I’ve asked her every week since Isabella was born and she said no. This morning she said yes. I was so used to hearing no, I didn’t even hear it.”
He laughed. “Congratulations, man. She must really be worth it if you asked her that many times.”
Nothing could wipe the smile off my face. “I would have asked her every week for eternity if I’d had to.”
Getting home was an even bigger priority now.
She said yes.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Lauren McKellar. I could not do this without you. Working with you has been a pleasure and I’m constantly striving to better myself to avoid those comments telling me off. ;)
Sarah Foster, for putting up with me wanting a little last minute adjustment. I love that I can rely on you to deliver my vision for my book covers.
Reggie Deanching, for conveniently posting the image at the right time! What a pain in the butt finding the perfect cover image is, but this just seemed to fall into my lap. I’ll eternally sing your praises for how easy it is to deal with you.
To Jess and BT, thank you for being awesome. I can’t wait to get my hands on copies of this and send them to you.
And to Ella, Matt, and Sam. I have loved writing you so much that I couldn’t just stop at one book. You’ve made me angst, laugh, and cry, and I will miss you all so much.
This book is set in New Zealand and is written in New Zealand English.
ALSO BY ARIADNE WAYNE
Writing as Ariadne Wayne
The Friends Series
Loving Rowan
Three Days
Something Real
The Right One
Unexpected
Chances Series
Another Chance
Taking Chances
Lifetime Series
In a Lifetime
In an Instant
In a Heartbeat
In the End
Lifetime novella series
Coming 2017 At the Start
Coming 2017 In the Middle
Coming 2017 At the Finish
Writing as Wendy Smith
Coming Home
Coming 2017 Doctor’s Orders
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ariadne Wayne is the alter ego of Wendy Smith. She loves books and lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her husband and two children. Having always had a prolific imagination she now writes the words down instead of storing them in her head where she can't share them. When she's not writing she works in Telecommunications, frequently banging her head on the desk with the random things that can happen to the ordinary phone line.
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Find me online
@ariadnewayne
ariadnewaynebooks
www.ariadnewayne.co.nz
ariadne@ariadnewayne.co.nz
Table of Contents
Copyright
Blurb
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Epilogue
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Bonus Scene
Acknowledgments
Also by Ariadne Wayne
About the Author