“Why were you having coffee?” she asked, her voice anxious.
“I gave him the pictures of my time in Africa. He wants to use some of them.” I picked up her hand, kissing the palm. “That’s all. I am not leaving you again. Not ever.”
Her shoulders loosened. “Oh.”
The phone fell silent and she looked at it. “You should call him back and go meet with him.”
I chewed the last bite of my sandwich, crumpling up the paper and tossing it into the bag. “What will you do?”
“I thought I would see if Vivian was working. She deserves to know the truth about what happened.”
I nodded slowly. I knew it was stupid to be anxious about being apart. We had things we needed to do. I reached out my hand, grabbing hers. “How about I drop you off, and when I pick you up we can go get our marriage license? Then we can go shopping? Are you up for that?”
“I’d like that.”
“Is an hour enough?”
She shook her head. “Adam—”
“Okay. Two?”
“Yes. Two is plenty.”
“We need to go see my lawyer. He can file the papers, and I want to make sure everything is clean and taken care of. I swear, if there is one mismanaged dollar, your mother is going to regret it.”
“I don’t care about the money.”
“I care. They have taken so much away from you. We’ll get everything transferred back to your name and power.” I tilted my head in curiosity. “What have you been doing for money?”
“I had a debit card my mother gave me.” She replied. “She paid the bills from my accounts, she told me. I imagine she’s canceled the card by now. I guess I’m broke until this is resolved.”
I shook my head and reached into the drawer, handing her an envelope. “I, ah, had ordered a second debit card for you before all this happened. It gives you access to my accounts. It’s active and you can use it now.” I held up my hand to stop her protests. “Please, let me take care of you. We are married, after all.” I nudged her foot with mine. “We consummated it and everything.”
She rolled her eyes and I snickered before becoming serious. “We’ll let the lawyers straighten everything out. What’s mine is yours.”
“Then what’s mine is yours, as well,” she insisted.
“I know that. You need to accept this”—I held up the card—“and use it for whatever you need. Clothes, shoes, girly shit…whatever. We’ll figure it all out, and get you cards with your married name on them. Assuming you want to change your name?”
“Yes, I do.”
“All right.” I winked. “Maybe you’d like to stock up on some pretty lingerie. You do have a long honeymoon coming up.”
A mischievous smile curved her lips. “Is that the only thing…coming up, Adam?”
I dragged her onto my lap, laughing.
“Nope,” I growled, covering her mouth with mine.
I’d show her what else was coming up.
Repeatedly.
Chapter 27
Adam
Ally’s hand wrapped around the door handle. “Maybe only an hour and half.”
I nodded. “Okay.”
She paused again. I reached over, running my fingers along her neck. “You know, I’d like to see Vivian.”
Her expression was filled with relief. “Yeah?”
“I know Sean would love to finally meet you.”
“Are we being ridiculous?”
I shrugged. “I don’t care. If we want to stay together we can. We can try tomorrow or the next day to do things without each other—or next week. But for today, I’d feel better being beside you.” I hesitated, my voice gruffer when I spoke again. “I was without you for too long to have to apologize for wanting to be with you now.”
“Me, too.”
“Okay. Vivian first, Sean next. Then we’ll do our errands—the lawyer and shopping.”
“You forgot the license.”
I shook my head, lifted her hand and kissed it. “That isn’t an errand. That’s the highlight of my day.”
Her shy smile and pink cheeks told me it was hers, as well.
—
Ally’s low laughter across the room made me pause in my discussion with Sean and look over. She was being entertained by not only Chris but Tommy, as well. They were showing her some pictures and no doubt telling stories of me from the times we had worked together. She was in the same room and I could see her, so I was relaxed.
Sean grinned as he looked between us. “It’s good to see you look like this, Adam.”
“Feels good, too.”
“She’s lovely.”
“I know.”
“I can’t believe all the shit her mother pulled.”
My expression darkened. “She’s a piece of work. I hope she pays.”
He regarded me silently for a minute, then hunched closer. “You know I’ve heard rumors.”
“Oh?”
“I was having dinner the other day with some friends. Ronald’s name came up.”
I moved forward, as well, suddenly very interested. “Do tell.”
“It seems Mr. Givens has been doing a bad job lately of managing his affairs—his business is in trouble.”
I drew in a sharp breath. “Meaning?”
He shrugged. “Bad decisions and management, investments going south. The rumor is he is on the brink of disaster.”
Ronald’s absence and the strange look on Sarah’s face last night suddenly made sense.
“Could just be that—rumors,” I mused.
He shrugged. “My sources are well connected. Rumors tend to have some truth behind them. I saw him a few weeks ago while I was out of town at some meetings. I went down to the bar to have a drink and he was there.” He sat back. “He didn’t see me, but I saw him.”
“And?”
“He wasn’t alone. And it wasn’t Sarah with him.”
I let out a low whistle.
Sean smirked. “They were pretty…cozy. That might be part of the problem.”
I stared at him. If this was true, Sarah had a whole new set of things to occupy her time. A possible failed marriage and no money would be two very hard, bitter pills for her to swallow.
“Your new mother-in-law may need a place to live, Adam.”
I grinned. “I hear accommodations at the Y are excellent.”
“You’d let that happen to her mother? You’d let her be thrown into the streets?”
“After what she did? Without another thought.”
“What about your wife?”
I exhaled heavily. “I’m sure Ally would have different thoughts on the subject.”
Despite what her mother had done, she would never allow her to suffer if she could help. I’d let her rot, but I wasn’t sure how Ally would react.
“I’m not saying anything right now. Keep me posted, though.” I shook my head. “What a two-faced, sanctimonious bastard he is.”
“There’s more.”
“Oh?”
“He’s sent me all sorts of investment opportunities over the years. I’ve never been interested, but the last one that came mentioned one name in particular that stood out.”
“Oh?”
“Bradley Bennett.” He raised his eyebrow in amusement. “I doubt that will happen now that the marriage is off. And if the other rumor I heard is true, he needed that deal.”
Another piece clicked into the puzzle. The reason they pushed so hard for Ally to marry Bradley—it was more than just control. Ronald needed the money. Once again, he wanted to take from Ally.
“Too fucking bad for him, isn’t it?” I grinned at Sean. “She doesn’t owe him her life. If it’s true, he made this mess, he can deal with it.”
“You’ll tell her?”
“Yes, but not today. I’m marrying her legally in a few days and then I’m taking her away. We’re going to spend time on us. Nothing else.” I pulled my hand through my hair, tugging on the ends. “But she’s been lied to en
ough, so I’ll tell her if and when something concrete happens. I’m not jumping the gun on rumors. I’ll support her no matter what she decides.”
“Sarah may have suspected something. Maybe that was part of all her lies. She was desperate,” Sean mused.
I snorted. “She was stupid. If she had supported me—us—and this happened, I would have taken care of her. She would have been as protected as Ally. I would have made sure of it.”
“You’re a good man.”
I shook my head. “Part of me is hoping shit happens and happens fast and Sarah is screwed for a while. It would serve her right.”
“But you’d help her if Ally asked.”
“Yes.”
“Like I said, good man.”
I narrowed my eyes and glared. “Don’t let that shit get out. I have a reputation as a hard ass.”
He laughed and I had to join him.
Hard ass for everyone—but my girl.
We both knew it.
—
A few days later, in a room overlooking the Marina, I married my Ally as the sun set low in the sky. The colors of the sunset shimmered on her hair, highlighting the red. She wore a pretty cream-colored dress that floated around her feet and I donned her favorite suit and tie. As I slipped her ring back onto her finger, the glimmer of happy tears I saw were mirrored in mine. Theo’s ring still rested on my finger, and I wasn’t in a hurry to remove it. The meaning of the Celtic symbols resonated with me and I felt as if I had a part of Elena close by.
Our gathering was small. Emma stood for Ally, while Sean was my best man. The people we cared about watched as we became husband and wife. Sitting on the table beside us, in the place of honor, a photograph of the woman we loved and missed—Elena. Amid flowers and candles, the air filled with soft music, we celebrated our love and our marriage.
The first time.
I married her again on the beach in Fiji, just us and the stars as we recited our vows to each other. We had been there six weeks, the time away doing us a world of good. Our days were spent in warm sunshine, our nights in each other’s arms. We explored the island, visiting my favorite places, discovering new ones, always hand in hand. She rested by the shaded area of our back garden, often sleeping in my arms some afternoons after we made love in the hammock or the heated water of the pool. We were rarely apart, and content to be that way.
I smiled all the time, and Ally was relaxed and happy, seldom a frown crossing her face, unless I hid her clothes again and called another naked day.
Those were my favorite days.
From Fiji, I took her to England. We spent another six weeks driving around narrow roads and exploring ancient ruins and castles.
There, we met a woman vicar, who after hearing our story and Ally’s desire to be married in a county chapel, did exactly that for us. Not, she explained, in any official capacity, but like the beach in Fiji, for our own memories. Ally said she felt as if we’d been blessed that day. I knew I’d been blessed since the day she came into my life.
I whispered our vows to her while we stood looking over the craggy, foggy moors of Scotland, feeling as though we were the only two people on Earth. Then one night, stumbling back to the hotel in the late hours, after a night at the local pub in Ireland, our sloppy kisses and slurred words were still meaningful. And once more in the early morning hours on a beach in Greece as the water lapped at our feet and the sun danced on the lazy waves. Her happiness reflected the warmth of the air around us.
Every chance I got, I recommitted myself to her.
On her right hand now resided a sapphire ring, the blue so deep and vivid it was a replica of her stunning eyes. I saw it in a jewelry store window in London, the remarkable blue catching my eye. The small diamonds around it shone like bright stars. I was like a kid on Christmas morning waiting for her to notice it on the napkin, where I’d placed it, beside her breakfast plate.
Room service had to be reordered; she lunged my way and the tray went the other. We made love among the crumpet crumbs and sheets damp with tea and sticky with marmalade. It was perfect.
Our extended honeymoon was the ideal start to our life together.
My bag held many memory cards filled with pictures. Thousands of images I had taken of the scenery around us, the memories we had made, the adventures we’d experienced. Many shots showed the two of us wrapped around each other, laughing and in love; quiet and reflective and even a few she had snapped of me while I was unaware.
And of course, her. I had thousands of images of her.
Smiling, joyful, sweet as she loved me.
Annoyed, exasperated, resigned as she argued with me.
Sleeping and content with a small smile curving her lips.
Excited and wide-eyed as she discovered a new adventure with me.
Sad as she left each place, holding the memory of our time there in her tears.
My wife.
—
I looked over at her, her expression reflective as she gazed outside into the dark sky surrounding the plane.
“What are you thinking?”
She smiled as she turned her head, resting her chin on my shoulder. I leaned my cheek on her head. “You look very serious.”
“I’m thinking I’m glad to be going home. And yet”—she sighed softly—“I don’t want it to be over.”
“It’s not. We’re just going to reconnect with our lives here. Check in on everyone and then decide our next step. We can go away again, stay here, move—whatever you want.” Brushing my fingers along her cheek, I smiled. “Home isn’t four walls anymore. It’s where you are.”
She snuggled closer. “I always thought I was a homebody, but I’m already longing for the next adventure.”
“That’s because your wings were clipped, Nightingale. I’ll take you anywhere you want to go. Name it, and it’s yours.”
“Africa?”
I snickered into her hair. I knew she’d want that next. She wanted to meet Peter and Edwina. She wanted to meet the children, and see the place I had spent all those months without her, and visit the clinic that Elena’s money had founded.
“If that’s what you want. You’ll need some shots.”
“I know. I already checked.”
“Of course you did. How about we get home and settle in for a while and we’ll plan it, yeah?”
“I’m not sure I’m ready for real life again.”
“Real life?”
“People…questions.” She hesitated.
“We’ve been gone for six months—it’s old news. People will have moved on to more important stories.” I grinned. “Besides, the ex-groom has moved on, as well.”
Bradley had announced the cancellation of their marriage in a simple statement, then left town for his new life. He sent Ally a text about four months into our trip telling her he had met a neurosurgeon and fallen—hard. They were already living together and he now understood, more than ever, how wrong his actions had been. He expressed his apologies and hoped one day she would meet Jillian, whom he had lost his heart to. He also hoped one day to earn her forgiveness.
Ally was pleased for him. I was glad it was something she didn’t feel bad about anymore, and slightly disappointed there didn’t seem to be any excuse to have to hit him again. He had moved on, so I had no reason to dislike him as strongly. I still did, though.
“You’re right.”
The announcement came on over the speaker that we were beginning our final descent. I kissed her hand. “You ready?”
“As long as I have you, then I’m good.”
“Then you’re set for life.”
—
The loft was clean and ready for us. We set down the bags and looked around. It was the same, and yet so different. The space was large and felt rather empty.
“We need more furniture,” Ally mused.
I laughed. “Ten seconds and she’s ready to shop.” I grabbed my messenger bag and put it on the desk. “We can find you whatever you like. M
aybe we want a different place.”
She paused as she reached for her case. “A different place?”
“Maybe we should have a house, with a yard, for the kids.”
“Kids?” she repeated.
I frowned at her and ran my hand along the back of my neck. “We’ve discussed having a family. Maybe we should think of a house instead of a warehouse loft in the middle of a business area.”
A teasing grin curled up her lips. “Are you pregnant, Adam?”
I chuckled and waggled my eyebrows at her. “No. Not from lack of trying, though.”
She laughed. “Well, I guess we’ll have to try harder.”
“Now you’re talking, wild girl.”
“What will you do with this place?”
“Keep it as a studio. The light is great.” I leered at her. “We can use it for afternoon trysts when the kids become too much. Unload them on a nanny and come here and be naughty.” I grinned, then thrust my hips. “Make more little buggers to drive us crazy.”
She giggled and walked toward the kitchen, checking out the cupboards and refrigerator. I knew she had asked the woman who came in to check and clean the loft to pick up a few things, and I chuckled when I saw her reach for the coffeepot. We had an unhealthy addiction to caffeine, and what they served on the plane barely passed as dark water let alone coffee. It had been a long trip home and I needed some coffee to stay awake.
We moved around, unpacking the necessities and sitting at the counter with mugs of the steaming brew. Ally was quieter than I expected. I nudged her leg with my foot. “What’s on your mind?”
Her gaze was honest and slightly apprehensive.
“I was wondering…”
“About?”
“Well, like you said, we’ve discussed children, but we never talked about when.”
“Whenever you want them. We can travel now, later; with them, after them…we can settle here and never go anywhere else. I just want my life with you. Our children will only make life better.” I tilted my head as I studied her. “Are you ready for them now?”
Her brow furrowed and then she shook her head. “No. I don’t want to wait a long time, though.” Her voice was quiet. “I want to show our children everything. Be part of their life.” Her face grew wistful. “I’ll make sure they know how much I love them—every day. They will never doubt what they mean to me.”
My Image of You Page 30
