A Year of Finding Happiness

by Lisa Hobman

  ‘Whoa! That’s not the reaction I was prepared for!’ I slipped my arms around her and pulled her to my chest.

  Leaning away from me, she met my eyes. ‘I know and I should be angry with you. But how can I be when it’s just so perfect?’ Her lips met mine again in a less vigorous assault – not that I was complaining about the passion she showed the first time.

  ‘Well, I spoke to Renee and she says we can either stay with her, or, if we don’t feel comfortable doing that, she’ll book us into the hotel in Kingston, her treat.’

  ‘How wonderful! I love you, Greg McBradden.’ We tumbled to the rug, and all thoughts of waiting until later to savour her body again went out of the window and joined the falling snow.

  *

  On December twenty-eighth Brad and Josie, Mallory’s best friends from Yorkshire, arrived to stay in time for Hogmanay. As Brad and I made coffee for our women in the kitchen – giving the girls time to catch up and talk each other’s head off – I decided to put my next plan into action.

  ‘So, Brad, mate. How are you fixed for a wee bit of New Year shopping?’

  ‘Yeah, sure. Looking for summat in particular?’ His Yorkshire accent was much stronger than Mallory’s and sometimes I had to really listen to get what he was on about.

  ‘Yeah. I need you to be my smokescreen.’

  He raised his eyebrows and grinned. ‘Oooh, that sounds intriguing.’

  ‘Not a word to Josie though, eh?’

  ‘You what? Do you think I’m daft or summat? She can’t hold her own water, that one.’ Brad laughed.

  ‘Great, so you and I will go in one direction and the girls can go off in another, eh? Or better still, they can go in Mally’s car and we’ll take the Landy. That way I can get sorted without distractions.’

  ‘Good plan, mate.’

  My magnificent plan was in motion. Mallory would be getting several surprises come Hogmanay.

  *

  New Year’s Eve – Hogmanay

  I dressed in my kilt, knowing Mallory loved a man in Highland dress… well, knowing she loved me in Highland dress, actually. Brad and I waited in the living room for the girls to come down the stairs in their finery. I was playing at the pub for the Hogmanay celebrations, and my nerves were jangling for several reasons; the least of which was performing.

  Suddenly my eyes were drawn to the doorway where Mallory stood in a sexy, fitted silver dress and heels. My mouth fell open and I just stared at her voluptuous curves, thinking to myself that I wanted to fling her over my shoulder, carry her back upstairs, and rip it off. I trailed my eyes down her body and back up again, meeting her blue orbs with a smile. She, too, was staring hungrily at me. Think sensible thoughts, think sensible thoughts, I repeated over and over in my head, willing my blood to return northwards. Sheesh, the effect she had on me with just one sultry look of longing.

  ‘Get a bloody room, you two.’ Brad chuckled as he punched me on the arm, releasing me from my lust-filled stupor.

  We made our way over to the pub in the chilled December air, and I made some joke about wishing I were from Eskimo heritage, considering my crown jewels were turning to ice under my bloody kilt. So much for looking good for Mallory. It’ll be a wonder if my package functions after this bloody weather.

  Thankfully the pub was nice and cosy when we arrived, and the whisky that was handed to me by Stella certainly helped. I wasn’t drinking as much of it anymore. I had no sorrows to drown. Just memories to keep in my heart.

  I took up my place behind the mic stand and grabbed the attention of the crowd. ‘Right, now, guys, as you know, this roller-coaster year is drawing to a close and I’m happy to be sharing this special evening with yous all tonight. I won’t be doing much blathering. So enjoy the music, and dance if you have the room around you, but remember…’

  ‘DON’T SING ALONG!’ the crowd shouted in unison, and I laughed heartily but I knew for a fact they bloody would.

  Chapter Fifty-two

  I was right. They bloody sang along at every given opportunity. Having said that, it was my own fault for singing such bouncy bloody songs. I slotted the odd smooch number in there too, especially for my gorgeous girl. And her eyes filled with tears when I brought her to sit by me as I sang ‘Just the Way You Are’ by Bruno Mars. When the song ended, we kissed, and the place erupted into applause and whistles. There wasn’t a dry eye in the pub, and I knew I’d pay later but I didn’t care. I wanted the whole world to know how I felt about her.

  At the end of the night I sang ‘I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)’ by The Proclaimers, and the roof nearly flew off the place as the crowd got rather carried away. I gave up singing in the end and just played as everyone knew the words and I was past caring what they sounded like. I sat there with a huge grin on my face and when I caught Mallory’s gaze fixed on me, I playfully rolled my eyes.

  I finished at five minutes to midnight and announced the time over the PA system, and the excitement in the place ramped up another notch. I had to get to Mallory. It was like swimming upstream against the tide, trying to get through the horde of people telling me what a great night it’d been. But I was on a mission. I wanted to kiss Mallory as the new year came in.

  Eventually I reached her, grabbed her hand, and pulled her towards the door. Stella announced four minutes to New Year, and, with a grin fixed on my face, I tugged my beautiful girl behind me as I forged ahead and pulled her out of the door.

  She teetered along on her silver heels and giggled uncontrollably. ‘Greg! Where are we going? We’re going to miss the countdown.’

  I didn’t answer until we reached the midpoint of the bridge and then I stopped, a little out of breath. ‘I think we should celebrate here, Mallory,’ I told her before taking her face in my hands and kissing her deeply. She melted into me and I could have kissed her there until sunrise, but there were things I wanted to say. I pulled away and gazed into her eyes as an announcement that it was two minutes to midnight could be heard from inside.

  Taking a deep breath, I began to speak. ‘Mallory… I love you more than anything in this world, do you know that?’ She smiled and stroked my cheek. ‘I love your laugh, I love your body, and I love how you make me feel. I want to feel that way for the rest of my life.’ I knew I was rambling but I had to get the words out. Her smile faded and her expression became serious.

  ‘One minute to midnight!’ came the announcement in the background.

  My chest began to heave as the enormity of what I was about to do sank in, but I had never wanted anything or anyone more. ‘Please, would you make me the happiest man alive? Mallory’ – I struggled for the words and finally posed the most important question of my life in Gaelic – ’am pos thu mi?’

  Mallory frowned and my heart began to try and make its escape through my dress shirt. I pulled the little velvet box out of my jacket pocket and held it out.

  She just stared.

  ‘Ten, nine, eight, seven,’ they chanted from the pub.

  Dropping to one knee before her, I opened the box to show her the diamond engagement ring enclosed inside and held it aloft. From where I kneeled I gazed up at her widened eyes, which were now glassy with tears and I tried to fight my own emotions, but several tears escaped anyway as I peered up at her. ‘Mallory, will you marry me?’

  ‘Four, three, two…’

  Her mouth fell open and she touched her fingertips to her lips. ‘Oh, Greg. Yes!’

  ‘Happy New Year!’ Loud cheers and whoops came from the pub as people began to spill outside to celebrate.

  Relief and happiness sprinted throughout my body, and when I stood again I felt ten feet tall. I pulled her into my arms and we kissed as people began singing ‘Auld Lang Syne’.

  *

  Once everyone realised what I’d just done, the joyous crowd made its way over to us and we were engulfed in hugs and congratulations. But the whole time we kept our eyes fixed on each other. The happiness I saw in her made me feel complete. We belonged to each other and now
we were going to make it official.

  Stella announced that she had champagne back in the pub, and so eventually everyone wandered back inside.

  Mallory turned to follow them, but I held her back and took her into my arms. ‘I hope you didn’t mind me proposing here on the bridge,’ I told her as I tucked a strand of her chocolate-brown hair behind her ear. I kissed her tenderly and stroked her cheek. ‘I want this to be our place too.’

  A tear escaped her eye but I caught it with my thumb. She smiled up at me. ‘It is our place. I have more memories of you and me here now. This is our bridge over the Atlantic. It’s our bridge of hope.’

  Wrapping her in my arms, I began to lead her back to the pub. ‘Come on, you’re freezing and I’ve an icy breeze blowing around places I would rather I didn’t have it blowing. Let’s go have champagne before it’s all gone.’

  She smiled. ‘Champagne… who would have thought it? Didn’t realise Stella stocked it.’

  I cringed as the truth was about to come out. ‘Erm, she doesn’t usually. I went out with Brad and bought a boot load just in case you said yes. Stella knew all along.’

  ‘Oh, yeah? What if I’d said no?’ She dug me in the ribs playfully with her elbow.

  ‘Don’t joke. I’ve been terrified and wondering if they did sale or return.’

  *

  Josie and Brad decided to stay in the pub that night so that Mallory and I could have the house to ourselves to celebrate our engagement. When we arrived at home I lit the log burner and Mallory let the dogs out before putting them to bed. I grabbed the bottle of champers that I’d hidden by the back door and opened it.

  Handing a glass to my gorgeous girl, I held my glass aloft. ‘A toast… to my beautiful fiancée, you have made me happy beyond words. I will love you forever.’ We clinked our glasses and kissed.

  ‘May I make a toast too?’ I nodded. ‘To my wonderful husband-to-be. We’ve had some pretty steep ups and downs, but at least that proves we can handle anything. I hope I can continue to make you as happy as you make me. I love you, Greg.’

  I took her glass and placed it beside mine on the hearth. I wanted to be closer to her. Pulling her into my lap, I reached up and slipped my hand into her hair as I took her mouth with my own in a sensual, luscious kiss. She gazed down at me as I slipped my hand around her back and pulled down the zipper of her silver dress. Once her lace-covered breasts were freed, she pulled me into the soft mounds and I inhaled her scent as her warmth radiated into me. Leaning back, I began to unbutton my shirt under her watchful eyes.

  With a smile I told her, ‘I have a surprise for you.’

  ‘Really? Another one? What is it?’ she asked with excitement in her eyes. I reached out to the hearth and pulled out a red velvet box from behind the stack of kindling. I handed the box to her and she opened it and gasped. Inside the box was a silver chain with a pendant hanging from it. It was similar to the friendship necklace I had bought for her birthday, only this was two of the symbols linked together.

  She gasped. ‘Oh, it’s beautiful.’

  ‘The first necklace I bought you, for your birthday, was the symbol for friendship. But this one… the Serch Bythol… this is for everlasting love,’ I told her as I fastened the chain around her neck.

  Tears welled in her eyes as she looked down at the intertwined knots.

  But my surprises didn’t end there. ‘You know how I disappeared with Brad earlier today?’

  She nodded. ‘To buy the champagne?’

  ‘No, I already had that. No, I went with Brad into Oban. And I had a little ink done, especially for you.’

  Once my shirt was completely removed, I pulled off the white dressing that was covering my new tattoo.

  When she saw what I’d had done, she gasped and covered her mouth as more tears welled in her eyes. I’d had an exact copy of her necklace tattooed on my chest above the Gaelic script there.

  ‘Now you’ll always be near my heart and I’ll always be close to yours.’

  No words were spoken; her eyes told me everything I needed to know. She loved what I’d had done and so did I. Once all of our clothes were relinquished, we lay back on the rug.

  I needed to be inside her and she grasped at me too. Neither of us could get close enough. We made love quickly and urgently and found our release together. It was magical.

  Sheer bliss.

  Chapter Fifty-three

  Seeing as I was desperate to marry Mallory, the wheels were set in motion right away. Alice made yet another last-ditch attempt to ‘win me back’ when she found out about my impending nuptials, but, as I told her, giving her a second chance had been stupid, a third would have been plain crazy.

  Mallory was sitting beside me when Alice made her last phone call to me. There were no secrets between us anymore. Only honesty. When I ended the call, I glanced over and she was eyeing me with concern.

  ‘Was she okay?’

  She had no reason to be concerned about that nasty piece of work, but that’s just Mallory. All bloody heart. ‘Oh, yeah, she was fine. Faked a few sobs, but she’ll get over it. She has no choice. I am utterly yours, gorgeous.’

  Lowering her eyes, she fiddled with the hem of her top. ‘And are you okay about it all?’

  ‘Me? Of course I am.’ I kissed her in between each word I uttered. ‘I have never… ever… been… happier… than… I am… now that… I’m… with you.’

  Laying her back on the couch, I tugged her top from her body, delighted to find her braless, and she gazed up at me with longing. ‘I can’t wait to marry you,’ I told her as I removed her yoga pants and panties. ‘And I can’t wait for you to have my name.’ Shrugging off my own clothing as quickly as I could, I settled myself between her silky thighs. ‘You are going to make the most stunning bride a man has ever seen… and you’ll be all mine.’

  She didn’t speak. She just pulled me down on top of her and kissed me deeply. I smoothed my hands up over the inward curves of her waist and further on until I caressed her breasts as she gripped my shoulders. Seeing her lost in pleasure was one of my favourite sights; better than any erotic painting or photograph I’d ever laid eyes on. The way her eyes closed and her back arched made me desperate to take her and so I did. As our bodies connected, a low groan left my chest and a hint of a smile appeared on her lips.

  ‘I love hearing you like that,’ she gasped. ‘I love that I make you feel good.’ Good? Fuck, was that an understatement. ‘In fact, I just love you. All of you.’ Her breathing accelerated and I could feel the pulse in her neck throbbing when I leaned more fully into her. Nothing compared to the feeling of being immersed in her; body and soul. Sex with her was transcendent. It went way beyond any experience I’d ever had, and I loved her so much, I just couldn’t get enough.

  Pulling back, I watched our bodies where we were connected so intimately. I couldn’t believe that it was possible to fall deeper for her each time we made love, but seeing her there beneath me, giving herself to me and holding nothing back, I fell further and further. The way she fitted me so perfectly and the way her soft curves moulded against me had me on the verge of tears over and over again. Tingles of sheer pleasure began where we were joined and radiated like a starburst throughout my body. Bending forward again, I took one tightened nipple into my mouth and sucked it deep. Her cries of ecstasy were my undoing and we both ascended into outer space.

  *

  The divorce between Alice and me was finalised in February and that meant all systems were go. Mallory visited Leeds to go wedding-dress shopping with a rather overexcited Josie in tow, and I booked Kilbrandon Church for our service. Everyone who meant anything was invited. Mallory’s adopted family from Canada said they wouldn’t miss it, and as Mallory’s parents had passed many years before, Colin from the shop offered to give the bride away.

  The night before the wedding I gave the girls their space and I stayed at the pub. Stella made my favourite meal, her steak pie, and once I’d eaten we sat chatting together.r />
  She cocked her head to one side and eyed me with a smile. ‘You know, I think it’s testament to this place that you two got together.’

  ‘How do you mean?’ I asked.

  ‘Well, if you think about it, if she and Sam had looked elsewhere, you may never have met. This is the place you gravitated to after you and your wife split too. I think there may have been a little divine intervention. Don’t you?’

  I smiled but didn’t reply and she took away the dishes. I retired up to my room with Rhiannon to put the finishing touches to the song I’d been writing for Mallory. We were writing our own vows; and of course I wasn’t known for using my own words, but this time it was important that I did.

  Working ’til the early hours, I finally finished the song and lay awake replaying the last year and memories of Mallory over in my mind. The first time I saw her walk into the pub. That same day when she arrived looking like a member of a KISS tribute band. Finding her distraught on the beach. Kissing her for the first time even though it was wrong to do it. Waking up beside her that first time before everything fell apart so spectacularly. Her curves, her smile, her radiance. Every little thing about her that I adored. She was so kind, beautiful, warm, loving. And above all else she got me. She understood what I’d been through.

  We connected.

  *

  I had made sure to think of everything to make this day as special as it could be, from the red carpet leading up to the church entrance to the white roses – for my very own Yorkshire rose – inside the church, filling the space with their sweet scent. The music was ready, the congregation was ready. I was more than ready.

  Brad stood beside me as my best man and nudged me as the doors opened. ‘She’s here, mate. It’s time to rock ’n’ roll, bud.’

  ‘The Reason’ by Hoobastank resonated throughout the church, and I slowly raised my eyes to meet hers. I think I stopped breathing for a while when I saw her. She looked more beautiful than ever standing there in that ivory dress, and that was saying something. My heart lurched into action and my lip began to tremble. She’d arrived. She hadn’t got cold feet and run away.