One Last Chance (9 page)

“
Thank you Nan,” Ally said, hugging her grandmother. Then she kissed her grandfather and bid them both goodnight.

When she reached the bedroom, she found Cole sitting on the bed staring out over the city, once again lost in thought.

Ally quietly sat down next to him and rested her head on his shoulder. Cole then rested his cheek against the top of Ally head.

“I just want to know he’
s okay,” Cole said finally.

“
I know you do,” Ally sighed.

“He’
s out there somewhere and I know she doesn’t care about him.” Cole said, turning to Ally.

“Then call her,” Ally replied as she took his hand. “Just to see
that he is okay.”

“Maybe I could call tomorrow?” Cole
suggested. “Just to see if he’s doing okay, like you said.”

“
Good,” Ally said with a smile.

“Thank you,” Cole said as he leaned down and kissed Ally.

“For what?” Ally asked surprised.

“For being you,” he said
, smiling once again. “For being my gorgeous girl.”

“You are very welcome,” Ally replied with a
big grin. “Now take me to bed and do naughty things to me Mr. Thomas.”

“Now
, that is an offer I certainly can’t refuse, Ms. Brody,” Cole said as he pulled Ally to him and sealed her lips with his.

The rest of the week passed by in a flurry of activity. The morning after the dinner at Cole’s parents’ house, Ally and Nan, accompanied by Nick, went to have her dress fitted for the very last time.

They were
up early and waiting for Ella to arrive so she could come along too. Ally was so excited until Ella arrived accompanied by El. Ally smiled, but she couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. She wasn’t comfortable with El. Plus she also knew that El had hurt Cole in the past and this didn’t sit well with Ally in the slightest.

When they reached the bridal shop
, Ally slipped into the dressing room and stripped while the dress maker went to fetch Ally’s dress.

When she returned
, she helped Ally into her dress and to Ally’s relief there was very little work required on the dress. Then she went to get the diamond hairclip and veil Ally had chosen. She wanted to keep it as simple yet elegant as possible.

When the dressmaker helped her with her final touches, she pulled back the curtain and allowed Ally to step out of the dressing room to w
here Nan, Ella and El were all waiting, sipping champagne and chatting excitedly.

The three fell silent when Ally appeared in front of them.
Nan’s eyes instantly filled with tears at the sight of her eldest granddaughter. She was probably the most beautiful bride she had ever seen, even more beautiful than her mother had been on her wedding day.

Nan thought of Rachel and wish
ed she could have been here to see Ally on her big day. She would have been so proud of the woman Ally had become. She and Pop couldn’t have been prouder.

Then she thought of Pops. He was so proud to walk Ally down th
e aisle but Nan knew he thought that Gus should be the one doing it. He had wanted to say it to Ally but Nan had pleaded with him to say nothing. She felt Ally had been through enough upset and she didn’t need any more.

“Ally, sweetheart,” Ella was the first on
e to speak. “My darling girl, you look positively stunning. My son is a very lucky man.”

“Thank you Ella,” Ally beamed, she was so happy. Her life was perfect.

“Doesn’t she look beautiful,” Ella said, turning to El.

“You look perfect Ally,” El replied with a smile but then added. “Dress looks fab and very expensive. Just as well you are marrying money
, with such expensive taste.”

“El,” Ella snapped in disbelief.

“Actually my grandfather paid for my dress,” was all Ally could think of saying. She was floored by this girl’s directness and obvious hostility.

“It was a joke,”
El groaned and rolled her eyes.

“Then I suggest you get new material,” Nan said as she stepped towards Ally and took her hands. “You look perfect pet, and I am so very proud of y
ou and so is Pops. I wish your mom was here to see you.”

“Thanks Nan,” Ally said and smiled gratefully at her grandmother.

After the fitting, the four ladies went to lunch before Ella dropped Ally and Nan back to Cole’s apartment. Pop was installed in front of the 60” TV watching football and giving out to the referee on the pitch. Nan said that she was tired, so she was going to have a lie down.

Ally went in search of Cole and found him in his office going through a ton of paper work.

“Hey,” Ally said as she popped her head around the door. Cole looked up from his paper work and his face lit up the moment he saw Ally standing there.

“Hey gorgeous
girl,” he said as he stood up in one swift move and was around the desk pulling Ally into an embrace before she had time to think. He quickly claimed her mouth with his. Finally when he released her lips breathlessly, he smiled down at her. “I missed you. Did you have fun?”

Ally simply smiled and nodded.

“What happened?” Cole asked as the smile on his face dropped.

“Nothing happened,” Ally said
, surprised by his reaction. “What makes you think that?”

“Because I know you Ally Brody,” Cole said
, taking hold of her arms and staring her straight in the eyes. “Something is on your mind. And you will tell me in the end. So you may as well spit it out now.”

“I don’t think Ella likes me,” Ally said, blushing as she said t
he words out loud. She hated this whole girlie stupid nonsense. Normally if someone didn’t like her she would say
screw it
, and move on. But this was Cole’s sister. And although she knew Cole really couldn’t care less to what she thought or had to say about anything. It bothered Ally.

“What did she say now?” Cole demanded and Ally cringed. She felt like a tattle tale.

“She just had a dig about me marrying someone with money,” Ally said unable to look at Cole anymore. “It was nothing really, but there was something in the way she said it. I knew exactly what she was getting at. She means someone like me. Just a mechanic marrying… well… marrying you.”

“What you have or don’t have is
none of her business,” Cole replied, the anger in his voice was very clear. “I love you, for you. Money has nothing to do with it. And it is certainly none of Ella’s damn business.”

“She is just looking out for you,” Ally said but even she didn’t believe that.

“And where was she when Charlie was screwing my best friend?” Cole asked bitterly. “It’s a bit late to be playing devoted sister. And she is playing it with the wrong person.”

“Cole please,” Ally said taking his face in her hands.

“I will not have her making you feel inferior,” Cole replied. “You have worked hard all your adult life. She has never worked a day. You should be the one looking down your nose at her.”

“She doesn’t matter Col
e,” Ally said as she slipped her arms around him. “Just you and I matter. You, me and our baby. Okay?”

“I love you
,” he said as he leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips.

“How did the call
with Steph go?” Ally asked nervously.

“Not great,” Cole sighed, “But I don’t want to think about it now. I will fill you in later.”

“Okay,” Ally smiled as she leaned up and kissed Cole on the lips.

That night
, they took Nan and Pop to dinner to the Babylon Restaurant, in The Rooftop Gardens, where Cole had taken Ally the night he had planned on proposing to her.

As they rode up in the lift, the thought occurred to Ally, the last time she was here she bumped into her father. She wonder
ed would he be here again. She looked at Nan and Pop and wondered how they would react to seeing him again for the first time in so long.

“Stop worrying,” Cole whispered into Ally’s ear.
She looked up at him and he gave her a reassuring smile. Ally instantly felt better.

The night went smoothly and Ally couldn’
t help but smile at Nan, who had a huge smile on her face. She knew Nan was impressed. She and Pop were simple folk. They were not used to the finer things in life. But Ally knew Nan was enjoying living the high life for a couple of days. This made Ally love her even more than she thought it was possible.

And that’s how the rest of the week went. Running around during the day doing wedding stuff, and each night
taking Nan and Pop out to see the best of what London had to offer.

By the time Thursday came
, Ally was feeling tired. Hannah, Caitlin, Nathan and Sid arrived at lunchtime and it was planned that everyone would go to dinner. Then Ally would return to the Penthouse with the girls and her grandparents. Sid was staying there too. Cole and Nathan were to spend the night in Cole’s parent’s home.

Cole had also arranged for
Ally’s uncles and their families, along with Gus and his family to meet up at the restaurant too.

Ally dressed in a c
ream chiffon tunic style dress and nude colour shoes. She kept her hair down in soft curls that framed her face. She stood in the walk in wardrobe and stared at her reflection but she didn’t see herself. She was miles away in her mind.

Tomorrow she was marryin
g someone she had barely known 5 months. She was having his baby and she had never loved another person more than she loved him.

“There you are!” Cole exclaimed with a huge smile
, as he appeared in the doorway of the wardrobe. When Ally turned to face him, his smile faded. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she said
as she walked slowly towards him. She slipped her arms around him, leaned up and kissed his mouth softly. “You know I love you, right?”

“I know,” Cole replied and looked at Ally strangely.
“Is something wrong, my gorgeous girl?”

“I just want you to know I love you,” Ally said
, looking directly into his eyes. “And just you.”

“Ally, where has this come from?” He asked confused by her remark. Then it suddenly hit him. “This is because of El, isn’t it?”

“I just wanted you to know,” Ally said not breaking her eyes from his. “You are enough for me.”

“I know,” Cole said reaching down and kissing her tenderly. Then taking her hand he smiled and lead her out of the wardrobe and to the bed.

He guided her to sit on the bed. She looked up at him expectantly as he reached into his pocket and pulled a small velvet box from inside it.

“Tomorrow you are making
me the happiest man alive,” Cole said, holding the small box tightly in his hands. “Ally, you have my heart completely. I never want you to forget that. So I want you to have this.”

He opened the small box to reveal the most beautiful heart shaped diamond pendant she had ever seen.

“Oh my God, Cole this is beautiful,” Ally gasped as
she stared down at the pendant. “But you really didn’t have to do this.”

“I wanted to,” he replied quickly. “I want you to remember just how special you are to me. You hold my heart. I never want you to forget that.”

He slipped the pendant from the box and carefully placed it around Ally’s neck. 

“Cole it’s perfect,” Ally said
, looking down at the pendant hanging from her neck. She reached up and tentatively touched the heart. “I love it.”

“I love you more,” he replied as he leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips
. “Now come on, our public awaits, my gorgeous girl.”

Ally linked
the arm Cole held out to her, he led her from the bedroom out to where Nan and Pop were waiting and soon they were on their way to The Belvedere Restaurant in Holland Park. Cole had booked the mezzanine level for the dinner, so they could spend a nice relaxing evening with their family and friends.

The night was perfect and everyone seemed to be having a ball. The food was exquisite and Cole ensured there was plenty of fine wine and champagne. It could
n’t have gone any better. 

As the waiters served the tea and coffee, Ally excused herself and made her way to the ladies room.

When she was finished in the cubicle, she opened the door and was surprised to find El leaning against the vanity unit.

“Hi,” Ally said
, feeling suddenly nervous and uncomfortable but she didn’t know why.

“Hi,” El replied
, holding her gaze as Ally washed her hands. “I think we need to talk, don’t you.”

“If you have something to say to me Ella,” Ally said
, trying to sound calm and confident. “By all means, go right ahead.”

“I am sure you are a lovely girl,” El began as she crossed her arms across her chest. “And I am sure that you think you are in love with my brother. But do you really think some ordinary grease monkey from Dublin can keep him satisfied?
I mean look at him. And look at you.”