The Last Goodbye (20 page)
“Okay,” she said.
“That’s it?
Okay?
”
“I trust you.”
And she did. With her happiness. With her heart. With her future.
One year later
“J
UST A LITTLE FARTHER
to the left. No, too far. Back a little more to the right. Yes! That’s it, perfect,” Ally said.
Her husband released his grip on their bulky three-seater sofa and stood, rubbing his back, while his brother did the same at the other end of the sofa.
“You’re sure now? You don’t want to try it on the other wall?” Tyler asked. “Again.”
Ally bit her lip guiltily. “You’re sick of me moving the furniture around, aren’t you?”
She’d reorganized the house four times in the past twelve months. Couldn’t help herself. After years of having no home, she was like a child with a doll-house, determined to explore and enjoy and savor the experience to the full.
Tyler dusted his hands on the seat of his jeans before crossing the room to her side. They’d been married a little more than six months, but the sight of him walking toward her still made her mouth dry. She was beginning to suspect it always would.
He kissed her, then he caught her earlobe between
his thumb and forefinger and caressed it fondly as he smiled into her face.
“Babe, you can mess with the furniture all you like. Whatever tickles your fancy. But we do have guests arriving in about twenty minutes, and I figured you might want to change before they get here.”
Ally looked down at herself. She’d been in the yard, planting out the annuals she’d bought to give the garden a bit of extra color for their delayed Christmas party for Tyler’s staff. The workshop had been so overwhelmed with orders prior to the festive season that they’d opted to do a late celebration after Christmas when everyone was more able to enjoy it.
“You really think your staff are going to notice if I’m wearing gumboots and have a little mud on my shorts?” she asked.
“They’ll be crushed. You know they have a very high opinion of Gertrude.” He patted her on the backside. “Why don’t you slip into the shower and I’ll join you in a minute?”
There was a light in his eyes that Ally recognized only too well. She smiled, her gaze dropping to the swathe of tanned skin visible at his neckline.
Jon made a disbelieving noise in the background. “Seriously, guys. The honeymoon was over months ago.”
Tyler didn’t bother turning around as he ushered Ally toward the hallway.
“Shut up. Make yourself useful and warm up the barbecue.”
“Sure. But what should I tell everyone when they get here and you two are missing?” Jon said.
“We won’t be missing,” Ally said.
Tyler gave her a knowing look. Her heart gave an excited little leap.
“Improvise,” he said over his shoulder.
Then he hustled Ally into the en suite bathroom before she could say anything else.
“We can’t be late for our own party,” she said as Tyler slid his hands beneath her grubby T-shirt.
“Have I ever mentioned how much I love a woman in gumboots?” he said as he walked her backward until she was pressed against the tiled wall.
“No.”
“Well, I do. Especially when that woman is you.”
He kissed her and the protest she’d been about to voice died in her throat.
“You really don’t mind that I keep rearranging the house?” she said as he pushed her top up and started working on the clasp for her bra.
“I’d say if I did,” he said, his hungry gaze roaming over her breasts.
“I’m pretty sure I’ll grow out of it.”
Tyler caught her chin so she had to look into his eyes. “I don’t care, Ally.”
She relaxed. “Good.”
“You know what would be even better? If you weren’t wearing these shorts,” Tyler said, frowning at the bulky knot in the drawstring at her waist.
“Huh. How did that happen?”
They bent their heads together as they tried to unravel the knot. After a few seconds, the absurdity of the situation hit Ally. She glanced up into her husband’s face and found a smile curling the corners of his mouth.
Their shared sense of humor was one of many joys in their relationship. Over the past twelve months, she’d discovered so many things about both herself and the man she’d married. She’d learned that trust was possible, that fears were bearable and that love was not a static thing. Instead, it deepened and broadened and grew richer with every day.
“Scissors?” she suggested.
“Definitely.”
He pulled away to go find them, but she caught his shoulder.
“I love you, Tyler Adamson.”
“I love you, too, Mrs. Adamson.”
She let him go and settled against the wall to wait.
He wouldn’t be gone long.
And she wasn’t going anywhere.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-8516-7
THE LAST GOODBYE
Copyright © 2011 by Small Cow Productions Pty Ltd.
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