“You Matthew Richardson are the best boyfriend ever.” She says kissing me.
“I want to do this all day, but I have some bits that need to go in the fridge.” I tell her as I remove my coat and hang it on the hook by the door as I walk past it.
“So, what do we have?” Anne asks as she joins me in the kitchen as I cook what should have been breakfast, which is now going to be lunch.
“Bacon, beans, sausage, egg and some eggy bread.” Her eyes light up at the last item. She loves my eggy bread.
“Mmm I’m starving.” She says as I flip the bread in the pan.
“Well you don’t have long to wait it will be ready in a sec.” I tell her.
“I’ll dish up then.” She says reaching up on her tiptoes as she grabs two plates out of the cupboard. She places them on the side and then reaches for the oven gloves since the bacon and sausages are in the oven keeping warm. I flip the egg in the other pan and turn the heat off under it. I place her egg on her plate. We both dish up the rest of the breakfast and then take our plates to the table.
“I’m sorry, I don’t have anything fancy planned for today. I cancelled all our plans when I didn’t think you were going to be home in time.” I tell her. “I tried to get my booking back, but they had already given our table away.”
“I don’t need anything fancy.” She shrugs.
“I know, but I wanted our first Valentine’s Day to be special because you are.” I tell her she gives me a shy smile.
“You are just so perfect and being here with you like this is the best way to spend the day.” She tells me. I love the way we are sometimes; we can be so sweet with each other. I can’t take my eyes off her as she eats.
“Do you want a drink?” She asks, standing from the table.
“Yeah sure, I’ll have an orange juice please.” She walks over to the fridge and grabs the carton out of the door and then grabs two glasses bringing them over to the table.
I watch her pour, then she places the carton in the middle of the table before going back to her seat.
“Matthew stop staring and eat.” She says laughing at me.
“Sorry you're just so sexy.” I tell her, she rolls her eyes at me and then goes back to eating.
After we eat, we sit around and watch films, I was going to cook a roast for dinner, but we are both still quite full from our late breakfast. As the time ticks away, I have almost forgotten it’s Valentine’s Day, but an advert that comes on the TV reminds me.
“Oh, crap I almost forgot.” I say jumping up off the sofa.
“Forgot what?” Anne asks.
“Hang on.” I say, leaning down and reaching into my bag. I have to feel around before I feel the box buried under everything. “Happy Valentine’s Day Angel.” I hand her the box. She looks between me and the box.
“You didn’t have to get me anything.” She says.
“I know but I wanted to.” I reply, she takes the red box from me and pulls on the ribbon tied on top. The bow untangles and falls on to her lap. She lifts the lid revealing a pendant hanging from a chain, the pendant has two angel wings on it. One solid with the word ‘My Angel’ on it and one with cutaway sections that overlap the solid one enabling you to see the worlds engraved on the solid pendant.
“Matthew this is so beautiful.” She says as she delicately runs her fingers over the pendant. “Could you put it on me?” She asks.
“Gladly.” I tell her as I take the box from her carefully removing it from the white cushion it is resting on. She spins in her seat and pulls her hair to one side. I place the necklace around her neck and then fasten it the chain rests against the chain from the necklace I got her for her birthday last year. I place a soft kiss on the back of her neck.
“Thank you, it’s so beautiful.” She says turning to face me.
“Nowhere near as beautiful as you.” A small blush covers her cheeks at the compliment. I don’t give her a chance to reply I crash my lips to hers and lay her back on the sofa. Pulling away from her I stare into her eyes conveying everything I feel for her in that one look. “It’s time to build up my appetite.” I tell her before kissing her again.
Chapter 29
Over the last few months things have been going very well for me and Anne. Our relationship has been getting stronger and stronger, her boss is still a dick, but she works hard at her job and it’s nice to see her thrive. She’s recently told me that at the beginning of the year her boss found out he had a kid. This didn’t shock me at all really until I found out the kid was fourteen years old. The guy gets around so much, so I’m surprised he doesn’t have more kids if I’m honest. The guy is a total sleaze. Anne has been doing a lot more for him personally since in her words his life has been flipped upside down. Even though things have been crazy busy for her she has managed to get a whole week off. We’re going to Edinburgh for a well needed break. We were meant to go away for our first year anniversary together, but work for Mr Mathias was so busy that it made Anne busy and we just didn’t get the time so this trip to Edinburgh is a belated anniversary gift to ourselves.
“I’m almost packed, have you got your list so I can check things off?” She calls. I already packed my bag but since she has a list she wants to double check. I roll my eyes at her and her lists.
“The list you wrote is in the top of my bag.” I tell her. “You want a coffee?” I ask I hate waiting around.
“No thanks it’s going to be a long drive and I don’t want to keep having to stop for the toilet.” She says. We are driving there, or I am driving there she’s navigating.
“I can’t believe we're finally here.” I tell Anne as we pull into the multi-story car park. This drive has been a long one. We left home yesterday and drove to Manchester where we went to visit the graves of Anne’s parents and Nana it’s still not easy for her, but it’s been ten months since our last visit and she wanted to go. We then stayed over to rest up before the rest of the drive today. It was nice to see things like the Angel of the North, but I don’t think I’ll be driving up again if we come back in the future.
“At least you can park up for the next few days, I’m sorry it’s been a long drive.” Anne says.
“I can.” I tell her as I find a spot and pull the car into it. The hotel is only around the corner.
After checking in and unpacking we go for a little walk to see how close we are to everything.
We both wake on Sunday morning ready to hit the Christmas markets, Anne loves it all, so while we’re here we can’t pass it up.
“I can’t wait to go out today.” Anne says as we eat breakfast. “Don’t fill up there will be lots of treats to try at the market later save some room.”
“I know. You can do everything that people do at a Christmas market.” I say not having a clue since I’ve really never been to one, we saw bits when we went Christmas tree shopping last year, but we were going to do other things, so we didn’t get to see much. Anne just laughs at me, clearly my inexperience is showing. After breakfast we go back to our room and dress warmly since we will be outside most of the day, I can’t believe Anne is ready to go.
“You ready?” She calls to me.
“Yes, I’ll be out in just a sec.” I call from where I am in the bathroom.
“Let’s go.” She says the second I step out from washing my hands.
We walk around the market seeing all the stalls, I expected them to be market stalls like you see at most markets, but these are like little wooden huts. We walk hand in hand looking at each hut in turn, Anne tries on the softest red woollen hat with a fluffy pompom on the top. It really suits her, so I buy it for her as she hates being cold and she doesn’t have a hat. The happiness on her face is palpable and I wonder what she was like as a child, Christmas to me is just a day, but Christmas is Anne’s favourite time of year and I have to say her joy and excitement is rubbing off on me just a little.
We make our way past hut’s full of chocolate Santa’s and others with continental cheeses and s
alamis.
“Look, that hut there sells Glühwein, let’s go and have one to warm us up, next door they have hot roast pork sandwiches we can stop and refuel.” She is already heading in the direction of the hut.
“Gluh…what?” I call after her. She stops turning to me.
“Glühwein it’s just German mulled wine, it’s lovely and it will warm us up, you can try mine if you’re not sure about it.” She says as she starts heading to the hut again.
“I will give it a go.” I say unable to disappoint her and I watch her order two mugs, she pays for the drinks and the deposit for the mugs. “You pay a deposit?” I ask puzzled.
“Yes, some people will take them back others will keep the mugs and collect them.” She answers sitting on a small wooden bench. I try the hot red liquid it’s not so bad but I wouldn’t like to drink lots of it.
“Let me guess we are keeping ours.” I say smiling knowingly.
“Of course.” She beams up at me. I kiss her softly and hand her my drink.
“Hold this I will go and get our sandwiches.” I tell her.
“No apple sauce on mine please.” She calls.
“I know Angel.” I buy the sandwiches and we sit there eating and drinking watching the world go by.
After we finish our food we walk around the rest of the market, I let Anne lead the way she knows where she wants to go. There is lots of food, spiced nuts, sweet nuts, and roast chestnuts. We see another chocolate Santa hut and I find us walking towards it.
“I want to get some for the kids for Christmas.” She says. “I wonder if we can get a discount if we buy fifty.” She adds looking at me. This woman amazes me, she has taken the centre and kids to her heart.
“I think it’s a great idea, if you don’t ask you don’t get.” I watch as she talks to the woman serving who after Anne explains who they are for agrees to a fifteen percent discount. She packs fifty Santa’s into a bag, Anne pays and I take the bag.
“The kids will love these.” I kiss her red nose.
“Your nose is as red as your hat.” I tease, but notice it is getting dark and the temperature is dropping. “Is there anything else you want to see while we are here?” Not wanting her to miss anything.
“I just want to get some of those.” She points to the hut opposite and I look at the neat rows of large chocolate cylinders.
“What are they?” I read the labels in front of each row each has a flavour written on it, but it doesn’t help work out that they are.
“They are giant chocolate covered marshmallows we can eat them later you pick three and I can pick three.” She says. I watch as she orders her three and looks at me expectantly, I quickly look over the flavours again and pick three. I pay and take the bag.
We make our way to the market entrance and I grin as I see a hut.
“We missed one thing.” I tell her, I can see her mentally ticking off what we have done today, and the puzzled expression grows. “Bailey's hot chocolate.” I try to point with the hand holding the bag full of chocolate Santa’s and see her face light up. I get us both a hot chocolate and we sip it as we make our way back to the hotel where a hot shower and a giant marshmallow is in order.
We got up early this morning, so we could have breakfast before taking a stroll down the royal mile. There’s so much to do and see along the way learning about the history behind Scotch Whisky and learning about how they are made and filtered. The size of the collection wow I’ve never seen so many bottles in one place. I was told they had in the region of three thousand five hundred bottles, which is a hell of a lot of bottles. Much to my distaste Anne even managed to find a special edition Jack Daniels which she said she was going to give to Brad for Christmas. Stopping in to see the stunning stained-glass windows at St Giles cathedral and the intricate woodwork.
This town is just dripping history. After visiting everything we could we went back to the hotel and had dinner in our room, I gave Anne a good foot rub since she had been on them most of the day today and yesterday.
We lay on the bed on top of the covers watching a film on the TV. Just laying here with Anne in my arms is so relaxing sometimes I wish we could always be like this. I watch her as she watches the film her face reacts to different scenes.
“Why are you watching me?” Anne asks a small giggle around the words.
“I can’t help it sorry.” I answer turning my attention back to the film.
We have two full days left here and today we are going to the castle which I’m excited about. The walk from the hotel was only about fifteen minutes. Walking around the castle I’m stunned by how grand everything is, the high ceilings, the grand fireplaces how they have maintained everything it really is stunning. The story told in the argyle tower, the fight for the castle that went on during the wars of independence is really well told out it was interesting to read and watch all the information they gave you.
The hammocks in the prison were a bit shocking but seeing how people slept was amazing. It shocked me how little space there was, it was kind of claustrophobic and to think the place was sometimes rammed with prisoners. I really do love seeing the history in things and walking into Edinburgh castle really is like you have been transformed through time. The crown jewels were amazing and seeing the stone of destiny, the history behind such a thing is so interesting and learning that it will only be moved in the future for a coronation when it will be returned back to Westminster for such an event. Maybe I should arrange a trip to the Tower of London one day for myself and the kids at the centre, I haven’t been there in years and they might learn something from that visit. Walking around Anne is stunned by the amount of the history I know, it was one of my top subjects at school, but I don’t use it often anymore.
I enjoyed being present when they let the gunfire at one o clock, I had heard and read about it, but being there it actually made me jump a little even though I was expecting it.
After our tour of Edinburgh Castle, it was getting late in the day, I really could have spent all day there. Anne and I walked up to the new town for dinner at Pizza Hut which was just a short walk from where our hotel was. After such a busy day we just fell into bed, Anne snuggled into me and I wrapped my arms around her.
“I never knew you were a bit of a history buff.” She says sounding a little sleepy.
“Yeah, I love learning the history behind things and places.”
“I saw that today.” She says snuggling even closer to me which isn’t possible since I don’t think you could even fit air between us right now. I kiss the top of her head.
“You sleep Angel, it’s been a long day.” She mutters something that I don’t really make any sense of before her breathing starts to even out.
We wake on Tuesday morning today being our last full day here
It was nice to just take a stroll up Princes street together popping in and out of shops not really having a plan, and when Anne saw a man in a quilt it was funny, I think she was a little surprised since he was just walking down the street just like us. We stopped in at a little pub along the route had a couple of drinks and some food.
“I can’t believe it’s our last night here.” Anne says as she comes out of the bathroom wrapping the towel tighter around herself.
“I know the time has flown by, but we have been busy, and I’m stunned that your phone hasn’t rung.” I tell her happier for the last one. I’m glad he’s finally let her have a break and left her alone.
“I left everything easy for him and I briefed the other secretaries, so if any of the listed issues arise, they would be able to deal with it.” She shrugs. “I have to be prepared since he doesn’t cope well on his own.” She adds.
“Well enough about work have you had a nice time?” I ask her. She sits on the bed next to me and lays back I lay back next to her as we both turn our faces to each other.
“I’ve had the best time we really need to try and go away more often it’s been nice it being just us.” She says an odd look crosses her f
ace, but before I can ask her about it, she rolls over and straddles me.
“Thank you for taking us away.” She says kissing my lips. The towel wrapped around her starts to come loose, I reach up and pull her towel open.
“For you Angel I’d do anything.” I say as I pull her to me and kiss her with everything I have in me.
I wake tangled around Anne, I slowly and carefully untangle our limbs from each other trying not to wake her, but just as I make a move off the bed, I hear her mumble.
“Morning,” I turn and kiss her.
“Morning, sorry I didn’t mean to wake you, I need to run to the bathroom.” I leave her laying there and go to relieve myself. After I’ve washed my hands, I brush my teeth before going back in to see Anne just sitting up.
“We have to leave soon have you had a nice time?” I ask her, she looks a little sad but nods.
“Yeah, it’s just a shame it’s gone so quick, but I’m looking forward to going to Meadowhall, I haven’t been there in a few years.” She says. Today we are leaving Edinburgh. We are driving down to Sheffield since Anne wants to do some Christmas shopping and then we will be staying over at a hotel there before driving the rest of the way back to London tomorrow. We both start getting ready and pack up our last couple of bits before we go to have breakfast before we leave.
Chapter 30
Anne
We arrive back at the hotel after a lovely day shopping at Meadowhall the shopping centre in Sheffield, it’s the only reason we stopped here for the night, so we could get some Christmas presents after our amazing week away.
I set the bags I’m holding down on the sofa under the window and kick my shoes off. I don’t know what it is about the floor at Meadowhall, but every time I have been there in the past, it has always made my feet ache.
“I think I’m going to have a soak in the bath, I’m done in.” I say to Matt as he drops the bags he’s holding on the floor in front of the sofa where I put mine.
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