by Wendy Smith
“How about we all go and sit down on the couch together?”
Ava nods, letting go of Ginny, but not taking her eyes off her. Those two are so close that every up and down Ginny goes through, Ava’s right along with her.
When we get to the couch, Ava crawls onto Ginny’s lap and those arms go back around Ginny’s neck.
“I’m fine, baby,” Ginny whispers, hugging Ava tight.
“I don’t like you crying.”
“You know what? I’m just so happy to have you and your dad in my life. I love us being a family.”
I extend my arm, and Ginny snuggles into me, Ava in tow. More than anything, I wish I could capture this feeling in a bottle and hold onto it forever.
It takes half the morning to call around the family with the engagement news. In the afternoon we drive to Carlstown where Ava picks out the perfect ring, and a Paw Patrol watch.
The whole day, I watch Ginny.
Every so often, she stops and places her hand on her stomach, and a small smile appears on her face. I love seeing that smile, but the thought of something going wrong terrifies me. If she loses this baby, it will kill her inside.
By the time she joins me in bed, she’s looking relaxed and happy. Long may that last.
I open my arms to her, and she nestles in.
“No sex tonight?” she asks.
“I think you took every last drop out of me last night. My balls need to recover.”
She laughs. “I’ll leave your balls alone tonight, then.”
“They might like it if you …” I don’t finish my sentence because the bemused look on her face tells me she’s going nowhere near them.
“Ava took the news well.”
“She loves us. She had her whole life turned upside down, and between us we’ve turned it the right way up.” I kiss Ginny on the forehead.
“I love her, Owen. I’ll be a good mother to her. No matter what else happens.”
“I already know that. You’re a good mother now.” I pause. “I’ll always be sorry that she doesn’t have her biological mother in her life, but she’s happy. Can you imagine how excited she’ll be when she finds out she’s going to be a big sister?”
Ginny grins. “I can’t wait to tell her.”
I place my hand on her stomach. “This one just needs to keep safe a few more weeks and we can tell her. Or you can. I want to see the look on her face when she realises.”
Ginny’s eyes are so full of life, and love. “Me too.”
37
Corey
Constance fits back in as if she hasn’t left.
She might not ever have met Mum, but Dad adores her, and the rest of the family think she’s great—and she is.
I spent last night working, and this time Constance stayed at Adam’s—not that I’m worried about Ash’s friends—the ones who were in on his scheme have been arrested. It’ll take a while for everything to settle next door, but the fence is already being taken down and most of the people there are staying. For some of them, that life is all they’ve known.
Right now, I’m just anxious to get back to Constance.
I sigh as I pull into Adam’s driveway. Lucky greets me at the gate. I scratch his head as we walk toward the house.
Kicking off my boots, I turn the handle and push the front door. “Hello.”
I grin at the sound of little footsteps running toward me, and I stand still as a statue until I feel a small hand grabbing at my pants. I look down to see my little blonde angel, Rose, looking up at me.
“Oh, hello.”
“Orey.”
“What’s that? Can you say Corey?”
She giggles, and I bend, scooping her into my arms. “Are you my welcome party?” I make my way into the kitchen as Rose snuggles herself into my neck.
“She found you, then.” Lily laughs, holding her arms open for Rose to go into.
Rose abandons me for her mother, and I shake my head as I let go of her. “Traitor.”
I sense her before I see her. Despite all that girly stuff she bought with Lily, Constance still shares my shower gel, and I’d know that scent anywhere.
“We’ll leave you to it. See you in the living room,” Lily says.
Constance wraps her arms around my waist and takes a deep breath against my chest.
“Hey, beautiful. Did you miss me?”
She raises her face, and I find myself lost in her for a moment.
“I’m so glad you’re back. I’ve enjoyed being here, but I just want to be at home with you.”
“Feeling’s mutual.” I bend, sweeping my tongue across her lips before kissing her. She lets out a whimper when I deepen the kiss. I want to take her home and bury myself inside her for a week. “I’ll go say hello, and then we can get out of here.”
“I’m not sure it’s going to be that easy.” She laughs. Taking my hand in hers, she leads me into the living room where we sit on the couch.
“We made Constance a Facebook account,” Max announces this proudly, his chest all puffed out.
“Did you now?”
Constance laughs. “Max insisted. Now I’m Facebook friends with most of the family.”
“Bud, we can’t get internet at home. When’s she going to use it?” I poke my tongue at him.
“Ash had internet,” Constance says.
“Yeah, he probably paid a fortune for satellite. It’s possible, but it’s pricey.” I drape my arm over her shoulders and plant a kiss on the top of her head. “I don’t know if it’s in my price range, sweetness. Even mobile data is patchy, and not cheap.”
“It’s okay. I can just look at it when I come to visit these guys.” She turns her face up and kisses my cheek. “You are so growing that beard back once the wedding is done. This stubble isn’t enough.”
“Agreed.” Lily laughs, and I roll my eyes at her.
“You two ganging up on me.”
“Of course.” Lily walks toward us. “Do you two want to stay for dinner?”
“We could do. If you have enough to feed us,” I say.
“Adam got a lamb roast big enough to feed half of Copper Creek for fixing a tractor. I think we can cope.” She laughs. “Besides, I’ve got some baby clothes you two can have if you want to go through them. I should have got them out last night, but I only just thought about it.”
Constance reaches for one of my hands and squeezes it. “Thank you, Lily.”
“Aren’t you guys going to have more?” I ask.
She shrugs. “Maybe another one. I think we both just want to get through this wedding in one piece.”
I nod. “That’s fair enough. Maybe if we borrow the baby stuff, we’ll be giving it back to you next year.”
Lily laughs. “We’ll see.”
Constance leans against me, and I bury my face in her hair.
As much as I love my family, I can’t wait to be alone with her.
As amazing as dinner was, getting home with Constance is even better. I’m looking forward to sinking into a warm soft bed with her in it.
“Corey,” Constance calls from the bathroom, and when I get there, what I see makes me catch my breath.
She’s so far from that modestly dressed woman who arrived on my doorstep. Standing naked, she turns side on to the mirror and runs her hand over her stomach.
“What are you doing?” I laugh.
“Is there a bump? Do you see a bump?”
“What I see is my naked girlfriend who I’ve been away from for a full twenty-four hours. I can’t see anything else because the blood is nowhere near my brain right now.”
She grins, sauntering toward me and taking my hand. I chuckle as I run my hand over her stomach.
“There’s a small bump. Are you happy now?”
She nods.
“And now we’re going to bed because I am not standing here watching you touch yourself without having some of the fun for myself.”
Constance wraps her arms around my neck, pressing her naked body again
st me.
“That’s not helping.” I chuckle, bending to reach her mouth.
“I missed you,” she murmurs.
“I missed you, too. Is this what every reunion’s going to be like? You prancing around naked?”
“Are you complaining?”
I shake my head. “Never.”
I slide my hands down her sides, and she jumps. I catch her as she wraps her legs around my waist.
“Let’s go to bed,” she says.
“You’re so naughty, Ms Shaw.”
“I was lonely last night.”
I laugh. “Shall we go and fix that, then?”
“Yes, please.”
I place her gently on the mattress, and strip off my clothes. What I need is a shower, but I need her more. Always her.
When I climb into bed, she straddles my hips, rubbing herself against me.
“Hey. Don’t I get to play first?”
“You can play later. I know what I want.” She lifts up a little before lowering herself onto my erect cock.
“Someone’s already wet.”
Constance leans over. “Someone’s been missing you.”
She surrounds me, and it takes me back to that first night we were together—the first night she was mine. I can’t pretend it means nothing to know I’m the only man who’s ever been inside her. She was mine from the start, and she always will be.
“I love you,” I whisper.
Constance leans over, her mouth closing in on mine. I have no idea what I’m going to do when I have to camp out for multiple nights. My need for her will be off the charts.
“Did I tell you how much I missed you?” she mumbles against my mouth.
“I’m pretty sure you can feel how much I missed you.”
She grins as she pushes herself up. I suck in a breath when she rocks her hips.
Constance raises a finger to her lips and gives me a thoughtful look. “I think so. I might have to try that again to check.”
“I didn’t come home so you could torture me.” I laugh.
She shivers as I run my hands up her back, and her hips rock against me again. “I’m just making the most of it.”
“God, you drive me crazy, lady.”
She laughs. “As long as you always come home to me.”
“Always.” I twist my lips into a sly smile. “As long as I always get a welcome home like this.”
Constance looks at me with so much love, it takes my breath away. “Always.”
38
Corey
Once upon a time I thought this day might kill me.
I guess it was inevitable from the moment Adam and Lily first saw each other that they’d marry. After twelve years apart and two children, nothing’s going to get in the way of them being together.
I couldn’t be happier for them. They decided to delay the wedding until the spring. It meant all the bad things were behind us. Mum’s death and everything Constance went through battered the family a bit, but today we’re together and nothing is going to go wrong.
And, in the absence of Lily’s father, I’m the one giving away the bride.
She takes a deep breath.
“Are you ready?” I ask.
“I’ve been ready for years.”
I lean over, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “I know you have. Adam’s a lucky man. Don’t you ever forget that.”
Tears well in her eyes. “I’m the lucky one. Not only do I have Adam, but I have all of you as my family.”
“We’re getting pretty good at this family stuff.”
She smiles, and her whole face lights up. “We really are. All of us.” Lily wraps her arms around me. “Thank you.”
“What for?”
“For today. For always being there when I’ve needed you. Max and I couldn’t have got by all those years without you being around to take care of us.”
I shake my head. “Lily, you took care of you.”
“Once, you asked us to move in with you. And over the years there were times I almost wished I’d said yes.”
“Almost?”
She raises her head. “You’re going to make an amazing father, Corey. I know this because you’ve always been so good with Max. Because you love him.”
I nod.
“And now you’re with the right woman, and I am so happy that you two are together and you’re having a baby.”
I smile. “She is the right woman.”
“I knew it when I first saw you two together.”
My smile grows. “We weren’t even ‘together’ together then.”
“No, but there was a real connection between you. Besides, I’ve never seen you devastated over a woman. Not to the extent you were when you thought she’d gone back.” She pats me on the chest. “That, my friend, is true love.”
It’s a small gathering, with family and close friends attending. After all this time Lily and Adam wanted something small and intimate. I think they would have been happy with no one else there. It’s all about making the commitment to one another.
I wink at Lily as I pass her hand into Adam’s. He’ll take good care of her, and he’ll love her for the rest of their days.
I thought this would leave behind a hole, but my heart’s full of love instead.
I turn to take my seat, my eyes going straight to the woman whose smile is just for me. Lacing my fingers with hers, I pull Constance’s hand to my lips and plant a kiss on it. Her eyes are full of so much love, and I lean over and peck her lips.
“Love you,” she mouths.
“Love you too,” I whisper
I slip my arm around her shoulders, and she leans against me as we watch my brother and the woman he loves exchange vows. I place my hand on her baby bump. She’s five months pregnant now, and I love it.
“I promise to always love you and be there for you. Every single day for the rest of our lives.” Adam grips Lily’s hands. “I’ve loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you. I never stopped, and I swear to you I never will.”
Constance squeezes my hand in hers, and I press my lips to the top of her head.
“Through the good and the bad, I promise to love you always. And you know we’ve had more than enough of the bad. I only want the good for us from now on.” Lily’s eyes are full of tears as she says the words.
I’m so proud of her. Of both of them.
We all seem to be getting our happy endings.
“So, you ready to give up that secret?” I nudge James.
He chuckles. “Not yet. Maybe next year.”
“It must be pretty big.”
Shrugging, he reaches for another beer. “I promise I’ll tell you one day.”
“You’d better. This family’s suffered enough because of secrets.”
His mouth falls open. “I would never hurt anyone. You told me you lied to Graham Taylor over Constance being at your place at first.”
I nod. “That’s right. But, dude—”
“Did you ever stop and think that maybe I’m not talking about my love life to protect someone too?”
“I was just going to say that I’m just giving you shit. I worry about you, little brother. But if you tell me that you’re safe, then you can keep your secret.”
He lets out a loud breath. “I’m sorry. Just on edge a little. I hate that Mum missed this.”
I grasp his shoulder. “I know. She did her best to meddle in their lives, but they beat all the odds. I think at the end, she appreciated that. I’m just glad she got to know Max and Rose. Along with her other grandkids.”
“I’m sorry she’ll miss meeting your baby. She was always so proud of you.”
I chuckle. “Not always. We had our moments.”
“We all had our moments with her.” Drew walks up behind us. “Some pretty recently.”
James pulls away. “I’m gonna go see how Dad’s going.”
As he walks away, I spot Constance heading toward me. She stops just before she reaches us and lets out a big yawn.<
br />
“Have you had enough, sweetness? We can get out of here.”
She shakes her head. “I’m fine. We can stay as long as you want.”
“Nope. If you need to rest, then we’re going home. Go get your stuff.”
“Okay.” She presses a kiss to my cheek. “You take such good care of me.”
“I like taking care of you.”
Drew shakes his head as she walks away. “You are so pussy-whipped.”
“Look who’s talking.” I laugh.
“True. I guess we’re both in the same boat now. Mind you, so are Adam and Owen. James must be next.”
“James has something going on he’s not talking about.”
Drew’s eyebrows rise. “Really?”
“Dude. You see more of him than I do. How can you not know that?”
He shrugs.
“Did you two want another drink?” Hayley walks toward us with two beers in her hands.
“I won’t say no,” Drew says.
“I know you won’t.” She hands him one. “Corey?”
“Where are the twins?”
“Ginny and Constance have one each with them. I think they’re practicing.”
“Constance was on her way to get her things.”
Hayley grins. “Well, I might have distracted her.”
“Do you want to take one of them with you? If Ginny takes the other one, we’ll get a night alone.” Drew slips his arm around his wife’s waist.
“No, you can look after your own children. I have plans for tonight.” I waggle my eyebrows.
“I don’t want to know.” Hayley laughs. “Today’s been such a good day. I’m glad it all went well.”
“It can’t have gone worse than the last time.” Drew pulls away from her as Hayley elbows him in the ribs. “Ouch.”
“I’m going to go and rescue my lady from your baby and get her home. I’m sure she’s exhausted,” I say.
Drew hooks his arm around Hayley’s shoulders. “I’m sure that’s why you want to get her home.”