‘I was kind of hoping you’d like to decorate it …’
Eva swivelled round to face him, her eyes shining. ‘I’d love to decorate it! I have a million ideas …’
‘I’m counting on it.’ Ben smiled. ‘And I was hoping it could become our family home, Eva. For you, me, and Jamie. And Hamish of course.’
‘We move in here?’
‘Only if you wanted, when you were ready.’ His voice sounded tentative now, his beautiful dark eyes studying her face so intently that in that moment Eva knew she trusted Ben totally, knew that he would love and cherish their new family as much as she would. Because that’s what they would be, a family. She met his gaze, feeling a rush of happiness.
‘I’m ready … we’re ready.’ She smiled. There was so much to think about and she paused as she tried to process the thoughts tumbling about her head, the feel of Ben’s fingers running through her hair almost making it impossible to think at all.
‘You’ve gone quiet,’ Ben said.
‘I was thinking about the guest house, how I’d be able to still run it.’
‘Well, I’ve given that some thought too.’
‘You have been doing a lot of thinking.’ She grinned.
‘I wondered … how you’d feel about running your house as self-catering accommodation. That way you’d still have your business but you’d have more time for other projects – you have such a talent for interiors I thought you might be interested in taking an interior design course.’
Eva was beginning to feel wonderfully dizzy, hardly believing Ben had thought of all that for her.
‘I’ve also decided to rent out my old London home again but it’s going to need a total makeover, if you were interested. But of course, these are only ideas I’ve had – it’s entirely up to you.’ He took her hand and brought it to his mouth, kissing it softly. ‘I just want you to be happy, Eva.’
‘I am happy and I love all your ideas.’ She smiled. ‘Sounds like I’m going to be busy then …’
‘Not too busy for a honeymoon at some point, I hope?’
Eva felt a joyous smile spread across her mouth, warmth and happiness flooding into her very being. She buried her face in his neck, feeling safe and warm and lovely. She couldn’t wait to tell Moira and Donald that she’d be moving in – they would love that as much as she did.
Ben cupped Eva’s face in his hands and looked lovingly at her. ‘You once said to me home is about knowing you don’t want to be anywhere else. For me, home is wherever you are, Eva.’
‘In that case,’ she said kissing him, ‘welcome home.’
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Copyright
An imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd.
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First published in Great Britain by HQ in 2017
Copyright © Maggie Conway 2017
Maggie Conway asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.
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E-book Edition © November 2017 ISBN: 9780008271589
Winter at West Sands Guest House Page 20