A Simple Mistake
Page 30
‘I know. But God was and He’s worked it all out. A simple mistake kept us apart but look at us now. We’re planning our wedding. And believe me, Nick, after all these years, seven weeks is more than enough. I’d marry you in seven days if I could. Seven hours would be even better.’
‘Amen to that.’
She grinned. ‘You don’t have a good track record of behaving at weddings, do you?’
‘I promise I’ll behave at ours.’ He ran a thumb over her bottom lip. ‘I’m not vouching for afterwards though.’
‘Me neither.’ She laughed when for once, it was Nick who shivered.
‘Do you really think we can pull it off in that time? I think that’s about all the tread left in my running shoes.’
‘Of course,’ she said with a mischievous smile, her eyes not leaving his, ‘and then you can hang them up for once and for all.’
‘Right, you.’ Nick stood up. ‘Anymore talk like that and all that’ll be left of me is a burning hole in the deck. I’m going to do something quite mundane like make a cup of coffee. You stay there. I’m sure I can find my way around the kitchen. Want one?’
‘Yes, please.’ Lainey sank into the lounge, unable to remove the smile from her face, her mind and body humming in anticipation of what lay ahead.
Poor old Jacob. Seven weeks was nothing.
Epilogue
Nick lay propped up on an elbow and watched his wife sleep. He smiled. His wife.
Their wedding day had been amazing, made even better with Lainey’s relationship with James and Mia fully restored.
They’d managed to achieve the impossible; everything had been organised in a few weeks and they had kept the whole thing a secret from the press, with the exception of Darren Cosgrove. Elke had phoned him the night before.
Nick’s eyes were drawn to a photograph on canvas, propped up against the wall. It was Lainey’s wedding present to him and he loved it. She had squirrelled away a pair of his running shoes and Darren had photographed them, hung up on some pegs on a wall. Of course, Darren had no idea of the meaning behind it, but Nick did. He thought it was very clever.
Lainey was half turned towards him, her breathing deep and even, her hair a tumbled mass over her pillow. She looked every bit as beautiful as she had yesterday in her full bridal regalia. Her wedding gown was now on the floor in a sparkling, discarded heap. Nick grinned, remembering how it had got there.
He’d had enough of being awake on his own. Nick traced Lainey’s cheek with the merest touch of his finger. She wasn’t a morning person but it was worth the risk; the chances of her being cranky at him today were minimal.
Her eyelashes fluttered and her breathing changed. She blinked a few times then broke into a smile, gathered her hair into her hands and swept it over her shoulder in one fluid motion. Nick looked forward to watching that for thousands of mornings.
He brushed an errant strand away from her mouth and kissed it. ‘Hello, you.’
‘Hello yourself.’ Lainey ran her palm down his jaw. ‘How do you manage to look so good first thing in the morning? I’m afraid you’ve woken up with bridezilla.’
‘Goose.’ Nick gathered her into his arms. ‘You look wonderful.’
Lainey snuggled into his chest and sighed. ‘We finally got married. I thought we’d never get there.’
‘You thought we’d never get there! You’re the one that delayed proceedings, madam, not me.’
‘I know. But it was worth it, wasn’t it?’
‘Every minute of it.’
‘Good.’ Lainey nestled even closer. ‘By the way, you know the photo and what it means …’
Nick chuckled. ‘About finally being able to hang up my running shoes?’
‘Mmm. Well, I don’t want you to.’
Startled, he drew back. ‘What do you mean?’
‘I need them back. I’m going to commission Darren to do another shot of them – in a smoking heap.’
Nick laughed and kissed her again. She was definitely worth the wait.
About the Author
Andrea Grigg lives with her husband on Queensland’s Gold Coast, where they have raised their three adult children – two daughters and a son. When she isn’t teaching ten-year-olds, being a domestic executive or socialising, Andrea can be found in her cave, writing stories.
For more great Australian fiction go to Even Before Publishing
www.evenbeforepublishing.com
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