In a Lifetime
Page 23
“I should let you go. Take care. All of you.”
I dropped the phone from my ear, staring at the screen as he hung up. Ella’s hand touched my shoulder as she sat down, and she wrapped one arm around me, leaning her head on my shoulder.
“You okay?”
I cleared my throat. “Uh, yeah. That was Sam.”
I turned my head to look at her, and she studied my face, clearly not liking what she saw.
“What did he want?”
“To congratulate us. He knows, Ella. He knows about Finn. He worked it out, but he told me to take good care of him.”
Her lips parted as she drew in a deep breath. “I never meant to keep anything from him. He made it so hard.”
“I think he realises that. I think that call was him letting go.”
She leaned forward, nuzzling my cheek, soothing the ache in my chest. Nothing could get between us now. This was it for both of us.
“He let go a long time ago,” she whispered. “How about we get out of here and on with our wedding night?”
We weren’t going far; this was a trial for the start of our new life. Ella missed her mother, especially with juggling the two young ones, and her parents had spent the past few months building a new house on their farm. One for us.
Turning our backs on the city wouldn’t be hard. I’d finish up the project I was working on and then we would start again, with Ella and I learning how to run the farm, preparing for the day her parents retired.
Everything was perfect. Vanessa would rent the house in Auckland, giving her somewhere more comfortable to live and a place to start a life with Connor, and I would still contract myself out if I needed to. All I needed was a computer and an internet connection.
Tonight was the first night my wife and I would sleep in our new bed.
“Sounds good.”
Finn and Georgia had two sets of grandparents fussing over them for the evening. It was just Ella and I, on an adventure together.
I took her hand in mine, and we walked up the hallway. The children were sharing a room, Finn having recently moved into a bed, and I sat beside him, watching him sleep.
Maybe he wasn’t my blood, but he was mine. He was a big chunk of my heart, along with his sister and his mother. So precious after the struggle to conceive him.
I bent, kissing his forehead. “Love you, champ,” I whispered.
He sighed, rolling over in his sleep.
Ella patted down the blanket over Georgia. This would be hard. Even though we were only a couple of hundred metres away, they’d never been apart a whole night.
“She’ll be fine. If she wakes, you know she’ll have half the household making sure she’s okay.” I laughed, kissing Ella on the shoulder.
Ella nodded. “I know.”
“Come on, sweetheart. Let’s go.”
She tucked Finn in again and kissed him before joining me in the doorway. “Whoever thought our lives would end up like this?”
Our mothers talked in the kitchen as we went through to get to the back door.
“Don’t you worry about a thing,” Mum said. “We’ve got this covered.”
Ella hugged Mum while I hugged Ella’s mother. “We know,” Ella said. “Thank you so much.”
“Enjoy yourselves.” Mum winked. I rolled my eyes.
“Can we get out of here before they start talking about our sex life?” I asked.
Ella laughed, grabbing my hand.
Out the door, we walked the path to our new home.
Together.
36
ELLA
Ella woke, rolling over to look at the sleeping man beside her. My husband. Every day she counted herself lucky that he came back for her.
When Sam had left, it nearly destroyed her. She’d pushed Matt away, but he wouldn’t have any of that, and he’d returned to her life and swore never to leave it again. Despite her hurt at Sam’s betrayal, she knew she could believe Matt. He’d never lied to her.
Georgia looked so much like Matt; there was no mistaking that she was his daughter. That smooth brown hair, the deep blue eyes … Ella’s heart caught in her throat every time she looked at her.
Finn looked more like Ella than Sam. She’d always planned to tell her ex about his child. But when she was with him, she felt the way she had for months before he’d left—like she wasn’t good enough, like it was all her fault.
Matt never made her feel that way. He’d given her his heart, and she would always wonder how things would have gone if she’d had gotten together with him first.
But hindsight was what it was, and if she hadn’t been with Sam, she wouldn’t have Finn.
Now, her life was in balance, and Matt would keep it that way. She knew she could trust him.
This was the man who loved her, who brought her breakfast in bed most mornings before tangling in the sheets with her. Now she was the pampered one, but they shared everything.
He stirred, rolling from his back to his side, opening those beautiful dark blue eyes of his and smiling that crooked smile. The one that told her he was happy, and probably up to no good.
“Morning,” he mumbled. His warm hand brushed up her side, resting just below her breast.
“Morning, husband.” She replied.
His hand moved, cupping her breast, stroking the nipple with his thumb.
“I’ll never get tired of you calling me that.” He raised his head from the pillow, leaning over to kiss her deeply. His kisses made her melt, every single one, from the one before he’d left to go to the United Kingdom to this one. She’d always be glad he’d come home.
“I love you,” she whispered.
He raised his hand to her hair, running his fingers through her curls. His passion was always right there for Ella to see in his eyes, in his gestures. He was the kindest, most gentle man she’d ever met, but engulfed her with his passion, gave her something to believe in. Us.
“I love you too, Mrs Carver.”
This beautiful man was about to give up everything because she missed her family. She’d always appreciate that. In him she’d found her true soul mate, the man who shared her love of home and family, the man who wanted to live the same life she did.
“We need to go and see our children. Georgia will need feeding.”
“Give us five more minutes. I want to fool around with my wife for a bit longer.”
She didn’t need a mirror to know how big her grin was. That was what Matt did for her.
“Yes, please,” she whispered.
Ella had never been thin, and after two babies, she had more bumps and lumps than ever before, but every time Matt looked at her it was like he was a starving man, hungry for a meal of her. She knew it didn’t matter to him.
He kissed her again, his tongue tracing over her lips before joining them. Her heart raced at his loving touch, the one that was all for her.
His fingers blazed a trail on her skin, stroking their way down her stomach to between her legs.
“Ella,” he murmured.
She loved the sound of her name on his lips when he was aroused, and her body responded to his touch, that warm buzz covering her from head to toe at the attention of his fingers.
“Matt.” Ella crying his name was muffled by another kiss, and she shuddered under him. Back before everything went bad, she’d wondered from time to time what it would be like to be kissed by Matt, to be touched by him. Now his kisses and caresses were hers alone, and she never wanted any other. Only him.
He moved, the air cooling around her, and she moaned at the heat of his breath between her legs. His warm tongue teased her before he slid into her, enveloping her with his body, with his love.
Together they moved, joined now as they would be for the rest of our lives. She would grow old with this man, and only ever know his touch from now on. She hadn’t known what safety and security was until Matt.
Ella pulled the blanket over them to stop the cold morning creeping in. The farm could get very col
d, especially in winter, but the house would be cosy and warm once they had everything moved in. I’d happily wake up every morning like this.
Matt kissed her, his lips lingering on hers as they always did. He groaned as he came, rolling over to her side as he pulled out of her, kissing her hard before chuckling. “You know, this is the longest since we’ve been together that you haven’t been pregnant.”
She burst out laughing. “Let’s keep it that way. At least for a while.”
After getting caught out with Georgia, she’d gone on the pill as soon as she could. Another child might be nice further down the track, but the two they had were so close in age, and a handful. If they ever did try again, it would be nice if it happened, but she’d vowed not to become obsessed with it.
“I like the idea of enjoying the children we have before expanding our family.” He kissed her again. “Come on, let’s get dressed and go see them. You must be bursting to see Georgia.”
“Literally.” She laughed.
“I love you.” He kissed her one last time before pulling away and slipping out of bed. “I’m hungry too. Wonder what’s for breakfast?”
“If I know my mother, she’s making bacon and eggs for you. I hope you know moving here we’ll end up gaining weight.” She sat up, dropping her feet to the side of the bed and standing. “Race you to the bathroom.”
Ella had the head start, her side of the bed being closer, and Matt grabbed her as she made it in the door, holding her by the waist as he kissed her neck.
“I’ll turn the shower on,” he said.
“Are we going to make it in the house for breakfast?” she laughed, knowing what that man was capable of in the shower.
“Unfortunately, we have to. Otherwise my stomach might eat itself.” He flicked the water mixer on, pulling her under the shower with him as it hit the right temperature. In his arms, she snuggled against him. It seemed a shame to have to move on with their day, but the children were still so close, and the thought of seeing them again gave her butterflies. A night away was too long from Ella’s babies.
Life was as sweet as it could get.
THEY HAD DRESSED and walked back down to the path toward the farm house, holding hands, leaning against one another. Matt and Ella were truly happy, and she wanted this feeling to last forever.
She pushed open the back door, entering the kitchen.
“Dad, Dad.” Finn ran, nearly tripping over his own two feet, and threw himself at Matt’s legs.
The big glowing warmth in her chest grew watching them together as Matt scooped him up, swinging him onto his hip. Finn giggled, the most glorious sound she could ever hope to hear.
“Have you been a good boy?” Matt asked. Finn nodded, wrapping his little arms around Matt’s neck, hugging him tight.
“I bet you’re itching to see this one.” Ella’s mother came toward her, with Georgia in her arms. Georgia grizzled, settling as Ella took hold of her, rocking her back and forward.
“I gave her the milk, but I think she really wanted her mother.”
“I’ll go in the living room and feed her.”
She nodded. “I’ll bring you in a hot chocolate, and then we can all have some breakfast.”
“I smell bacon.” Vanessa entered the kitchen, yawning and scratching her head, wearing one of those so short tops that left her flat stomach bare. Ella used to envy her that figure, but now she rolled my eyes at the sight of her barely covered breasts.
“Aren’t you cold?” she asked.
Vanessa grinned. “A little. I’m waiting for Matt to tell me to cover up. I know it winds him up.”
Ella turned back to look at Matt who was still completely enthralled with Finn, pulling at Matt’s face, laughing like crazy.
Matt moved his head a little to look back at her, spotting Vanessa. “Holy cow, Ness. You must be freezing. Go put a jumper on or something.”
Ella grinned, shaking her head as Vanessa smiled triumphantly. “See? That’s why I love your husband. He’s like our missing brother.”
“Nothing like a brother to me.” She waggled her eyebrows. Vanessa put her finger in her mouth.
“That’s puke inducing. I’ll go and put something warm on.”
Georgia gave another grumpy grizzle. “Okay, okay, let’s go find somewhere comfortable to sit.”
Ella made her way past Matt’s parents, smiling at them as she reached the living room. Her father sat in his recliner, his feet up, a coffee cup in hand.
“Morning, Dad,” she said, nestling into the couch.
“Morning, love. Hope you were warm and comfortable over there.”
Georgia kicked her legs, excited as Ella unclipped her nursing bra. Ella sighed as Georgia drank. After a night away from her, this felt so normal.
“It was a bit weird. It’s so empty still. But that’ll change soon.”
He grinned. “I’m looking forward to you two moving in.”
“I can’t wait.”
Eric took a sip of his coffee. “You’ve got a good man there, Ella.”
“The best.”
He smiled at her words, knowing the deeper meaning.
“She happy now?” Matt stood in the doorway, Finn still in his arms, and walked to the couch, sitting beside Ella.
“Take a look for yourself. “
Georgia’s eyes fluttered as he bent to kiss her head and Ella winked at Finn, who clambered up Matt’s legs and leaned over to hug her arm.
“Hey, baby.” She turned my head to kiss his cheek, and he snuggled up.
This. This was all She’d ever needed. Her babies, the right man, their family.
Mine.
Perfect.
Forever.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
A huge thank you to my usual suspects. Lauren, for editing my words and making them readable. Sarah for her beautiful cover. And Christine for spreading the word. You ladies rock!
Thank you too to everyone who has posted, tweeted and shared a teaser or a post. I am so grateful for all your support.
When I was writing In a Lifetime, I am Giant released a song called ‘Kiss from a Ghost’ which I played about a million times. I don't know the origin of the lyrics, but I really felt them. They seemed in sync with Matt seeing Ella first, but in trying to do the right thing for someone else, losing her to Sam.
I wanted to use a couple of lines from the song for the book and asked I Am Giant for permission to quote them. All credit and huge thanks for use of those lyrics to I Am Giant. These guys were gracious enough to let me quote them, and that really helped my vision take shape.
Check them out. iamgiant.com
This book is set in New Zealand and is written in New Zealand English.
ALSO BY ARIADNE WAYNE
The Friends Series
Loving Rowan
Three Days
Something Real
The Right One
Unexpected
Chances Series
Another Chance
Taking Chances
Lifetime Series
In a Lifetime
In an Instant
Coming 2016 In a Heartbeat
Coming 2017 In the End
Writing as Wendy Smith
Coming 2016 Coming Home
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ariadne Wayne is the alter ego of Wendy Smith. She loves books and lives in Auckland, New Zealand with her husband and two children. Having always had a prolific imagination she now writes the words down instead of storing them in her head where she can't share them. When she's not writing she works in Telecommunications, frequently banging her head on the desk with the random things that can happen to the ordinary phone line.
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Find me online
@ariadnewayne
ariadnewaynebooks
ariadne@ariadnewayne.co.nz
Table of Contents
Copyright
Blurb
In an Instant
Part 1
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Part 2
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Part 3
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Part 4
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
In an Instant
Acknowledgments
Also by Ariadne Wayne
About the Author