Alicia's Folly
Page 17
“Aw, yeah!” Liz exclaimed excitedly. She’d obviously seen more than just the embarrassed look Alicia was trying to hide. “I told you. Pay up, Mr. Marek.” Dmitri pulled a mock-shocked face and spluttered for a few moments before grinning widely. He congratulated them as he pulled his wallet out of the back pocket of his jeans. Then he kissed his wife as he handed her his shiny black credit card.
“Just make sure you buy some baby clothes for us too,” he said as he pulled her into his arms. Alicia chuckled as Nate let loose a grunt of surprise.
“Told you,” she called out in a sing-song voice, covering up his surprised “Again?”
“Ugh. The gwon-ups are at it again,” Tristan exclaimed, climbing the stairs of the deck. Ryan didn’t say anything, but Alicia could just picture him rolling his eyes in agreement. Everyone laughed and began making their way into the house. Before she and Nate reached the patio doors, he stopped her with a kiss.
“Are you happy?” he asked quietly. “Being here instead of Winnipeg, I mean?”
“I am,” she answered honestly. “Besides the boys and Justin, there was nothing holding me there. It’s why I was so determined to save up and come here. We will go visit for Christmas though, right? I can’t do Christmas without snow.”
“Husband’s honor,” Nate answered, kissing her again. This kiss was deeper and filled with pent-up desire. Alicia couldn’t help grinning when he finally pulled away.
“I like that. ‘Husband’s honor’,” she said.
“So do I,” he joked. “How is Justin, by the way? You were talking to him this morning.”
“He is doing great. I told you he was dating someone he met through his counselling sessions, right?” At Nate’s affirmative nod, Alicia continued. “They’re engaged now. Actually, she’s also pregnant.”
“Babies all around. Wow. He – ah – doesn’t hold a grudge? With all the charges – ”
“No, Nate. Justin was never angry with you. He understood you were doing what you felt was necessary. He admits to still being surprised you dropped absolutely everything against Eileen when you learned the cancer was back. As much as he loved her, he felt she should pay for her crimes.” Alicia gave him a squeeze then entered the house. She needed to change before they went out.
“I couldn’t let her die in prison,” Nate answered, following her up to their bedroom. “We’re a family now, and that’s all that matters.”
“It is. Are you serious about buying a vacation home in Trinidad?” Alicia asked, stopping in the middle of the stairs and turning to face Nate. Incredulous, his jaw dropped, then flapped uselessly for a bit before he answered.
“Is nothing sacred?” he called out to the couple downstairs. Alicia grinned when she heard them groan in mock-misery.
“Go easy on them. I tortured the truth out of them with the batch of cookies Tristan and Ryan helped bake,” she said, taking Nate’s face in her hands. He laughed and her kiss missed its mark. Going with the moment, Alicia sucked his bottom lip into her mouth and moaned.
“God, I can’t wait to get you back there,” Nate breathed, when the ensuing hungry kiss ended.
“Me neither,” she answered in kind.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Epilogue