by Annie Seaton
The air hummed as she stared up at him. ‘I can. Can you feel how happy you make me?’
The house stayed quiet as Greg reached for her T-shirt and gently pulled it over her head. His contented smile made Ginny pleased that she had worn her pretty lacy bra, but it soon joined her T-shirt on the floor.
GINNY WOKE A COUPLE of hours later to the sound of the door closing gently. She stretched and searched the floor for her clothes. She took them into the bathroom, and had a quick wash, listening for Greg’s return. The thought of the door being closed sent a shiver through her, but she quickly pushed it away. Nothing was going to take away from how wonderful she felt. Once she was dressed, she went back into the bedroom, and with a rueful smile, she gathered up the clothes from the floor. The rainbow silks that she’d placed carefully on the bed the other night had ended up in a pile of colour on the floor at the end of the bed.
She looked at the closed door and listened, but the house was quiet.
No thuds, no creaks, no sense of someone else being here. Something was missing; the house felt different.
She stood and walked to the door, but the knob began to turn slowly before she reached it. The door opened with a slow creak and Ginny held her breath, letting it out in a loud whoosh as Greg’s head appeared around the door.
She put her hand against her chest, her heart thudding.
‘Oh sweetheart, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I just went down for my phone. I left it in the car. And then I realised when I was at the front door, that I closed the bedroom door behind me. I hope you weren’t scared?’
‘No. I wasn’t scared. I knew you’d come back.’ She frowned as she looked around.
‘But where did the stool go?
Greg followed the direction of her gaze and shook his head. ‘I thought you’d moved it?’
Epilogue
Six months later.
‘I’m really pleased that you could all be here today.’ Greg looked around the small group assembled in the foyer of the old house. Ginny followed his gaze and smiled. The smell of beeswax mingled with the sweet fragrance of flowers that she had filled the vases with. ‘It’s an occasion that we wanted to share.’ Ginny smiled as Kitty looked down at her left hand. They had spent a lot of happy times with Greg’s friends over the past months. She shook her head slightly. No. they were her friends too.
The last months had been incredible. In between working at Shabby-Chic, and carting over all the wonderful treasures from the house, getting to know Margie all over again, her days, and many of her nights—had been spent with Greg.
Sally and her husband, Sol, were standing beside an old-fashioned pram where a contented baby boy slept peacefully. Sonia, Sally’s sister, and her partner, Dave, stood beside them.
‘You have us all intrigued.’ Taj Brown, world famous surfer, and his wife Rosie who was peering into the pram, had sold the house to Greg. ‘It was lucky we were in town for the tournament.’
Greg reached over and put his arm around Ginny’s shoulders. ‘We wanted to tell you personally. As we’ve worked in the house, we’ve gotten to know it very well, and I’ve—we’ve—decided that this house needs to be a home.’
The smiles of the three girls lightened Ginny’s heart. It had been Greg’s idea, and even though she agreed with his decision, it had been one he’d come to alone and of his own accord.
‘I’m not going to turn the house into apartments.’
Ginny nestled into his chest as his voice broke a little bit.
‘Up until I bought this house from you all, a building, to me, was a building, bricks and mortar, old pipes, and maybe sagging windows, and door locks that jammed of their own accord.’ Ginny looked up and met Greg’s loving gaze. She swallowed as a lump filled her throat. How was it possible to love another person so much?
‘But this house brought Ginny to me, and I know now that a house is more than a pile of timbers, a frame and a roof. Even in years to come when the house is gone, the memories that have been made will stay here. It’s been home to many people, and Ginny and I are going to live here, and hopefully one day soon, raise a family in this gracious old house.’
The cries of delight were accompanied by a loud thud from above.
Ginny saw the look exchanged by the three women.
‘We know someone else who’s happy too,’ Sally said with a smile.
Greg looked down at her and his grin was wide. ‘I think that explains a lot of what’s happened here. Are you happy to live in a haunted house?’
‘It’s not haunted; it’s just the happy memories making themselves felt. And, Greg, wherever you are, I’m happy to be with you.’
Greg leaned down and kissed her. ‘There’s only one more thing to be done.’
Ginny frowned. ‘What’s that?’
Greg’s grin sent that ever-present warmth spiralling to her toes. ‘We have to take a holiday, or I’m going to lose a bet with Johnno.’
‘Just as well I’ve got Margie to work in the shop for me.’
As Greg’s lips met hers again, Ginny could have sworn she heard a contented sigh drift down from above.
OTHER BOOKS AND SERIES
BY
Annie Seaton
WHITSUNDAY DAWN
PORTER SISTERS SERIES
KAKADU SUNSET
DAINTREE
DIAMOND SKY
BONDI BEACH LOVE SERIES
BEACH HOUSE
BEACH MUSIC
BEACH WALK
SORRY WE'RE CLOSED
BONDI BEACH LOVE BOXED SET
PRICKLE CREEK SERIES
HER OUTBACK COWBOY
HER OUTBACK SURPRISE
HIS OUTBACK NANNY
HIS OUTBACK TEMPTATION
SECOND CHANCE BAY SERIES
HER OUTBACK PLAYBOY
BOOKS 2,3,4 ...coming soon
AFFAIRS SERIES
HOLIDAY AFFAIR
ITALIAN AFFAIR
OUTBACK AFFAIR
LOVE ACROSS TIME SERIES
COME BACK TO ME
FOLLOW ME... coming soon
HALF MOON BAY SERIES
TANGLING WITH THE CEO
BRUSHING OFF THE BOSS
GUARDING HIS HEART
CHRISTMAS WITH THE BOSS
DEADLY SECRETS
ADVENTURES IN TIME
SILVER VALLEY WITCH
CAPTURING THE PIRATE’S HEART
TEN DAYS IN TUSCANY
WINTER OF THE PASSION FLOER
SUMMER OF THE MOON FLOWER
ADVENTURES IN TIME