Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 63311 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63311 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 317(@200wpm)___ 253(@250wpm)___ 211(@300wpm)
I sank into his embrace, loving the smell and feel of him.
A single tear slid from the corner of my eye unchecked. I brushed it aside and pressed my lips to his, kissing him with passionate reverence. I held nothing back.
I put my weapons down. I didn’t need vengeance—there were no scores to settle, nothing to prove. The only thing that mattered was right here in my arms.
I opened the tightly guarded wall inside me and let Raine in, offering my heart and soul. All I asked in return was the chance to bask in his sunshine for as long as he’d have me. Forever, I hoped.
Falling for Raine was easy. Everyone did. But to know him, cherish him, love him and be loved by him was a gift beyond measure.
And right here, right now…in the middle of a tiny room on a hot summer day with the smell of curry wafting in the air, I vowed to make this day the first of our happy ever after.
EPILOGUE
“Ionce had a thousand desires. But in my one desire to know you all else melted away.”—Rumi
Three years later
Raine
The contractor ducked under the eaves of the newly restored manor to avoid the rain while pointing out the new repairs his team had made to the roofline of the summer house. Graham nodded along, occasionally gesturing toward the beautifully tended garden and the row of neatly trimmed hedges nearby. I couldn’t hear the whole conversation, but I caught every other word from the open kitchen window.
“…not a problem. We can construct a stage or gazebo…tent for dancing or if the weather is like, you could hold the party…”
“With any luck, it’ll be a…day. Ray-n has ordered sunshine and what…Ray-n gets,” Graham boomed.
God, I loved that man. I hopped off the counter, pausing to pet Linus, our black Lab, who was currently sprawled under the island, ready to resume hoover duty for any crumbs that might fall his way. I’d never been much of a cook, but the newly renovated kitchen was freaking amazing and it was my goal to learn how to master at least one edible dish to serve our out-of-town guests at our party next week.
This was our first one at Deverley, and it was kind of a big deal. Winnie and my mother were flying in from the States, and Graham’s mother, siblings, and their families were making the trek from Sunderland. The rest of the crew was from London, but that was still a long journey. Our mothers and Winnie were staying with us, but everyone else, including my former flatmate, Ronan, and a few of my close buddies from The Horsham Group, like Victoria, Darwin, and Bernadette, had rented cottages or rooms at a bed-and-breakfast in Padstow.
The main event was next Saturday night and if the weather predictions held, it was going to be a beautiful summer evening. Perfect for an open-house extravaganza in Cornwall. Hey, restoring Deverley to its former grandeur had been a monumental task that deserved to be celebrated. It was absolutely stunning!
Overgrown foliage had been cut back and tamed, the gardens and lawn had been tended to perfection. Hedges separated the roses from the herbs and the pathways were now well-lit and manicured, and a sloping greenery gave way to majestic trees on the outskirts of the forest. The summer house had been transformed into a home office that could double as a guest suite tastefully decorated by a local designer. But the real showstopper was the main house.
Ivy was stripped off the stone walls, windows and flooring were replaced or restored, chandeliers were cleaned, fireplaces were rebuilt, and the interior woodwork had been refurbished by expert craft persons. The kitchen was the only room that had been gutted and it was stunning with tall ceilings, wood beams, massive windows that let in oodles of sunshine. In fact, every room in the house was so beautiful it was becoming harder to return to London during the week.
Graham and I loved our weekends in Cornwall. This was our happy place. Our quiet oasis to unwind from hectic city living and just…chill out. Well, that was the plan, anyway.
“Hey, love.” Linus sprang from a dead slumber to greet Graham with his tail wagging a mile a minute. He stooped to scritch his ears before pulling me into his arms, nuzzling my neck. “Listening from the window, were ye?”
“Mmhmm. I couldn’t hear very well, though. What did he say?” I asked, looping my arms over his broad shoulders.
“They can make a temporary stage with a canopy…no problem. It may not rain, but the grounds will be saturated for a while. It’s the best solution, I think. How many people are coming again?”
“Seventy.” I pulled a yikes face.
“Christ, you’d think we were putting on a wedding,” he commented, staring out at the rain. “We’re not inviting all these people to our actual wedding, are we?”