The Girl in the Scrapbook by Carolyn Ruffles (reading women TXT) 📕

irritation at the way he undermined her independence threatened to surface but melted away when she saw the warmth in his brown eyes, crinkled in a smile.

‘I know that.’ He leaned forward to brush his lips against her cheek. They felt cool and firm against her flushed skin. ‘You’ll just have to indulge me. I’m old fashioned about things like this. I don’t want my woman walking up a dark lane on her own.’

His proprietary tone would, just a few short months ago, have pricked an indignant response but now she felt a glow building inside her at the words ‘my woman’. Goodness, she admonished herself, she would soon be heading back to the dark ages and allowing him to drag her back to his cave by her hair if she carried on like this! She dismissed the thought, took his proffered arm and stepped out into the cold, night air. It felt good, leaning into his strong frame, walking companionably, side-by-side. They chatted about the day’s revelations and he asked how the relationship between Emily and Grace was going.

‘Love at first sight,’ she said, smiling at the thought. ‘They can’t get enough of each other. I suspect it will always be like that for them.’

There was a pause as she waited for David to respond. He cleared his throat. ‘I can’t ignore an opening like that. I was going to wait until we were inside but, I have to admit, it’s easier out here, in the dark.’ He stopped walking and turned to face her. ‘That’s how I feel about you, Jen … love at first sight, I mean … I can’t get enough of you … all that stuff. When my wife died, I never thought I’d feel like this again, but I do and I don’t want to waste any more time. After all, we’re not getting any younger.’ He coughed again while she listened, hardly daring to breathe. ‘So, what I’m trying to say, in this hopeless, tongue-tied, schoolboy fashion, is that I love you and, when you’ve got used to the idea, I’d like to spend the rest of my life with you.’

He continued walking and she fell once more into step beside him, still reeling at his words. The lights from his house were much nearer now but she was glad of the darkness concealing the torrent of confused emotions, heating her skin and scrambling her brain. His declaration had stunned her into silence and her defences were already leaping to the fore, just as they always had when men had wanted more from her than she was willing to give.

The silence stretched and, without warning, David stopped walking once more. ‘Can you say something, please? I realise that this has come as a bit of a shock but the suspense is killing me.’

She stood still, composing her words carefully. It was too soon; she was used to her independence; she valued him as friend. The trite words, her customary responses, floated through her brain and she grasped at them thankfully.

‘Please, Jen. Just tell me what you’re thinking.’

It was the vulnerability she heard in his voice which got to her, which cracked through the self-imposed walls she'd built around herself. He was being open and honest, putting his pride on the line. She owed it to him to do the same.

Taking a deep breath, she began, ‘I’m not entirely sure how I feel …’ Immediately, she sensed a slump in his shoulders as he braced himself for her rejection. ‘But … it could be love. I know I haven’t felt this out of control with anyone else. Is that what love is … this dizzy, giggly feeling that seems to be over-riding my common sense?’

‘Sounds good to me.’ She could hear the smile in his voice as he began walking again, more briskly now. ‘Let’s get inside. I want to show you just how much I love you.’

Heat rushed through her body. She could not wait either. It seemed to take an age to get the door open as David first fumbled the lock and then dropped his key. Swearing under his breath, he swung his torch around until he located it and tried once more. At last, the door swung open and they stepped inside. Suddenly shy, Jennifer undid the buttons on her coat and slipped it off her shoulders while David yanked off his coat with a great deal more haste. Their eyes met for a moment, red-hot with passion, and they fell into each other’s arms.

◆◆◆

Chapter 30

Emily – January 2017

‘I’m just so happy. The only thing that would make me happier is if you were back here with me.’ Emily had spent the last twenty minutes on her mobile to Adam, updating him with the day’s events. ‘I can’t wait for you to meet her and for her to meet you. She’s amazing, Adam. We just bonded straight away. It’s like I’ve known her all my life, except of course I haven’t. We’ve got so much catching up to do. I feel I can finally move on with my life now. Everything is falling into place.’

‘I’m so pleased for you, baby.’ Adam’s voice sounded slightly disembodied, like he was standing at the end of a long, empty corridor. ‘I’m missing you terribly but the trip is going well and I should be home by the end of next week. Make sure you give Alex lots of kisses from me.’

‘Will do. I’m missing you too. I probably ought to get back to Mum and Alex now. I’ve left them alone for the last twenty minutes and you can have too much of a good thing. I don’t want to test their relationship too far when it’s only just beginning. Bye, darling. Love you lots. Have a good day.’

‘Will do. Love you too.’

Emily pocketed her phone and returned to the living room where she found her son and her mother stretched out on their backs on the floor, eyes