He grabbed her, lifting her to wrap her tight within his arms. He nuzzled her neck, breathing in her scent before lifting his head to kiss her. His lips collided with hers, their noses bumped and they laughed. It was perfect once they finally got it right. God, he’d missed her. He hadn’t realized until this moment how he’d feared this might never happen, that she’d decide she didn’t want to persevere with their marriage. He drank her down, savoring her taste and her lips against his.
“Ahem,” his father said.
“I could get the garden hose,” Caleb said.
Ryan lifted his head to glare at his friend. “Think about a possible payback.”
Laughing, Caleb lifted his hands in a surrender gesture.
“Mum, Dad, this is my wife Julia Maxwell. Julia, my parents Lillian and Patrick Callander.” A tremor shook her, and he realized she was nervous. After squeezing her upper arm, he slipped his arm around her waist, aligning himself firmly with his wife.
“Pleased to meet you,” she said.
“We’d decided Ryan and Caleb were making you up, but Alex said a lady found his bear. He said she was pretty,” Patrick Callander said. “He wasn’t exaggerating. Welcome to the family.”
“Thanks.”
“Who’s looking after the club?” Caleb asked.
“They’re all pitching in,” Julia said. “I owe them.”
“Come inside, dear,” Lillian said. “I was about to make afternoon tea. Ryan, you can grab Julia’s bag.”
Ryan picked up Julia’s two bags plus a parcel decorated with a red ribbon, struggling until Caleb took possession of one bag. He watched Julia interacting with his parents and smiled a little on seeing Alex trailing behind, his son’s attention on Julia.
“That went well,” Caleb whispered.
“I had no doubts,” Ryan replied. “She’ll charm them. You wait and see.” He’d finally recalled more about the first time they’d met and how she’d captivated him without even breaking a sweat. Real memories rather than the ones Caleb and Julia had supplied him with when he’d asked. His gaze strayed to her mouth, currently curved in a smile as she handed over the wrapped package to Alex. While everyone commented about Alex’s new owl, Ryan calculated how quickly he could get Julia in private, preferably naked.
Later that night, after dinner, Ryan said, “Mum, Julia and I are going for a drive. Would you listen out for Alex? I don’t expect him to wake, but just in case.”
“If it’s privacy you’re after, your mother and I are off to the church hall,” his father said. “They’re hosting a travel evening, and your mother has a hankering for a cruise.”
“But we haven’t done the dishes yet,” his mother said.
“That’s what we have kids for,” his father said in a cheerful tone. “Do your primping, Lillian. We’ll leave in fifteen minutes.”
“I’ll head home, or Mum will complain she never sees me,” Caleb said.
In minutes flat, the kitchen emptied.
Julia’s brows rose. “Something I said?”
Ryan took her hand, lacing their fingers together. “The result is that we have a few hours alone. Can’t complain about that.”
After clearing the kitchen, they went to check on Alex. He was sound asleep, his new owl clutched under one arm.
“He seems a good kid.” Julia thought he looked adorable, and she itched to cuddle him or at least stroke the lock of hair off his forehead. She restrained the urge, not wanting to wake him. “I’m glad he liked the owl.”
“Mum says he’s much better behaved than me.”
“Maybe he’s frightened he’ll get shunted to someone else.”
“Not gonna happen.” Even if the worst happened between him and Julia, Alex belonged with him.
“I used to have nightmares about my father,” Julia said. “Even though I’ve never met him, it didn’t stop me from building images in my mind.”
“His loss,” Ryan said.
