‘It’s a big project, but he’s very keen we should do it.’
I let out a moan. ‘Poor Walter. I hate to think of him in hospital, struggling again…’
Ross’s chest heaves against mine. ‘He’s found so much to live for, I can’t believe he’ll give up the fight now.’
I have to agree he has a point. ‘He’s got a whole new sparkle in his eyes.’
Ross nods. ‘It helped when he felt we’d be there to carry on the farm for him. There’s not just the house and outbuildings, we’d be allowed to build cabins up where the caravans are. We could do baking and animal care courses, and that would link well with the surgery too.’
‘So that’s what we were supposed to be looking round when Martha rang about my contract?’
Ross nods. ‘I’m sorry I lost my nerve that day. I promise it won’t happen again.’
My smile feels like it’s wider than St Aidan Bay. ‘That would be amazing. There’s so much interest in country crafts now.’ But stuff the country crafts, what I really care about is being with Ross. I swing across the sofa, and put a leg either side of his thighs and bury my mouth in his. Then his arms close around my back, his fingers are raking through my hair, and this time around the sweetness has nothing to do with cupcakes or blondies, the warm velvety taste of his mouth is all him.
It’s a long time before we come up for air. And as we do he’s pulling his hand out from under one of Clemmie’s velvet cushions. ‘Don’t get your hopes up, but I may just have found something important.’
As he holds his finger in the air a flash of turquoise satin makes me gasp. ‘You found my knickers?’
Ross’s laugh is low. ‘Not for the first time. That’s Diesel’s second favourite hiding place. If I hadn’t been so distracted by the thought of seeing you I’d have looked there straightaway.’
‘Hang on!’ I know this is a vet I’m talking to, but there’s something he’s overlooking. ‘So what’s wrong with Diesel?’
Ross gives a low whistle. ‘I came in earlier and made an extra-large cake. It was supposed to be aplease be with me and love me forevercake, I was planning to give it to you tomorrow along with my speech. I left it on a cooling tray on the dresser, with anI heart St Aidantea towel over it so you wouldn’t notice.’
It’s the tea towel that rings a bell. ‘I found a cooling tray and a towel on the floor earlier, but there was no sign of cake.’
Ross lets out a moan. ‘There were twelve eggs in that mix.’
‘Twelve? But that’s huge!’
There are creases in Ross’s cheeks as he smiles. ‘It was a massive thing I was asking you. Anything smaller wouldn’t have cut it.’
I nod down at Diesel. ‘I think that explains why someone is groaning in their sleep.’ I look down at Ross. ‘I hope there weren’t any avocados in there, or chocolate? Or chives or macadamia nuts?’
Ross shakes his head. ‘It was lemon drizzle that hadn’t been drizzled on.’ Then his gaze hardens. ‘Wheredidthat poster go?’
I know if we’re going to be together we should be telling the truth all the time, but I’ll start after this. ‘I was going to put it on the door but it was too big, so it’s still folded up on the table.’
He blows out his cheeks. ‘In an effort to always be honest, I may have dropped that round mostly to make sure you had my phone number.’
I laugh. ‘If you were hoping I’d ring you and invite you round for hot sex, it worked in the end.’
As he smiles the crinkles at the corners of his eyes actually make my heart squish. ‘Twelve weeks wasn’t too long to wait.’
Talking about being truthful, I’ve another question to ask. ‘You remember the clip of usnotkissing that went viral? I still don’t know who uploaded that.’
This time his laugh is so low, I feel the vibrations in my tummy. ‘I’m afraid that was me.’
I’m already thinking of what I’ll be doing to punish him later. ‘Stealing Millie’s film, that’s disgraceful!’
He coughs. ‘It wasn’t actually Millie’s. It was from my phone, held that evening by Nell. I always used to get someone to film our battles, because I knew one day I’d get to win, and I knew you wouldn’t upload it.’
‘So you planned all along to snog my face off?’
He laughs. ‘I thought you said itwasn’ta kiss, Bertie?’
My eyes widen as I follow it through. ‘So my book contract is all down to you?’
