Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 43714 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 219(@200wpm)___ 175(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43714 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 219(@200wpm)___ 175(@250wpm)___ 146(@300wpm)
This truly is what I’ve been waiting for my entire life.
There is a choked noise from the screen. It brings me back to the present moment with all its realities.
I gather my composure as much as I can and help Alana sit back down on the sofa, clutching her arm and hand openly, this time in full view of her parents.
Her face is flushed from crying but is still illuminated by that gorgeous smile that seems to lift the gloom from every single corner of the room.
“Oh, darling,” Sandra says in a choked voice, wiping a tear away from her own face. Even Rod looked a little mollified, a little emotional.
“If you’re sure about taking this course,” her dad says, his tone begrudging – but it’s good enough for me.
“Of course, I am, Dad,” Alana says. “I’ve only been here a week, and Finlay has already made me the happiest that I’ve ever been in my life. And it’s not just that – the estate, too. It’s so beautiful here.”
“It’s a sanctuary for animals and the environment. The loch – you should see it. You will see it. You’ll come for the wedding when we arrange it, of course,” I say.
“When?” Rod demands. “You’re not going to rush into this as well, are you? You can have a nice long engagement. Five years or so.”
“Well,” I say and hesitate. “The thing is, it’ll be easier all around if we marry soon. Alana won’t need a work visa or anything like that – we can just get her our equivalent of a green card, thanks to the wedding. We’ll never have to renew it again, instead of having to worry about it every six months. And it will mean I can visit you there, too, without having to worry so much.”
Rod opens his mouth as if to start a whole new slew of objections, but then he sways slightly. Glancing to the side, I notice Sandra moving slightly back into her previous spot, and I wonder if she nudged or kicked him in some way.
Rod closes his mouth, then opens it once again. “If that’s what will make you happy,” he says stiffly, the comment clearly directed at his daughter.
“It will,” she says with a sigh, looking down at the ring on her finger and then bursting into a fresh round of happy tears. “It really will.”
“Then you’d better treat my daughter well,” Rod says. “If you don’t, you need to know I’m not above getting on a plane and kicking your ass.”
“Understood, sir,” I say with a grin. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Alright,” Sandra says, taking over the conversation with a businesslike attitude that doesn’t allow any room for argument. “I think we all need a bit of space to consider all of this and settle in with it. Don’t you? We can talk again tomorrow.”
“That’s a good idea, Mom,” Alana agrees with an exuberant nod. “I’ll call you again at the same time tomorrow. I don’t want you to think we haven’t thought this through. I know it will take time, but you’ll see how serious we are about this. I promise.”
“Alright, darling,” her mother says and smiles briefly before reaching toward what must be the button to end the call. “And congratulations.”
The screen goes blank, and I turn to the woman who is going to be my wife.
After a moment’s thought, I take the phone down from the holder just in case the camera turns back on – and then I pounce, pinning Alana to the sofa and kissing her until she stops giggling and starts to moan.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
ONE MONTH LATER
Alana
I stand in front of the mirror, holding the dress up against my body.
It’s perfect. It really is.
I can’t believe the wedding has crept up so fast.
I hear footsteps coming up the stairs and yelp, spinning around in fright.
“Don’t come in!” I yell in a panic, rushing over to hide my dress away in the closet.
Finlay gave me one of the spare rooms in the house to set up my things for the wedding, and so far, I’ve managed to avoid him getting a look at my dress – even though I’ve taken it out at least a hundred times just to look at it since going to the bridal store in the village to choose it.
Funny enough, they had a beautiful, classic dress exactly in my size, with no need for adjustments.
It’s as though the whole universe was moving everything in the right direction for us to ensure that our wedding could go ahead as smoothly as possible.
But I’m not going to take any risks by letting Finlay see my dress before the big day.
“It’s hidden,” I shout and hear his footsteps resume moving toward me. After a moment, he pokes his head around the door with a grin.