A Seaside Escape: A feel-good romance to warm your heart this winter by Lisa Hobman (2)

January 2015

Mallory awoke to a bright, January Saturday morning. She blinked a few times to acclimatise her eyes to the sun streaming through the ridiculously thin curtains. Sam was wrapped around her, his naked limbs tangled in the cotton sheets and one buttock peeking out. She suppressed a giggle and the urge to spank him quickly to rouse him from his slumber.

Stretching her arms above her head, she thought back to last night’s delicious lovemaking. Sam had been even more attentive than usual, which was saying something. He was a very attentive lover under normal circumstances, but last night she had felt as though he was on some kind of mission. Or was he thanking her for agreeing to ‘think’ about the move to Scotland, to their dream cottage? Maybe he was trying to convince her. But who was she kidding? She needed no convincing. Truthfully the more she thought about it the more excited she became. She knew for a fact that they’d be moving, lock, stock and barrel if they could only secure the deal before some other lucky so-and-so beat them to it. Maybe she should speak to Josie – her voice of reason – before telling Sam to go ahead and book an appointment to see the house.

Realising she needed to go to the bathroom, she slid out of bed, as carefully as was possible considering she was pretty much wearing a six foot two male about her person. She grabbed her fluffy robe and shrugged it on, tiptoeing across the floor and out into the hallway.

When she returned to the bedroom, Sam was gone, but there was the distinct sound of out-of-tune wailing and whistling coming from elsewhere in the little cottage. She giggled and grabbed her mobile from her bedside to text Josie.

A reply came immediately.

Rolling her eyes and smirking to herself at Josie’s comment, she drifted down the stairs to find her gorgeous man clattering around the kitchen with serious intent.

Caterwauling, as only Sam could, along with the sounds of Radio 2, he was oblivious to Mallory’s presence in the room. She stood silently watching him as he danced around and sang into the coffee scoop along with Bon Jovi’s ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’. He really was a delight to behold. His grey checked ‘lounge’ pants – he wouldn’t be seen dead in pyjamas, he had once told her – hanging low around his hips and his unruly bed-hair, sticking out at all angles. She sighed and suddenly felt the need to hold him.

Wandering over silently and standing behind him as he waited for the kettle to boil, Mallory slid her arms around his smooth skin, kissing his back as she did so. Through the kitchen window she could see Ruby outside chasing and yapping at any bird that dared to land in her tiny patch of territory.

‘Well, good morning, Miss Mallory Yorksher.’ The pet name had stuck from their very first encounter, even though they had been engaged for a while and she was soon to be Mrs Sam Buchanan. ‘Did ya sleep well?’

‘How could I not sleep well?’ she replied with a raise of her eyebrows.

‘Oh, I just wondered if you had maybe been lying awake, you know, thinking about little Highland cottages, or maybe mentally setting out your new workshop.’ He turned to embrace her and gently kissed the top of her head.

Although the decision was all but cemented in her mind she knew Sam would run ahead full pelt if she let him know. No, she would talk things through with Josie first. ‘I said I’d think about it Sam, but that’s all,’ she reminded him sternly.

‘I know, I know,’ he sighed, turning around as the kettle clicked off.

She felt a pang of guilt at his obvious sadness. What could it hurt, really? It was something they had dreamed about since they visited Scotland the first time. Admittedly she never expected they’d be able to fulfil the dream until later in life, but hey, as Sam had said, why wait?

Okay, so it would mean a totally different lifestyle and a fresh start. Ruby had loved the beaches up there and the open spaces would be ideal for the little dog. No doubt initially they would be overrun with guests, maybe for the first year, until the novelty wore off for family and friends travelling such a distance. But it would be their very own little piece of paradise. Maybe it wasn’t everyone’s idea of paradise. Scotland wasn’t renowned for its tropical weather, but that really didn’t matter a jot. It was their dream location – theirs.

The mountains reminded her of her father and the lochs reminded Sam of the great lakes – albeit on a smaller scale. Sam had dreamed of writing a book since before he met Mallory; he had a head full of amazing ideas, but never had the time to get them down. Plus, it wasn’t as if they couldn’t afford to take the leap. But it was scary. It was a huge change. But the more she thought about it, the more the butterflies in her tummy danced the soft shoe shuffle. She was excited. She wanted to do it, but there were so many things to consider. Railway Terrace had been a gift from her parents and parting with it would be hard. And what would Josie and Brad think about her moving so far away? Would Josie even want to run Le Petit Cadeau?

They sat at the little kitchen table munching on toasted bagels and cream cheese, drinking freshly brewed coffee, as was their weekend ritual. Sam was chatting away, keen to plan the day ahead. Mallory, on the other hand, was finding it hard to concentrate on Sam’s suggestions to jump in the car and take a trip to the seaside for some fresh air and good old Scarborough fish ’n’ chips. She was consumed with toing and froing over the minutiae of the possible move in her mind. Josie and Brad were her best friends in the world. They would want whatever made her happy. And being with Sam made her happy. She knew deep down that they would completely understand.

‘Penny for ’em?’ Sam finally gave up on his one-way conversation when he realised that Mallory’s eyes had glazed over and she sat in an almost trance-like stupor.

Suddenly Mallory jumped up. ‘We should go see it,’ she blurted out the thoughts in her head.

‘Are you saying what I think you’re saying, Mally? You want to go and view the cottage?’ Sam’s eyes danced like fiery green amber. His excitement expressed throughout his whole body.

‘Yes!’ she gasped and lurched over to him. She flung her arms around his neck, knowing that he had only ever wanted the best for her. ‘A million times, yes! Get the phone quick, ring the agent.’

‘You know you’re going to fall in love with the place, don’t you?’

‘Just ring the agent before I come to my senses.’

Sam grasped Mallory in a strong embrace and covered her face with kisses. She laughed uncontrollably, almost hysterically, at the realisation of what they had just decided. It was only the first step. But it was immense.

‘Have I told you how much I love you, Miss Mallory Yorksher?’ he whispered breathlessly into her hair.

‘Yes, but tell me again.’ She stared into his loving gaze, eager to hear his words.

‘I love you, no, I adore you, no – I worship you.’ He continued to pepper her with kisses. ‘My beautiful, beautiful Mallory. I can’t wait for you to be my wife and I can’t wait to spend our nights holed up in that little cottage, making love in front of a roaring fire and the wind blowing outside. I don’t care how cliché that sounds. I want the cliché. I want to spend my life with you in our little piece of paradise.’ He uttered the very words she had been thinking earlier. It was as if they were one person with a single mindset. She loved that. She loved him.

*

Sunday was a crisp bright day and Sam had taken Ruby out with him for a run so Mallory headed out to the terraced house that her best friends rented a few streets away. She needed to consult Josie to make sure that she wasn’t completely losing her marbles.

Josie opened the door and stood there in one of Brad’s checked shirts which almost dwarfed her. She leapt at her friend and grappled her into a hug. ‘Hiya, Mally. I was just thinking about you.’

Mallory was tugged into the house by her hand. ‘Oh yeah? How come?’

‘You’ll laugh your head off.’ She nodded towards the TV which was showing some men in a field trying to herd sheep. ‘I was just watching bloody Country File and they were up in Scotland. Guess what? It was chucking down with rain and John Craven had bright green wellies on.’ She giggled. ‘I bet you could see them from outer space.’

‘Bloody hell that’s really spooky. That’s why I’m here.’

Josie’s face crumpled. ‘The outer space wellies? You can probably find them online if you really want some.’

Mallory laughed. ‘No, you muppet. Scotland.’

Josie flopped onto the couch. ‘Oh yeah? Are you going again?’

Mallory hesitated for a moment before slowly lowering herself to the chair next to the fireplace. ‘Erm… well… the thing is… You know how you’re my voice of reason?’

Josie snorted. ‘Ha! Yeah, and it still makes me laugh that you think that.’

‘Well… I don’t know how to say this but… How do you fancy running the Victoria Quarter shop for me?’

Josie sighed and rolled her eyes. ‘Daft bat. I always run it for you when you sod off to Scotland, so I think you know the answer.’

Mallory cringed and paused again before uttering her next words. ‘How about if I sodded off to Scotland permanently?’

Josie fell silent and gawped open-mouthed.

Mallory leaned towards her friend. ‘Josie? Say something.’

Josie gulped. ‘Are you serious? You’re abandoning me? For real? Forever?’

Mallory sighed and shook her head. ‘Don’t say it like that, Jose. I wouldn’t be—’

Josie burst out laughing. ‘God you’re such a gullible Gerty. If I’m honest, I suppose I’m surprised you haven’t done it sooner.’ Her smile disappeared and her eyes became glassy. ‘Look, you bloody love the place. No idea why. Unless theirs is a better quality of rain than what we get in Yorkshire. But honestly… if it’s what you want to do then you should do it.’ She sniffed and wiped at her eyes. ‘You’ve had a pretty tough life, Mally. So many losses. And I know that place makes you feel closer to your dad. You deserve something good. And you deserve to be happy, even if it is with that maple-syrup-swigging Mounty. He adores you.’ She grinned and winked.

It was Mallory who rolled her eyes this time. ‘You know a Mounty is a police officer don’t you? And Sam isn’t one. And that you don’t actually swig maple syrup?’

Josie huffed and folded her arms across her chest. ‘Pfft. Spoilsport. Although I reckon he’d look grand in a uniform, your Sam.’ She grinned again but there was a distinct crease of sadness to her brow. ‘So, when are you planning on buggering off to Scotland?’ Her voice wavered and Mallory’s throat tightened, although Josie’s willingness to selflessly support her friend was a huge relief.

Mallory’s heart ached a little as the weight of what she was considering leaving behind sunk in. ‘Not for a while. Nothing’s definite. Anyway, are you sure you don’t mind?’

Josie snorted again. ‘Are you kidding? Free holidays up north and a business to run? I’m bloody laughing, chick.’

‘So back to what I said earlier, you know, about being my voice of reason? You would tell me if I’d lost the plot wouldn’t you? I mean… am I crazy for even considering this, Jose?’

Josie stood and walked over to crouch before Mallory, taking her hands, she smiled up at her. ‘Absolutely bonkers. But there’s nothing wrong with being a bit crazy every now and then. And you know you’re stuck with me, so if you’re doing this to escape then I’ve got news for you.’

Mallory heaved an emotional sigh. ‘Well we’re going to look at a cottage, but like I said, nothing’s definite yet. I don’t know if I’m brave enough. And there’s you and Brad. You’re my family. It might not even happen.’

Josie laughed. ‘Who are you trying to convince? Look, we’re like sisters, chick, and that didn’t happen by accident. It’s a bond that knows no distance. And like I said, you’re stuck with me for life.’ Wow, that was deep. There was a brief silent pause before Josie spoke again. ‘Can I ask you something?’

Mallory squeezed her hands. ‘Anything.’

Josie chewed on her lip and cringed. ‘Erm… the thing is… our lease is up on this place at the end of the month and we’ve been approved for a mortgage but we can’t find anything we both like… We’ve said loads of times that we’d love a place like yours. Maybe this is a sign? Can… can Brad and I buy Railway Terrace if you relocate?’

Tears stung Mallory’s eyes. ‘It’s perfect. I can’t think of anything I’d love more.’

*

Mallory and Sam hadn’t heard anything about the viewing arrangements over the weekend and it took forever for Monday to come around. Thankfully it was Josie’s day in the shop so Mallory didn’t have to make the journey into Leeds. She would probably have been as much use as an inflatable dartboard. Sam had taken a day’s leave too, which rarely happened. Despite the opportunity for a blissful lie-in with her hunky man, she could fight the excitement no longer and tugged at Sam’s earlobe in a bid to wake him from dreamland. If that hadn’t worked, plan B was to send Ruby in to jump on him in her giddy canine fashion. How can he be asleep when there are things to be done? She stressed.

Sam begrudgingly opened his eyes. ‘What time is it my little Yorkshire puddin’?’ He yawned.

‘Half seven. I couldn’t sleep, Sam, I’m so nervous.’

‘Ya don’t say,’ he mumbled, rubbing his weary eyes.

‘Shall I go and make coffee?’ she urged, leaning in for a kiss.

‘That’d be grrrrand,’ Sam replied, rolling his ‘r’ in his best attempts at a Yorkshire accent.

Bashing him playfully with a cushion, she told him, ‘That accent still needs work, mister.’

Mallory clambered out of bed, scrambled into a pair of yoga pants and a T-shirt and headed down to the kitchen. She was greeted by her giddy little dog who made excited noises and darted back and forth between Mallory and the back door. Mallory let Ruby out and made a pot of coffee in the hope that the aroma would lure Sam from his bed.

When Sam had finally crawled out of bed and spoken to the agent later that morning, it was suggested that it would be best for them to travel up to view the property as soon as possible as there had been a lot of interest from other parties. This was unwelcome news and Mallory’s nerves jangled even more. Since talking to Josie things had become real and the prospect of losing the cottage before they had it filled her with dread.

But Sam didn’t falter. He simply proceeded to book a bed and breakfast a short drive from the Sealladh-mara cottage for them to take a few days break in the area the following weekend. They would have a nail-biting wait, hoping and praying that no one would pip them to the post.

*

After a ridiculously early start to drop Ruby off with Josie and Brad, Mallory and Sam arrived around noon at the B and B they had found, located at Easdale, just along the road from the Atlantic Bridge. The owner greeted them with home-made Scottish shortbread and fresh coffee. Their appointment with the agent wasn’t until one o’clock and so they had an hour to relax in their room. The problem was that Mallory’s nerves were on end and she found it hard to sit still, never mind relax. Her palms were sweating and her heart rate could rival that of someone running a trolley dash. She kept glancing at her watch.

Sam smiled and shook his head. ‘Mally, honey, you’re driving me crazy. Would you please just calm down. We’re here. It’s not long now.’ He pulled her into an embrace on the squashy bed and kissed her. The kiss was enough to temporarily fog her brain into a calm trance-like state as his delicious lips moved over hers. She sighed against his mouth and felt him smile. Suddenly Mallory’s phone began to beep.

‘Ooh, it’s time!’ She leapt from his arms. ‘Come on slowcoach!’ She tugged him by the hands and he allowed her to pull him upright, shaking his head again, a grin firmly fixed on his face.

‘Yup, crazy,’ he muttered to himself.

The drive along the road to the cottage took all of ten minutes. There were jagged rocks rising skyward to Mallory’s left side, with a few houses dotted just in front. She peered out of the window next to Sam as he drove, killing two birds with one stone. On the one hand, she was able to look at Sam’s handsome unshaven profile and on the other she could look over the Firth of Lorne. The winter sun glistened like scattered diamonds on the sea and the rocks way out in the distance looked like a stationary ship that had dropped anchor just off the stunning coastline. She couldn’t help but allow the small smile that had been curling up the corners of her mouth to spread into a full-on grin. Why on earth it took me so long to agree to this I’ll never know.

They passed a pub on their left-hand side. That’s handy, Mallory thought as she appraised the old white building with its wooden outdoor benches. Across from the pub was a small parking area and what looked like a little tourist information hut. The bridge stretched out over to their right. A large beautiful stone structure where she and Sam had stood before and admired the spectacular vista out towards the ocean.

The road curved around to the right and traversed over the hump, but they pulled off to the left onto a little track that ran parallel with the water as it swept along under the bridge and out to sea.

The double-fronted, whitewashed Sealladh-mara Cottage stood looking out over the firth. The little path that led up to the front door was dusted with frost where the sun hadn’t yet reached. They were greeted by the estate agent who was quite young and not what Mallory had expected.

‘Ah, Mr and Mrs Buchanan I presume?’ The suited man held out his hand. ‘Jim Warriner of McTavish and Co.’

‘I wish,’ Sam smiled, shaking the man’s hand. ‘She has agreed to marry me but we haven’t done the deed just yet.’

Mallory blushed and held out her hand. ‘Mallory Westerman. Pleased to meet you.’

‘Well, the door is open, feel free to have a good roam around. I’ll wait in my car so you have some privacy. Oh, and there are still a few bits in there belonging to the owner. He hasn’t quite cleared the place out yet. It should all be done by the end of this week.’

Sam nodded. ‘Great, thanks. We’ll see you soon.’

The estate agent returned to his vehicle and the couple made their way into the house.

They stepped into the entrance hall and were met with two doors, one to the right and one to the left. Straight ahead was the staircase. Mallory reached for the door on the right. She gasped as the door opened onto the lounge. The ceilings were surprisingly high considering the cottage was almost two hundred years old and despite some of the owner’s effects still being dotted around the place, Mallory could mentally place all of their furniture. A brick inglenook fireplace sat under a large, gnarled and pitted oak beam mantle on the wall opposite the door. The log-burning stove stood in the middle of the slate hearth with a thin layer of dust atop it.

‘Oh Sam, it’s a Christmas house,’ she exclaimed, as her eyes travelled around the white walls that were in need of a freshen up.

Sam’s brow furrowed. ‘Sorry, a what now?’

She turned to Sam with an excited grin, her hands splayed out in the air. ‘Okay, imagine this…’ She walked over to the fireplace. ‘The log burner is crackling away with a fresh pine log… there’s an evergreen and berry garland stretched across the mantle…’ She gestured wildly to where the adornment would sit, and then moved to the corner of the room. ‘Over in this corner is a real Christmas tree, not one of those plastic artificial things…’ Her nose scrunched at the thought. ‘No, a real tree trimmed with baubles and beads, filling the air with its fresh scent.’ Glancing over to where Sam stood in the centre of the room, she crouched. ‘Under the tree are little brightly coloured packages, tied up with ribbons, waiting to be opened…’ She rose again and moved back over to the fireplace and waved her hands at the empty floor space. ‘There’s a rug in front of the fire and Ruby’s curled up fast asleep…’ Crouching again, she reached out her hand. ‘Eventually… maybe there’ll be a mini Sam or Mallory sitting, wide-eyed, waiting for Santa to come… although, explaining how he’ll get through a stove may be tricky.’ She laughed as she imagined that scenario. Standing, she moved over towards the door that led through to the kitchen and closed her eyes. ‘There’s a delicious aroma of spiced fruit cake floating through the house…’ Her fingers flickered around in the air. ‘And in the background Bing Crosby is singing about snow…’ She brought her arms around her body and sighed. Breaking herself from her vision, she turned to Sam. ‘Hey, are you okay, honey?’

His eyes had misted over. He strode across the room and wrapped her in his arms. He kissed her forehead. ‘Mally, I can honestly say I can see every little thing you just described and it’s perfect. I can’t wait for it all. I can’t wait to share it all with you. What you described… it kinda took me back to my Christmases at home. My family will love this place. My dad would have loved it.’

She tiptoed to brush his lips with her own and smiled lovingly. ‘You big softy. It’ll be perfect because we get to have this adventure together. And I can’t wait for your family to see it. We have to get this house, Sam.’

He laughed. ‘We haven’t even seen the rest of it yet.’

She shrugged. ‘Don’t have to. I know when something’s right. I just know.’ She pulled away and took his hand.

They walked through the lounge towards the back of the house to find the kitchen. The walls were fitted with rustic pine units and granite worktops, very similar to those at Railway Terraces. It needed freshening like the lounge but it wouldn’t take much. There was enough room for a small table where you could sit and look out over the pretty garden – once it had been tidied up; it was rather overgrown in its current state.

They exchanged smiles and walked from the kitchen almost in a circle back around to another room at the front of the house. This was the dining room they had longed for. There was an open fire in this room too and plenty of space for a large table, right in the middle, which would look wonderful surrounded by friends and family at Christmas time. It would certainly beat dinner on a tray which is what their friends were subjected to when they visited their current home. There was room by the window for Sam’s old writing desk that he had found at an antiques fair in Leeds and the beat-up old leather chair he bought from a charity shop, insisting it was the comfiest thing he had ever sat upon.

Back to the hallway and up the stairs. There were two smaller bedrooms, one to the front and one to the back. Both felt spacious despite the lower than average ceiling heights but they would be fine for guests. One could even be an office. They could decide later. The master bedroom had a small en-suite shower room in one corner and a window that overlooked the little front garden and the view out to the water beyond. It was so beautiful.

‘Wow, Sam. Imagine waking up to that every morning.’ Mallory slid her arms around her fiancé’s waist as he soaked in the view.

‘It really is a beautiful place, Mally. We’ve always loved it here. Since we visited on our first holiday as a couple we always said we wanted to live here eventually. And now we’ve seen this place I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be.’

‘Come on, let’s go look at the bathroom.’ She grabbed his hand eagerly once again and pulled him to the door which led onto the landing and finally the bathroom.

They both stood open-mouthed at the large roll-top bath with its antique brass taps and telephone style shower head. The stone walls had been left exposed, giving the room an old world, rustic feel.

It was Sam’s turn to slide his arms around Mallory. ‘Mmm, I think that tub is big enough for two, honey.’ He nuzzled her neck, sending shivers tingling down her spine.

She turned in his arms and kissed him languorously. ‘I think we need to make that the first thing we try out.’ She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, making him laugh.

Sealladh-mara Cottage had so much potential and the details really didn’t do it justice at all. It felt so much more spacious inside, rather like Doctor Who’s Tardis.

The back garden was totally overgrown, but at the end of a long path was another building – her workshop. Mallory almost ran towards it and Sam dashed after her. She shoved the stiff door open and looked inside. A wave of disappointment washed over her.

‘What is it?’ Sam asked, with a hint of concern in his voice.

‘It’s going to take a lot of work to get this place in a fit state,’ she grumbled

Placing an arm around her shoulder, he leaned close to her ear. ‘Ah, but with your vision, like you had back in the lounge, surely you can see it for what it could be?’

He was right. She had vision and determination. With the pair of them going at it together they could do it. They could make it the perfect place to run Le Petit Cadeau from. Positivity reigned supreme.

The couple reluctantly tore themselves away and handed the keys over to Mr Warriner with a promise to be in touch. Once they were alone again they went for a stroll. The pub was closed but they peered in through the windows and decided it would definitely be a cosy place to spend an evening or two at the fireside with a pint of beer or glass of wine. Continuing on, they stood on the midpoint of the stone bridge and looked out over the Atlantic Ocean.

Sam slipped his arms around Mallory’s waist and pulled her to him. She gazed up into emerald green eyes that sparkled today like she had never seen them before. She was mesmerised.

He kissed the tip of her nose. ‘So whaddya say, Miss Yorksherr? Are we going for it? We would have our favourite bridge right on the doorstep. We could walk up here with Ruby every day and look over that massive expanse of sea and it would be just like it was our own.’

Stroking a finger down his cheek and with no further thought needed, she gave her reply, ‘I say let’s do it.’

After heading back to take one more look at the outside of the cottage, they took a long drive to Glenfinnan to sit by the Loch and take in the view. The air was chilled, but they huddled together and sat on the old tree trunk that had been there for years. As the sun began to descend, they made their way back to the B and B where they were booked in for dinner, seeing as the owner had given them the option on check-in. It meant they could share a bottle of wine and relax whilst they discussed the house.

Sam tucked into his steak. ‘Hey… you okay?’ he asked.

Realising she must have been daydreaming, she lifted her gaze to his. ‘Oh sorry. I think I was back in the cottage for a moment.’ She shook her head as if to bring herself back to the present.

‘And?’

‘Well, all I can say is I never expected it to be so… so…’

He tilted his head. ‘Perfect?’

She nodded. ‘Perfect.’

*

On the morning following their viewing the all-important call was made to put their offer forward. They had both adored the cottage. They just needed to secure it, but unfortunately it was in the hands of fate… well, the estate agent and the owner to be exact.

They arrived home to Yorkshire, collected Ruby and filled Josie and Brad in on the details of their potential new home. Once they were back at Railway Terrace, Sam constantly checked his mobile for missed calls and after hours of pacing the floor, negotiating and nail biting, the call came through from Scotland.

Sam answered his phone and Mallory clung onto the hem of his shirt, anxiously waiting for Sam’s facial expression to reveal the news.

A crease of concentration furrowed his brow. ‘Ahuh… yes… okay… oh, yeah?… hmm… okay, well thanks for all your help Mr Warriner, it’s much appreciated.’ Sam hung up; his face stoic. He closed his eyes, ran his hands through his hair and let out a long breath.

Mallory’s heart sank. Her eyes welled up. The dream was evidently gone.

Sam finally spoke in a low, resigned tone. ‘Well, that’s it I guess.’

Mallory stifled the sob that was desperate to lurch from her throat. ‘I guess so.’ She slumped onto the sofa. Although she had been filled with trepidation about the whole thing initially, to know that it wasn’t happening broke her heart. There were a few moments of silence as she tried to come to terms with the news.

Sam huffed, shaking his head. ‘Yup… I am soooo not looking forward to all the packing.’

Mallory hesitated, pondering that last sentence. She looked up slowly into the face of her beloved, only to see the huge grin that had transplanted itself onto his flawless face.

She stood and whacked his arm playfully. ‘You rotten sod! You utterly mean GIT!’ She screamed as the realisation of the truth dawned on her. She flung herself into the arms of the fibber and burst into floods of warm, ecstatic tears.

*

April 2015

Packing had begun in earnest. Mallory looked around at the boxes that surrounded them both. ‘How on earth did we accumulate so much stuff? You hardly brought anything from Canada and I hardly had anything to begin with.’

‘Beats me, babe. Although, I think most of it’s yours,’ he teased. She threw a cushion at him but he caught it. ‘Want me to pack this?’

Sam pulled the loft ladder down and climbed up. ‘Oh. My. Gosh. Mallory, you thought down there was bad… you ain’t seen nothing yet, baby. Not by a long way.’

Mallory cringed. ‘Oh no. I just keep putting things in there without really thinking. I slide the Christmas decorations just inside the hatch every year but avoid going up there at all costs.’

He lowered his head through the hole in the ceiling. ‘Well, as they say, there’s no time like the present! C’mon. Time for a clear out.’

Mallory groaned at the thought. Grabbing some black rubbish sacks, she climbed the ladder and pulled herself up beside Sam.

He handed her a box, ‘What’s in here I wonder… okay, Mallory’s school stuff is what it says. Should be interesting.’ He pulled out a report card and laughed heartily.

‘What? Oh no what have you found?’ She snatched the card from his grasp. ‘…Mallory has the potential to be a very bright girl, if she would only stop daydreaming long enough to apply herself,’ she read in her poshest voice, mimicking Mrs Gloria Sanders, her prim and proper high school English teacher.

‘Hah! No change there, huh?’ Sam poked her in the ribs, making her scream in shock and punch him on the arm in playful retaliation. ‘We have to keep these to show our children how not to behave,’ he sniggered.

‘Cheeky,’ Mallory retorted dryly. ‘Ooh, what’s in this one?’ She opened the lid and stared inside. ‘Oh wow, these are my mum’s things.’ Mallory lifted her hand to her mouth. She placed the box between them so that Sam could see.

He reached inside and pulled something out. ‘Hey, that’s a photo of you as a toddler. So, sweet. Look at your curls!’

Mallory glanced at the old, faded image. ‘Oh, yes. My mum used to spend hours trying to tame my bird’s nest.’ She took out another and nudged Sam, holding the picture up for him to see. ‘Here’s one of me with my mum.’

‘Hmm, now I see why you ended up so darn gorgeous. She was a beautiful lady, Mally.’

‘She was… I miss her so much. I wish you could’ve met her.’

Sam pulled her to his side and kissed her hair before resting his head on hers. ‘I know, baby, me too.’

‘She would have loved you.’

‘That’s ’cause I’m so loveable.’ He smiled. ‘I’m sure she and I would’ve been great friends.’

Mallory’s eyes began to sting. ‘The thought that she won’t be here to see her grandchildren…’

‘Hey, hey, baby, don’t cry.’ He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her, his own eyes becoming glassy. ‘We’ll make sure that our babies know all about all of their grandparents and how much they loved them even though they never met.’

Mallory sniffed and wiped her eyes. ‘Yes, we will.’

They sorted through several more boxes when Mallory came across some of Sam’s. ‘Hey, how did these get up here? I thought we had dealt with all your stuff?’

‘Ahem… I kinda sneaked a few things through the hatch that I brought back from Canada. I didn’t want you thinking I was taking over your life completely when we got back from my mom’s.’

‘Hmm, very sneaky, Mr Canada. But seeing as I adore you I’ll let it go. And as a matter of fact, I don’t mind you taking over my life completely.’

‘Thanks Miss Yorksherrr.’ He rolled his ‘r’ in that way she loved.

‘That certainly was a memorable trip.’ Mallory paused, staring into space.

‘Which one?’

‘Canada… seeing your mom of course.’

Placing his hand at the back of her head, he pulled her face to his and kissed her deeply. ‘That’s because you agreed to marry me and made me the happiest man alive.’

‘You made me the happiest woman alive by surprising me like that.’

They snuggled together in the loft and reminisced about July 2014 and their life-changing trip.

*

July 2014

They were met at the airport by Renee, Sam’s mom. She was an elegant lady. Tall and slender with grey hair in a stylish bob, which she wore tucked behind her ears. She wore grey pants, a cream round-necked sweater, pale grey cardigan and a set of pearls with matching earrings. Her embrace had been warm and Mallory had liked her instantly. She had said how lovely it was to finally meet the wonderful woman who had deserved to capture her son’s heart.

Sam’s family home was beautiful. Compared to the houses in the UK, it was more of a mansion. The double-fronted façade was so incredibly pretty with its carved portico and shutters. There was a huge apple tree at the front which, Mallory learned, Sam used to climb up if he was sneaking home after his curfew.

The back ‘yard’ as they called it was also tree-lined and larger than any garden Mallory had been in other than at hotels or stately homes. The furniture in the garden was a mix of white-painted wrought iron in the tree-lined seating area and huge modern-looking outdoor wicker sofas on the huge BBQ and patio area.

The inside of the home was very traditional but extremely classy, with its cream walls and antique dark oak furniture. It felt very homey indeed and Mallory was completely at ease despite this being her first time meeting his family.

They spent a wonderful two-week break at the Buchanan family home and Sam had shown her the delights of Kingston. It was a huge town with a mix of architectural style from modern grey concrete buildings to beautiful old stone churches, complete with pretty carvings and fenestrations. The streets were much wider than Mallory was used to and everything seemed to be on a grander scale.

They had met with Sam’s brother Ryan and his lovely, pregnant wife Cara who Mallory had hit it off with straight away. Ryan was a typical big brother; teasing Sam playfully at every given opportunity.

They spent a day at Fort Henry, where Sam had spent many of his school trips; they had braved the chilly waters of the beach at MacLachlan Woodworking Museum with its pretty old log house, before taking a romantic stroll to see the wildlife. It was wonderful. Mallory had felt like she was on her honeymoon.

On the morning of their last full day in Canada, Sam and Mallory lay snuggled together in his old room in his mahogany sleigh bed, surrounded by blue and white striped wallpaper and posters of his childhood sports star heroes,

‘I’ve booked a table for us all to dine at Aqua Terra tonight, baby; it’s a seafood restaurant with fantastic views. I hope that’s okay. Ryan and Cara are coming over too. I thought it’d be a nice way to spend our last night here.’

‘Ooh that sounds good; I remember walking past signs for that place when we were out in Kingston on Tuesday. It sounds lovely.’ Mallory squeezed her man lovingly.

‘We are booked to dine at 8 p.m. so we have all day to do as we please.’ Sam wiggled his eyebrows suggestively as Mallory grinned up at him.

‘Hmm, what will we do, I wonder?’ she asked, kissing his chin lightly.

Sam growled his sexy growl and pulled the covers over their heads. Mallory let out a squeal of delight.

They spent the morning in bed, making love at their leisure. It was divine. In the afternoon, they had gone shopping and Mallory had bought a sexy midnight blue dress that clung to her curves in that sensuous way that Sam just adored. When they had returned home they had shared a luxurious shower, devouring each other’s bodies once again. Then it was time to get ready for dinner.

Sam sat perched on the edge of the bed in his smart black pants, pristine white shirt and black jacket. He waited patiently for Mallory to come out of the bathroom and reveal herself. She first poked her head around the door.

‘Ooooh, Sam, I’m so not sure about this dress,’ she stressed.

He rolled his eyes and shook his head. ‘C’mon, baby, you looked gorgeous in the store, why would now be different?’ he encouraged her.

She stepped, nervously, out of the en-suite bathroom, opened her arms and did a 360-degree turn.

Sam gasped and his pupils dilated. ‘See – you take my breath away.’ He looked genuinely taken aback by her.

Renee had styled her hair, creating a beautiful cascade of chocolate curls falling down from the diamanté clasp on the top of her head. She had applied smoky grey shadow to her eyelids and a glossy pink shade to her lips. The midnight blue dress was off the shoulder and fitted to her knees; very Marilyn Monroe. Her silver clutch and matching high heeled sandals finished off the look with perfection. And in spite of her earlier reservations, the look in Sam’s eyes caused her worries to melt away. In fact she felt like a million dollars.

They arrived at the restaurant and met Ryan, Cara and Renee in the foyer. They exchanged hugs and kisses and then were shown to their table overlooking the waterfront as the sun began to set and the twinkling lights of the boat masts danced like fireflies in the July breeze.

They chatted comfortably, ate escargots, crab and lobster and drank several bottles of Sauvignon Blanc. The house band played romantic tunes in the background. The dulcet tones of the handsome, young male vocalist lilted through the air and many of the restaurant clientele hummed along to familiar tunes like ‘The way you look tonight’ and ‘I’ve got you under my skin’. Taking in her surroundings, Mallory sighed in sheer bliss, knowing that this night couldn’t be any more perfect. The setting, the music and the company were just wonderful and this was shaping up to be the best night of her life so far.

Sam excused himself and rose from the table. Before he left he bent to kiss Mallory on the cheek. As she chatted easily with his family, the music stopped and the band shuffled their sheet music. They began to play again. The music seemed to take on a different tone. This tune had a more modern feel to it. Dum dur dum dur dum dur… the intro sounded familiar. The guitarist plucked the opening notes and a shiver travelled down Mallory’s spine. She looked around the room to see if anyone else had noticed. She did recognise those opening bars; it was the beginning of Snow Patrol’s ‘Chasing Cars’. She turned to acknowledge this fact to Sam, but he still wasn’t in his seat. Suddenly there was a hush across the whole restaurant. She realised that all eyes were on the stage.

Slowly she turned and saw Sam standing there, looking scared to death. What the heck is going on? Oh no, he’s not going to sing, is he? Please no! she cringed. Sam wasn’t renowned for his vocal talents. In fact, she had once joked that his voice could curdle milk. Thankfully, the band’s singer began the words that meant so much to the couple whilst Sam stood gazing at Mallory, his hand held out to her, needing her full and undivided attention.

Her eyes welled up with tears at the words she had held dear since their first night together. She rose to her feet and looked down at Renee whose eyes were filled with tears now too. Her hands were clasped in front of her face as if praying and a smile played on her lips. Ryan had a huge grin on his face as he looked up at Mallory and gestured that she should go to Sam; he was in on whatever was happening. The lovely but extremely hormonal Cara sobbed.

She looked back to Sam who still beckoned her to him, the song continued and the magical words floated through the air like feathers on the wind; she began to walk towards him but her legs had suddenly turned to jelly. The singer’s beautiful voice went on coaxing her towards Sam whose gaze never broke from hers. She reached Sam as he stepped down from the stage and took her in his arms.

‘Will you dance with me if I promise not to sing?’ he whispered.

‘Did you ask them to play this?’ she asked, stroking his cheek. He nodded and planted a kiss on her nose. She giggled and slid her arms around his shoulders as they swayed to and fro in time with their song. The moment felt so perfect, even though they were now the centre of attention. All eyes were focused on the besotted couple as they danced. They gazed into each other’s eyes as the song carried on in the background. Suddenly Sam stopped dancing and silently mouthed the words that followed.

New tears sprang from her eyes as the song began to draw to a close. The musicians quieted down until their melody was a faint whisper and the singer’s voice rang clearly out across the room, Sam continued to mouth the words along with the voice that was much better equipped than he to express them musically.

During the last bars of the song, Sam dropped to one knee and with tears tracing the line of his handsome, smiling face, he looked up into the eyes of his beloved, holding aloft a little velvet box containing the most beautiful ring Mallory had ever seen. Her heart raced and her body shook as she gazed down at him and waited for the words she had dreamed of hearing.

He took a gulp of air before he spoke, ‘Mallory Westerman, I can think of no one else I’d rather chase cars with than you. Will you be mine for the rest of our lives? Will you marry me?’ Wrought with emotion he struggled to get the words out.

Mallory stared down at the only man she had ever truly loved and the answer was easy.

‘Yes’

The restaurant erupted into thunderous applause as the couple sealed their engagement with a kiss.

*

April 2015

After spending far too much time in the loft talking about their romantic engagement, they went back to clearing out. Leaving the house was going to be very hard for Mallory but knowing that Josie and Brad’s paperwork was finalised and they would be taking ownership made it that little bit easier. And she was excited about the prospect of a total change of pace and a new adventure with the love of her life.