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“I can’t believe it!” Christie jumped up and down, and then ran toward the driveway, just as Martin appeared from around the back of the car. Like a bullet, Randall raced past everyone, straight to Christie, and she leaned down to hug him. He whimpered and wiggled in joy, licking her face as she told him how much she’d missed him.
“Does this happen often?” Thomas asked Martin. Christie looked up at them, Martha with her arms open, Thomas shaking his head, and Martin grinning. “All the time.” Martin replied. “She has her priorities right.”
As much as she wanted to fly into his arms, it was Martha who she went to first, once she’d extricated herself from doggie kisses.
“My darling!” Martha embraced Christie and kissed her cheek. “You beautiful child! I have missed you so very, very much.”
“Stop hogging her.” Thomas complained. “What about me, young lady?”
“Oh, Thomas, I can’t believe you’re both back!” Christie dived at him and he laughed as he enfolded her in a bear hug, almost swinging her off her feet. Randall ran around them both.
“See, Martha. This is what you’ll have to get used to. Randall really only cares about them.” Martin put an arm around Martha’s shoulders.
“So I see,” she said. “Shall we go?”
“Don’t you dare!” Christie slid away from Thomas and turned to Martin. “Hi.”
“Hi.” He held out a hand and she accepted the invitation. He kissed her and tiny sparks of electricity lit up her nervous system. When she opened her eyes, it was to look straight into his own dark pools so often unreadable. Not now. There was promise and desire in their depths.
“My God.” Thomas stared at the open front door. “What have you done?”
“I remember the front door.” Martha put her hand on Thomas’ arm. “Oh. I remember everything, Tom.”
“Granddad, I should have warned you.”
“It is just a door.” Strain coloured Thomas’ voice.
Martin and Christie exchanged a worried glance. “Okay, before this gets out of hand, I insist you step through my front door, Thomas!” Christie took his hand and tugged. He stayed where he was. “Hey, trust me,” she pleaded.
Something about her tone of voice got his attention and he let her lead him to the steps. She released his hand and stood back with a smile. “It’s something good, I think.”
As though to humour Christie, Thomas stepped into the entry way. There was a moment of silence, then “Martha! Martha come quickly.”
Martha almost broke into a sprint to reach him and Christie grabbed her arm to steady her up the steps, Martin right behind.
“What is it, dear? Oh, my.”
Thomas had his arm over Martha’s shoulders and she had hers around his waist. They surveyed the paintings on the walls and on the table. Martha found him a tissue and he brushed away tears.
“Granddad?”
“You’re not in trouble. So it isn’t granddad.” Thomas emerged with a look of wonder. “Someone had better explain this.”
“Nobody knows for sure, but it seems your father sealed the paintings in. When Barry took the cupboard out, there they were.” Christie said.
“And brushes and paints, Thomas.” Martin added.
Martha followed Thomas back onto the lawn, holding tightly onto his arm. “What a day.”
“And this probably isn’t the best time, but, well I want to offer you both the cottage. As a gift from me.” Christie rushed the words. “It’s almost completely renovated with new appliances and—”
“Darling,” Martha interrupted. “This is your home.”
“Yes. But if you would live here... if you feel you could live here, then nothing would make me happier than to gift it to you both.”
“It’s not as though she’ll be living here for long.” Martin threw in and Christie turned a startled look at him. “Probably not even for another day.”
“I won’t? Okay. Yes, Martin.”
“Yes, Martin? What have you been doing to this poor child?” Thomas asked, winking at Martha. “Martha and I will talk about it.”
With a huge smile, Christie hugged him, and then Martha. “Go inside and see!” She insisted.
Alone with Martin, she stole a glance at him. “You want me to move in with you?”
“Randall does.”
“Oh. Randall does. Well, I’d better make him happy then.”
Martin reached for Christie.
***
Music and laughter filled Palmerston House. The fountain bubbled its ever-changing coloured water and fairy lights decorated the long verandah. Inside, people danced and talked, toasted each other, and swapped stories about the night of the storm. With Thomas and Martha home, there was extra joy and celebration.
Elizabeth watched on with pride as her friends shared this wonderful evening, enjoying the bounty of food she’d prepared with the help of Angus, Sylvia, and Belinda, who was home for the occasion.
“Thank you so much, Elizabeth!” Christie appeared from the kitchen with a tray of bite-sized quiches. “Palmerston House looks magnificent and you also look stunning.” She kissed Elizabeth on the cheek.
“Me? Oh, thank you. You are the guest of honour, by the way, and should let me take that around.”
“Not a chance. Anyway, I think someone is going to ask you to dance.” Christie grinned as Angus approached. “Aren’t you, Angus?”
“What was the question?”
“Elizabeth wants to dance.”
“Christie! I did not say that—”
“What a good idea. Shall we?” Angus offered his arm. Elizabeth gave Christie a perturbed look, but took his arm, and they ventured onto the dance floor.
“Are you matchmaking again?” Martin was right behind Christie, leaning down to kiss her neck.
“Umm, no, they did that all by themselves. Just helping a bit.” What he was doing to her was not helping her concentration and the tray tilted.
“I’ll do that! You can take the world’s-best-bakery-person out of River’s End, but not River’s End out of... actually, that doesn’t make sense. But I’ll take it.” Belinda grabbed the tray. “And it is just as well that someone else caught that awful man before I did!”
“You said that earlier.” Christie reminded her with a grin. “I didn’t encourage you to go to beauty school to come up with ways to turn hair straighteners into weapons.”
“Well, I might need to protect myself one day. Anyway, you two go back to whatever you were... umm, doing.”
“Hey, nothing!” Christie said to Belinda’s back. “I’ve missed her.”
“Christie. Let’s talk.”
“Oh no. See, we did this when Thomas married Martha and... okay, I’m coming.”
Martin climbed the staircase to the top step, where he sat. Christie joined him and for a moment, they watched the party below. Barry and Sylvia chatted by the window. Trev and Charlotte were deep in a rather animated discussion. Angus and Elizabeth danced rather close to each other.
Daphne and John held hands, making Christie smile. “Daphne told me that John wants to sell up the agency and get a caravan. It was a bit of a confusing conversation and she told me she never liked her high heels anyway. I love her.”
“I love you.” Martin touched Christie’s cheek. “Tomorrow, let’s set a date. No later than spring.”
Christie nodded, her eyes wide. The music and sounds of the party were distant. All she could see was Martin, every inch of her body alive with love and longing.
“We’ve been through hell, you and me.” Martin played with Christie’s fingers, turning her hand to look at her ring. “When I couldn’t find you, I thought... I couldn’t have gone on.”
“You found me.”
“Yes. And I found myself, as well. Sweetheart, loving you makes me a whole man. Not a man with a hole in his soul. I’m not good with words or feelings, Christie.”
“I disagree.”
“Of course you do.” He kissed her with such tenderness that she melted against him. Randall trotted up the steps and stared at them. He whined and Martin reluctantly lifted his head. “Your timing is appalling, dog.”
“Do you think Thomas and Martha will take the cottage?” Christie watched them dancing slowly, their eyes on each other as if they were the only people in the room.
“I do. Which means you need to vacate the property. Tomorrow.”
“Are you sure you’re ready for me to be with you all day, every day? And night?”
“Am I sure? I’ve been waiting for you since those guys got married. Even if you work away from home sometimes, I’ll always be here.”
“Oh. Meant to tell you. I bought the hairdressers and am going to turn it into a beauty salon. One day Belinda will come work for me.” Christie’s eyes sparkled.
“You’re sure?”
“I can’t wait.”
Randall tired of the lack of attention and forced his way between them.
“Do you think this is like having a child?”
“Or two. Maybe three.” Martin wrapped his arms around Christie and Randall. “Let’s give ourselves time before we find out though. At least a few months.”
Deep contentment flowed into Christie. We’ll show them Vela and Carina. Jasmine Sea would be their second home and the open sea a place to explore. This town was her family. Martin tightened his hold on her and she closed her eyes with a smile.