SATURDAY DAWNED BRIGHT and clear. Ali woke with fresh hope tinged by apprehension; what if she made a fool of herself? Pushing any negativity from her mind she fed Daisy and by eight thirty she was walking along the shore with the baby in a sling while Freckles ran in front of them, sniffing out any interesting scents she could find.
The air was fresh and clear with a definite autumnal nip. Ali breathed in deeply, taking in the scents and sounds of the sea as it rushed up the shore, trying to think of anything other than tonight, when in truth it was the only thing inside her head. As she reached the top of the cliff path she stopped and looked back. She could see Cove Cottages way below her, perched almost at the edge of the sand but securely built on limestone rock. Someone was walking along in front of the cottages; the breath caught in her throat and her heart beat overtime. It was Tom—Tom and Snowy heading past her cottage. Would he stop and look to see if she was there?
He hesitated, calling for Snowy, or pretending to and then he went on his way, walking quickly. Was there really any point in tonight, she wondered, or was she just going to look like a fool? “Oh Daisy,” she said, leaning down to touch her lips to the baby’s head. “I think that Mummy might be making a big mistake.”
Heading back toward her cottage she tried to hang on to the positivity she’d felt when she outlined her idea to Lily. It had taken months for Tom to finally begin to believe in her and now even Ned had come around...until Jake turned up and made Tom question everything. Never give up, Lily told her, but despite those three brave words doubts began to invade her determination; perhaps she should just give up on loving Tom and walk away.
That was impossible, though, she realized, for true love didn’t let go of you that easily and she wasn’t ready yet to give in gracefully either. Perhaps Tom didn’t love her enough to overcome his issues but at least she’d have given it her best shot. Tonight, she decided, she really was going to go all out for it. After that she didn’t care.
* * *
FOR ALMOST AN hour Ali went through her wardrobe, changing from one outfit to another and back again. She wanted to look her best, to appear honest and reliable. In the end she chose a simple blue above-the-knee dress that showed off her slim, tanned legs, with navy heels for that bit of elegance. She even took longer deciding what Daisy should wear, but by eight o’clock they were ready. Loading the baby into her car seat she almost had second thoughts.
“It’s our one last chance, Daisy,” she said determinedly, tucking her blanket around her. “And all I have to do now is speak from the heart and hope.”
* * *
ALI HADN’T REALIZED how busy Bobby’s memorial would be. Of course, he’d been a very popular character around here so obviously there were going to be lots of people who wanted to come and remember him.
The sound of laughter trickled through the bar from the function room at the back of the pub. Holding Daisy close for comfort, she took a deep breath and headed for the doorway. She’d timed it so that the tributes to Bobby were finished and the food was about to be served. That way she could get everyone’s attention.
Lily was waiting by the door. “Just a few more minutes,” she said. “Dad’s about to say something about Bobby and then I’m going to step up and tell them that there’s one more person wanting to speak.”
Ali looked around nervously. “Do you know if they read the book?”
Lily nodded eagerly. “Yes and they loved it. Mum was crying and even Dad shed a few tears when he finished it... It’s going to be okay, Ali, I know it.”
“I wish I was as confident as you,” Ali groaned. “This is beginning to feel like a really bad idea.”
“No it’s not,” Lily insisted. “Look, Dad’s nearly finished... I’m going in now, Ali. You ready?”
“Well I’ll never be ready but I am going to give it my best shot.”
A hush fell over the room as Jed Roberts went to sit down and Lily took the moment to announce another speaker. When Ali walked in clutching Daisy in her arms a low rumble of surprise rippled through the gathered crowd. Ignoring it, Ali walked to the front of the room with her head held high.
“I am here,” she began. “Because, like all of you, I cared for Bobby...as a good friend. He helped me when I was in a bad place and I would do anything to undo what happened that day on the boat. I wrote A Fisherboy’s Tale for all the Roberts family. I wrote it from the heart in memory of Bobby so that we can all read it and remember him forever.”
Ali hesitated then, glancing across at Tom; their eyes met briefly but the connection lasted merely a second before he looked away. She took a deep breath, trying to control the rapid beating of her heart. “A Fisherboy’s Tale has also been read by an editor from one of the big publishing houses,” she went on. “He is keen to publish it in book form but as I have officially handed the ownership of the book to Jed, Grace, Tom, Ned and Lily, what happens to it now is their decision. It can stay just within the family or, if they choose, it can be published and any money it makes could be used to do something that Bobby would have wanted.”
A ripple of appreciation ran around the room at her words, but she lifted her hand to stop it.
“I don’t want thanks,” she said. “It’s a small thing to do for Bobby after the enormity of the tragedy that ended his life...and I’ll always feel some responsibility for that. For what it’s worth, I know I should never have gone on the boat that day and I’d do anything to undo what happened... This is a small gesture I know, but it’s all I have.”
The room fell silent then, all eyes on Ali as she spoke from the heart. “I came here, to Jenny Brown’s Bay, on Bobby’s suggestion, to try and get my head straight about my marriage breakdown. I didn’t know when I came here that I was going to be a mum and I don’t know how Daisy survived my fall into the ocean, but she did and she’s here and I love her. My marriage is over forever and I love the way of life here in Jenny Brown’s Bay, Tom, no matter what you may think.”
Everyone turned then to look at Tom, who was staring at her in shock. Ned and Jed stepped up beside him to stop him from making any attempt to leave, and as Ali looked at him across the room with her heart in her eyes, somehow he couldn’t look away.
“I also want you to know, Tom Roberts,” she said. “In front of all your friends and family—I love you with all my heart, and if you still have doubts about me then I swear that I never have and never will be untrue. I hope Bobby’s book can make a difference in some way and...and, Tom, with...or without me, I hope you find happiness.”
When the whole room went suddenly silent she felt the pressure of tears behind her eyes. She’d read the situation all wrong and behaved like a fool. A gasp rippled around the room as she turned and fled with Daisy clutched close against her chest and tears rolling down her face.
Grace and Lily were the first to move. “Tom,” Grace pleaded. “Make this right.”
It was full dark when Ali ran out into the night, with not even the sliver of a moon to break through the shadows. She hadn’t thought about what would happen after she had her say, but she hadn’t reckoned with that awful shocked silence either. They were probably all laughing now at her needy, pathetic speech.
Grace appeared beside Ali as she fumbled for her car keys, placing her hand firmly on her shoulder. “Let me take Daisy,” she said. “Please. You and Tom need to talk.”
“No,” Ali turned determinedly back toward her car, her fingers shaking as she withdrew her key. “It’s too late... All I’ve done is to make a fool of myself. I should have just left without saying anything.”
“Give the baby to me,” Grace repeated, holding out her arms. “I’ll look after her so you don’t need to worry. You have to see this through.”
Silently Ali handed Daisy over. “But what if...” she began.
“Just go and find him,” Grace urged. “And, Ali...”
“Yes...?” Her whole body trembled.
“We all loved the book. Thank you so much for the memories.”
As Grace went back inside with Daisy, Ali stepped into the shadows. What if he didn’t want to talk to her? What if he didn’t even come and she had to walk back inside to get Daisy and face all those people.
A beam of light cut through the darkness as the door to the pub opened and suddenly there he was, his familiar figure outlined by its warm yellow glow. Ali stood motionless in the darkness, a tide of emotion rising inside her. He stepped forward, looking around. “Ali,” he called. “I’m...I’m sorry...”
To Ali it felt as if a dam had burst inside her. She stepped into the light, her eyes focused on his face. “It’s I who should be sorry,” she said quietly.
His response was to open his arms and she walked into them as if it was the most natural thing in the world. “Oh Ali,” he murmured as she laid her head against his shoulder, breathing in his fresh, spicy scent. “It was so brave...your speech, and it made me feel so ashamed. I should have trusted you...trusted us.”
Drawing back, she looked up into his eyes. “Do you trust us now?” she asked.
He cupped her face between his hands. “To the end of the earth and back,” he said, touching his lips to hers.
She responded by gently returning his kiss. “I love you, Tom Roberts,” she whispered. “I think I’ve loved you forever and I’m so sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused.”
He held her close against his heart. “I love you, Ali Nicholas, more than you know, and it was life that caused the troubles we’ve had, not you. The past is behind us now, though, it’s tomorrow that really counts. I know that now and I know with every part of me that I want to spend all my tomorrows with you...so...” He looked down into her face with a dark intensity in his eyes.
“So... What?”
“Marry me...please, Ali. You and Daisy, I just want us to be a family and...”
Gently she placed her fingers over his lips. “Stop rambling, Tom, and kiss me.”
He wrapped his arms tightly around her, holding her so close that she felt as if they were one being, and she let out a sigh of pure happiness. In the moment when his lips reached hers, she held back, smiling up at him. “Yes, yes, yes,” she cried. “I will marry you, Tom. I love you to the moon and back and I’m never going to let you go again.”
His lips finally found hers with a passion that left her breathless. “And now,” he said, taking her hand and drawing her back toward the pub. “Let’s go find our baby and tell everyone our news.”
They were met by cheers and hoots of joy from the crowd that had gathered outside, and in front of them all Tom kissed her again before putting his arm about her shoulders and turning to face them. “I’d like you all to meet my wife-to-be,” he said, looking at Ali with such pride that she felt the tears begin again.
Finally, she realized, she was home.
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from Alaskan Hideaway by Beth Carpenter.
Join Harlequin My Rewards today and earn a FREE ebook!
Click here to Join Harlequin My Rewards
http://www.harlequin.com/myrewards.html?mt=loyalty&cmpid=EBOOBPBPA201602010003