Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 89183 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 89183 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 446(@200wpm)___ 357(@250wpm)___ 297(@300wpm)
Mari was also bubbling with excitement. She said, “The first reading retreat starts Wednesday, and it’s just the first of many.” Now she raised her glass. “I want to thank all of you for helping us get the cottages ready in time. To the Sullivans.”
After they’d all sipped, Malcolm’s mother spoke up. “If you ever need anything, all you have to do is ask.”
It was so touching, Josie thought. Amazingly, the retreat was only a few days away, and in spite of all the work they’d had to do, the cottages were going to be ready. She could hardly wait to welcome the first guests.
And then, with the toasts out of the way, it was time to eat her first Sunday roast.
When Malcolm offered to serve her, she took some of everything. How could she resist? It all looked so delicious—roast beef, roast potatoes, cauliflower with cheese sauce, grilled vegetables drizzled with gravy, plus big, fluffy Yorkshire puddings.
Around a mouthful of beef, Tom asked, “So, Josie, are you planning to stay on Malcolm’s houseboat, or will you—”
“She’s staying on my boat.”
Josie turned to Malcolm, a bit surprised at his insistence and the fact that he hadn’t even let Tom finish his question. They hadn’t actually talked about whether or not they’d move in together right away.
“And I take it your flat’s out of commission for a while still?” Tom asked, one eyebrow raised.
Malcolm seemed to glare at his brother. “As far as I know, that’s the case. But I wasn’t planning on returning to it anyway.”
Again, this was news to Josie. They’d been so busy with the cottages and then making love once they were back at the boat, plus keeping up with their two businesses, that they hadn’t really discussed the logistics of how this would work. Only that they were together now.
She didn’t know why it worried her, but it felt like things were moving so quickly. Shouldn’t this be what she wanted? For them to fall head over heels for each other and never want to be apart? But the thing was, with Malcolm she wasn’t convinced it was quite that easy. After all, he’d been a lone wolf for pretty much his entire life. For him to want to switch that abruptly, well, she wasn’t going to say it felt forced. It was more that she wasn’t quite sure it rang completely true. She didn’t doubt his feelings for her. On the contrary, she knew how much he cared. He told her and showed her constantly. But she also understood that just because you decided something didn’t mean that it was simple to just switch to it overnight.
Which was only reinforced when Tom next asked, “And the job? Are you chucking that in too? Not that I don’t think you should, because I’ve wondered how you’ve managed to stick it out in an office that long.”
There seemed to be a bit of a rivalry between the two brothers, maybe because they were so close in age, or maybe because Tom didn’t tiptoe around Malcolm quite as much as everyone else did. They were all honest with him, but Tom seemed more likely to go straight to the heart of things. Almost as though he was trying to provoke a response.
“The more I think about it,” Malcolm said, “the more I’m starting to wonder if it’s time for a career change. Back to working with my hands.”
Yet again, this wasn’t something they’d discussed. Of course, she knew that he really enjoyed working on the cottages, and she also knew that his work wasn’t nearly as fulfilling as it had once been. But the fact that he might not only decide to change his relationship patterns with her but also to switch careers, all in one fell swoop?
Unsettled sensations swirled low in her gut. But maybe this was just her own fears popping up. Maybe this was just being worried that she would be hurt again. But he had promised he wouldn’t hurt her. That was one of the first things he had said to her after they’d started to connect. And she believed him. So then, why did her smile feel slightly forced as everybody chimed in on what a pleasure it had been to work on the cottages and what a great job she and Malcolm had done? This time, his hand was the one going to her lap. And under the table, she clasped it, as though she was trying to hold on to the sweet feeling she had whenever it was just the two of them and they weren’t thinking about the real world.
When the meal was over, she insisted on helping with the cleanup. And it was lovely drying dishes at the sink with Malcolm and his mother and father. She just wished she could shake off that slight sense of unease. Would her past relationship battles always be with her? Or would she one day be able to embrace love without fear at all?