Page 157 of The Love Position

Taking her hand, he placed it on his chest. ‘This is yours, and—’ he broke off and inclined his head at the room around them, ‘—this is yours. Everything I have, I want to share with you.’

Anxiety prickled like a thistle against Sophia’s skin. How could they find anywhere as perfect as this if the bypass went ahead?

His forehead creased. ‘What is it? What’s wrong?’

She swallowed. ‘You might lose your beautiful home…’

He grinned and leapt off the bed.

‘Where are you going?’

‘Two secs,’ he replied, disappearing out the door.

He returned a moment later with a tri-folded piece of paper and passed it to her.

Sophia scanned the text, her pulse quickening. ‘They’re not going ahead!’

Isaac sat beside her. ‘I could pretend that all the letters worked, but I think what swung it was the fact it would have also affected Foxbrooke Haven. One of the residents, Shirley, got the bit between her teeth and organised a campaign effective enough to win a general election.’

Sophia stared at him, excitement fizzing through her.

‘Shirley’s husband, Robert, wrote the kind of legal correspondence that would make anyone pause for thought, and the two of them led a protest at the council offices, culminating in around twenty of them storming a private meeting.’

‘What? But aren’t they…’ she trailed off.

Why would they lose their fire just because their hair is white?

Isaac laughed. ‘I don’t think there’s a situation more terrifying than a bunch of octogenarians with placards and Zimmer frames. Doris doesn’t even need to use a walker, but she borrowed it to help block the door and prevent the councillors from escaping.’

‘Oh, my god!’

‘Shirley said they hadn’t had that much fun in years. She told me they were chanting “we shall not be moved” louder than football supporters.’

Sophia held her tummy as she giggled.

‘Erica, the manager of Foxbrooke Haven, filmed it and sent the video to the local press. It went viral and I think that was the final nail in the coffin for the project.’

Isaac shook his head. ‘To think, I spent so much time talking to big-shot City lawyers, when all it took was a bunch of rowdy eighty-year-olds to make everything go away.’

‘That’s amazing. I hope I get to meet them.’

‘You will. The moment I tell them about you, they won’t stop badgering me until I bring you over. And also, if they know you’re real, maybe Doris will stop pinching my bum.’

Sophia’s cheeks were hurting from laughing so much. ‘They sound incredible.’

Isaac grinned. ‘They are. They’re my naughtiest students by a country mile.’

‘Well, thanks to them, your peace and quiet in paradise is guaranteed.’

He hesitated. ‘About that…’

Her eyes widened. ‘Oh god, am I too noisy? Too much?’

‘What?’

Isaac appeared completely confused, as if she’d just informed him she was a werewolf and had to be locked in a silver crate every full moon.

‘I…’ she stammered.

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