Page 56 of Forever Ink

“I am. I think it’s a great idea, I’ll always love the farm, but Grandad’s right. The place has a lot of mixed memories for me too, and I’ll always carry the good memories here.” I said, rubbing my chest.

“I’m glad. It’s just you’ve seemed a little distracted.” Simon looked at me, concern easily seen in his amber eyes.

“I’m very good. I promise. It’s been an amazing trip, and I got myself a husband for Christmas, didn’t I?” I wasn’t lying. I was happier than I’d ever been. Susan’s call, while upsetting, had also made me see yet again what Simon had always told me. I was stronger than I thought, and I could deal with her when the time came.

Simon laughed, his strong arms wrapping around me tightly. “You did, baby bear. You did indeed.”

Back in the sitting room, it was a jumble of wrapping paper and puppies. Magnus had let the pups escape the whelping box and come join in the festivities. Lizzie sat curled between Grandad and Magnus’s chairs, catching a well-earned nap. The littlest pup with the flopped ear, the one I had started calling Ollie and the one I secretly hoped Simon would let me have, bounced and fell over his own paws as he ran towards me. I couldn’t help but shoot Simon a hopeful look.

“Still too young to leave their mum, love,” Simon answered, but he didn’t say no, did he? I was going to take that as a definite maybe.

“That’s not a no,” I hedged.

“Face it, lad. In a few weeks’ time you’re going to end up with a puppy in that flat of yours. Sounds like it’s about time you found something larger for the two of you.” Magnus poked, smiling. A small smile crossed Daddy’s face before he shook his head.

“Don’t encourage him, Dad.”

“It’s what I do. Part of the job description.”

Simon sighed, grabbing me by the waist and leading me over towards the sofa. “Something tells me I’m going to lose this battle.”

“It’s not a battle, Daddy, if it wasn’t a war to begin with.” I cuddled Ollie to my chest, where he belonged.

Chapter 21

SIMON

The drive back to Tewsbury was slower than when we’d headed to the farm, the melting slush from the last few days’ snowfalls making the roads slippery, and I took my time. I would rather the trip take an extra hour than risk my precious cargo.

Rhys looked happy if slightly distracted. Turning the wheel to avoid hitting a pothole, I glanced at the ring on my finger and couldn’t fight the grin that spread across my face. I was engaged. I was going to marry the most wonderful man in the world. Well, okay. I was wildly biased, but it still stood true. With the ring on my finger and the delicious ache in my arse, I felt settled in a way I hadn’t known was possible.

An idea I’d had for a new tattoo for Rhys solidified as my brain bounced around happily at the new changes in our relationship, and I was suddenly itchy to get my hands on pen and paper. It wouldn’t take me long to draw up the design, and if Rhys was happy with it I would finally get the chance to lay ink on my boy’s skin. I was man enough to admit I’d felt more than a little prick of jealousy that Mouse got the honour of giving Rhys his first tattoo, but he’d done a brilliant job, and I knew that I would have been a bunch of worried daddy nerves doing that first one myself.

“Baby bear? Umm, how would you feel about some new ink?” I asked as the idea became more firmly settled in my brain.

Rhys sat up, his eyes shining with excitement. “Today? Holy shit, yes!”

“Language, Rhee. And maybe not today, I want to draw up the sketch first, but I was thinking of maybe a tattoo of your mum’s guitar with her favourite flowers.” I kept my eyes on the road, but risked a glance only to see a huge smile spread across Rhys’s face.

“Daddy, that would be perfect.” Rhys started to bounce and hum.

“Okay, baby, that’s the plan, but I need you to sit still for a bit and let Daddy focus on driving.”

Rhys flashed a cheeky grin. “Fine, but there goes my idea about road head.”

I caught myself before I stamped on the brake, flashing Rhys a stern look. “That is not how you let Daddy focus on the road, baby bear.”

“Fine, I’ll behave.” Rhys gave me a quick smile in my direction. “But I still think road head would be something fun to while away the hour.”

“Are you trying to give me a coronary? Be a good boy, and maybe one night I’ll take you up to the point on the back of my bike and then fuck you under the stars.” I lowered my voice into what Rhys liked to call my no-nonsense daddy tone.

Rhys tapped his fingers against the dash in a soft rhythm. It was one of the things I loved about my boy. He was always in musical motion, be it humming a song while he coloured, singing while doing the dishes, or sitting quietly playing his guitar. Music was such a strong part of who he was, much like my art and work at the studio. The design of his tattoo I had planned was perfect.

Rhys stopped drumming his fingers to reach over and touch my hand. “I have to talk to you about something.”

“If this is about the puppy, baby bear, I’ve promised you I’d think about it.” Which was true, but I’d also arranged for Dad to bring the pup down in two weeks, once I’d had another conversation with Mrs Cowan about Tulip Cottage. She’d phoned on Boxing Day to say that she would happily sell to me, and we’d work out the numbers once I was back in town. I still wanted Rhys to see the place before I signed off on buying it, but I had little fear that Rhys wouldn’t love the cottage as much as I already did.

“Ah no, though I want to say I know you are going to make the sensible decision about that.” Rhys said with gravity.

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