Page 83 of I Dreamt Of You

“Ask me Jack,” reaching for his hand, “Ask me to be your wife.” His smile is striking, but I think it matches my own. Jack takes both my hands in his, bends down resting his forehead on mine. Then whispers the words I have only ever wanted to hear from this man.

“Millie, will you be mine, for the rest of our lives?” I feel the tingles throughout my body as his words wash over me—words I will never forget.

“Yes,” I whisper back. He climbs on the bed, hovering over me, but careful not to move me too much. We kiss for what feels like an eternity. All of our emotions over the past few weeks came to the surface and combined in one perfect, unimaginable moment.

“I love you so much Millie,” he says taking a breath,

“I love you, Jack,” I say it back, kissing him again, I never want him to let me go.

Jack eventually slides into bed next to me, holding me carefully. After a while we sleep, wrapped up in each other, feeling free and at peace for the first time in a long time, until the nurses come back needing to do their checks.

Jack only left the room that day when the police arrived to take my statement, they answered some of the questions I had, but weren’t that willing to give much out.

Over the next few days, Jack answers all the other questions I had, all while holding my hand or kissing me. He hardly left my side. And when he did it was to make calls to everyone to tellthem I was awake or updating them on my progress. With that information floating about in the world I had visitors all day, and every day until I was allowed to go home. Jack never left my side. He was attentive, caring and everything I have ever wished for in the man I love. Huh sounds funny really when I say it now, I don’t know why I never told him as soon as I knew I loved him, he is the best thing that has ever happened to me.

Em and Dan visited the day after I woke up. When they walked in, Dan almost jumped on me giving me a hug and crying thank yous into my ear. Em stood back and watched with tears in her eyes as she rubbed her tummy, giving me all the evidence I needed to know that they were okay.

When we were done crying and “hugging it out” as Dan called it, they told me they had postponed the wedding. They said they wanted me there and to be able to enjoy the day. So it’s next summer, another twelve months away. Guilt filled me from the inside, I know how much effort they had put into it. And it was all my fault it had been taken away.

“I’m so sorry, it’s all my fault, if I…” I say but Em just looks at me.

“Don’t even say it! Me and Dan have decided to postpone, not just because we want you there with us, but I don’t want to be pregnant when I get married, I want to really enjoy myself and have a drink! God I miss wine, Mike says his sales have gone down since I became pregnant.” She laughs and I laugh with her, holding my side a little.

“Sorry, are you ok?” She scrunches her face up knowing it hurts like hell when I move. They didn’t stay long and were replaced by Charlie. Jack left us to it, to head off to find something for dinner. Charlie just sat with me, hardly spoke, but held my hand. She looked so sad.

“Charlie, please don’t blame yourself for this. This was not your fault.” She shakes her head, lowering it slightly, looking at her hands.

“If I had been a better friend and just stuck with you all those years ago, then you being hurt again could have all been avoided.”

“If that had happened then I would never have met Jack again, I wouldn’t wish what happened to me on anyone else Charlie, but it’s made me who I am.” She looked up at me, tears in her eyes, and guilt being replaced by admiration.

“You are pretty amazing!” She laughs a little. “He does really love you, you know. Did you know he never left your side once while you’ve been in here. He stopped working and left Dan in charge of everything. He even had Dan, Em and me running around picking things up for him and you to bring in, he refused to leave you on your own. He wanted to be there when you woke up, you scared us Millie.” I had guessed as much, and it makes me love him back so much more. I need a change in conversation before we both end up crying.

“Enough about me, how are things with you?” We fall into an easy conversation about Owen, and how hot and cold he has been with her. She said that was it for them, she didn’t need the hassle of it. She’s concentrating on her new flower shop and giving men a miss for a while. I have a feeling there is more to the story than she’s letting on. I’ll ask her again when I’m home.

When she leaves, Jack comes back with dinner, we watch a movie, a rom-com, his choice I may add. When he climbs into bed with me, his hands sneak beneath the covers and hold me tight. Well as tight as he can with my wounded side.

“I can’t wait to get you home and fully recovered. I’m not touching you anymore than this, until the doctors have said you are good as new.” His hands tease my thighs, sending those delicious tingles all over me.

“Well, that’s disappointing, I was hoping for some hospital fun,” I joke, kissing his cheek I sneak my hand down into his joggers, but he pulls it back out before I can even wrap my hand around it.

“Believe me, it’s not easy, all I want to do is wrap you around me and…nope.” He stops abruptly, his voice husky and low, like it’s taking all of his control to hold back. “I now need a cold shower.” I laugh but I know how he feels.

The day I left the hospital, Jack said he had a surprise for me. I don’t need surprises, not after everything that’s been going on, then waking up to find an engagement ring on my finger.Huh…I guess I like some surprises more than others.

We both agreed I was never going back to the cottage; it held weird memories for both of us. Good and bad I suppose after we found out Glen has been letting himself in and moving things around, messing with my head. It’s a shame but Jack has said he’ll be able to let it out as part of the manor hotel. I didn’t want to be in the hotel either so that didn’t leave us with a lot of options.

We have been talking about places I or we could stay, or live or even buy now that the money had gone through from my parents’ estate, but Jack had another idea. He told me about his parents, and how after his father died, they sold the house they had been brought up in, and that he and Em both bought houses with the inheritance once the sale had gone through. It’s how he managed to start his business.

The drive from the hospital to the house is only half an hour, and as we pull up in front of it, well my mind has been blown! It’s beautiful.

It’s like the cottage I was staying in, but ten times the size, and twice as unique, he’s been working on it for years apparently, restoring all the original features, but updating everything else. Bringing it back to life. It’s stunning. Set in the middle of a hugegarden, trees and flowers surrounding it, with a gravel drive, walking around I take a peak round towards the back, I can see it even comes with a sea view. Just from the outside, the cottage has me feeling relaxed already, it feels like home.

“This is it…Happy Belated Birthday!” He gestures towards the huge cottage, while holding me tight against his side. “This is for us, if you say yes, we can live here together, you and me, just us. What do you think?”

I just smile, taking in the house and then him, this man, he is everything I have ever wanted and everything I didn’t know I needed in my life. All wrapped up in one sexy as hell package just for me. I take in a deep breath, turning around a little more to face him.

“Yes, yes, yes!” I cry at him, planting my hand on his firm chest. “But I’m paying for half!” I smile at the man in front of me, happy tears rolling down my face this time. He engulfs me in his arms, careful not to hold on too tight, kissing my tears as they fall.

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