Page 58 of A Summer Wedding at Pennycress Inn
‘Yes, I really mean it. All of it. And I haven’t been one hundred per cent sure of anything before, not as much as I am now. We’ve wasted too many years being apart, and I don’t want to waste another single second.’
‘I don’t either.’ Letting out a laugh, she clamped her hand over her mouth as Claudette shifted position, freeing herself from Murray’s grasp.
‘Claudette, there you are! You naughty little thing!’ Nicola’s voice filled the air as Claudette ran down the garden path into her arms. ‘Thanks, Murray. Thanks, Ellie.’
Tearing his eyes from her, Murray called towards Nicola. ‘Do you need a hand?’
‘No, I’m fine, thanks. Charlie’s here now.’ Nicola and Claudette disappeared from view, the warm summer evening filling with the gentle birdsong from the birds flittering between the cottage gardens.
Standing up, Murray held out his hands towards Ellie.
Placing her hands in his, Ellie let herself be pulled to standing. ‘I love you too, Murray.’ Feeling his arms envelope her body, Ellie allowed herself to believe again. She allowed herself to believe in Murray, to believe in a future with him and to believe that true love could exist.
31
After pulling into the small car park behind the inn, Ellie stepped out of the car and walked around to her boot. Opening it, she stood with her hands on her hips and looked at the five dress bags containing the little wedding outfits for Laura’s nieces and nephews. She couldn’t wait to show Laura, and by the looks of the extra cars parked beside her, she was assuming the little entourage had already arrived and would be ready and waiting to try them on.
Things were piecing together nicely. The remaining decorations had arrived yesterday too – some gorgeous lanterns to hang from the branches in the garden, bunting which should be a perfect match to Laura and Jackson’s chosen dusky pink and plum colour theme, some wicker hearts. Yes, she finally felt on top of it all.
Leaning down, she slid her arm beneath the pile of dress bags and lifted them up, staggering back with the weight of them all. She should probably make a couple of trips, but she had them in her arms now, although she’d have to pop back and close the boot, there was no way she was flexible or strong enough to hold these and close that at the same time.
‘Hold up, let me help you with those!’ Murray called out behind her.
Turning, she watched as Murray jogged into the car park and the familiar rush of warmth flooded her. Over the past few days, their newly rekindled romance had gone from strength to strength and it was almost as though they’d picked up from where they’d left off. Yes, they still had a lot of catching up to do, but they’d started. More than started. They’d spent the last few evenings chatting into the small hours, and although it was sometimes painful to hear what Murray had gone through with his dad, his ex-wife and life in general, in a weird way it was exciting to listen to his stories and figure out how they’d shaped him to be the man he was today. As she was sure he was doing the same when she opened up about her past too. ‘I thought you had to take another trip to the suppliers this morning?’
‘I was hoping to, yes, but I rang ahead and what I need isn’t in stock.’ He grimaced slightly at the thought of waiting for whatever it was he’d needed before rubbing his hands down his trousers and stepping forward to take the dress bags.
‘Ah, well, I know that must be annoying, but I’m glad you’re here.’ She grinned as she passed across the bags.
‘Me too.’ After taking the weight of the bags, he waited until Ellie had closed the boot before leaning across and kissing her. ‘Your mum goes home today too, doesn’t she?’
Ellie nodded firmly as they began walking towards the decking and the back doors. They’d had dinner with her mum every evening, bar the one she’d gone out for dinner with Miss Cooke of all people, since she’d arrived. Which actually hadn’t been as traumatic as she’d worried it would be. Over dinner each evening, Ellie had watched as both Murray and Kathy had thawed to each other, and now, the underlying tension was at a level that anyone would be forgiven for not picking up on the animosity between them. Still, it would be nice to get Murray all to herself and not have to wait until her mum had retired for the evening before talking so openly about their missing years, as they now referred to them. ‘Yes, she does.’
Murray nodded slowly. ‘You know, it’s actually been quite nice getting to know her again, and although I realise I’m still on trial and most likely will be for the rest of my life, I’m glad I’ve had this opportunity to hopefully allay some of her fears.’
‘You’re right, it’s been a lot easier a transition for her than if we’d just pitched up back home arm in arm.’ She laughed as she remembered the look of shock and horror on her mum’s face when she’d first run into him at Pennycress. It wouldn’t be a patch on how she’d have felt if they’d just turned up on the doorstep of her childhood home and declared they were in love again.
‘Ah, yes. I’m not sure how we could have played out that particular scenario.’ Murray chuckled as they climbed the stairs to the decking.
Pulling the glass door open, Ellie jumped back as two small boys ran headlong out onto the decking, shortly followed by a young girl.
‘Hold up, Toby and Jasper. Wait for me,’ the young girl squealed as she squeezed between the door and Ellie, seemingly oblivious to her standing there holding it open, as the boys had been too.
‘No chance, Tammy. You’re it!’ one of the boys called over his shoulder before giggling as he led the way down the steps and into the garden below.
Grinning, Ellie turned to Murray. ‘I think we may have just met two pageboys and a bridesmaid and I’m thinking I should have bought water pistols instead of confetti.’
‘Water pistols?’ Stepping through the open doorway, Murray frowned as he looked back at her.
‘Haha, yes, it was Nicola’s suggestion if the weather turns hot.’
‘Ah, in that case, yes I could imagine those three having fun with them.’ Murray smiled.
‘Toby, Tammy, Jasper, where…?’ The voice trailed off as a woman hurried through into the kitchen and paused, her face lighting up in a smile. ‘Oh, you must be Ellie, my sister’s wedding planner! I’m Jenny and two of those horrors who I can now see outside are my twins.’
‘Hi, Jenny. Lovely to meet you.’ Stepping forward, Ellie offered her hand before indicating Murray. ‘This is?—’
‘Murray, yes, we’ve met. He’s been the one supplying us all with some much-needed caffeine as Laura and Jackson catch us up with the wedding talk.’ Jenny lifted an empty mug Ellie hadn’t noticed her holding and placed it on the work surface. ‘Excuse me, I’ll just try to round the rabble up.’
