Fly with Me (32 page)

“Simon.” Heart
aching for him, she pressed close, wrapped her arms around him.
“I’m so sorry.”

He hugged her
gently. “I sat on the floor holding her, knew there was no hope,
she was cold, had been dead for awhile. I sat there listening to
the sirens coming and I thought how I’d let her down, how I should
have stopped her, should have done something. Should have bloody
done something.”

“Do what?” She
rubbed her cheek against his chest. “You can’t make someone do
something they don’t want to do.”

“I know. Dad
never got over it, dying of a heart attack not long after. I don’t
think anyone gets over it, but time heals, clichéd as that is. I
saw a counsellor, he helped a lot. Slowly, as time passed, I came
out of that fog of numbness and self blame, and I started to see
again. I found my life again, found my feet. Got back to my job,
got on with life. But it taught me something, Lis.”

“What?”

His hands
cupped her cheeks, tipped her head back gently so that she was
looking up at him. His gaze was warm, still a little sad but
accepting, too.

Calloused
thumbs caressed her cheeks lightly, almost tenderly, touching her
so deeply.

“It taught me
that life is short. That you need to find where you stand in it.
For me it’s the simple things. My job, my friends, my home. I like
the quiet of the country, the friendliness of small towns. When
something is important to me, I will do whatever it takes to keep
it. When someone is important to me, I’ll always have their backs,
always be there for them.” His gaze was steady. “Lis, you’re
important to me. I knew that from the beginning. I won’t push you,
I understand your need to find where you stand in this life, where
you’re heading. I’m just asking for you to give me - give us - a
chance while you’re here. No strings, no ties. Just spend time
together. I’m not asking for every second, every minute, not even
every day. But go out with me, have some fun, let me know how
you’re going, what you’re feeling.”

Looking up at
him, this caring man with his honest eyes, his wisdom, his
gentleness and humour, and yes, his understanding, she was
attracted to him, that was no lie.

The boyfriends
she’d had in the past had been few, never meant much, but several
days with this big, redheaded firie and she’d melted in his arms.
That had never happened before.

Didn’t she owe
it to herself to test this budding relationship? This new part of
her life?

Was she going
to throw it all away because she was too scared to take what life
was handing her? Because she’d let her parents control her to the
stage that now she was fearful of anyone having a hold, however
small and unthreatening, on her life?

“But.” He held
up a finger.

There was a
but? Immediately she stiffened. “I thought…no strings?”

“There are no
strings. But there is something you need to do.”

“What?” She
eyed him warily.

“You need to
do this for yourself.” Simon’s expression was serious. “I don’t
want an answer now. I didn’t tell you my story to gain your
sympathy, to guilt you into going out with me. I didn’t push for
your story the other day to give me leverage. It does, however,
give us a greater understanding of the other’s point of view. With
me so far?”

“Okay,” she
replied slowly, wondering just where the heck he was going with
this new angle.

A touch of
humour lit his eyes. “Suspicious little thing, aren’t you?”

“I’m not that
little.”

“We’ll get to
that later. Right now, I’m going.”

That
astonished her. “What?”

“I’m going.
You need time to think about what we’ve talked about the last
couple of days, in which direction we’re both coming from. I won’t
have you making a decision based on emotions of the moment, they’re
the worst kind of decisions sometimes.” He removed his hands from
her cheeks, brushing them lightly with his knuckles before dropping
his hands to his sides. “Take time, think about what you want,
where you’re going, how you’re getting there. Then think about me,
what I want, what I’m asking. When you’ve done that, when you’ve
made a decision of where I stand in that, then you can tell
me.”

Expecting that
he’d have pressed for an answer now, she didn’t know how to reply,
could only stand there speechless. Because, truth be told, her
thoughts were chaotic.

His smile was
slow, understanding. “There’s no deadline, Lis. I live in Gully’s
Fall, I’m always around. You take all the time you need to find
your answer.” Stooping, he kissed the top of her head then just
walked away.

Simply walked
away through the kitchen door and into the depths of the house. Had
he really gone? Had it really been that easy?

Straining her
ears, she listened. Sure enough, within minutes she heard the sound
of a car starting, reversing and driving off.

Cripes, she
really was alone.

Turning to
stare at Tilly who was oblivious to everything, stretched out on
the lawn in the warm sunshine, Elissa was bombarded with thoughts
and emotions.

The first one
to really hit, that had her stomach clenching, was the fact that
she’d had hot sex with Simon. He’d desired her. He wanted her again
and in more ways than just sex.

The question
was, how much did she want him in return? How far was she willing
to go? And did she want to go anywhere with him at all?

Sure, the sex
was hot, his passion for her both startling and gratifying, but
what he wanted was a whole other ball game, one she wasn’t sure she
wanted to play in. In fact, he’d left the ball in her court.

It was her
move next, and that move could change her whole life for better or
worse.

~*~

Scott was
nervous, it was so plain to see. He rocked back and forth on his
feet and kept wiping his hand on his jeans.

Beside him,
Ryder smirked. “Just remember to say Ash’s name and not one of your
old girlfriend’s.’

“Will you shut
up?” Scott shot back.

“Just trying
to be helpful, avert a disaster.”

“You’re the
disaster.”

Standing
beside Ash, Elissa grinned.

“It’ll be
fine, Scott,” Ash soothed. “You won’t say anyone else’s name.”

“We hope,”
Ryder said.

Scott looked
at the minister watching them with one grey eyebrow raised in
polite contemplation. “Sorry. Let’s go.”

“He needs all
the practice he can get,” Ryder added. “Let’s go several
times.”

“Can the best
man be dead?”

“Not
generally,” the mister replied without batting an eyelid.

“But that’s
not a ‘never’ answer,” Scott pointed out.

“Remember one
of the ten commandments?”

“You mean the
one about murder?”

“That’d be the
one.” The minister turned to Ash. “Now, my dear. You said
simple.”

“Yes,” Ash
replied. “Ryder and Scott will be waiting at the top. Elissa will
come next, then me and Ben, who’s giving me away. That’s the whole
bridal party, like Scott and I planned.”

“Small and
sweet. Nothing wrong with that.” The minister cast Ryder a glance.
“As long as we all maintain decorum.”

Ryder’s
eyebrows rose and this time Scott smirked.

Elissa could
just imagine how they’d acted as a couple of heartbreaking,
mischievous teenagers.

“Everyone will
behave,” Ash assured the minister.

“Good. Okay,
where’s Ben?”

“Right here.”
Ben hurried up the aisle, patting down his damp hair. “Sorry, I
worked later than I’d intended.”

“That’s fine.”
She smiled at him. “I’m just so glad you’ll give me away.”

There was
actually a slight flush on the older man’s lined cheeks. “Glad to
do it, Ash. Anytime.”

“Hopefully
only once, though,” Ryder said.

This time
Elissa laughed out loud before clapping her hand over her mouth.
“Sorry.”

Ash grinned at
her, Ryder winked.

“I suggest we
take our places.” The minister started gesturing. “Scott, you’ll
stand here, Ryder beside you. He’ll have the wedding rings. You
will
have the wedding rings, right?”

“Of course
I’ll have the wedding rings.”

“Just
checking.”

The look on
Ryder’s face was hilarious. Elissa just wished she had bought a
mobile phone so she could have taken a quick picture to send to
Dee. Though they were in a church, so she’d not have done it
anyway. Never mind, she’d take great delight in telling her.

The minister
had them repeat the process twice because Scott was so nervous, but
it really was simple. Personally, Elissa thought it would be so
lovely when everyone was in their wedding finery and the pews were
filled with wedding guests.

To Scott’s
relief he didn’t bugger up the vows, and she could see the tension
seep from him a little. She found it amusing that such a tough
firie could be so nervous about his wedding. A small wedding,
simple and sweet, and he was a wreck. It made him seem so, well,
sweet. Especially when he smiled down at Ash as he repeated the
vows, the love so plain to see, the gentleness of his touch as she
smiled back so sweetly at him.

A match made
in Heaven. Or Gully’s Fall. Definitely a match made in Gully’s
Fall.

Afterwards Ben
went to the pub, Ryder went back to the newsagent to wait for Dee
to close shop, and Scott and Ash, with Elissa in the backseat of
the car, called in to see Mrs Preston, Scott’s mother.

Mrs Preston
was pleasantly plump, had blonde hair streaked with white which she
wore in a cute bob - a new haircut for the wedding, apparently -
and insisted Elissa call her Julia.

“I’ve been
dying to meet you,” Julia confided, leading them all into the
kitchen.

“Thank you.”
Elissa sat at the table. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

“Really? How
nice.” Her gaze shot teasingly to her son. “I hope.”

“Only ever
good things,” he assured her happily while cutting into a chocolate
cake that had already been half eaten.

“As if it
could be anything else.” Ash kissed Julia’s cheek before taking the
seat opposite Elissa.

Julia smiled
fondly at Ash. It was more than obvious that she’d won her
fiancée’s mother’s heart. Then again, it was Ash, not many people
disliked her.

The time went
quickly, Julia cooking for the couple of guests currently staying
at the boarding house she ran right in her own home, a beautiful
big old house.

“There will be
no boarders while the wedding and reception are on,” she told
Elissa while peeling potatoes. “The wedding’s on Saturday, so from
Wednesday until Monday I haven’t taken any boarders. That’ll give
me time to do cooking and get everything ready for the
reception.”

“I’ll be over
Wednesday to help,” Ash reminded her.

“You’ll be too
busy, sweetie.”

“Everything
else is sorted out.”

It looked like
an old argument, so Elissa decided she might as well join in. “I
can help.”

Julia smiled
at her. “No need. Ryder, Dee and Del’s mothers are all coming to
help. We’ll have the hall shipshape, the food cooked, flowers done,
and then Ash and Scott can come and inspect it all the day before
the wedding.”

“Inspect?” Ash
looked horrified.

Scott just
grinned.

“Inspect,”
Julia agreed firmly. “I want to make sure that you’re happy with
everything.”

“Julia, you
and the others are doing so much for us, I’m happy for whatever you
do. I’m not going to inspect anything.”

“Dear, you are
so sweet, but I still want your approval. It is your wedding after
all.”

“You won’t win
this argument,” Scott told Ash. “Just be a good girl and do as
you’re told.”

“And you,” his
mother said, “will come with Ash for the inspection.”

“Aw, Mum.”

“Yeah.” Ash
looked at him. “Be a good boy and do as you’re told.”

Scott’s eyes
gleamed. “You’ll pay for that later.”

“I did not
just hear my baby boy say that.” Julia turned to Elissa. “How do
you like Gully’s Fall so far, dear?”

“I like it.”
Elissa nodded. “I like it a lot.”

“Looking for a
job, I hear.”

“Yes.” No
point denying that now.

“Something
will come along, it always does.” Julia winked. “For special
people.”

Aw, that was
sweet. Elissa grinned. “Thanks.”

It was a
pleasant time, but they had to leave finally to allow Julia to
finish cooking for her guests and setting the table for dinner.

The evening
was relaxing, curled up in the armchair watching TV, Scott sipping
on a coffee while reading a motorbike magazine with Ash tucked up
to his side. Tilly lolled on the back of the sofa before gradually
sliding down until she flopped into his lap.

Watching TV,
Ash absentmindedly started rubbing the tabby’s belly, the purring
filling the air.

That made
Elissa think of Arthur, which in turn made her think of Simon. Not
that he’d been far from her mind all day. It was just that she’d
been busy enough to push her thoughts to the back of her mind and
now they all came tumbling back.

Escaping to
the kitchen with the excuse of getting a hot Milo to take to bed,
she was waiting for the kettle to boil when Ash entered.

Her friend
leaned against the bench and eyed her. “So, how are you?”

“Is this like
an introduction thing?”

“No, this is
the time we have a serious chat.”

“Huh. What
about Scott?”

“What about
him?”

“Aren’t you
supposed to be snuggled up to him?”

“He’s got
Tilly and a motorbike magazine, he’s good for awhile.”

“Wow. Does he
know that?”

“He knows
that.” Ash gestured with her hand. “So come on, tell me about this
quitting business. What happened?”