31 Days of Autumn (22 page)

Wednesday
9
^th
September

Ellie

‘I’m not happy, Ellie,’ Dan scowled, as I packed the
baby bag.

‘For goodness sake, Dan. It’s no different to
our usual school run routine, other than a small detour to your own damn
hotel,’ I objected. ‘Florie suggested it and you know Theo isn’t known for
spending money unnecessarily. I want to treat her and she loves dressing up.
We’ll be in a room full of other people all having afternoon tea and Jenny will
be with me. Come and meet us.’

‘I can’t, I have a few conference calls to
make. Just let me know you’ve arrived safely and when you’re on your way home,
ok?’ he relented.

‘I promise,’ I nodded, pursing my lips for a
kiss, which he ignored as he put his hands on his hips.

‘I’d really like Chris to accompany you as
well.’

‘Great as Chris is, he’s not part of the family
like Jenny is, and there’s not enough room in the car for three children, myself,
and two bodyguards. Honestly, given we have no choice but to do the same car
route every day to school, if someone wants to hijack us, they could anytime.
You need to chill out a bit.’

‘Don’t tell me to chill out when I’m thinking
of your safety.’

‘And I love you for being so protective, but
you came out to the world over three years ago, Dan. If someone was going to
make their move, they’d have done it by now. Now please can I have a kiss?
Jenny’s waiting with Jonas and Eva downstairs, I need to go.’

‘Give my best to Florie,’ he sighed, giving in.
‘I’ll do the school run one day next week and take Oliver to see them. He’s
Theo’s favourite.’

‘He’d love that,’ I confirmed, palming his face
as our lips met.

‘Did I tell you how sexy you look?’ he asked,
scanning my body as I stepped away from him.

‘It’s just a skirt and blouse,’ I replied with
a roll of my eyes. I’d put on one of his favourites, a leather below-the-knee
skirt that hugged my hips, with one of my emerald green blouses. I’d tonged my
hair into cascading waves, which he loved. So much so, I was thinking of having
my hair permanently kinked for him.

‘Sexy,’ he stated again, with a cock of his
head as he checked out my ankles, wrapped in the leather of my strappy heels.

‘Then I’ll be sure to let you undress me
tonight. I have on some green lingerie and I’ll leave on my heels,’ I called
over my shoulder as I made my way to the stairs.

‘Vixen,’ he growled, making me laugh.

‘Ready?’ smiled Jenny, holding out her hand for
the baby bag.

‘I’m not post-operative anymore,’ I smiled, hooking
it over the handle of Eva’s pram.

‘Mama,’ she giggled, kicking her legs when she
saw me.

‘Don’t you look like the prettiest girl in the
whole world,’ I told her, bending to give her a kiss. I’d dressed her in a cute
pink long-sleeved top with a black and white cat on the front. She was in matching
pink tights, a brown cord skirt, and I’d put a brown and pink headband on her.
She looked adorable.

‘Carry Jo-Jo,’ Jonas pouted, tugging on my
skirt.

‘Come on then, gorgeous. You look so handsome.’
I picked him up and kissed him. He was in a pair of black jeans with a white
shirt and a tiny grey waistcoat. I glanced up at the mezzanine to see Dan
leaning over the banister, watching us all with a smile on his face. ‘See you
later,’ I called.

‘See you later. Be a good boy, Jonas.’

‘Always good,’ he nodded. Dan and I exchanged a
look and laughed. Jonas was trouble with a capital T. If I’d thought Oliver was
a handful, he was a breeze compared to Jonas. I dreaded to think how
mischievous Eva would be with two brothers to influence her.

Jenny took charge of the pram as I carried
Jonas. Thankfully it was a clear, crisp day with no hint of rain in sight. I
still wasn’t a fan of that mountain road, even in the best of weather, and particularly
without Dan driving me. Skilled as all of our team were, no one made me feel as
safe as Dan. Once the children had their lifejackets on, Jenny eased the boat
away from the jetty and headed across the loch to the cars parked on the other
side. Ten minutes later, with both children strapped into their seats in the
back and Jonas watching a DVD on the back of Jenny’s headrest, we set off.

‘So, how’s it going with Dean?’ I asked. I
never liked to bring up their relationship in front of Dan, in case it
embarrassed Jenny. We were close friends, but she always maintained a
professional barrier with him.

‘Amazing,’ she grinned, flashing a quick smile
my way.

‘I noticed him stopping over with you a lot
recently. Not that it’s a problem,’ I quickly added, when her smile turned to a
face of concern.

‘Thank God, I thought you were going to ban
him. Will it sound totally pathetic for your nanny slash hard-as-nails bodyguard
to admit she doesn’t sleep properly unless she has her boyfriend’s arms around
her at night?’

‘No,’ I laughed. ‘I’m just the same with Dan.
I’m so pleased it’s working out so well for you. It’s your anniversary soon,
are you doing anything special to celebrate?’

‘He says he has a surprise for me,’ she nodded.
‘I think he’s booked a romantic weekend away. Thanks so much for getting Dan to
agree to swap his shifts.’

‘Not a problem. You both deserve a break away,
you work so hard. So, what’s your idea of romance?’

‘The usual. An attentive partner, some sexy
underwear, champagne, flowers, and plenty of hot, steamy action,’ she laughed.

‘I don’t get why so many guys fail at romance.
I mean, you don’t need a degree to learn five basic steps, do you?’

‘I don’t know,’ she scoffed. ‘I went out with
one of the officers who’d trained at Sandhurst, which isn’t a ride in the park,
and you know what “romantic” surprise he got me for my twenty-first birthday?’

‘I’m seriously hoping not a day out at an
assault course,’ I giggled.

‘May as well have been,’ she advised, swerving
to avoid a new pot hole. ‘At least I’d have enjoyed that. Bear in mind my
birthday’s in January, when it’s freezing cold. He takes me to Skegness for a
picnic on the beach.’

‘Picnics can be super romantic,’ I nodded,
thinking of Dan’s and mine up at the waterfall.

‘When there’s snow on the ground and his idea
of luxury food was a Scotch egg, Cornish pasty, and can of cream soda?’ She shot
me a look that said she’d still not forgiven him.

‘I like cream soda,’ I offered, trying to
salvage some good from it.

‘Me too, but not when my hands are so cold they
stick to the can.
Then
, as if things couldn’t get any worse, he brings
out my present.’

‘Things got worse?’ I giggled, quickly looking
behind to check on my babies. Jonas was engrossed in his film and Eva had
already fallen asleep. Luckily she loved sleeping in the car.

‘Name a few gifts that are appropriate for a
twenty-first, for a girl you’ve been seeing for two years?’

‘Some expensive perfume, and not eau de
toilette, the real deal. A Pandora bracelet, hopefully with a 21 and heart charm
on, maybe even an engagement ring?’ I suggested. She burst out laughing and
shook her head.

‘So far off base, Ellie. A bag of … I nearly
swore then,’ she added, shaking her head with disbelief. ‘A bag of pick and mix
sweets.’

‘What?’ I exclaimed, not sure I’d heard her
right.

‘Your ears didn’t deceive you. A quarter of
fizzy cola bottles. I mean, I love cola bottles, but come on!’

‘I seriously hope you dumped him after that,’ I
laughed.

‘Too right I did. I know it’s not all about
grand gestures, you know that yourself, you fell for Dan when you thought he
was just a caretaker. But if that’s a guy’s idea of romance, he’s not my kind
of guy.’

‘God, I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t laugh, but I
thought I was the only one who got lumbered with guys like that in the past. I
mean, Dan could take me to McDonalds for my birthday, but if he took a table
cloth, cutlery, and a fake rose in a vase and electric candle to put on the
table, that’s thoughtful and romantic.’

‘I was thinking of dumping him anyway, the s.
e. x. was so bad, so that just sealed the deal. Turns out he did me a favour,
he’d been seeing half of the male officers behind my back. After I dumped him,
he came out as gay, dropped out of Sandhurst, and became a male stripper for
gay bachelor parties. Always had a great body and dance moves.’ She flicked a
look my way with a grin and I shook my head.

‘O, Jenny. You’ve had as much luck in the past
as me. Fingers crossed Dean is your Dan.’

‘You know, I think he might be,’ she replied,
with a hint of a blush on her cheeks. ‘I haven’t said the L-word yet, but I’m
ready, I’m going to tell him when we’re away. Don’t disclose this to anyone, or
he’ll run for the hills, but I’m that into him that I’ve even started looking
at wedding dresses and getting broody.’

‘No,’ I gasped. ‘What will I do if you get
married and pregnant and leave me?’

‘We’d have plenty of time to find you a
suitable replacement,’ she offered, guilt in her tone.

‘That wasn’t what I meant,’ I retorted. ‘You’re
one of my best friends. I already have Brooke and Molly living so far away,
don’t you move somewhere else, too.’

‘Thanks, Ellie.’ She gave me a genuine smile.
‘I’d hug you if I wasn’t driving.’

‘I’d hug you too. Seriously, I’m so happy for
you. He’s a really great guy. Dan really values him and he’s quite an astute
judge of character. Is Dean the settling down kind of guy, have you talked
about this?’

‘He was asking me what sort of rings I liked
last month.’

‘What?!’ I shrieked with excitement, then
quickly clamped my hands over my mouth and checked I hadn’t woken Eva up.

‘I know. I mean, if it’s an engagement ring, it's
fast. It seems fast, right? I’m trained in covert ops and I haven’t got a clue
if he’s about to propose or if it’s just a friendship “I’m really into you” ring.’

‘Friendship ring! I bet it’s an engagement one.
If you were young and he was your first, I’d say yes, it was fast,’ I agreed.

‘So, you’re calling me old and a slapper?’ she
laughed.

‘Well, you said it. No, seriously, you’ve had a
few relationships and you’re at that age where you know your mind. I don’t
think it’s too soon at all. Just promise me we won’t lose touch if you leave.
It wouldn’t just be me that would miss you, the children would too, so much.’

‘I promise,’ she smiled. ‘I love you guys like
family, you know I do.’

We made good time from the school back up to
the hotel and Jenny pulled into Dan’s reserved parking spot near the grand
entrance. Oliver was so tired after his first few days of school, he’d fallen
asleep. Eva was still asleep, but Jonas was wide awake, his eyes glued to the
DVD machine. I managed to get Eva out and into her pram without waking her.
Jenny grappled a sulking Jonas out and I unbuckled Oliver as I gently shook his
arm. He moaned as he opened his beautiful green eyes.

‘Sorry, darling. It’s time to see Grandma
Florie, she’s so excited to see you.’ That made him smile, he was really fond
of her. I couldn’t think of anyone he didn’t like, he was so easy-going.

‘I’m hungry,’ he stated as he put his arms
around my neck and let me lift him out of the car.

‘Well, in a little while we’ll be having some
lovely finger sandwiches and yummy scones, cream and jam and lots of delicious
fancy cakes. How does that sound?’

‘Sic,’ he nodded.

‘Sic?’ I raised an eyebrow.

‘My friend David says it means awesome.’

‘Well, I’d rather you say awesome, please. Sic
sounds like vomit and no one eating a lovely meal is going to want to imagine
vomit.’

‘But David says …’

‘David can say what he likes,’ I interrupted.
‘But Daddy wouldn’t like it. He expects his eldest boy to speak nicely and have
good manners. So do I, ok?’

‘Ok,’ he moaned with a tutt and a huff of air.
I looked at Jenny and we both tried not to laugh.

‘Can Mummy have a kiss?’ I asked, making sure
we were ok. He beamed at me and planted one on my cheek and nuzzled into my
neck, making me smile. I dreaded the day he got old enough to realise it wasn’t
cool to give cuddles and kisses. ‘Thank you. Right, let’s go and eat.’

I went ahead carrying Oliver, Jonas walking
holding Jenny’s left hand, as she pushed the pram with Eva in it with her
right. We hadn’t made it to the door before the two doormen rushed forward to
help. The staff always treated the children like royalty whenever we came.
Florie was waiting in the prime corner spot by the panoramic window overlooking
the loch. She quickly stood up as we approached, with a huge smile on her face.
She’d put on one of her best dresses and had made an effort with her hair and
makeup. Oliver called her name, so I put him down and let him run to her, to be
first in line for a hug. Jonas managed to make it there in one piece and she
laughed as they both clung to her legs.