“I really don’t think it is an inside job,” Mark replies.
“Probably not, but we just wanted to personally thank Emerson for her help with the matter.”
The officer shakes my hand. “Well done, Emerson. Good work.” I smile proudly.
“Thank you for coming.” Mark shakes their hands.
“Emerson, remember, not a word to anyone or you could jeopardize the whole case.”
I nod. “Yes, of course. Goodbye.”
The officers leave and I turn to Mark. “Well done, Emerson. I’m glad you came to me. We will catch this thief.” He smirks and throws me a conceited wink.
I smile, relieved. “Thank you.”
He stands with his hands in his pockets and his eyes hold mine. He’s waiting for me to say something.
“Mark, I want us to be friends. I’m sorry about the whole Alastar thing. I didn’t mean to meet him. Sometimes things are out of our control. Your friendship means a lot to me, though.”
He smiles his first genuine smile he has given me in weeks. “I would like that too, Em.”
I point to the door. “I better get back to work.”
He smiles as he opens the door for me. “Please.”
I leave the office and I want to jump in the air in excitement. I feel like I have really accomplished something.
This is a big week of change in my life.
* * *
The warmth of the fire dances on my face and I struggle to keep my eyes open. It’s unimaginable doing anything else on a night now.
He picks me up from our corner at five and we kiss like long lost lovers who are desperate to see each other. We go home, drink wine, talk and laugh about our day as my Twinkle star cooks us dinner.
We shower or take a long hot bath together, and then make love in front of the fire on a mattress on the bedroom floor.
I smile. At first the mattress on the floor would annoy Alastar. He would pack it up every day because he likes things in order and neat. But I have noticed that for the last two days, he has simply made the bed on the floor. It now has its own permanent, soft woolen blankets and plush pillows. I think he loves our fire time as much as I do and I can’t imagine us not doing this anymore. We are naked and under the blankets. Alastar’s body is spooning me from behind, and his head is hitched up on pillows while his hand roams adoringly over my naked body as we bask in our lovemaking afterglow. I smile sleepily as he kisses my cheek.
“I need to buy a wedding dress,” I murmur sleepily.
“Hmm,” he moans into my neck. “Just wear anything. It doesn’t matter to me. It’s only us.”
“Does it bother you that it is only going to be us?” I ask.
“No. Why would it?” He frowns and lays me down to look at my face. “Does it bother you?”
I shrug. “I don’t know.” I hesitate. “I always imagined my parents being at my wedding.”
“And they will be. Next time.” He kisses my lips gently. “But you know what will happen if we tell other people.”
I look down and know that he’s right. “Everyone will freak out and try and talk us out of it because we just met,” I whisper.
“Yes. And we are getting married because of us. Only us. I like the idea of it being just the two of us for the first time. This thing what we are sharing is intimate and special, and call me selfish, but I don’t want to share it with anyone else. I don’t want to waste one day with you. I want you as my wife as soon as possible.”
I smile softly as he kisses my lips.
“We will book another ceremony for twelve months’ time and not tell them about this one if you want.”
“Is that okay?” I ask hopefully. I really don’t want to have the conversation with my parents or Brielle. They will totally freak. At least in twelve months’ time they can sort of expect it.
He smiles softly. “Of course.” He brushes his hand back over my hair. “I don’t want you to have to be justifying to anyone how we feel about each other. Nobody has to know we are married. But I will know and I will cherish it.”
I kiss his beautiful lips. “I love you,” I whisper as I rub my fingertips through his stubble, my eyes searching his.
“I know you do and that’s I why I can’t wait.”
I smile. “This is crazy,” I whisper.
His lips touch mine. “Crazy good.”
* * *
Flume is playing throughout the house and Brielle and I are sitting at the kitchen bench drinking wine and eating Camembert cheese and crackers that Alastar has laid out for us. It’s just gone 8pm and Alastar is getting ready for work.
“What happened then?” I frown into my glass.
Brielle is filling me in on the Mr. Master debacle. “Okay.” She takes a sip. “So I was lying on the lounge with a blanket over me, and the kids were lying on the floor on bean bags. We were all watching a movie.”
I nod. “Yes. What time was this?”
“About nine last night. He came in from work and asked what we were watching.”
I put some crackers and cheese into my mouth as I listen. “What were you watching?” I ask.
“Total Recall.”