The Marriage K.L. Slater (classic romance novels TXT) 📖

get some practice in and when we got back to the house, he carried in the bags. He had a spring in his step. Before going shopping, we’d called in at the charity’s offices in Nottingham city centre. A year ago we’d rented refurbished premises in a building that afforded great views over the historical market square and council house.

We didn’t stay long as I was supposed to be on annual leave for two weeks. Still, Tom was able to meet the staff and get a better overview of the work he’d be doing as our new development manager.

‘It’s a key role in our five-year business strategy,’ I explained to him as we admired the urban vista from what would be Tom’s own small but smart office. ‘Your work will make a huge difference to the business.’

He wasn’t to know I’d created the role for him and besides, it was true it would make a big difference. If he was successful at it.

He’d turned and embraced me. ‘I can’t thank you enough for the faith you’ve shown in me, Brid,’ he’d said, his voice tight with emotion. ‘Nobody’s ever really believed in me like you do and I won’t let you down.’

How I wished Jill had heard him say that. She’d always been supportive of Tom provided his goals and activities hadn’t taken him too far away from her apron strings. Anything too ambitious had been swiftly discounted without him having much of a say.

I overtook Tom on the path leading up to the house. ‘Let me get the door, you’ve got your hands full.’

‘Anyone would think we were feeding the five thousand with the amount we’ve bought,’ he laughed, grappling with the numerous bags.

‘Well, nutritious meals are complicated to prepare,’ I told him. ‘Lots of ingredients when you cook from scratch.’

Tom had told me about Jill’s home-made lasagne and garlic bread on the day of his release, and I’d decided to pull out all the stops to show her how a meal should be done. This was the first time my culinary skills had been properly on show to Tom. I knew how health-conscious he’d become in prison, training at the gym and eating only vegetarian food in an effort to preserve the fitness he’d worked so hard to build as a boxer before he began his sentence. He was also interested in converting to a plant-based diet, so I was hoping to wow him with my vegan menu. If nothing else, Jill would realise she wasn’t the only person capable of keeping her precious son happy!

In front of me, Tom stopped dead in the hallway. Ellis sat in the living room, next to the windows that overlooked the garden. His profile, the way the light fell on his face … for a moment he looked just like Jesse, and I felt a stinging pang of loss. Ellis glanced up, saw Tom staring and went back to his game.

My heart soared. I’d telephoned Coral earlier and although it rankled, I’d swallowed my pride and asked if she’d consider letting me see Ellis before the weekend. Now he was here.

‘I suppose Ellis could come over for his tea today,’ she’d said craftily. ‘I’m a bit tight this month and there’s not much in.’ Stupid she was not when it came to money.

‘Bring him over after school,’ I’d said. ‘And I’ll put a hundred quid in your account to tide you over.’ If money was what it took to have Ellis around more then so be it.

‘Hello, Ellis,’ Tom said, putting down the bags in the hall and walking over to him. ‘I didn’t know you were coming over.’

Ellis didn’t look up.

‘Hello you,’ I said, hoping to smooth over our recent snappy little exchange. ‘How long have you been here on your own?’ He was earlier than I’d expected, but I didn’t care.

‘Dunno,’ he said. ‘About thirty minutes, I think. Mum let me in and went into town to meet her friend for a drink.’

So much for counting the pennies! I thought. And the last time I’d looked, she didn’t have any friends. I walked into the kitchen and tossed the car keys on the side. Tom followed me.

‘Coral has a key?’ he asked in a hushed voice. ‘Sounds like she comes and goes as she pleases.’

It had slipped my mind, but I did give her a spare key when I first moved in. We’d always done that with each other for ease of access. It had seemed a good idea at the time, but that was going to have to be reviewed now Tom was living here.

‘Can I have some juice, Nan?’ Ellis called.

‘One second.’ I kicked off my shoes and slid my feet into my Ugg slippers before heading for the fridge. ‘Ellis, say hi to Tom.’

‘It’s fine.’ Tom shook his head and dropped his voice. ‘Don’t make a thing of it.’ He took the carton of juice from me and poured some into a glass, then took it over to Ellis.

‘There we go, buddy. Playing anything good?’

Calling Ellis ‘buddy’ like that wasn’t going to go down well. I held my breath.

‘Animal Crossing,’ Ellis replied shortly, taking the glass.

‘Never heard of that one,’ Tom said. ‘You know, I was thinking of getting a PlayStation and connecting it to the big TV here.’

Ellis looked up. ‘Really?’

‘Yeah. Trouble is, I’m totally out of touch with the games that are out now. I don’t suppose you … Nah, doesn’t matter.’

Ellis put his glass on the coffee table and sat up a bit straighter. ‘What?’

I leaned forward on the worktop, listening.

‘I wondered if you’d be interested in helping choose some games and then maybe playing a few together. You know, to get me into it again.’

‘I know all the good games,’ Ellis said, putting the device down on the seat cushion next to him. ‘I mean, Call of Duty’s the obvious choice, but there are loads of other good games, too. Marvel, FIFA, stuff like that.’

‘Call of Duty? That’s an 18 rating, isn’t