The Girl in the Scrapbook Carolyn Ruffles (read an ebook week txt) 📖

biscuits baking and went upstairs for bath time. The trouble was that they spent so much time playing in the bath with a boat which squirted water and bubbles from its funnel that Annie only remembered the cookies when Alex was in his pyjamas. He had yawned and said, ‘Can I have my milk and cookie now, please?’ She'd gasped in horror and raced downstairs where she was confronted with the horrible smell of burning. The cookies were black and, because she had forgotten to use some baking paper, glued to the base of the tin. Luckily, she'd managed to locate a packet in the cupboard and Alex was none the wiser but Emily and Adam had returned to find her still in the kitchen trying to scrape the charred remains from the tin.

‘Cookies,’ Alex declared and Emily quickly interrupted.

‘Not this time, darling. Auntie Annie said she wanted you to show her how to build something with the duplo.’

‘A castle?’ Alex asked obligingly.

His father nodded. ‘That should be safe enough,’ he agreed. ‘Now, if you’ve finished tea, let’s get you upstairs and bathed before Auntie Annie gets here. Then you’ll have enough time to build your castle.’

Emily smiled as she watched them leave the room, her heart brimming with love for them both. She was so lucky, she knew that. Surely it didn't really matter if she never found her birth parents; it was her family now who were important. She glanced across at the scrapbook which she'd moved onto the worktop when Alex had demanded her attention earlier that day. Looking at it again, when she'd been feeling a bit down, hadn't helped. There were no new clues which she had somehow missed during earlier perusals. She resolved to put it away again and focus her attention on the present. Molly’s reappearance had just been a blip, she told herself firmly, caused by her own self-indulgence. She needed to grow up and put her past behind her. As she went upstairs, she could hear lots of splashing and Alex’s giggles coming from the bathroom. Adam was so good with him and never too busy to play. There would be plenty of time for her to relax and get ready for their evening out while the two of them were together. She was really looking forward to it.

◆◆◆

The restaurant was warm and humming with conversation as Emily and Adam were shown to their table. She had a quick glance around the room in case there was anyone there whom they knew and was relieved to see only unfamiliar faces. It was a rare occasion, these days, to spend a romantic evening alone with her husband and, so often when they had organised special nights out, they'd inadvertently met up with old friends or acquaintances of Adam through his work. She settled into her seat and sighed happily as Adam ordered some drinks. He was looking rather gorgeous, she thought, in a dark shirt and casual jacket, and he'd already been suitably appreciative of her own appearance in a flame red, figure hugging dress and high heeled Manolo shoes.

‘I’ve bought you a present,’ he said, producing a small box wrapped in silver paper from his pocket. ‘I was going to give it to you later when we were on our own but I can’t wait.’

‘Really. That’s not like you,’ Emily smiled. Adam was notoriously impatient and always wanted things to happen there and then. He, far more than she, had struggled with waiting a full nine months for the birth of his first child. ‘Oh, it’s beautiful. Thank you.’ Inside the box was a silver ring. It had a ruby set with small diamonds and glittered in her hands. She slid it on to one of the fingers on her right hand and held it up to the light. ‘I love it. I would say you shouldn’t have but I know I’m worth it.’

‘Too right. You’re the best wife any man could wish for as well as the sexiest.’ His eyes smouldered with promise and she felt a tingle of anticipation tickling her spine.

‘Food first,’ she said firmly, picking up the menu.

‘So demanding!’

The waiter returned with drinks and they ordered their choices, along with a bottle of Malbec.

‘To us,’ Adam held up his glass and she chinked her own against it.

‘To us,’ she repeated.

‘All the men in this room are so jealous of me right now.’

‘I know. You are that good looking, I guess they all want to be you,’ she chuckled, deliberately misunderstanding.

He smiled ruefully. ‘You know what I mean. Seriously Em, I couldn’t be happier being married to you.’ He took her hand and squeezed it. ‘No actually that’s not true. I would be happier if I didn’t have to leave you and Alex so often.’

‘I know. Same here … but I always knew the business trips were part of the package. Even when you were still working for Hatfields, you were away a lot. At least now, you’re doing it for yourself. And look how much new business those trips have generated. I’m so proud of you.’

He shrugged carelessly, a little embarrassed by her praise. ‘Yeah, business is good – in fact so good we’re expanding further. I’m afraid that means a long trip away in the new year.’

‘Where to?’

‘Australia and New Zealand. I’ll probably be away for at least two weeks. I did wonder about you and Alex coming with me but it will be mostly travelling. Chris and I were finalising the details today.’

‘Chris is going with you?’ she asked. Chris Thompson was Adam’s right-hand man and general manager.

He nodded and gave her hand another squeeze. ‘I’m sorry. I know it’s a long time to be away.’

‘Don’t be silly!’ She gave him a bright smile. ‘You’ve got to do what you have to do. Alex and I will be fine. We always are.’

‘You won’t miss me?’

Emily pondered the question. ‘Well … maybe … just a little … but you don’t have to worry about us.’

‘I know