Marrying Mr Write (Mr Write Trilogy) (16 page)

I consider her words, and her face. She’s serious!

“Rosie no, we can’t babe. You would regret it. You told me yourself that it would be weird for Rafe not to be there at your big moments. And what about Pip, I think she would actually murder me.” I reach across the table and take her hands, willing her to look up into my eyes, she obliges, “I promise you, that we will set a date and start planning as soon as we get home ok?”

“Ok…
it’s just that I’ve done the ‘big wedding’ thing Jackson, and was humiliated. I just want to marry you, with our families there and nobody else. Small, simple and about us, not about tables plans and favours, is that ok?”

“Sounds perfect!” I smile and lift her hand to my mouth, kissing the pads of her fingers as she beams at me from across the table.

“Can we go now then please, because I really don’t like it here?”

I laugh as I stand to leave and hold my hand out for Rosie to take.

From Gr
etna we drove down to Chester. Driving through the Lake District we smiled as we remembered the amazing week that we spent there a few months ago. We were so happy then. It’s crazy to think that the worst period of my adult life followed it, but I can’t dwell on that, Rosie and I are stronger than ever now, we’re solid.

“I love
Chester; I love the feel of Roman cities like this. I feel inspired when I walk on old cobbles and see the architecture, I can’t wait for York. Thank you, for bringing me on this tour with you.”

Rosie leans back in her chair and I mirror, smiling. She has been so relaxed while we’ve been travelling around. She’s been fun and playful and sexy as hell. Writing a romantic tour of Britain is certainly working for me, she’s been desperate to get me back to the hotels or the car every single day that we’ve been away. I can’t imagine that I’ll ever get enough of her.

“As if I’d have been able to be away from you for two and a half months! I’ve loved it babe. It’ll be a shame to get back to real life.”

I stand and lean down to kiss Rosie as I make my way to the bar to get another round of drinks. When I start to make my way back to the table I notice that Rosie is smiling to herself,

“What are you so happy about?”

She giggles and gestures me to come closer,

“That girl over there, don’t look…Ok now you can look. She’s reading my book!”

Rosie grins wide and I slowly turn to look at the blonde sitting alone by the open fire. She looks comfortable.
Her feet are tucked underneath her on the sofa. She’s nursing what looks like a hot chocolate and smiling to herself as she reads. I’ve seen that look before, it’s the same one Rosie gets when she’s really lost in something. Before long, the blonde laughs…actually laughs out loud, and I feel an incredible amount of pride build up inside me. Rosie did that, she made that girl smile and laugh and get completely lost in her words, my Rosie.

After and amazing last night in Chester
, Rosie and I get up early to head off to York. It’s the last stop on the tour and I’ve arranged a surprise for her when we get there. I glance briefly across to the passenger seat. Rosie is curled up on the seat, side on and facing me. As she smiles at me over the top of her Kindle I can’t believe that she’s mine.  In these moments, when she smiles at me and then carries on with what she was doing, that’s when I know. We’re going to be ok. We’re going to make it.

“What’s the hotel called Jackson? I’ll keep an eye out for it,” Rosie is looking out of the window as the buildings pass by,

“We’re not staying in a hotel babe. I know where we’re going.”

“What you do mean? Where are we staying then?” She looks at me confused.

“I got us an apartment so that we can completely do our own thing. It’s nice, you’ll like it.
It has some really great added extras too!”

“Oh, ok then.” Rosie
sounds confused but sits back in her seat and relaxes into the last ten minutes of our journey.

As we pull up into the car park of the apartment building
Rosie gives me an approving look,

“This looks lovely babe!”

I just smile. I can’t wait to get her upstairs.

I check in at the reception desk while Rosie looks around and then hand her the key so that I can carry the bags. We make our way upstairs and she quickly finds our room.

As Rosie turns the key in the lock and pushes the door open she freezes and steps backward into me.

“Shit, I think they gave us the wrong key Jackson. There are shoes and things in there, it’s someone else’s apartment.”

I feign
shock,

“What? No it can’t be. C
ome on,” I nudge Rosie forward and she tentatively pushes the door open,

“HELLO? Is anyone in here?” She calls around the door and I stifle a laugh,

“GET OUT OF OUR ROOM!”

Pippa sticks her tongue out and starts to laugh as she steps into the hallway and holds out her arms to Rosie,

“OH MY GOD! Pip!”

I can hear the emotion in Rosie’s voice as she calls out to the friend that she hasn’t seen in months and runs to hug her. Ben steps out behind Pippa and beams at me, they really do look great together.

“I can’t believe you’re here, and look at you, you’re so…round!” Rosie has both hands on Pippa’s protruding bump and is talking to it rather than Pip.  She’s fine, I knew she would be.

“I know, I’m a whale! But not long and we can get on that boot camp!”

“Oh Pip shut up, you’re beautiful. You look so beautiful!” Rosie hugs Pippa again and I wonder if she is ever going to let go.

“Erm, any chance I can actually get into this apartment at some point today?” I joke from the doorway as Rosie laughs and follows Pippa into the living room.

“I can’t believe you organised this, thank you so much.”  I pass a smiling Rosie a coffee while she sits next to Pippa on the sofa, reluctantly removing her hand from Pippa’s bump to take it from me. “This is going to be the best weekend ever!”

After a couple of hours of catching up and unpacking a few things in the bedroom, we all decide to head out for some food and a few drinks. Pippa of course groaned at the realisation that she was the only one that couldn’t drink but
painted on a smile as we headed out anyway.

I sit next to Pippa on the sofa as Jackson takes our bags in the bedroom and it feels so good to have her so close again. She’s like another limb to me, she’s been by my side forever and that time without her killed me, almost as much as being without Jackson. It’s certainly been a trying year.

“I can’t stop looking at your belly! That is going to be one big baby!”

I say with a laugh while admiring Pippa’s bump. The weekly bump growth photos that she has been sending me while I’ve been away did nothing to take away the shock. She still has three months to go and it looks like there’s standing room only in there! The fact that she is so tiny probably makes her look bigger than she is but still, I can’t seem to look anywhere else.

“Rosie stop it, I feel like an elephant as it is! And look at these!” As Pippa grabs and lifts her boobs, which were already big, I notice Ben and Jackson both suddenly tune into the conversation, mesmerised by the sheer size of Pippa’s chest.

“Oi! Avert your gaze James!” I scold Jackson as I playfully hit him on the back of the head and Ben starts to laugh,

“Sorry they’re just, well, they’re huge Pip!” Jackson laughs and Pippa starts to see the funny side.

After lunch we explored the city and walked around the St Nicholas Fayre. Pippa bought some really cute things for the baby’s room and for the first time I saw my best friend as a mother. We’d talked about the baby and discussed options for the nursery of course, but she was still Pip, just a little rounder. Now though, as she sits on the sofa opposite me in our home for the weekend, looking through her purchases with her boyfriend, I see a new Pippa, one that I’ve yet to get to know.

I watch as Pippa and Ben coo over the tiny booties that t
hey found on one of the stalls. Ben looking baffled by the size of them as he puts them on his fingers and laughs, before leaning down to kiss Pip’s belly while she strokes his head. Seeing them like this is amazing, I am so happy for them, and even happier that Jackson made me see sense and call Pip all those weeks ago.

“Rosie, give me a hand a sec please.”

Jackson calls into the living room from the bedroom and I jump up, leaving the lovebirds to their own company. I walk into the bedroom and revel in the sight of my freshly showered fiancé standing with only a towel around his waist.

“What is it you would like a hand with Mr James?” I ask flirtatiously as I reach toward his waist to pull at the towel,

“Not that you horn dog!” Jackson laughs and wraps his arms around me, “I just wanted to see if you were ok. I popped my head around and saw them with the baby stuff. I think you’re coping amazingly babe, but are you really alright with it all?”

Jackson kisses me on the forehead and I look up toward him, wrapping my arms tightly around his back.

“I really am, they’re so happy and it’s infectious. I’m going to be Auntie Rosie, how could I not be ok?” I smile a genuinely happy smile and Jackson, realising that I’m fine mirrors me.

“Good. In that case…” Jackson drops the towel from his waist and I giggle as he leans down to kiss me.

We spent two fabulous days exploring York with our friends. Pippa got tired and hungry at really regular intervals so we ended up eating and drinking far too much while she rested and refuelled. York has an abundance of brilliant bars and restaurants and fantastic pubs. Real pubs with open fires and cask ales. I’m not so keen on the cask ales and the effect that they have on Jackson, well, on Jackson’s arse! But the atmosphere and company made for an absolutely brilliant weekend.

We had arrived on Friday and by Sunday night, Jackson and I were preparing to go home for the first time in months.

“It’s going to be so strange to be back at home and back in the routine of our lives.” I say somewhat woefully as I sit on the floor of the bedroom and pack the suitcase ready for our journey home in the morning.

“We’ll have a whole new routine to get
used to soon with my new job. That will be strange, commuting, the nine to five. I’ve never worked regular hours like that before!”

Jackson passes me the rest of his t-shirts from the drawer and I put them in the case.

“Are you sure you really want to do this Jackson? I know you love me but really, giving up your career for me, it’s a lot!” I stand after zipping the case and hold out my hands to Jackson so that he can pull me up to standing.

“I’m not giving up my career
Rosie; I’m giving up my job and starting my career. It’s what I want, I promise you. I’m excited!”

I nuzzle into Jackson’s chest and he kisses the top of my head as Pippa knocks and then ope
ns our door without hesitation.

“Damn! I never catch you two
at it!” I laugh at the look of disappointment on her face and she continues, “Are you ready to go? I’m starving!”

“Yes, we’re coming now.” Pip walks away and I take Jackson’s hand in mine as I walk out of the room
, “I swear, that girl doesn’t stop eating!”

Jackson laughs, knowing that this isn’t a new pregnancy related development for Pippa and we head out, ready to enjoy our final night on tour.

“Jackson, how do you find
these places? That steak was incredible!”

Pippa nods enthusiastically in agreement with Ben’s statement and Jackson laughs,

“Well it’s sort of my job. The book would be a bit crap without great restaurants for those romantic meals for two!”

“Or just those eating for two?”
Pip laughs at her own joke as she rubs her belly with one hand and reaches for the dessert menu with the other.

After a mountain of profiteroles with cream and t
he rest of Ben’s cheesecake, Pippa looks as drunk as I feel after the bottle of red wine that I have almost finished, and I can’t help but laugh at how her life has changed. A year ago she’d have been demanding cocktails and flaming Sambuca’s!

“Right
, before we head back I need to get something of my chest!” Jackson speaks in a serious tone and the three of us fall silent, “I have done something that I need to tell you about Rosie. I can’t keep it from you anymore.”

My heartbeat increases and I feel Pippa brace herself ready to grab a steak knife from the next table and pounce on him if he hurts me again, Jackson goes on.

“Pip, first of all you need to know that Rosie wanted us to get married in Gretna Green. Just do it without telling anyone!” Jackson cleverly shifts Pippa’s focus onto me and she looks at me in disbelief before Jackson laughs and continues under my scrutiny. I can’t believe he sold me out! “Well, we just kind of want to be married, and soon. So it crossed our minds, but we knew that it wouldn’t be right. That said,” Jackson turns his head and looks into my eyes as he takes both of my hands in his, “I don’t want you starting another year unless it’s as Mrs James. I’ve booked a date Rosie. We’re getting married in three weeks, on Christmas Eve to be exact!”