Read Online Hand On Heart: Sequel to Head Over Heels by Sara Downing - Free Book Online
Authors: Sara Downing
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parenthood Alex had missed having someone to share the special moments of her children’s lives. Those occasions when a look of pride exchanged between parents was enough to say, ‘Aren’t they wonderful’, and to know that the feeling was mutual. Mark was more than just a stepfather to her children, he was their friend, too. They loved him to bits, even Archie, in his own funny way. Her eldest was definitely better for Mark being around, than he would have been without. He was so young when Peter died, too young to be expected to step up and assume the role of man of the house. Alex felt that was what he had tried to do, bless him, but she wanted him to have a proper, balanced childhood, and that meant having a strong male role model to look up to, which was particularly important in those formative teen years.
Mark did understand her reticence. They had been ticking along well as live-in partners, but he felt the time was right now to make their commitment more formal, for their own sakes as well as the children’s. He adored Alex; she was everything he could possibly want in a woman. And he didn’t mean by way of comparison to Grace; it would be wrong to compare the two women. Despite the short space of time between the end of one relationship and the beginnings of another, he knew that Grace was his past and Alex was his future. Enough time had passed since he split from Grace to know that what he was entering into with Alex was right for both of them. For all of them.
‘I just love you, Alex. I want to be with you, want to spend the rest of my life with you. That’s it, really. You make me so happy. I love you. I want you and your beautiful children in my life, for ever. What more do I have to say?’
And then tears of joy ran down Alex’s face as she looked at this wonderful man who had given her a chance of happiness, second time round. But still she couldn’t help the tiniest feelings of disloyalty that were creeping over her. Not only to Grace, towards whom she knew she had absolutely no need to feel disloyal, but to the memory of Peter. She knew Peter would have wanted her to move on; God knows, if the tables were turned and he had been left alone, she hoped that by now he would have sorted himself out with a new woman in his life. It had been nine years since she lost him, and until Mark came along, there had been no one else. But no one deserved to be lonely, and she was sure that Peter would be glad she had found love again.
‘I love you too, Mark,’ Alex said, taking hold of his hand and looking him in the eye. ‘So let’s do this! Let’s have a huge wedding, with a marquee on the lawn, all the children as bridesmaids and page boys – oh, can you imagine Archie in a suit, he’s going to hate that! Let’s do it! I love you too, I want to marry you, of course I do!’
She could see the tension lifting from Mark’s shoulders. He stepped forward, lifted her up and whizzed her round in a circle, just like Rosie liked him to do.
‘I love you, Mrs Hopper-to-be!’
July 2015
‘She’s doing really well, Alex,’ Grace said, putting down her notes. ‘I don’t need these, and you don’t need me to tell you that she’s way above where she needs to be at nine.’ It was parents’ evening at Cropley School, and although Alex knew she could talk to Grace about her youngest daughter’s progress at any time, she still felt she needed to go through the proper channels, and have a formal meeting with Grace. It wouldn’t be fair to Rosie not to do it the correct way.
‘I love having her in my class, she’s just like you, only a mini-version.’ Grace started piling her papers together and tidying chairs as Alex reached for her coat and bag. She had arranged to be the last person of the evening to see Grace, so that the pair of them could head off to the pub for a drink afterwards and catch up on news. Mark was holding the
Mark did understand her reticence. They had been ticking along well as live-in partners, but he felt the time was right now to make their commitment more formal, for their own sakes as well as the children’s. He adored Alex; she was everything he could possibly want in a woman. And he didn’t mean by way of comparison to Grace; it would be wrong to compare the two women. Despite the short space of time between the end of one relationship and the beginnings of another, he knew that Grace was his past and Alex was his future. Enough time had passed since he split from Grace to know that what he was entering into with Alex was right for both of them. For all of them.
‘I just love you, Alex. I want to be with you, want to spend the rest of my life with you. That’s it, really. You make me so happy. I love you. I want you and your beautiful children in my life, for ever. What more do I have to say?’
And then tears of joy ran down Alex’s face as she looked at this wonderful man who had given her a chance of happiness, second time round. But still she couldn’t help the tiniest feelings of disloyalty that were creeping over her. Not only to Grace, towards whom she knew she had absolutely no need to feel disloyal, but to the memory of Peter. She knew Peter would have wanted her to move on; God knows, if the tables were turned and he had been left alone, she hoped that by now he would have sorted himself out with a new woman in his life. It had been nine years since she lost him, and until Mark came along, there had been no one else. But no one deserved to be lonely, and she was sure that Peter would be glad she had found love again.
‘I love you too, Mark,’ Alex said, taking hold of his hand and looking him in the eye. ‘So let’s do this! Let’s have a huge wedding, with a marquee on the lawn, all the children as bridesmaids and page boys – oh, can you imagine Archie in a suit, he’s going to hate that! Let’s do it! I love you too, I want to marry you, of course I do!’
She could see the tension lifting from Mark’s shoulders. He stepped forward, lifted her up and whizzed her round in a circle, just like Rosie liked him to do.
‘I love you, Mrs Hopper-to-be!’
July 2015
‘She’s doing really well, Alex,’ Grace said, putting down her notes. ‘I don’t need these, and you don’t need me to tell you that she’s way above where she needs to be at nine.’ It was parents’ evening at Cropley School, and although Alex knew she could talk to Grace about her youngest daughter’s progress at any time, she still felt she needed to go through the proper channels, and have a formal meeting with Grace. It wouldn’t be fair to Rosie not to do it the correct way.
‘I love having her in my class, she’s just like you, only a mini-version.’ Grace started piling her papers together and tidying chairs as Alex reached for her coat and bag. She had arranged to be the last person of the evening to see Grace, so that the pair of them could head off to the pub for a drink afterwards and catch up on news. Mark was holding the
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