31 Days of Autumn (16 page)

‘Five down, five to go,’ I announced. I was so
damn close. The Davenports weren’t going to know what had hit them by the time
I was done with them.

Monday 21
^st
October

Ellie

‘Dan, are you sure you have time? They’ll be here
any minute,’ I called up to his office from the kitchen, as I checked the
seafood paella I’d prepared for us all. Mr. and Mrs. McAdams had arrived back
from their holiday last night and were so excited to meet Eva. It was easier to
invite them down here for lunch, instead of hauling all the baby paraphernalia
and three children up to their cabin, even with the new smoother path.

‘I’ve just got to make a few calls, I’ll be down
as soon as possible,’ he replied. I frowned. I had the distinct impression
something was going on with him lately. I’d put his stress and occasional bad
temper down to his worry over me having Eva, but other than the day we’d had
everyone around for lunch in London, he’d not improved since she’d arrived. Over
the last week in particular, he’d been more short fused and had avoided
answering my questions when I asked if he was alright. I was determined that
now we were home, I was going to get to the bottom of it. I was worried about
him, it was almost like the old Dan I’d first met was slowly returning, the one
who was hiding secrets from me and carrying the weight of the world on his
shoulders. He’d worked so hard on shedding that side of him, I didn’t want it
to all be for nothing.

‘What can I do?’ asked Jenny as she came in.
‘Eva’s still sleeping and Oliver and Jonas are watching TV next door.’

‘Nothing you’re not already doing,’ I smiled.
‘So, when are you and Dean finally going to go out on a date?’

‘What?’ she spluttered, her cheeks turning
pink.

‘Please, I recognise the signs. The two of you
have been flirting for over two years. You’re moving slower than Dan and I did,
and that’s something I never thought I’d say.’

‘We’re just friends, good friends,’ she replied
with a nonchalant shrug.

‘Who are you trying to convince with that
statement,’ I laughed, opening the fridge to grab the jug of iced water for the
dining table. I winced as lifting it pulled the muscles in my stomach.

‘Ellie,’ Jenny scolded, taking it off me. ‘You
know you shouldn’t be carrying anything yet. I’ll do the heavy lifting, then
head down to the boathouse while you’re eating, give you some space.’

‘Now it’s my turn for the disapproving look,’ I
told her as she put the jug in the middle of the dining table. ‘You’re having
lunch with us, too. When are you going to get it into your head that you’re not
just an employee, Jenny? You’re part of the family and one of my best friends.’

‘Ellie,’ she moaned, her cheeks colouring up
again.

‘It’s true, and stop trying to change the
subject. You can’t tell me that you don’t fancy Dean. He’s a very good-looking
guy and that’s without the sexy pilot's uniform.’

‘He is,’ she giggled, tucking her hair behind
her ear. She was so pretty, intelligent, and had an amazing figure, courtesy of
all her workouts. I couldn’t believe she was single.

‘So,’ I prodded, beyond excited at the thought
of them getting together. She was a relatively young woman and needed more fun
in her life.

‘We’re just friends, that’s all we’ll be. It’s
unprofessional to date a co-worker.’

‘Jenny,’ I scolded, ‘no one will have a problem
as long as it’s not happening when you’re on duty. Your free time is yours to
do with as you want.’

‘I’m sure Dan would have something different to
say about that,’ she scoffed, moving back over to sit at the island as I wiped
up the kitchen worktops.

‘It’s nothing to do with him, as long as you’re
both doing your jobs to the best of your abilities. So, when are you going to
ask him out?’

‘I’m not, but why do I get the feeling that
you’re not going to let this go?’ she asked with a smile.

‘Because you know me too well. When’s the last
time you saw anyone, or had sex?’

‘I can’t remember,’ she grimaced. ‘I have a
great relationship with my body wand that you recommended, if that’s any
consolation.’

‘You know, Dan was saying the electricity bills
at the boathouse had spiked in recent months,’ I teased, then burst out
laughing at the look of mortification on her face. ‘I’m joking, but for a young,
attractive woman like yourself, a lack of sex life is no joke at all.’

‘Tell me about it,’ she sighed, resting her
chin on her knuckles. ‘What if I ask him out and he says no?’

‘The way he looks at you? No way is he saying
no, you’ll be having crazy monkey sex within minutes.’

‘Monkey sex?’ she laughed. ‘I’d settle for just
boring old missionary, it’s been that long.’

‘Me too,’ I sighed wistfully. ‘I can’t wait for
these six weeks to be over. I feel like I’m back here that winter I first met
him and he was holding out on me.’

‘I admire him for that, that shows some real restraint.’

‘Hmmm,’ I agreed, the thought of restraints
firing up my need for him. My hormones were off the charts at the moment, but it
was only eleven days after my operation, it was way too soon. Maybe lack of sex
was making Dan irritable.

‘Earth to Ellie, Danland,’ Jenny called,
distracting me.

‘You sound just like Brooke,’ I smiled, turning
to check the paella. I wanted that nice crust on it, without taking it so far
it burnt.

‘You miss her, don’t you?’

‘I do,’ I nodded. ‘Molly, too. We haven’t had a
girls’ night out in forever with me being pregnant. We need to get them up for
a weekend and the four of us can go to the hotel for a spa and champagne day.
We could get pampered, and then Dean could pick us up in the helicopter and you
could finally make your move.’

‘What if I do and he really doesn’t feel the
same, it will make things really awkward.’

‘Then you blame the champagne, but I’m telling
you, it’s not going to happen. That guy fancies you, Jenny. He’s just too
polite, and probably scared of Dan’s reaction, to do anything about it.’

‘Who’s scared of me?’ Dan asked as he jogged
down the stairs. Jenny pulled her best pleading face as she looked at me, but
this was something I wasn’t prepared to let go.

‘If Jenny and Dean were to date, and it didn’t
affect their work, would you have a problem with it?’ I asked.

‘None whatsoever. I’ve been telling him for
months to ask her out. Even I can see the chemistry and I’m usually oblivious,
unless it comes to you, baby,’ he grinned, dipping his head to give me a kiss.
I looked up at him surprised, he seemed in a much better mood than when he’d
woken up this morning.

‘Daddy,’ yelled Oliver from next door.

‘Dada,’ shouted Jonas. Dan grinned and strode
next door to squeals of excitement. He was probably hoisting them up in the
air, they loved it when he did that.

‘Are you two ok now, after the other day?’
Jenny whispered. I’d confided in her about his shitty attitude and lack of
concern for Oliver’s wasp sting.

‘We will be. It’s been a rough few months.’

‘You can’t not work out, Ellie. You’re my
goalpost. One day I want to be in a relationship where we look at each other
the way you two do, to have a family as loving as yours.’

‘We’re not falling apart, far from it, but we
have been a bit more argumentative recently. Being home will do us good, he’s
always more relaxed here than London.’ I waved as I spotted Mr. and Mrs.
McAdams outside the front door, gesturing them to come in. Oliver raced through
from the playroom and threw himself at Mrs. McAdams as she came in.

‘Hello, young Oliver. What a greeting. Where’s
your brother?’

‘Playing.’ He lifted his arms for her to pick
him up and flung them around her neck. He was such a loving little boy.

‘Anyone for wine?’ I asked. Jenny shot off her
chair immediately to stop me heading to the wine fridge in the utility room.

‘That would be lovely, Ellie,’ replied Mr.
McAdams.

‘Bottle of white?’ Jenny called.

‘Please, the Chardonnay,’ I replied as I went
to kiss Mr. McAdams. ‘Did you have a good holiday?’

‘We had a great time until we heard about you.
How are you?’

‘I’m fine now, thank you. I’m told it was a
close call, but Dan and James got me to the hospital super-fast.’

‘We were so worried, Ellie,’ Mrs. McAdams
nodded, passing Oliver over to her husband and coming to hug me tightly. I
squeezed her in return. I’d missed the old couple. Mrs. McAdams in particular
reminded me of Magda. Neither women were afraid to put Dan in his place, they
both loved him dearly. ‘So, where’s the new wee bairn?’

‘Fast asleep at the moment. Lunch is ready, so
why don’t we eat and catch up, then I can get her up to meet you both.’

‘I can’t wait,’ she replied, then turned and
beamed as Dan appeared carrying Jonas.

‘May May,’ he squealed, not yet able to
pronounce Mary.

‘Well, haven’t you grown into a big boy in just
three weeks,’ she observed, reaching for him.

‘Thanks, I think I’ve filled out nicely with
all my gym work,’ Dan nodded with a wink, handing him over.

‘Not you, you giant muckle, you keep growing
and you’ll need more head room in this house.’

‘Don’t give him a bigger head than he already
has, for goodness sake. As if being so handsome and buff wasn’t bad enough, his
skills at work have his head so large it almost stops him passing through
doors,’ I laughed. Dan scooted over to my side and put an arm around my waist,
leaning in to kiss my cheek.

‘You forgot my skills in bed,’ he murmured.

‘Trust me, I haven’t forgotten, but I’d love a
reminder anyway.’

‘Thirty-four days to go,’ he replied, kissing
me again. ‘Not that I’m counting them down or anything.’

‘Seriously,’ I moaned. ‘That’s more days than
that first winter and that was torture.’

‘Tell me about it. Maybe I’ll treat you to a
small orgasm tonight. How does my tongue sound?’

‘Very loud from where I’m standing,’ chuckled
Mrs. McAdams, making me blush and giggle and Dan turn bright red. ‘Young love,
I do miss it.’

‘I begged you after the fourth baby to go and
find a younger model, but did you listen,’ Mr. McAdams teased, kissing her
cheek.

‘You’re lucky I stuck with you after the first,
it was a nightmare training you. I bet Daniel can feed and change Miss Eva
without any help.’

‘I can,’ he nodded proudly. I smiled as he
pulled his phone out and swept his finger over the screen until he found the
album he had, full of pictures of her. ‘Here’s a peek at her until we get her
up.’

‘She’s beautiful, thank God she inherited all
of her mother’s genes,’ Mrs. McAdams teased. I giggled again and turned to
start dishing up.

‘She has my hair,’ Dan protested.

‘Wine, Ellie?’ asked Jenny as she uncorked it
and started pouring into the glasses laid out around the table.

‘No thanks, I’ll just stick to water, but the
minute I stop breastfeeding, watch out. I’ll be drinking you under the table.’

‘Over my dead body,’ scoffed Dan, leading
everyone to their seats and settling Jonas into his high chair.

Jenny helped me to carry the plates over and
got the garlic bread out of the oven for me. I looked around as everyone tucked
in, so happy to be home and to have my extended family here. I couldn’t wait
until Christmas, to have everyone over. I needed to make sure Dan had
remembered to book enough suites for them all at the hotel.

Dan insisted that we move to the lounge, saying
I looked tired. I felt it, not that I’d admit it, but even the simple task of
cooking lunch had wiped me out. He put his arm around me and pulled me against
him as he updated Mr. McAdams on the share prices of Davenport Technologies. He
had such a good heart. Not only did he keep the couple on and pay them a
salary, he’d given them shares in his company to make sure they could afford to
treat all of their grandchildren and take regular holidays. Even when I was mad
at him, which had been often lately, I loved him with everything I had. Mrs.
McAdams made me laugh when she started teasing Jenny about Dean, too. She went
to pass a sleeping Jonas over to Jenny so she could get up when she heard Eva
cry down the baby monitor, but I stopped her.

‘Don’t, let me,’ I said as I eased myself up
from the sofa.

‘Ellie,’ warned Dan. ‘You know that you still
shouldn’t be lifting her.’

‘I’ll go and get her,’ Mrs. McAdams said
firmly, giving me a stern look. I sighed and sat back down again. I hated that
I couldn’t even pick up my own little girl, but the doctors had warned of the
high risk of another rupture if I didn’t let myself heal properly. ‘Where is
she?’

‘Our bedroom for now,’ I confirmed. ‘At some
stage we’ll move her into Oliver’s old nursery and have a door put through from
our room. We thought the boys would want to stay together, so we’ll do up
Oliver’s room for him now he’s older so it doesn’t look like a nursery anymore.’

‘Big boy’s bedroom,’ Oliver nodded, as he sat
between Dan’s legs playing games on his mini iPad. I’d told Dan that at three
and a half he was too young for one, but Dan insisted it was good for his
development and he did seem to love it.