Page 73 of Finding Love in Micklewick Bay

With the remains of the picnic cleared away and placed in the boot of the car, out of the glare of the sun, Stella rested back on her elbows, stretching her legs out on the rug, Alex beside her. Fred sat in the cool of the shadow cast by the car. The heat of the sun was tempered by the light breeze that was brushing over the heather and wafting the faint scent of honey their way. She soon found herself getting lost in her thoughts, the cries of a buzzard circling overhead barely registering.

She couldn’t deny, the last few weeks had been challenging, from the hassle she’d had with the Dixon trial to finally getting to meet her father and everything that had entailed. Though the experience had been less than pleasant, her curiosity about him had at least been satisfied. Her only regret was that he’d managed to unsettle her mum. She consoled herself that it had only been for a brief amount of time and it had, bizarrely, appeared to have strengthened her mother’s relationship with Rhys. It was something Stella found herself being glad of. The more she got to know him, the more she realised what a thoroughly decent man he was, and how good he was for her mum. Seeing her mum glowing with happiness warmed Stella’s heart. Her mother and Rhys were flying out to Tuscany todayand were very excited by all accounts. Stella wondered if there’d be some kind of announcement on their return.

Her thoughts segued to her relationship with Alex, how he’d stirred feelings inside her she’d never thought possible to feel. And though she’d fought them at the start, she’d now submitted to them wholeheartedly and allowed her heart to experience love. She couldn’t deny it, it was heady, all-consuming stuff.

She stole a look at him, taking in his handsome profile. Butterflies performed their now familiar dance in her stomach. He smiled, the glow of sunlight on his face.

‘Perfect day for a picnic,’ he said.

‘Perfect day full stop.’ She sighed contentedly, resting her head on his shoulder, inhaling his comforting aroma.

‘It is.’ Sitting back, he placed his finger under her chin and tilted her face towards him, drinking in her features before kissing her deeply.

Stella wiggled her toes as a wave of love washed over her.

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