Page 1 of Nineteen Letters

Chapter 1

Jemma

“It’s a wet and dreary morning…”is the first thing I hear when the radio booms to life, alerting me to the fact it’s time to get up.

I groan into my pillow because dreary doesn’t even come close to how I’m feeling. The thought of no longer being able to spend every waking minute with my gorgeous husband has already put a dampener on my day, and I’m not even out of bed yet.

I can’t believe our time off together has come to an end. I hate that I have to go back to work this morning and leave the little bubble Braxton and I have been living in for the past four weeks.

Right up until the wedding, things were so busy with our careers, building our dream house and organising our special day, that we didn’t get to see each other as much as usual. Everything combined seemed to take away from us being together. This one-on-one time we’ve had since tying the knot was just what we both needed.

“Morning, Mrs Spencer,” Braxton mumbles into the crook of my neck as he pulls me further into the warmth of his body.

We’ve often referred to each other as Mr or Mrs since we said ourI dos. It’s been exactly nineteen days since we exchangedwedding vows, and I’m still floating on the high that’s always come from the man lying beside me.

“Morning, Mr Spencer,” I reply as I turn in his arms and lean my forehead against his. “I’m not ready to go back to work. I can’t stand the thought of spending the entire day without you.”

He chuckles as his teeth nip at my pouting lip. “I feel the same way, sweetheart. It’s gone way too fast. We should have taken two months off, instead of one.”

Despite him being a constant figure in my daily life for the past nineteen years, I still get a rush when I think about what our future together holds.

I met Braxton when my parents and I moved in next door. We were just kids, but we’ve been inseparable ever since. He’s my one and only. He always has been and always will be. He’s not only the love of my life; he’s my best friend, my soul mate,my forever boy.

The thought of my life without him in it is unimaginable.

Not only does he have the kindest and most beautiful heart, but he’s also incredibly easy on the eye, with his movie-star looks. I run my fingers through his dark-blond hair, which is a little lighter on the ends because of our time spent basking in the sun on our honeymoon in Hawaii.

My gaze roams over his perfectly sculpted face; his big blue eyes pop against his tanned skin. When he realises I’m checking him out, he gives me a smug grin. It’s a look that has always made me go weak at the knees. It also highlights the cute dimple on his left cheek. His front tooth turns in ever so slightly, but it takes nothing away from his Colgate-worthy smile.

“I could always call in sick,” I say, perking up for a moment, but in reality, I know it’s not possible. I have a big client coming in first thing Monday morning, and I need to prepare.

“If I didn’t have this damn meeting later this morning, I’d say do it,” Braxton replies.

“I’m going to miss you.”

“I’m going to miss you too, Jem. The past four weeks with you have been my kind of heaven.”

I sigh in agreement. “I’d give anything to be back in Kauai right now.”

My fingers move from his hair and tenderly skim down the side of his face as I speak. The beach has always been our favourite place. That’s why we built our dream home overlooking the ocean.

The soothing sound of the waves crashing against the shore as I drift off to sleep every night, and the sweet smell of sea air first thing in the morning, is cathartic. It’s also one reason we chose Hawaii—a beautiful villa on the majestic shores of Tunnels Beach—as the place to spend the first two weeks of our married life.

“Me too,” he replies, giving me a wistful look. “I’ll take you back there over the Christmas break, I promise.”

Christmas is ten long months away, but I guess we have the rest of our lives to create the kind of memories we did in Hawaii.

“I’d like that.”

My fingertips dance over his collarbone before moving across his shoulder. When they lightly skate a path down his strong back, he groans.

Untangling my legs from his, I pause briefly as I exhale a long, drawn-out breath. I don’t want to leave him. “I suppose I better jump in the shower.”

“Would you like some company?”

Reaching for me, he rolls onto his back, taking me with him. I laugh when he wiggles his eyebrows. I don’t have time for this, but I already know that isn’t going to stop me. I straddle his waist before leaning down to cover his mouth with mine.

The shower can wait.