Chapter 55
It wasn’t until she was rushing out onto the lakeside track that Hannah realised that Tiny was running alongside her.
‘Find him, Tiny,’ she said to the dog, picking up speed. ‘Find Alex.’
Her mind ran with the possibility that he thought she had rejected him. That he didn’t think that she loved him when it was the complete opposite. What if he had given up on her already?
Tiny raced ahead of her, barking as he went. She hoped it was a good sign as she hurtled around a corner and, to her relief, found Alex standing on one of the small bridges, looking out across the lake.
Tiny barked in joy at seeing his master and ran up to Alex in a joyful mood.
Hannah found her steps faltering as she reached him and crashed to a halt. She realised it was the bridge where they had shared their first kiss. The first time she had told him how she truly felt about him.
‘Hey,’ she said, almost out of breath. ‘I’m so glad we found you.’
He nodded but didn’t reply, merely looking out across the lake.
She took a deep breath, still trying to reduce her rapid pulse and then went onto the bridge to stand next to him.
She looked out across the lake, just in time to see Sean stagger out of the water before being frogmarched off the beach by Ben and Jake. They led him around the hotel and presumably to the car park before disappearing out of sight. Good riddance, thought Hannah. She would never see him again.
‘So he’s back.’
It was the first time Alex had spoken and she turned to look at him.
‘Briefly,’ she replied, deciding it was time to tell him the complete truth.
‘He sent me a couple of texts over the years and each time I blocked the number, hoping it was the last time. Yesterday he got back in touch after a long time. I had no idea that he would track me down here.’ She exhaled a long breath.
‘He’s a bully. He’s always been a bully, even when we were together. But he doesn’t frighten me any more.’
Alex immediately looked concerned. ‘He frightened you?’ he asked, his eyes running over her. ‘Did he hurt you?’
‘Not today but in the past, yes, he did,’ she confessed, with a sigh.
‘He destroyed what little self-confidence I had, making me feel small and worthless. That was bad enough until one evening he shoved me to the floor. That was when I walked out for good on our relationship and came home.’ She looked up at Alex.
‘I should have told you the truth about him before now but I wanted him to stay in the past where he belongs.’
‘I’ll kill him for hurting you,’ he said, his eyes narrowing.
She held up her hand. ‘He won’t get that opportunity. Not any more. When we went outside, he began to threaten me so I threw him to the floor.’
Alex looked at her in open-mouthed astonishment.
‘It turns out that Aimee is a really good self-defence teacher,’ carried on Hannah with a grin. ‘Seriously. We need to hold some regular classes.’
Alex ran a hand through his hair, looking confused. ‘You threw him to the floor?’ he asked. ‘And then you threw him in the lake?’
She laughed. ‘No, that was Tiny. Turns out his bark really is worse than his bite.’
Alex let out a shaky breath. ‘I should have been there,’ he said, frowning. ‘I shouldn’t have let you leave with him.’
Hannah reached out and took his hand in hers. ‘You were there every other time I needed you,’ she told him. ‘When I needed confidence and had none. When I needed support and your friendship too. You gave me strength that I never knew I had.’
She could still feel him holding back. Still not sure of her feelings towards him when he had declared his so openly.
So she took his other hand in hers and held them tight.
‘And I need you now,’ she carried on. ‘I want you in my life every single day for now and always. I need your big, generous heart. Those oh-so sexy muscles. And your love. Most of all your love. I want it all.’ She took a shaky breath, suddenly nervous that he might not forgive her. ‘If you’ll have me.’
‘If I’ll have you?’ His voice trailed off as he looked at her in disbelief.
‘I love you,’ she told him. ‘I love you so very much. I’ll make sure I tell you how much I love you each and every day until you believe me. I know I hurt you by not telling you that earlier and I’m truly sorry. I’ll spend forever trying not to hurt you again, I promise.’
‘Don’t apologise,’ he told her, pulling her close with a groan. He wrapped his strong arms around her and looked down at her, his face almost touching hers. ‘I should have given you more space. My timing was way off.’
‘No, it wasn’t,’ she said, reaching up to stroke his face. ‘Can we start over again, please?’
He nodded. ‘I love you.’
‘And I love you,’ she told him.
‘You’re the love of my life,’ he said. ‘I knew from the first moment I ever saw you that there would never be anyone else for me. I promise to never make you feel anything other than the wonderful, beautiful and talented woman that you are. I promise to be your biggest fan each and every day. I will be there for you today and always.’ He took her cheek in his large hand and smiled down at her.
‘Every day these past few weeks has felt like a dream come true just being able to take you in my arms and kiss you.’
‘Then let’s not stop now,’ she murmured.
They both moved into the kiss at the same time and it was as sweet, perhaps even more so, as all the other kisses they had ever shared. Because this time Hannah knew that it was forever and that nothing would keep them apart ever again.