Track 11
‘MOVE ON UP’ (CURTIS MAYFIELD)
Lily called from the top of the staircase. ‘How many more boxes are there, Adders?’ She’d been complaining that her arms felt like jelly and her legs weren’t much better. Eve was in the kitchen unpacking all the necessary bits and pieces to make cups of coffee for everyone.
Adam rolled his eyes, thankful she couldn’t see him. ‘Oh, only another fifty or so. Don’t worry, it’ll keep you fit,’ he mumbled over the top of the large box marked ‘CDs’ that he was manoeuvring through the front door of the new house.
Lily sighed and growled. ‘Why did I stay for this? I could be sunning myself on a beach in bloody New Zealand next to a half-naked male underwear model right now.’
Adam was grateful that his best friend had extended her stay long enough to help him and Eve move into their new place.
They were renting in a pretty village called Lilliesleaf, about an hour from Edinburgh with the option to buy, which meant things were easy and would speed along nicely once their finances were all in place.
The house was only a thirty-minute drive to the school where Adam would be teaching, and Eve was now a permanent member of staff at the Border Gazette whose head office was in Hawick, a mere nineteen minutes away. It was perfect.
Eve came through with two mugs of coffee and the end of a packet of chocolate cookies grasped between her teeth.
‘Awww, Willy, we weally appweciate dis, you know.’ Lily came sliding down the stairs on her bottom and took the packet of biscuits from Eve’s mouth.
‘Thanks, I’m not sure if you caught any of that but I was just saying—’
‘You appreciate it. Yes, I got it. And I know you do. And I honestly don’t mind. I’m just knackered.’ Lily ripped open the packet and shoved a cookie into her mouth. Whole.
Adam placed his box down and took a mug from Eve, kissing her on the cheek. ‘Thanks, gorgeous. Have I told you today how much I love you?’
Eve blushed. ‘Yes, about a million times.’
Lily stuck her tongue out in what Adam hoped was mock disgust. ‘Oh, good grief, get a bloody room. In fact, there are three of them upstairs, go take your pick.’ She slapped Adam around the head.
‘Ouch! Watch it or you’ll get all the heavy boxes next.’
She huffed. ‘Yeah? Like I haven’t been getting them already.’
Eve giggled. ‘You two should maybe have a wee break, and I’ll go out to the van and bring some stuff in.’
Adam shook his head. ‘No, you have a break too. We’ve all been working bloody hard this morning.’ He glanced around the hallway. ‘Aww, Evie, it’s going to be fantastic, this house. I can just see it now.’
The terraced cottage was fairly plain which, Eve had insisted, was a very good thing as they could easily put their stamp on it. They had both been saving for a while and had managed to purchase some extra pieces of furniture to make the house feel like a home. Their home.
Downstairs had a small entrance hallway and to the right was a good-sized lounge.
Through the lounge was a newly fitted kitchen.
It was fairly modern but had a country feel to it.
Cream shaker-style units sat under solid wood block work surfaces.
Silver-coloured appliances finished off the smart room nicely.
The previous owners had bought the cottage as a shell and had gutted the insides, modernising it with a view to selling it for profit.
The cottage garden at the back had an area to sit and a small lawn.
Right at the back was a veggie plot that Adam couldn’t wait to get stuck into.
It was an exciting prospect, growing his own spuds.
From the compact hallway led a wooden staircase and on the top floor was a tiny but perfectly formed bathroom complete with roll-top bath.
There was a small room that would be great as an office and then two further bedrooms, one of which Lily had named as her room and the other which was earmarked, obviously, for Adam and his gorgeous future wife.
After unloading the last of the boxes, Lily had declined the offer of a take-away, a bottle of wine, and crashing at the new house. She had informed Adam that he should spend the first night in his new home with his fiancée. He hadn’t taken much convincing.
He stretched and looked at the clock. It was only ten thirty, but he was keen to get to bed. He yawned dramatically and slipped his arm around Eve’s shoulders, leaned in, and whispered into her ear, ‘I think I’m going to turn in. Can I tempt you?’
She visibly shivered, turned to him, and breathed, ‘I don’t think I’ll take much tempting.’
He scooped her up in his arms like he had when he had carried her over the threshold earlier that day, and made his way to the hall.
Careful not to drop his precious cargo, he climbed the stairs and pushed open the bedroom door with his foot.
Placing her on the floor he gazed down, deep into her vivid blue eyes, which had darkened slightly now that lust had taken over.
Her hands slipped around his waist and tugged at the tatty old T-shirt he wore.
She pulled it upwards and he stooped to help her remove it.
He inhaled deeply as she smoothed her hands over his bare chest and around his neck. She laced her fingers, tugged at the dark strands of his hair, and pulled him down so that his mouth was over hers.
A little while later, Adam stroked Eve’s back as they both fought to calm their breathing. ‘Evie.’ She pulled herself back to look into his eyes and he continued, ‘Evie, don’t ever leave me. I don’t know what I’d do.’
She smiled as she stroked the hair back from his damp face. ‘I’m going nowhere, Adam.’
‘I… I just… I could never love someone as much as I love you… you’re it for me. This… us… this is it. I don’t want to be without you. You’re my life. You have… all of me.’
She cupped his face in her palm. ‘And you have all of me. I’m yours.’