Alpaca love #2
“And yes, there may have been films, but I didn’t watch any. I just thought of you and was done in no time.” He grinned wryly. “You know how fast I can be when you’re part of the package.”
“I’ll never forget.” She winked. “And with four days of abstinence on the books, I might be fast too.” She pressed against him and gave a suggestive nod at the kitchen countertop.
“You really are ...” He interrupted himself and kissed her.
The pasta was a tad overdone, but that didn’t matter. It still tasted delicious as they snuggled up on the sofa a little later. Switching on the TV, Shona was sure she couldn’t be any happier.
The show really knew how to build the excitement. First, they showed takes from the final evenings at all three restaurants. As the camera panned through the dining room, they saw their slightly younger selves. “You really should wear that suit more often,” said Shona. “You look incredible in it.”
“I’d better buy a new one then. This one didn’t look so great after the night was over. That dress of yours is also amazing. But of course, I love how you look no matter what you’re wearing.”
“And best when I wear nothing at all, I know,” she teased him before turning her attention back to the screen. “That menu was incredible. It’s a shame you didn’t get to taste any of it.”
“A shame indeed.” He sighed, and she knew he was thinking back to the sad evening when he’d had to put down a colic-stricken horse. “But I’ve taken the liberty of reserving a table for us at Isla’s next week so I will finally get to experience what the hype is all about.”
“You may not be able to afford it much longer after tonight. She might well have her second star by next week and if she’s smart, she’ll double her prices.”
“I doubt she will, and even if she did, it would be worth it to me,” he replied cooly.
“You’re not planning to propose to me, are you?” she blurted out.
“What?” He laughed in amazement and looked at her. “No, I wasn’t planning to propose next week. Mind you, I certainly will at some point, but not in your sister’s restaurant! That would be too much of a crowd for me.” He kissed her on the temple and returned his attention to the programme.
“So … you’re thinking about marrying me?”
“Um, aye? I mean, I haven’t thought too much about it yet. But with you, I’m considering anything.”
“Good, because I am too,” she said.
“Wait a second! Are you proposing to me?” He muted the TV and stared at her.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Am I?”
“I think you are.” He shook his head and laughed. “You can’t just make big decisions like that on a whim.”
“Why not? All the biggest things in my life so far have happened out of the blue, and it all seems to have worked out up until now. Why make a fuss? So, what do you think, shall we get married?”
He took a few deep breaths as he studied her.
His gaze was impenetrable, and Shona felt her heart might stop at any moment.
She hadn’t planned this, not at all. Granted, three minutes ago she had found the idea of him proposing to her in her sister’s restaurant terrifying.
But a moment later, it all felt so right, so clear, so inevitable.
And why should right, clear, inevitable decisions be put off until some later date?
But now she was worried she had taken things too far.
Had she caught him by surprise and overwhelmed him?
“I can’t think of anything I’d rather do,” he finally replied, a wide smile on his face, and she felt a weight lift.
“Okay. That’s settled then,” she continued in a businesslike manner. “If we don’t hang about, we can beat Alex and Colleen and Isla and Jon to it. Wouldn’t it be cool if we were married before any of them?”
“Do you want to go to the registry office right now, or can we finish watching the programme?” he asked, amused.
“Let’s finish the programme first. I doubt we’ll find anyone to officiate tonight.”
Kendrick turned the sound back up. A studio scene with interviews of the chefs had just come on.
Shona missed most of it because she was too busy savouring the sweet, dizzy feeling inside her.
Sitting on this sofa with her future husband and their two dogs, she felt like the luckiest woman in the world.
“Look, it’s your gin,” Kendrick suddenly called out. Apparently, he was still able to follow the programme.
Indeed, Isla was presenting a bottle of Alpaca Thistle gin, giving the audience the entire story of how this extraordinary product had come about. “Shon, I hope you’re watching!” she called as she looked directly into the camera and waved.
“I love your crazy family,” Kendrick said. “Honestly, I never thought I’d meet a crazier bunch than mine, but you guys top us by a mile. I can’t wait to be one of you soon.” He leant in and gave her a kiss that made her forget anything else.
“Oh no, we missed the winner being announced,” she gasped as she re-emerged from a fog of lust and passion a while later and saw a news programme on the screen.
“We’ll have to look it up online,” Kendrick replied comfortingly.
Suddenly, they heard a phone ringing from the floor: Shona’s mobile. It must have fallen in the heat of the moment. She grabbed it and was caught by surprise when she saw the name on the display.
“Lennox?” she cried as she answered the call. “What in the world? … Aye, it’s fantastic that Isla won. I’m so happy ... What? When? ... Okay, see you next week then!”
Shona hung up but continued to stare at her phone, unable to believe what she had just heard.
“That was Lennox, my brother,” she finally said. “He saw the show. Isla won, by the way.”
“I had no doubt about that,” Kendrick claimed.
“And guess what – Lennox will be home next week!”
THE END