48. Murray
London found me with Kelly at a crafts stall. My daughter had traipsed across the field to beg me to buy her beads to make something called friendship bracelets.
Kelly looked uncharacteristically annoyed by London’s appearance. “It was supposed to be a surprise.”
London took one look at what we were buying and broke into a wide smile. “Are you making me a friendship bracelet?”
“You weren’t supposed to know.”
My wife’s eyes grew shimmery with emotion. “You are the sweetest. I’ll love it, I promise.”
Honestly, it was like they were speaking another language. How London knew immediately about friendship bracelets and whatever greater meaning there was to them, I didn’t know … but I also didn’t care because it was just so gratifying to see how close the two of them had grown.
“After you’re done here, how would you feel about leaving early? I thought we could get some ingredients to make paella. Perfect summer food.” London rubbed her hands together in anticipation.
Kelly shrugged. “Sure! Can Anna and Lucas come?”
“I’m okay with that.” London looked to me.
I nodded but reached out to stroke London’s flushed cheek. “Is there a reason you want to leave early?”
London’s lush mouth twisted into a moue. “Every villager I bump into asks why I don’t have a stall here. They’re pestering me to do the honesty box every day. It’s a little tiring.”
Understandable, considering London was still confused over what her next move should be. She and Tierney had agreed she’d stay at the B and B until Tierney had secured a new chef. However, London was flailing with uncertainty about her career path.
“Then let’s go home.”
An hour later we were back at the house, Mum was over, and London was in the kitchen teaching (at their request) Kelly, Anna, and Lucas how to make chicken chorizo and shrimp paella.
Mum and I sat in the music room, watching London in the kitchen as she laughed with Kelly and her friends as they followed her instructions, clearly fascinated by her.
I understood that fascination, of course.
“She’s patient with them,” Mum murmured, expression warm with affection. “She really seems to enjoy teaching them.”
As soon as she said it, I tensed, an idea forming as I thought of the piano lessons London had given Kelly on top of the sporadic cooking lessons. She was a great teacher and really did seem to take pleasure in it.
After dinner, after everyone had gone home, Kelly was asleep in her room, and I sat up in bed, watching London smooth lotion down her legs, enjoying the view. Trying not to be distracted by her beautiful body, I cleared my throat. She turned her head to look at me, sensing I had something to say.
“You were great with the kids tonight. Teaching them to cook.”
She beamed. “It was fun. I loved how into it they were.”
“Have you considered that as an option?”
“Considered what?”
“Teaching people to cook. You’re fantastic with seafood, and people come to Glenvulin for experiences.
What better than a cooking lesson with a professional chef teaching them how to use local ingredients?
The high school might even be interested in you doing pop-ins for their home economics class. ”
London cocked her head, her expression considering.
Slowly she lowered onto the edge of the bed. “Do you … do you think I’d be good at that?”
In that moment, there were no words for the magnitude of my feelings for her. I leaned forward, hoping she heard and saw my absolute sincerity. “I know you’d be amazing at that.”
Her smile widened as she considered my suggestion. “Maybe I could use what’s left of my savings to rent somewhere in Leth Sholas that could be used as a cooking school.”
“Or I have another option.” I explained about the modern holiday lets Quinn had built for me five years ago on the west coast of the island.
“They all have amazing sea views. We could convert one into the school. Imagine the marketing. ‘Come and learn to cook local ingredients by the Sound of Glenvulin.’”
I could tell the idea excited her, but she shook her head. “I can’t take one of your properties.”
“A ghràidh, the holiday lets were just a way to invest money. I really don’t need them all.”
She tilted her chin stubbornly. “Then I’ll rent it from you.”
“You want me to charge my wife rent?” Indignation scored hotly through me.
London’s sigh was long-suffering. “Don’t be deliberately obtuse. You know how important it is to me to take on my career change myself.”
“I do know it’s important. But you solidified the importance of that in your mind before you became my wife not just in name.
A marriage is a partnership, London. It means leaning on each other, giving each other support, in whatever form that needs to take for it to work for us.
I didn’t have that in my first marriage. ”
“Yeah, Jill took and took and took from you.” London pushed abruptly off the bed, marching into the bathroom.
I groaned, getting off the bed to follow her in there.
She stood at the double vanity, aggressively smoothing lotion down her neck and over her chest. Her stunning eyes flashed angrily at me in the reflection of the mirror over the sink.
Not taking the hint, I slid my arms around her waist, drawing her back against my chest as I rested my chin on her shoulder.
She was stiff in my embrace as we stared at each other in the mirror.
“If that’s important to you, we will find another solution to the cooking school idea.
But I will never, ever see you accepting my support as you taking from me.
You would be accepting something that’s important for me to give to you.
And there’s a huge difference, London. I don’t work this hard, my phone going off a million times a day, to not give my family the best life ever.
“I understand that doesn’t mean I have to shower people with material things.
Just look at Mum and her refusal to move out of her house.
If I’d wanted to, I could have convinced her otherwise, but I didn’t.
It’s not about the stuff … it’s about being able to provide you and Kelly with opportunities you might not have otherwise.
” I felt London melting into me and almost sighed with relief.
I hated being at odds with her. “We need to learn what’s right for us without falling out over it.
I would never use my money to control you. ”
She let out a small sound of distress, whirling in my arms. London placed her palms on my pecs as she searched my face frantically.
“I never, ever thought that. I promise you, even with all my issues with money and Nick and my parents, that never crossed my mind with you. It’s not about cutting you out of this or not wanting your support.
Starting a new venture, whatever I decide to do, I for sure will need your support.
But I have savings that I brought with me and I’ve added to since being here, and I think it’s enough to get started.
” She pressed her luscious body to mine, smiling slowly, seductively.
“I promise to ask for help when I need it. You’ll be the first person on my list.”
Sliding my hands down over her pert wee arse, I growled against her lips, “I better be.” Her giggle was cut off by my rough kiss as I hauled her up into my arms and carried her back into the bedroom.
There was no more discussion as I lay London down on our bed to distract us from life’s worries for the rest of the evening.