Owen grins up at her and swings his arms excitedly.
Hmm, fuck’s sake. “Yes, kid-friendly,” I confirm.
“Well, Disneyland is always great. Have you been there?” She smiles down at Owen.
His eyes light up and he shakes his head. “No. Oh, can we go, Dad? Can we?”
“Hmm… I’ll just take some brochures, if that’s all right.”
“Okay, sure, where do you want brochures for?”
I narrow my eyes as I glance down at Owen. “Somewhere…” I pause.
She smiles knowingly. “Did you see our globe at the front?” she asks Owen.
“Oh.” He immediately goes over to the globe and starts to look at it intently.
“You don’t want kid-friendly at all, do you?” she whispers.
“Definitely not,” I whisper back.
“What do you want?”
“Romantic kick-ass proposal place.”
She smiles broadly and puts her hand on her chest.
I look at her blankly. I’m not asking you. “Any suggestions?”
“I have heaps. Give me your email and I’ll send you a list of destinations tomorrow.”
“Great.” I take out my wallet and am just taking out a business card when I hear a loud crash and bang, and I look up in horror. “Owen!” I call.
He stands still, eyes wide.
Fucking hell.
Owen has spun the globe so hard it has come off its stand and gone flying into the window, smashing into a hundred pieces.
His little face falls and his eyes fill with tears. “It’s okay.” I sigh. “It was just an accident.”
He scrunches up his face and begins to cry in embarrassment.
“I’m so sorry,” I mutter. “How much do I owe you for the globe?”
“I’m not really sure it can be replaced.” She frowns in horror. “It was my boss’, a present from his late wife.”
“Oh, fuck.” I sigh.
“I know,” she whispers, wide-eyed and mortified.
My phone rings and the name Bloss lights up my screen. “Excuse me for a moment, please.” I answer the call. “Hey, Bloss.”
“Hi, Cam. I just got a call from a solicitor.”
“Why?” I glance up to see the poor girl trying to pick up the pieces of the smashed globe. I pinch the bridge of my nose and close my eyes in horror. I’m going to have to book my trip through here now.
“They want to see me urgently and left a message on my phone,” she says.
“What about?” I ask.
“I don’t know. What do you think it is?”
I shrug. “I have no idea.”
“Do you think it has something to do with the court proceedings you lodged?”
I shake my head. “No, babe. Text me the number and I’ll ring them and find out.”
“Oh, could you? I’m still at work.”
“Yeah.”
“Where are you?” She smiles.
“I’m with Owen, breaking shit.” I sigh.
She laughs, thinking I’m joking. This is not a drill. We are literally breaking shit over here. “See you in about an hour.”
“Bye,” I reply.
After paying the poor girl what she thinks the globe is worth, and promising to book a trip for her trouble, we head home and I turn the television on for Owen so I can go into my office and call the solicitor. “Hello, Lanvin Solicitors,” the receptionist answers.
“Yes, hello.” I narrow my eyes. “I had a missed call today from you and I was wondering if you could let me know what it was concerning, please.”
“Just a minute. What was the name?”
I scowl because I know she probably won’t give me any information. “Ashley Tucker.”
“Oh.” She pauses, and I can hear her keyboard clicking.
“I’m her husband,” I reply. Well… hopefully soon-to-be.
“Ah, yes. Here it is. We just need Mrs. Tucker to come into the office, please.”
I frown. “Can I ask what it’s in regard to?”
“She’s been named in a will.”
“Whose?” I frown.
“Gloria Newton.”
I smile and close my eyes. Gloria… beautiful Gloria. I bet she left Ash her book collection.
“That’s great. Can we come in next week sometime, please?”
“Sure. Monday afternoon?”
“What’s your last appointment?” I ask.
“Five-thirty.”
“Okay, Ashley will be in then. Thank you for your call.”
I hang up and smile to myself. I’m glad Ashley didn’t take that call. It’s going to be a really nice surprise for her.
“So?” I hesitate as I watch Ash over our dinner table. “I was thinking of booking a trip for us.”
“Yes. Disneyland,” Owen spits in excitement.
Ash raises her eyebrows and continues to eat.
I jump up and grab the pile of brochures from the side table and hand them to her. “What do you think?” I ask. “You can pick anywhere.”
She looks through them and exhales. “I just don’t have time to go away, Cam. Next year we can do something.” She takes the last mouthful of food from her plate.
“Next year?” I frown. I can’t wait a fucking year. “You’re entitled to holidays, you know.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t want to go away right now. I already live in a resort half the time.” She gestures to the house around us. “We don’t need to go away when we are very lucky where we are.”
“Well, maybe we could do a weekend?”
“Cam, I have exams and work and a child and preschool and a million things I have to do every day. I’m sorry. I just don’t have the time at the moment. You and Owen go away to Disneyland if you want.” She smiles. “That would be nice to spend some alone time with just the two of you.”
She stands and kisses my cheek before she takes the plates to the sink. “Thanks, though.”
I scowl. How the hell am I supposed to think of some romantic fucking thing when she won’t leave the house?
My score is dropping to one.
I look through the brochures as I wrack my brain.
Maybe I should ask her in an elevator. At least then if she said no I can pretend it was a skit.
She yawns. “I’m going to have a shower and then I am going to lie down on the couch and do nothing,” she announces.
“Owen and I will wash the dishes.” I sigh, preoccupied. The poor thing is exhausted. She works way too hard. I remember being an intern, and it was hell.
She disappears up the stairs and I flick through the brochures, scratching my head.
“Well, she doesn’t want to go away, Owie.” I sigh.
“She would go to Vegas.”
My eyes glance to his in surprise. “Why would she go to Vegas?”
“Because that’s her favorite place.”
“Why is Vegas her favorite place?” I frown.
“Because that’s where she met you and you gave her my seed.”
I smile. “It is.”
“She said that one day when she has enough money she’s going to take me there.”
“Did she, now?”
He smiles and then shakes his head, widening his eyes. “But I’m not giving any seeds out when I kiss girls.”
I laugh out loud. “I should hope not, Owen Stanton. You’re four!”
Ashley
My heart beats fast as Cam kisses me slowly while he pulls out of my body and rolls off me, falling onto the bed beside me.
“Hmm.” He smiles happily. “Good morning, Miss Tucker.”
I smile sleepily. “Why don’t you wake me up like that every morning, Dr. Stanton?”
“Ask your son,” he mutters dryly. “I’m quite sure he doesn’t want to see parent porn before pre-school.”
I giggle.
It’s 5:00 a. m. and we have been blessed with a childfree morning. Owen slept in his bed all night long.
“Surgery today?” I ask.
He rubs his eyes sleepily. “Yeah, full day.” He rolls to his side and kisses my temple as he puts his arm underneath my head. “What have you got going on today, Bloss?”
“I’m in ER.” I sigh as I throw my leg over his.