Falling for Mr Wrong by Joanne Dannon

Author:Joanne Dannon [Dannon, Joanne]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Clarendon 3 Publishing
Published: 2015-09-08T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SEVEN

Being the outsider was nothing new, so Nate walked around Tilly embracing her aunt and made his way into Maude’s first floor apartment.

Discomfort pounded his temples. Things between him and Tilly were moving into dangerous territory. Too fast. Too personal. His fingers massaged the annoyance away. The lingering tightness would not subside. A deep breath did not help so he stalked down the small corridor and found himself in a tiny living room. Standing by a small wooden coffee table covered in photo frames, his eyes trailed around taking in the masses of family photos, paintings, an array of statues and other dust collectors. Overstuffed sofas invited one to sit and lean back in the softness of the plump pillows. Despite the open windows, the room felt stuffy and he undid the second button on his shirt.

Everything in the room represented warmth, family and comfort. This is what Tilly’s family had given her, nurtured her and raised her on. Unlike him who had a wayward, irresponsible father and a mother who preferred bottles of wine to her own children.

The happy snaps and cheesy grins seemed to mock him from the mantelpiece, knowing he did not belong. Never in his thirty-two years had he ever had such a need to sprint out the door.

And worse, his nose twitched at the comforting smells of home cooking which made his mouth water. How many times had he wished during his boyhood to be greeted with delicious cooking aromas rather than the reeking smell of alcohol, and more often than not, the stench of vomit? His jaw clenched hard focussing on his goal. The scoop. He could do this.

He spun around as the women entered the room. Tilly had her arm through her aunt’s. “Aunty Maude, let me introduce you to Nathaniel Morgan-Young. But call him Nate.”

With great effort, he smiled in return, noting the fine laughter lines around Maude’s eyes and mouth. “You have a lovely home, Mrs. Winters.” He shook her hand gently.

“Thank you,” said Maude. “Please sit.” She gestured to the comfortable looking chairs.

“So how do you know Tilly?” Maude asked.

He caught the wobble of Tilly’s lip, the strain around her mouth and tightness around her jaw. Those signs were all too reminiscent of Bea concealing the bullying whilst at school.

“We’re friends,” he heard Tilly say.

Friends?! “Darling.” He brushed his lips against the softness of her cheek. “If I was just your friend, I wouldn’t have asked you to marry me.” He caught the snatched intake of breath. Tilly? Maude? He did not care. “Soon, you’ll be wearing my ring so everyone will know you’re my wife-to-be.” He brought her hand to his lips so he could press a kiss to her ring finger. Lowering her arm, he kept his hand around hers.

A quizzical frown marred Maude’s forehead. “Tilly, I didn’t know you had a boyfriend and now,” she paused, “you’re engaged?”

“Well…it’s been a whirlwind romance.” The words tumbled from Tilly’s lips.

He gave his ‘fiancée’ a reassuring kiss on the pulse point of her wrist.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.