“I’m not actually related to him,” I interrupt. “But that’s not the family he’s talking about, not this time.”
She looks at me, seemingly confused. “I don’t understand.”
“He means the police force,” I explain. “It’s rather like an extended family. That’s why when one of our own is hurt, or injured… or killed, we pull together, no matter what.” I take a breath. “And when one of our own does something wrong, we take it personally, and try to put it right.”
She moves closer, coming to stand in front of me, our bodies almost touching. “I think I quite like your extended family,” she whispers. “But I love you so much more, even if your job does scare me to death sometimes.”
I reach out and touch her cheek with my fingertips. “You have nothing to be scared of,” I murmur softly.
“Other than losing you.” There’s a slight catch in her voice and I put my arm around her, pulling her close against me.
“That’s never going to happen. I’m yours, Amelie. Entirely yours.”
She sucks in a sharp breath, perhaps realising what I’m saying, even if I’m not actually asking the question, because I’ve decided over the course of an afternoon spent with both my real and extended family, that the very least I owe her is that my proposal should be private and uninterrupted. Being as my mother and Aunt Dotty are only in the living room, and quite likely to come out at any moment, where we are now is very far from private. Proposals can wait – just a little longer at least.
She raises her face to mine and I close the gap between us, kissing her soft lips.
“This is what I missed the most,” she whispers, leaning back slightly and resting her hand on my chest. “When you were in hospital… this is what I missed more than anything. This is us. It’s who we are, Rufus.”
I smile down at her as she sighs into me. “Yes, it is. But we can be so much more than this.” And we will be. Very soon.
The End
The Rufus Stone Detective Stories will continue in Book 3,
The Magpie, due out in Spring 2020.
Copyright © K. J. Frost, 2019.
The right of K. J. Frost as the Author of the Work has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.
First Published in 2019
by GWL Publishing
an imprint of Great War Literature Publishing LLP
Apart from any use permitted under UK copyright law, this publication may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, with prior permission in writing of the publishers or, in the case of reprographic production, in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency.
All characters in this publication, with the exception of any obvious historical characters, are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, either living or dead, is purely coincidental.
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Dedication
To S.L.
Acknowledgements
Once again, my thanks go to Paul Stenning (and his mum) for all their help and assistance in matters relating to East Molesey and the surrounding areas.
My love and gratitude goes to my family, who as ever, have born with my silences and my absences, with their usual patience.
And I am, more than ever, beholden to S, whose support and tolerance seems to know no bounds.