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Back One Winter Morning Save as PDF
Chapters (56)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. By the same author
  4. Dedication
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. Acknowledgements
  54. Read More
  55. Two Years Later
  56. THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

‘As it turns out,’ he says, picking up both my hands, ‘Tui is not the only girl that I can’t live without. And I’m not just saying this because I’m not with Allie any more. I’m not on the rebound; I know how I feel. It slinked up on me, but it was only when I got to Welly and I couldn’t see you every day that I realised just how much I wanted to see you – how much I needed to be around you.’

He is gabbling now, but I feel powerless to stop him. All I can think is that I love this man. I have never been in love before now, but I love Kit. I know I do, because suddenly it feels as if the sun has been put there just for us, the sway of the trees is actually the world sighing with contentment, and even the darkest corners of my heart have all at once been bathed in wonderful light.

‘I guess what I’m trying to say, in the great big idiot way that only I can, is that I came back here for you, Genie. I gave you that necklace because I want to be part of your new start, and because I know how much you have been hurt and are still hurting, and I want to be here to help you through it. Because there are going to be some tough times ahead, and days where you want to tear down the world because Anna is not in it, but on those days I will be here. If you let me, if you want me to be?’

Before I can say anything, Kit has moved his hands up to my face, his thumbs wiping away my tears as they begin to fall, his voice telling me not to be upset, and that everything is going to be all right. What he doesn’t realise is that, for once, I am not weeping because I am sad, but because I am happy.

‘I’m sorry,’ I say, my voice strangled by sheer, unadulterated happiness. ‘I’m not upset.’

Taking an enormous breath to steady myself, I rub furiously at the mess that my face has become and rest my head against his shoulder, drawing him in and relishing the wonderful, solid Kit-ness of him.

I hear him start to say something, but unable to make out exactly what, I lift my chin to face him, my lips colliding with his.

‘That’s better,’ he says, leaning forwards a fraction more until his nose is touching the tip of mine. ‘Now I have you right where I want you.’