The large, arched, oak front door opens and my mouth drops open as Vera White steps out to greet us. Well this couldn’t be anymore awkward. What the fuck is she going to think of me being with Cam so soon?

Cam’s hand is at my jaw as he turns my face to his.

“Stop. I know what you’re thinking and stop. This is no fucker’s business but ours, you got that?” I nod as best I can while he’s holding onto my jaw. “Good girl.” He leans in and kisses me full on the mouth.

“Let’s go and buy a house, Tiger.”

* * *

I’m out of the car before Cam can get around to my side and open the door for me. He’s old fashioned like that. Always holds doors open, pulls my chair out for me and likes to open the car door for me to get in and out, and as much as I like to think that I’m all for being a modern, independent woman, I actually love it when he does all of those things for me. Cam makes me feel safe, loved unconditionally and protected, and what he’s done these last few days is, for the first time in a very long time, he’s made me feel normal. I sort of felt normal in Australia, but I knew, deep down, it was all a lie, pretence. I had run away and was pretending to be someone I wasn’t. This week, I’ve been home, around people who know and love me and I have just been me. I’ll never be the woman I was before Sean’s death, before the accident, but with Cam’s love and encouragement, I am hopeful of becoming a pretty good version of my former self.

I reach the front of the car at the same moment as Cam.

“Why didn’t you wait?” he asks. I smile up at him as I wrap my arms around his neck.

“I’m sorry, Tiger. I didn’t do it to piss you off. I was just lost in my own little bubble there for a while and got out on autopilot. I’ll get back in and we can start again if it’ll make you happy?” He bends his knees slightly so he can look me in the eye.

“Now you’re just taking the piss out of me, Kitten.”

I smile and kiss him gently on the mouth. “No, I’m not, Tiger. I’m just trying to make you happy.”

He looks all over my face for a few seconds, gives his little head shake and says, “Let’s go look at this house.”

He takes my hand and we walk the few steps to the front door where Vera is waiting. She puts her hand out to shake Cam’s.

“Cameron, so good to see you. Hope you’re well?”

Cam shakes her hand and says, “Vera, good to see you. I’m well, very well, thanks.” I lift my sunglasses from my face, push them up into my hair and put my hand out to Vera, I hear her breath catch slightly and watch her eyes widen as she recognises me.

“Georgia, oh, my darling girl. How on earth are you?” Her eyes fill with tears and her hand moves to cover her mouth.

“I’m doing okay, Vera, you know? One day at a time.” I put my hand out to her, but she pulls me in for a cuddle.

“I’m so sorry. This is so unprofessional of me.”

“It’s okay,” I reply, feeling a little choked up myself. Vera had sent me a beautiful card with some heartfelt, handwritten words inside after Sean’s death. I had only read it a few months back and felt that too much time had passed for me to send a reply. “Thank you so much for your card. Your message meant a lot.” She stepped back and looked me up and down.

“Well, I meant every one of them.” She wipes tears from under each of her eyes and takes a step back. Cam pulls me into his side as she does. I don’t think it’s a possessive move because he knows we’re discussing my husband’s death. It’s more of a reassurance. He’s just letting me know that he’s there.

“Ya know, there’s not many of my clients that I actually like on a personal level,” Vera says, “but you two, and Sean, are three of the nicest people I’ve ever dealt with professionally and I, I’m so glad, after everything the two of you have been through…” She fans her face as her eyes start to fill up again. “Jesus, it takes a lot to make this ol’ bird cry, let me tell ya.” She lets out a long breath. “Anyway, look, I’m not trying to be nosy or anything, but if you two are together and are planning on making a go of things, then I wish you all the love and every success.” I look up at Cam and smile.

“We’re together. Cam’s helping to rebuild my heart, to rebuild me.” I shrug.

Vera shakes her head. “Jesus, Georgia, you’re gonna have me in bloody tears again.” She pauses and looks at us both again. “Well, if anyone can rebuild that heart of yours, I’ve every faith that Cameron here is the man for the job. Now, let’s show you this house, which, I’ve got to say, I think you’re gonna love.”

And we do. The house has a beautiful hallway with a galleried landing, a feature I have always loved about my parents’ home and as soon as we step inside and I see the same feature in this property, my heart begins to race. The house consists of seven bedrooms, all with full en suites, along with a further two bathrooms. It has all of the usual living, dining and kitchen areas, plus there’s also a games room, cinema and a library. Outside there’s a large pool and a built in Jacuzzi. There’s a pool house with a kitchen and bbq area, as well as a toilet and shower. In the grounds are stables for six horses, a fully stocked lake and a tennis court.

Buying the home would probably mean taking on a groundsman, and if I bought horses, I would need help looking after the stables but neither of those things would be a problem.

Cam and I stand outside looking out at the views of the countryside. Despite being only thirty minutes from London, we can’t even see the roof of the next house.

“What d’ya think, Kitten? Are you liking this one?”

I turn my head and look up at him, giving a little shiver. It’s early December and bloody freezing. He wraps his big arms around me from behind and kisses the top of my head.

“I know every room needs updating, but I really like it. The layout’s good and the location is great in relation to where all of your family live and my office, and besides, I’ve been thinking. I wanna get things set up so I don’t have to go into the office every day. I want to be at home, or wherever you are.” He turns me around to face him and I lace my fingers together around his neck. “I’m forty-two, George. I’ve worked hard all my life. I just wanna step back for a bit and spend time with you.” I smile while looking up at him, he looks worried. “Since I lost you last time, I’ve done nothing but work. I’ve worked hard to make all aspects of my businesses legit, and I’m at a stage now, where I feel comfortable taking a back seat. So what d’ya reckon, you, me, this place? What are ya thoughts?” I take a deep breath.

“It feels like home.”

He nods and smiles. “It does, doesn’t it. I thought it as soon as the gates opened at the front of the drive, but I didn’t wanna put you under any pressure, just in case you didn’t like it.”

I shake my head. “No, I love it. This is the one, Tiger. Let’s turn this house into a home.”

* * *

As we walk into Cam’s apartment a few hours later, his mobile rings and he frowns as he looks at the screen.

“Tamara. I better take this. I’m sorry,” he says as he walks into his office. It’s three in the afternoon, so definitely a reasonable time for a wine, which is a good thing as that woman drives me to drink.

Cam had explained to me that when he had gone to the hospital with her earlier in the week, she’d admitted to snorting cocaine and smoking heroin. The hospital had no way of forcing her to stay unless she was admitted to the psychiatric ward, which is what Cam had managed to do before with the help of Tamara’s father. And once again, it was his help Cam had had to enlist. He was Tamara’s next of kin, and because of her past problems, he agreed to have her sectioned again.  Sadly, his decision had nothing to do with his concern for the health and wellbeing of his only child and unborn grandchild and everything to do with the twenty-two thousand pounds worth of gambling debts he had and Cam’s offer to clear them for him.