What about you? - 30

Chapter 30

"Are you sure you've got everything?"

Kate heard the voice, but pretended she hadn't. She needed more time, there was so much to do before she could think about leaving this place. It had been a huge part of her life for so long, and even though she'd barely slept there the last three months, it seemed so difficult to finally close the door on the place she'd called home.

As soon as Kate accepted Mason's proposal, he'd tried to get her to move into his luxurious apartment, even more so when the boys disappeared on their travels. It made sense, it was stupid to rent when she had another more sensible option, and part of her wondered if she was rebelling against this defensively, fearing he was trying to control her, her last vestige of independence, but she knew that Mason viewed it as her resisting him and their future together. That was the last thing she wanted to do, drive a wedge between them. 

But this had been her bedroom, her lounge, her kitchen, bathroom for the last six years. All her memories were linked to this building, and now that Mike and Steve were off gallivanting, Tilly was happy, married, this home became her last and only link to the life she'd had.  Kate knew she needed time to close that book before she could concentrate on the future.

She felt Mason in the room behind her before he made a sound, when his arms wrapped around her, she leaned back into the strength of his hard body.

"Why am I crying at a building?" her words were quiet and greeted with a chuckle.

"Because you're a very sensitive person, that's why. But this is a good thing, you're moving on by choice, so you can remember all this with happiness! Ok?"

She nodded, swiping at a stray tear. Laughing again Mason turned her in his arms, "this is why I love you Kate Michaels, because you don't do anything by half measures. You do everything for everyone,  you have a passion for everything. Even a building!" Dropping her head to his chest she sighed, but he lifted her chin, forced her to look at him. "Memories lives here!" He tapped the side of her head, "and you'll never lose them, or your friends."

She nodded, "I know!"

Mason tilted his head and kissed her gently, "come on, our new home awaits."

Since accepting his offer to become Mrs Fitzgerald, nothing had been static. He'd almost finished everything out in Dubai. There were still a few short trips needed, but now he was free to find new work and set up a home, a life with her. The first thing he'd done was to drag her around elligible properties in London until they found a delightful town house just a few miles from Tilly. It was everything that Kate had wanted in a house, and a blank canvas for her and Mason to build a home. And the bonus was the basement, that Mason had promised to convert into a seperate apartment.

Once they'd deposited the boxes Kate had retrieved from the apartment, he drove them both out of the City towards the sprawling countryside of Oxfordshire. Pulling into the carpark of AMber Technology. Kate was excited, she'd been looking forward to this moment for a long time. Gripping Mason's hand she almost ran into the reception. 

"Are you here for the University Programme Launch?" A uniformed woman smiled from behind a desk, and when Kate nodded, she gestured to a large set of imposing doors at the end of the corridor. Kate almost skipped along the room and Mason had to restrain her slightly. 

The doors opened onto a large auditorium style room, a long table flanked the length of the stage, and the first three rows of the seating were occupied by obvious journalists, note pads and microphones at the ready. Kate slid into a seat and dragged Mason with her. 

"Where is he?" she asked scanning the room, watching as the stage filled with a mixture of academics and directors from the company. Then she sighed in relief as Peter moved onto the stage, sitting himself between two fo the older men.

Kate felt like a proud mother, Peter had finally had a break. The robotic arm he'd tirelessly worked on was being deemed a breakthrough in the science and technology world. He'd developed verbal commands to control it and the idea was being patented. The money being talked about by a multitude of companies all wanting to best the others to secure the technology meant that Peter was now financially secure for life, or rather would be. So here he was an integral part of this huge partnership between a London based university and this research and technology company. It was everything they'd hoped for, independence and a real life for him. As he beamed on stage talking to his new mentor John, Kate finally felt the last strings of responsibility fall away.

Peter spotting her, waved excitedly, but he couldn't run over and share his happiness until after the press conference.

"Kate!" he buried her in a bear hug that she reciprocated before smiling at her, "did you see me on the stage? Did you see them all take my picture?"

She nodded, "you were great!"

In truth he was completely unaware of the implications of his invention, or his role in this huge project. With his simplistic look on life, all he knew was that he had a new home, living with students and other workers on the purpose built campus that this project funded. He didn't see the research as work, it was a real thrill for him. 

After being shown around his new home, meeting some of his new friends, Mason drove Kate back to London, pleased that she was smiling beside him, content at last.

Accelerating on the quiet road he smiled, resting a hand on her thigh, "so are we going to get away? Now that you know he's safe?"

Kate had been putting off a holiday with Mason until she knew that everything was settled. Her mother was in California visiting an old school mate, her brother and Paula were planning their new home, and the arrival of their baby, Tilly was babymaking with her new husband, and Steve and Mike were in Thailand at the last email, sampling a free and easy life. No one needed her to fix things anymore, she was free to do what ever she wanted. 

Turning to Mason she smiled, "you know I really want to go to Kenya...tropical but beaches, safari...lots to do..."

Mason growled, "I can guarantee that if we're somewhere warm, just the two of us alone, then I guess you will not be looking for activities to waste time!"

Leaning back into her seat she smiled, a warm fuzz sweeping through her body, "that sounds like a promise I'll hold you to!"

Four days later they stepped down off the plane into the baking hot summer day in Marrakech. They'd had a last minute change of plan, and Kate followed Mason with a smile as they climbed into the limo that took them to their desert paradise.

Kate dug out a bikini and a light sarong as Mason took a quick shower, and she was reclined on the sun deck of their room when he finally emerged. Looking at her, serene, sensual and his heart's desire, he felt a twitch of heat in his groin. Would he ever get fed up with her? Or rather ever stop wanting to strip her naked and drag her into bed. 

He couldn't see it. Regardless of that, he'd blundered his proposal, bursting out the words before he even knew what he was saying at the wedding a few months ago. Not that he regretted it, it was the greatest moment of his life, and probably easier as he hadn't had weeks to build up to it. 

In his haste he'd bought a cheap ring, the best he could find, but nothing that encompassed how much Kate meant to him. No. This holiday was a chance for him to demonstrate exactly how he felt,  and that had to start now.

Picking up the phone he rang room service and set his plan into action.

Kate spotted Mason take the seat opposite her from under her dark shades. She loved the chance to watch him when he didn't know. Every inch of him excited her, as she lounged there taking in his broad chest, the swirls of dark hair around each nipple, she felt her own tighten, and suddenly the bikini seemed restrictive.

"I know you're checking me out!"

His voice cut through her serenity like a knife, flipping her glasses up to eyeball him she hated that she blushed so readily. In the coolest voice she could muster she muttered, "I don't know what you mean!"

Laughing, Mason lifted his own mirrored aviator shades and looked her up and down slowly,  "so is it cold? Because from where I'm sitting you look pleased to see me!"

This time she couldn't restrain the blush, and instead buried her nose in her book, ignoring the annoying sound of his knowing laugh. A knock at the door disturbed their banter and Mason got up and sauntered across to the door.  He returned to the veranda with a trolley topped with a dome covered platter and a bottle of champagne.

Kate lifted her glasses again and looked up at him, "are we celebrating?"

Shrugging he lifted the lid and revealed a huge bowl of tropical fruit, a platter of delicate sandwiches and mini cream cakes. Kate's stomach rumbled appreciatively and she reached out for a sandwich and then a hunk of fresh pineapple. 

Watching her devour the fruit hungrily, Mason felt a tug of an altogether different hunger. Ignoring the desire to lick the juice dribbling down her chin, he wrestled with the bottle of champagne, before finally removing the cork with a satisfying pop.

Filling her glass he delved in his pocket and retrieved something that he slipped into her glass before she noticed anything. 

Kate took the drink, but as she lifted it to her lips, she spotted the certain something sat at the bottom of the sparkling fluid. Raising an eyebrow she looked at Mason, her heart racing, then she gulped the sparkling fluid urgently, before tipping the vintage and beautiful sapphire ring into her hand.

"What's this?" she asked fingering the beautiful item caringly.

When she looked up Mason was on one knee beside her, "in Cyprus I didn't prepare, didn't plan anything. A last minute ring, a rushed proposal...I wanted something special," He smiled, "that was my grandmother's ring and I hoped that you'd do the honour of properly becoming my wife?"

Smiling she thought her heart would burst with pleasure and excitement, "I've already said yes...Yes, yes,yes..."

She was still murmuring yes against his lips as he carried her into the bedroom, every dream had come true.