Chapter Forty

Ella moaned, stretching in bed. Her bones protested in a way that reminded her she had been well loved last night and into the morning.

Sun streamed through the bedroom windows. It was the sunlight that had woken her up. Looking at the empty space beside her, she realised Nick must have left soon after she had fallen asleep that last time, in the pre-dawn hour. Picking up her phone on the bedside table, she saw it wasn’t as late as she had thought it might have been. 7:47am.

She was going to be truly tired today, but she took comfort in the fact that if she was, then so was Nick. Grinning, Ella sat up in bed, stretching her arms above her head. She needed a shower, and what she really needed more than anything was something to eat. The energy used last night had really increased her need for food. Slipping from the bed, Ella headed for the shower.

Twenty minutes later, she was dressed in a yellow and white flowery sundress and tan sandals, hair pinned back at the side and makeup free.