Chapter 37

“I should have trusted my instincts but I was too weak.”

Because he had to wait for the gate to swing open before he could pull onto the driveway, Amy and Lizzie had come out of the cottage to meet him before he’d even turned off the engine. Amy at least waited until he’d locked the car before she flung herself at him.

“Oh, thank God.”

“I think she’s pleased to see you,” said Lizzie with a grin.

Will hugged Amy tightly and kissed her forehead. “It’s okay,” he said, as soothingly as he could. “It’s okay.”

Amy looked up at him but didn’t let go. Lizzie had brought her some make-up and she’d done a decent job of covering up the bruising around her eye, although it was still visible underneath. The cut on her lip didn’t look as bad as the night before either. “I was so worried, William. I thought he might have turned on you. I thought he might have...” She started crying.

Lizzie stepped forward to comfort her friend but Will waved her away. “I got it,” he mouthed to her. Then he continued to soothe Amy, rubbing her back and stroking her hair. Shortly, he said, “Come on. Inside. I have some news.”

They went back into the lounge where Amy and Lizzie sat on the sofa while Will stood in front of the fireplace on the other side of the coffee table.

“It’s done,” he said. “You’re safe. He can’t touch you now.”

Amy’s eyes were wide with confusion. “I ... What? I don’t understand.”

“We’ve had a T.R.O. issued. Thirty days but with an option to extend. An option we will take and keep taking for as long as we need it.”

“What the hell’s a T.R.O.?” Lizzie asked.

“A Temporary Restraining Order.” Will quickly explained the restrictions that the judge had placed on Nugent contacting Amy.

“So he can’t even...” Amy shook her head.

“Will, this is great,” said Lizzie.

“He’s not allowed around your place or to contact you either.”

“Why me?”

“You don’t think he’d use you to get to Amy?”

“He wouldn’t hesitate,” Amy said quietly. “He does whatever it takes to get what he needs.”

“Oh, right,” said Lizzie. “Well, I suppose I should say thanks.”

Will shrugged. “I’m just doing whatever I need to do to keep Amy safe.”

“This is excellent,” said Lizzie, “He can’t get to you anymore, Amy. You’re a hero, Will. A bloody hero.”

Amy smiled sweetly and looked into Will’s eyes. “Yeah. My hero.”

Will held his hands up. “Let’s not get carried away. This isn’t over yet. You’re out of his reach for now, but he’s not out of your life completely. And we’ve got some way to go before he is.”

“But he will be,” Amy said. “I know he will be. I trust you.”

Will nodded. “I know you do.”

Will said he was going to make some coffee but Lizzie decided it was time she went home because she was expecting a call from Jeremy. Amy and Will were left alone once more.

“Forget the coffee. Fancy a walk?” Will asked.

“A walk?”

“Yeah. There’s a path along the cliff on the other side of the meadow. The view is beautiful.”

“Yeah, why not?”

After the recent nighttime storms, it was a clear, warm evening. They crossed the meadow opposite the cottage and found the path that ran along the cliff edge. The sun hung low over the horizon to the west. There was maybe another half an hour before sunset.

“You were right,” said Amy. “It is beautiful here.”

“You should see it in full daylight. On a clear day, you can see France. Let’s go this way. There’s a big boulder a couple of hundred yards along. Should give us a great view of the sunset.”

“That would be nice.”

Will slipped an arm around Amy’s waist and she leaned into him as they walked. It didn’t take them long to reach the boulder that Will had described. They sat and waited for the sun to go down.

“So what now?” said Amy.

“What do you mean?”

“What now? I mean, this might be an order against him but it puts restrictions on me too. I can’t go back to my house. Or my job.”

“That’s not true. He’s the one with the restrictions, not you. If you want to go home, he’ll have to leave. If you want to live there, he’ll have to move out. If you want to go back to work, then he’s not allowed on the premises. So if you want, you can just get on with your life.”

“It sounds good in theory, William. But we both know it won’t work like that.”

“Yeah. I know. But Amy, I’ve told you before, you have a home with me for as long as you want it. I can look after you.”

Amy shook her head. “That’s sweet, William, but...”

“You don’t want to be a kept woman?”

“I want to pay my way. I always have and I don’t intend to stop now.”

“Then don’t. I’m sure we can come to some arrangement.” He winked at her.

She raised her eyebrows and smiled. “Are you suggesting I prostitute myself in lieu of rent?”

“Only to me.” He shrugged as she shook her head and giggled. “Seriously, Amy, this whole business isn’t settled yet. And until it is, until we know that he’s out of your life for good, and I mean for good, then you should consider yourself my guest. And guests at my house don’t pay rent, for utilities or buy food, except for maybe the occasional pizza. Got it?”

She smiled and nodded. “Okay. But once this is sorted...”

“Then we’ll talk again. Come to an arrangement.”

They watched the sun slip below the horizon and then sat in the fading light. He had his arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him with her hand on his chest. They didn’t talk. They didn’t need to. Will was content to sit next to Amy for as long as she wanted him to. And she showed no signs of wanting to move.

“It really is lovely here,” said Amy quietly. “Do you come often?”

“I like to walk along this path to clear my head, but you can’t come up here in the winter. The path gets slippery and it’s just too dangerous.”

“Have you brought any other women to watch the sunset with you?” She opened one of his shirt buttons, slipped her hand inside and rubbed it gently across his chest.

“Only Sophie. And we’ve already established that she doesn’t count.”

In a whisper, Amy replied, “Good.” Will could hear the smile in her voice. She lifted her head from his shoulder and locked her eyes to his. “Thank you, William.”