Part 3

Tess couldn't stop smiling. For the whole day she had a stupid grin on her face. When she got back to the homestead she saw Nick's Ute pull up, and Nick Ryan step out of the car. Tess got off Oscar and ran towards Nick. She then pulled him into a hug. Nick was surprised by this, as it hasn't been something that Tess McLeod would do of late

"Why you so happy, Tess?" Nick questioned.

"No reason, just happy to see you here," she answered, and gave him a kiss on the lips and then skipped in side.

Nick wondered what was going on with her, as he didn't have a clue. But he needed to see Alex so he went into the house through the kitchen were Tess had just gone through.

Alex was walking down the stairs and into the kitchen with Charlotte when Nick entered

"Hey nick" Alex said to his brother

"Hey yourself, where's Claire?" he said as he looked around the room, as she was not there

"She went back to bed," answered Alex

"Claire McLeod went back, to bed," nick answered a bit shocked

Charlotte found her mother's music box, and it made her a bit upset."

"Right, it must be hard for her to have Charlotte finding that."

"Yeah, it was," Alex said quietly.

"Hey do you have any idea why Tess is so happy?" Nick questioned

"Mate have I ever known what's up with women?" Alex asked rhetorically.

"Good point. So what are you up to for the rest of the day then Alex?" Nick asked

LATER THAT NIGHT

Claire had cheered up after that mornings incidents, but she was happy that Alex was staying the night so she could have someone to hold her. She and Alex were laying down on the lounge watching a movie with Claire's head on Alex lap, while he was stroking her hair.

"Alex do you want to move in?" Claire asked suddenly sitting up.

"What, Claire?" Alex answered thinking maybe he was not hearing right.

"Do you want to move in?"

"What at Drovers Run?"

"No, at Wigal, with Nick, of course hear at Drovers with me."

"What now?" he questioned.

"Why not now, Alex I mean we have known each other for years and we have been seeing each other for awhile, I mean isn't it the next step in the relationship?" she said.

"It is Claire, and let's do it," he said happily.

"Really?" Claire said with a hint of excitement in her voice

"Yep, let's do it first thing tomorrow."

"Fantastic Alex."

Claire 1: Alex 0

First step is complete I have beaten it to. Now I will be ready for when he purposes Claire thought