Dedicated to Em. Happy Birthday angel! Thank you so much for being one of my biggest and best cheerleaders throughout the process of writing this fic. I don't know where I'd be without you, or indeed, where this story would be too.

Hope you like your present, love you xx

PS: Thanks everyone else for the reviews :D

x

Chapter Thirteen: Romantic Retreat

The house was a hive of activity for most of Saturday morning. Rachel and Eddie were jetting off to Santorini later that afternoon, but she still insisted upon ensuring that Phillip had everything he'd need for the duration of their holiday. A car horn sounded outside. Their taxi to the airport was here. Once their cases and bags were out on the front doorstep, Eddie helped the taxi driver across the driveway with them, leaving Rachel to say goodbye to Phillip. "Are you sure you'll be OK?" she asked.

Phillip rolled his eyes at the question, "you've asked me that about twelve times in the last couple of days. I'll be fine, I'm sixteen Rach, I can take care of myself."

Rachel nodded in agreement, "I know, but you can't blame me for worrying. I've missed out on so much of your life, can you blame me for wanting to look after you while you are around?"

Phillip shrugged, "I guess not," he admitted, "you're actually considering passing up on this holiday to stay in rough ol' Rochdale with me."

"Nah."

"Good, because you deserve this holiday, so go enjoy yourself, please."

Rachel reached for her nephew and enfolded him in a hug; the affectionate gesture took Phillip by surprise, but he soon reciprocated by patting her awkwardly upon the back. "We should make this a regular thing," he teased.

Rachel laughed, "pregnancy makes me soppy and affectionate, I can't help it, Eddie's not complaining..."

"I'll stop you there Rach because I don't want to hear the end of that sentence."

At that moment, Eddie joined them, "taxi's ready," he said.

Rachel nodded, "I'll go get in, have a lovely week, Phillip. Any problems, call me, yeah?"

Again, Phillip rolled his eyes, "yes, Rach."

They watched from the front step as Rachel wandered down the driveway and clambered into the waiting taxi. "Thanks Eddie,"

The older man's brow furrowed, "what for?"

"For making Rachel so happy, I don't remember ever seeing her like this before. It made me realise it was worth keeping this holiday a secret from her."

Eddie shrugged, unsure of whether to agree, "I hated lying to her, so I maybe won't do it again," he admitted. Silence descended between them before Eddie clapped Phillip upon the shoulder, "I guess I'd better say goodbye too. I'll echo what Rachel said, call us if you have any issues. She'll probably be in touch during the week anyhow."

Phillip nodded, "see you next Sunday."

"Have an enjoyable week Phil, see ya."

Eddie gave Phillip one last wave before turning his back upon the lad. He strode down the driveway, climbing into the taxi to join Rachel. Once they were both settled, the taxi driver pulled away. Rachel turned and watched out of the back window as her home disappeared from view as the taxi reached the bottom of her road. She returned to her earlier position before tucking herself into Eddie's side, "just you and me for the next week then, how will you cope?" she teased.

He turned, throwing a wink in her direction, "I have my ways."

Rachel couldn't wait to find them out.

Firostefani was to be Rachel and Eddie's base for the week. A gorgeous complex equipped with everything they'd need. Its location, atop the world-famous caldera, gifted them breathtaking views of both the Aegean Sea and the volcano. A shuttle service picked them up from the airport. The drive was relatively short but, Rachel saw enough scenery to capture the mind. From the moment they arrived, she declared herself happy and Eddie could ask for no more. The photos she'd seen did the beautiful island no justice. It took her breath away.

The Cave Suite which Eddie had booked for their romantic retreat was big enough for a family of four, but Rachel still appreciated his choice. She liked the freedom that came with having such a spacious dwelling to relax and kick back in. Once they'd moved their cases from the living area to their bedroom, Rachel took it upon herself to explore the rest of their suite. She poked her head around what she presumed to be the bathroom door, grinning to herself as she spotted the bath and the jacuzzi. She knew they'd make proper and efficient use of both amenities. The décor in the living area was minimalist, not to Rachel's taste, but she appreciated how the colours lent themselves towards the perfect Cycladic escape. Next, she pushed open the doors that led her onto their private balcony. Rachel's breath caught in her throat as she took in the stunning landscape first. The comfy outdoor furnishings afterwards before settling her gaze upon the plunge pool to the right of the seated area.

Once again, the pictures did no justice to Santorini's beautiful landscapes. Rachel realised now there was no substitute for the real deal. She'd fallen in love with the place, despite the shortness of their stay so far. This was a place she'd dreamt of visiting for the longest time and thus far, had exceeded expectation. Sharing this experience with the only man she'd ever truly loved enhanced the weight of emotion jostling within her. She sensed a presence behind and spun, grinning at Eddie's smiling face staring back at her. "You needn't have gone to such an effort for me."

Eddie nuzzled into her from behind, pressing a kiss to her bare skin before responding, "I know, but I wanted to. Rach, you've been through so much since the start of your tenure at Waterloo Road. You didn't have much of a summer holiday last year after the fire, so I wanted to ensure this one was the best it could be. Rach, you deserve the world. I want to be the one to give it to you."

Rachel couldn't decide if pregnancy hormones or her current state of happiness were to blame for the latest outpouring of emotion. "Eddie Lawson," she muttered out loud, wiping away her happy tears before turning to face him. "You are a soppy so-and-so… but you're mine, and I love you… so much."

Eddie felt no need to reciprocate. Their relationship was secure enough to not need the constant assurances of their love. He'd organised this retreat on the sly without her knowledge, confirming to her how much he adored her. "Let's eat, shall we?" he questioned, producing the bags containing the takeout they'd picked up en route, "I'm starving."

Rachel rolled her eyes, "do you ever think about anything besides your stomach?" she teased.

"Yes, you."

Rachel tutted before taking the proffered bag, stretching upwards to kiss his cheek. Perched on high stools at the balcony's edge, they set out their salads on the accompanying table. Silence descended as they ate and took in the glorious scenery in front of them. The contrasting colours between the light buildings and the dark remnants of the dormant volcano was remarkable. After half a lifetime of pipe dreams, Rachel couldn't believe she was here. So much so, she'd gone to pinch herself many times. To check it wasn't a dream. This stuff never happened to her, now it had, and it was all because of the perfect man sitting beside her. She couldn't wait to explore this gorgeous island tomorrow and hoped that Eddie felt the same.

With their salads long since devoured, the couple watched the world pass them by from their glorious vantage point. Rachel's head rested upon Eddie's shoulders and for a few moments, he left her there. A slight movement caused her to raise her head a short while later, "hey," he murmured, "it's getting late, how about we head off to bed? We've got all week to enjoy this."

Rachel nodded, humming an acknowledgement before rising from the stool to clear up. Eddie followed her inside, closing the balcony door behind them. From there, they retreated. This was their home for the next seven days and they wanted to enjoy every moment.

Keep the reviews coming lovelies, they really do make me safe.

Stay safe, all of you x