Chapter 35
One more Robson chapter then I will start winding this down. Still no ideas for a new story on the horizon. Got something you've always wanted to see? Let me know. Maybe 4-5 more chapters to go.
Robbie and Laura worked together to fix their meal. While not quite back to normal they were closer than earlier in the day. They ate in relative silence then cleaned the kitchen. As Robbie put the last dish away he paused, he wanted to continue their talk but didn't want her to feel like he was pushing her.
"Laura, would you like to open a bottle and enjoy the great outdoors?"
She tried to hide her sigh of relief, "That would be lovely. I'll get the glasses you pick a bottle?"
He kissed her on the forehead, "I'll see you outside."
Laura smiled as she reached around him to grab the glasses, "Don't take too long."
Robbie watched her walk away. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he smiled, they were going to be OK. After selecting and opening a bottle of wine Robbie stopped to turn on music. As he stepped on the patio he paused to watch her.
She was relaxing in the swing her face upturned to the sky. He wondered for a moment what she was thinking. Walking as quietly as he could, he filled the two glasses before putting down the bottle. Picking up the glasses he closed the distance between them, "Is there room for one more?"
She smiled up at him, "Only if you promise to keep me warm."
He handed her the glass then settled next to her. Laura looked back at him and he raised his arm allowing her to tuck into his body.
They sat in silence enjoying their wine and the peace. Laura nuzzled her head to his chest, "Robbie you said earlier you'd loved me for far longer than you ever let on. How long?"
He pressed a kiss to her head, "The first time I knew I cared for you more than as a friend was when you started dating your old boyfriend."
Laura laughed, "It was a single date Robbie. I didn't start dating him."
"I didn't know that. In my mind if he was special enough for you to go back to him…I thought it was trouble."
"You could have said something."
He smiled, "I did, I asked you for a cup of coffee, you insisted on something stronger." Robbie took a sip of his wine, "I consider that our first date."
Giggles erupted from Laura as she sat up to look at him, "That was our first date?" He nodded smugly, "Then why did you take three more years to kiss me."
"I didn't want you to think I was easy."
She shook her head, "So you were playing hard to get?"
He touched his glass to hers, "It worked didn't it."
"It could have backfired."
He looked at her the laughter dying in his eyes, "I know. I am thankful every single day it didn't."
"When did you know it was love?"
"The BizBarker case. We had that row about how Miranda Thornton died. It took everything in me not to pull you to me and kiss you."
"I wish you had."
"I still wasn't ready. If I had, I would have messed things up. And I probably would have lost you altogether. I couldn't risk it Laura." They stared at one another. He reached up and gently touched her cheek, "When did you first know you loved me?"
"When I went out with Alan Petersen." He looked at her questioningly, "I spent the entire date comparing him to you. Then later you came to see me and asked when I was going out with him. I remember being so angry. All I could think is how daft could you be. Couldn't you see that I loved you?" She smiled at the memory, "I think I had loved you for a long time but it was the first time I admitted it to myself."
Robbie leaned to her and kissed her lightly, "It happened when it should have."
Laura nodded as she settled into Robbie's side again. His arm enveloped her and they returned to their wine and a companionable silence. As they watched the night sky Robbie thought of something Laura said earlier. He stroked her head lightly then asked his question, "You said I saved you, what did you mean?"
"I was broken when I came back to Oxford. Even when I started dating I always picked inappropriate men." She paused, thinking of the string of ridiculous men she'd dated. "I even asked Morse out once. I didn't think I deserved better. But when you came back from the BVI, I could see how much you still loved Val. That's when I knew I wanted someone who would love me like you loved her. That same week I ended a horrible relationship. Over those next few years, I dated but they were nicer men. And they all had to stand up to you."
He smiled as he pulled her closer, "And how did they compare?"
"I'm here with you, that's how they compared."
"I'm sorry you had to go through all of it Laura."
She sat up and looked at him, "I'm not. All of it led me to you. I need you to know, I might have loved Malcolm first but you were who I was meant to love. If you hadn't been there, quietly supporting me, I don't know where I would be right now."
Robbie looked down at his empty glass, "I always thought it was you who saved me."
"We saved each other Robbie. You gave me the strength to end things not once but twice with Malcolm. If you hadn't shown up on my doorstep, I would have run away with him and it would have been the biggest mistake of my life. But there you were and you weren't asking me to run away, you were asking me to go for a walk. And that was what I needed, I didn't need to runaway to find who I was, I only needed to take your arm."
Looking up at her, he smiled, "I think you're giving me too much credit. I just thought you might want to get out of the house for a bit."
"I did, I just didn't need to do it on the other side of the continent. All I needed was a walk around the block with the right man. And there you were."
"And I always will be Laura. I'm not going anywhere ever again."