‘She’ll probably be coming in between two hours twenty and two hours thirty, then.’ Evie glanced at her watch. ‘Shall we head back to the finish line?’
‘Good idea. I said we’d meet everyone there so look out for Imogen—she’s probably still commandeering your brother’s shoulders for the best view in the house.’
‘She would. She’s the cheekiest five-and-a-half-year-old I’ve ever known.’ Evie clicked her tongue but Max wasn’t fooled; her love for their two children radiated through everything she did. ‘What about Toby?’
‘He’s doing what he always does in the middle of the afternoon...’
‘Sleeping,’ she chimed in, laughing. ‘I bet my brother’s pushed him the whole way around in that off-road racer pram you bought.’
‘You can count on it.’
They jostled their way good-humouredly against the finishers coming towards them, finally making it back to the finish line to look out for their family.
It felt good to Max.
The last five years had been the best of his life since he’d left Silvertrees to move to within fifteen minutes of Evie’s family. Unexpectedly, he’d not only gained a family in Evie and Imogen, but he’d also gained the family he’d never had in Annie’s family, too.
The ink had barely been dry on his resignation when the job offers had flooded in, and he had happily accepted a generous promotion package to the top local hospital, which had included a relocation incentive to the house of their dreams. But, more importantly, they had accepted his proviso that he must also have time to work with some of the troubled teens from the new centre where Evie had returned to part-time work along with having time with her family.
The fact that they were doing this race today for Sally seemed so perfectly fitting. Free of the recognisable silvery lines, Sally had easily found her dream job, which had previously eluded her, and it had also given her the confidence to start charity work in her spare time for the residential centre where she’d first met Evie.
Max wrapped his arms around his wife feeling, as he did every day, contented and relaxed.
‘Do you know, between you, Annie and I, we’ve raised money well into five figures?’ he murmured into her ear, revelling in the look of proud shock as she twisted her head to look up at him.
‘Seriously? That’s incredible. Does Sally know? She’ll be over the moon.’
‘Sally’s the one who told me.’ Max nibbled Evie’s ear, causing her to inadvertently wiggle against him.
‘What about you, anyway? How did you do?’
‘I didn’t do too badly.’
She pulled out of his arms and spun around.
‘You didn’t win, did you?’
‘Who do you think I am? Superman? No, I didn’t win.’
She poked him playfully in the ribs.
‘What was your time, then?’
He grinned until she shrieked with anticipation.
‘Oh, come on, Max, you have to tell me.’
‘One hour, twenty-seven minutes.’
‘Wow...’ She soberly bestowed a kiss on his lips. ‘That has to be a high position?’
‘Within the top ten.’
‘That seriously deserves a prize.’ She adopted a serious expression. ‘I feel I should reward you.’
‘Oh, really?’ He pulled her to him, the crowd surging unconcerned around them.
‘Yes, really. Tonight,’ she clarified, snaking her arms around him. ‘When we’re alone.’