12 Days to Find a Husband

Chapter 10 - Prospects

Cody checked his watch. It was 10.15 am and time for morning tea. He must have checked his watch about fifty times that morning. Finally, the time had come to call Anna-lea. He stood up and moved into the break room, only to find four of his colleagues in there in a loud discussion about rugby league. Cody quickly did an about face and made his way down the corridor and out to the back of the police station.

When the station had first been built, a small backyard had been allocated and, even though the station had been renovated a couple of times throughout its life span, the yard space had been kept. A few of the officers, including Cody, had taken advantage of the space and put in a couple of small vegetable gardens, mainly consisting of herbs and salad vegetables. Cody found the area to be relaxing. He lived in a small apartment so he found escaping to the natural setting of the backyard a refreshing change.

Sitting on the timber edge of the nearest garden bed, Cody dialled Anna-lea's number. On the third ring the phone was answered.

"Hello?" a deep voice questioned down the line.

"Oh, ah, sorry, I think I have the wrong number," Cody said in surprise and quickly hung up.

"Who was that?" Anna-lea mumbled, her face still in her pillow, her head pounding from the hangover she knew she'd regret before it had happened the night before.

"Wrong number," John answered before rolling over to her and nuzzling her neck.

"Who does that anyway?" Anna-lea asked, giggling as she did.

"Does what?" John questioned.

"Answers someone else's phone," she replied, still giggling as he continued to nuzzle. "Haven't you ever heard of voice mail?" she went on.

"Hey, sue me. It rang, I answered. Anyway, I'm going to be answering a lot of your calls in the future, Mrs Benton."

Anna-lea was still in a sleepy, hung over state so it took her a few seconds longer than normal to register what John had just said. When it finally dawned on her, she quickly sat up, suddenly sober from the shot of adrenalin her body rapidly sent out that coursed through her veins.

"What? I mean, did we? When, where? What the?" she spluttered, not remembering a wedding ceremony and making a mental note not to drink ever again. Two black-outs in two nights was just not on.

John laughed.

"No, no, we didn't. But you did take me to bed on the first date and in my world, that means you now need to make an honest man out of me," John stated, battering his eyelashes at Anna-lea.

With more relief than Anna-lea would have imagined, she picked up her pillow and hit him over the head with it.

He retaliated with his own pillow and they continued their pillow fight until Anna-lea's duck down pillow split and sent feathers floating all around her room.

"Damn, that was my favourite one," she said sulkily.

"Well, Mrs Benton, I will buy you another one," John said, taking her hand and drawing it up to his lips to kiss it softly.

"What's with the Mrs Benton name calling?" Anna-lea asked.

"Well, that's what your name would be if you married me," John answered, looking up at Anna-lea with hopeful eyes.

"You're not serious, are you?" Anna-lea questioned, sure he was still stretching out his joke.

"Yes, I'm very serious," John said, sitting up straight so he was level with her and able to look directly into her eyes. "Truth be told, I've never met anyone like you Anna-lea. What we shared last night and how natural everything has flowed; our conversation, our love making, I still can't believe you haven't been snapped up before now. And let's face it, we're both not spring chickens anymore. You said as much yourself last night. You said your body clock was ticking. I know you want a family and so do I. Why should we wait any longer? I feel like I've known you forever, not just a day. I can only see good things coming from being with you. Anna-lea, I've already fallen in love with you. Will you marry me?"