Found

Together...

They exited the station hand in hand. At the top of the steps, Tom stopped and she turned to look at him.

"Something wrong?" She asked gently, almost afraid to ask.

"No. Absolutely nothing. I'm just trying to freeze this moment in my mind. In years to come, I want to remember this as the moment we started our life together."

"Oh Tom!" Her hand covered her mouth as tears formed in her eyes. He was just perfect. "That's so lovely."

"Only because you are my darling." He pulled her close and kissed her softly.

"Oi, you two, get a move on! Snog somewhere else will ya!" An annoyed passenger barged past "bloody lovebirds" they muttered as they disappeared into the station.

Tom and Sophie giggled and moved away. "Don't know about you but I could murder some food. It's been a long day in the wilderness!" He winked and she nodded gratefully.

"Yes, yes please" tasty as Tom's kisses were, they wouldn't fill an empty stomach!

They made their way to a small Italian restaurant not far from Tom's place. It was small and quiet and very, very intimate.

"Buongiorno" the waiter showed them to a table near the rear of the restaurant "please be seated." He lit the candle between them, left two menus and discreetly withdrew.

In the candlelight, Tom's cheekbones looked even more defined and her breath caught every time she looked at him. Was it really possible she was here at last? Sitting sipping red wine, looking into his eyes? Yes, she realised with an excited start, yes it was.

Tom put his menu down. He was starving, but not for food. He was starving for her touch, her arms around him, her lips on his. He smiled gently and she blushed delicately, her eyes full of emotion and, just as they were that day so long ago, her lips full of promise.

"Are you ok love?" He asked, even if for no other reason than to hear her voice again.

"Yes, perfect, thank you." She smiled and his stomach lurched. This was more than infatuation. This was a deep-seated connection that time and distance had overcome. He knew this was the woman he could see in his life. The only woman he could see in his life. Ever.

They ordered and the waiter took away the menus. Tom reached across the table and grasped her hand in his. Gently he lifted it to his lips and kissed it. She felt herself collapse inside, she was desperately hanging onto her sense of reason but it was so difficult. She was in danger of shaming herself there and then.

"Excuse me a moment please?" She stood to go to the ladies and Tom rose too. Her heart did a somersault. A perfect gentleman as she'd always suspected.

By the time she'd freshened up and calmed down, the food had arrived. They spent a cosy hour eating, drinking and chatting and just being together.

"Do you think you could stay a while?" He asked as they finished their desserts. "I mean, like more than till tomorrow? Till, well, as long as you want to?" He reached out and stroked her cheek "I don't want to be apart from you for a minute longer than I have to."

"Well" she paused and took a sip of the strong espresso that accompanied their tiramissu, "I could take some leave to begin with. Then maybe, well, I could work from home. Wherever that home happens to end up being?"

"Sounds perfect darling" he replied clinking his glass to hers. "Shall we continue this conversation somewhere more...comfortable?"

She nodded, swallowing the last of her wine.

An hour later, they sat in Tom's flat, just holding hands and looking at each other. They'd pretended to make some tea, pretended to drink it even. But truthfully? Neither wanted to touch or taste anything other than the person sitting opposite them as they sat in the kitchen in the gentle heat of the Aga. Tom sat on one chair, Sophie on another, her knees slotted between his.