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He really liked having her here. He and Daisy so rarely had company; any women that he dated he normally did so away from his home, wanting to keep that part of his social life separate from his daughter. But this little family di
‘So Daisy, you’ll be going to White Cliff Senior School?’ Pe
‘After Christmas,’ Daisy said, over a mouthful of garlic bread.
‘Don’t talk with your mouth full,’ Henry said.
Daisy swallowed. ‘I’m going in for a day to meet people and some of the teachers but I won’t start properly till after Christmas because they won’t have the room for me. One of the kids is leaving so it works out well for me, otherwise I’d have to go to the school in the next town and the bus ride is over an hour. And the art teacher here is fantastic, he’s had work in galleries in London.’
‘Mr Cartwright?’
Daisy’s face lit up. ‘Yes, you know him?’
‘He used to be my teacher too. So you like art?’
‘I love it, just to be able to watch something brought to life with your hands is just wonderful.’
Henry smiled as he watched his daughter come alive as she talked about her passion.
‘Dad said you were an ice carver?’
‘I am.’
Daisy started bombarding Pe
He finished his di
He opened the door and Jade immediately leaned into him, engulfing him in a sickly cloud of perfume. He took a step back and she pouted slightly.
‘Henry, I brought you some di
‘That’s very thoughtful of you, thank you, but I’ve just eaten, though me and Daisy can reheat it tomorrow. We still have a ton of unpacking to do so this will be a huge help.’
He heard Daisy snigger at his polite rebuttal and he tried to suppress a smile.
‘Daisy?’ Jade asked in confusion.
‘My daughter.’ He gestured to the dining table. Jade hadn’t even registered there was anyone else in the room with them. He didn’t know whether to be flattered by that or a
Jade looked over and Daisy smiled with pasta hanging out of her mouth. Henry scowled at Daisy’s rudeness but had to keep the laughter that bubbled in his throat under control.
‘Oh, she’s so cute.’
She still hadn’t acknowledged Pe
‘Pe
Pe
Jade laughed nervously at the new cosy arrangement that Henry had created with Pe
‘I hope you are settling in OK, is there anything I can do to help?’ Jade said, curling her hair around her finger, leaving him with no doubt as to how Jade would like to help him settle in.
‘Well, actually there is. Me and Pe
Daisy choked on her pasta. It had been a long time since he’d needed a babysitter for her. He glanced over at Pe
‘I’d normally ask my sister but she’s busy with the new baby so could you do it, Jade? I know how much you love children.’
Jade’s sultry smile slipped from her face. ‘You’re going out with Pe
She said it with such disgust that he felt anger slam through him at her reaction. He bit back the retort he wanted to make. It had been kind of Jade to bring him di
‘Yes, we just hit it off the moment we met. It would be so kind if you could babysit?’
‘I, erm… I’m busy that day.’
‘Ah, that’s too bad, I’m sure we can find someone. Thanks for this, did you want to come in and share dessert with us all? We have Fu
Jade shook her head, still clearly in shock over the Pe
‘Oh, that’s a shame. Thanks for popping by though.’
Jade stumbled out and disappeared round the back of the house. Henry closed the door softly after her.
He went and sat down at the table again.
‘Dad, you’re so rude,’ Daisy giggled.
‘She’s rude, I don’t like her much.’ He turned to Pe
Pe
‘How many times has she been up here over the years?’
‘Tonight was the first, I’m surprised she even knew the way. She, erm…’ she looked at Daisy as she tried to find the right words ‘…went out with Chris for a while.’
‘Who’s Chris?’ Daisy asked.
‘My ex.’
‘Let me guess, she went out with him whilst he was seeing you,’ Henry said.
Pe
Bitch.
He took a sip of water and stared at Pe
Pe
Chapter Five
Pe
She was surprised to see Daisy lying on her sofa with Bernard by her side. She was clearly having a nightmare. She didn’t know whether to wake her or not and she certainly didn’t want to scare her by doing so. She didn’t know why Daisy was in her lounge either.
‘Daisy,’ she said softly but there was no response. What should she do? What kind of mum would she have made when she didn’t even know how to deal with a child who was having a nightmare? Her first reaction was to stroke Daisy’s head and hug her, but Daisy wasn’t her daughter, she couldn’t do that.
Leaving her lying on the sofa with Bernard staying guard, she went through the open co
Henry’s door was open and she stole a brief moment to admire him sleeping, the blankets bunched around his waist, his bare muscular chest gleaming in the moonlight that spilled through the open curtains.
She reached forward and touched his arm, the feel of his smooth velvety skin making her stomach clench with a need she hadn’t felt for years.