‘Oh, come now, don’t be so demanding. Don’t you remember how knackered you were when we came back?’
‘Yes, and we had Jack to pick us up. We could have asked Jack to pick them up too, couldn’t we, Mum?’ Ben asked.
I laughed. ‘No, my darling. Luke and Jack aren’t even friends.’
And little did I know, those would be my famous last words.
Everything was in place. If they came in the morning, breakfast was to be eaten in the kitchen, facing the garden. Granted, it wasn’t the Pacific Ocean, but the English Channel would have to do.
The whole of the next day went by, as I had anticipated, and then I received a text from Luke saying they were on their way. Well, at least he had recovered some of his manners.
I was at the door by the time he rang and flung it open with the biggest of smiles for everyone’s benefit. ‘Well, hello there!’ I said and Jessica lifted her head and gave me a tired but sincere grin.
‘Hey,’ Luke huffed. ‘Sorry I’m late. Jessica had a horrible night. You must be thinking I’m a real pro. I figured I could get here in time.’ And then he looked up at me and grinned his Hollywood smile that melted every woman’s knickers. ‘I figured wrong…’
‘No worries. What’s all this stuff you brought?’ I asked, eying the bags in his arms.
‘My laptop, Jessica’s vitamins and stuff… plus some American goodies for everyone.’ He was trying to buy his popularity back, but I was a tough nut to crack.
‘Thank you. But we have snacks here in England too, you know?’
‘Ah, but you haven’t tasted junk food until you’ve tasted American junk food.’
I sighed inwardly. Years and years of hammering healthy habits into my kids, and now?
‘Want to see my room?’ Chloe asked and then realised what she’d said.
‘Sure!’ Jessica said, taking her arm and they disappeared up the stairs as Ben shook his head.
‘Girls!’
Luke laughed. ‘I know, buddy boy! But this summer you and I are going to hang out, right?’
Ben looked at him. ‘Of course. Jack can teach you how to drive a tractor and how he harvests his apples. It’ll be fun, right, Mum?’
Oh, yeah. Sparksville. I couldn’t imagine any men being any more different than Jack and Luke. Like chalk and cheese. ‘Absolutely, darling.’
‘Who’s Jack?’ he asked.
‘He’s our friend. And only the smartest bloke in the village!’ Ben boasted, bless his soul.
But it was true. There was nothing Jack couldn’t fix.
‘Yeah?’ Luke said, ruffling his hair, then turned to me. ‘And here’s some chocolate for everyone and some groceries for the amazing dinner I’m going to cook you,’ Luke said.
‘But I’ve already cooked dinner…’
‘Lunch tomorrow, then. God, what’s the time anyway?’
I grinned. ‘Cornwall time. We take things easy here, Luke.’
*
‘This is heaven, you know that, Nina?’ Luke said as I poured him another glass of wine with his dinner, the kids having holed themselves up upstairs. After that, I’d open Jack’s cider and with a little luck, through the haze he wouldn’t see that my walls needed painting, or the green sink and bathtub.
‘What is?’
He took a sip and put the glass down, smacking his lips. ‘The warmth from the fire, the silence. Your home is lovely. It sends out a great sense of security. And love…’
I giggled. ‘Love, yes, loads of it, but security? Uh-uh. Every day is a struggle. If it hadn’t been for my books we’d have literally starved…’
His eyes widened. ‘Does your ex-husband not…?’
‘Who, Phil? God forbid. He bums it off me, if anything. Or, he used to. Not anymore. I’m done being his bank.’ And his doormat, for the record, but I wasn’t about to tell Luke that. Granted, Luke had figured out that Written In The Stars was sort of autobiographical, but it wasn’t something an author would easily admit to, was it?
All the same, Luke’s face went serious. ‘And your kids?’
‘At the moment, I’m working on damage control. I try to brainwash them after every visit with the new and latest girlfriend. They come and go like commuters at Victoria Station. Ugh sorry, I didn’t mean to max you out on ex-talk.’
‘No, it’s fine. Can’t you do anything? Talk to a lawyer?’
I shrugged. ‘Unless he hits the kids over the head with a baseball bat or something, he has access to them twice a month.’
‘Can’t you get another lawyer? One who will sort him out once and for all?’
‘I don’t want to put the kids through that, Luke.’
I could see it on his face, the question I’d asked myself so many times: How could I have allowed things to get so bad?
*
The next day, Luke and Jessica were over bright and early, which boded well with me as I was a lark. Also, I hadn’t been able to sleep a wink, knowing that today was the first day of my professional life.
The kids took Jessica out into the garden onto the swings, and Luke cast a quick glance out the back window.
‘She’ll be all right, Luke. They have been instructed to be considerate.’
He smiled at me. ‘I have no doubt, Nina. Your kids are cool. So, let’s get started!’
‘Let’s,’ I said. ‘Care for a brew?’
At his blank face, I rolled my eyes. ‘Tea?’
‘Coffee in the mornings for me, thanks.’
‘And how many sugars?’
‘None, thanks. Just a little milk please. And then we can start,’ he said, becoming all business-like. Which actually made me feel more comfortable than talking about myself, although you wouldn’t know it, the way I yapped on. I guess I was just grateful for some adult company. I hadn’t spoken to Emma properly for a while, and Jack was busy working like a dog.
‘Sure. I’ve put a table next to the dining room window if that’s okay? Although it’s rather small, I’m afraid.’
He pulled out a tablet from his travel bag and tapped it as he sat
