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‘You’re able to feed him okay?’ Ava checks.
‘He’s a hungry boy.’
‘So you need to be eating enough to—’
‘Stop it.’ I force a laugh. ‘You’re a second-year med student, not a paediatrician already.’
‘Maternal nutrition is—’
‘Enough. I eat well.’ I shush her. ‘Dain’s overprotective enough, you’ll only make him worse.’
‘Good.’ Ava shoots him an imperious look. ‘Make sure she eats properly. Little and often.’ Ava glances at me again. ‘Make thatlotsand often.’
I shake my head.
‘You work too hard. You always have.’ Ava leans close and her voice lowers. ‘You should have told me.’
I feel queasy at her plaintive tone. I’ve hurt her when it was the last thing I wanted.
‘You needed to focus on your studies,’ I murmur.
I feel Dain tense beside me and I quickly glance at him.
‘You’ve been sending me money all this time.’ Ava suddenly clicks. ‘Did you work all through your pregnancy?’
‘Lukas was a little unexpected.’ Dain steps in and fills the sharpening silence. ‘I’m here to support both him and Talia now.’
The frown in Ava’s eyes doesn’t fade. ‘You think you can get Talia to depend on you? She doesn’t letanyonein.’
Ava blinks and her head swivels towards me. Dain watches me too and I feel as though I’ve let them both down. I’m weak and I go for the distraction he provides.
‘Ava,’ I say gently. ‘Dain’s helping with your fees now.’
‘What?’
‘Have you checked your banking app lately?’ I ask.
Ava winces. ‘Why would I—?’
‘Have a look at it,’ Dain suggests.
Ava passes Lukas back to me and pulls out her phone. Her face goes all blotchy when she opens her app.
‘My accountant will be in touch,’ Dain says quietly. ‘There might be some tax implications, but she’ll manage that for you.’
‘Are you for real?’ Ava looks at Dain and then at me. ‘Is this forreal?’ She shakes her head vigorously. ‘I can’t accept this from a stranger. Ican’t—’
‘You can accept this fromfamily,’ Dain interrupts firmly. ‘And that’s what we are now. Right, Talia?’
I’ve lost the power of speech. I’m still clamped to his side and he drops a kiss on the top of my head. It bringseverythingback—the scent of him, the strength of him, the sheer vitality of him that’s so bewitching. I liquefy inside.
Ava’s stunned to silence as well. Yep. Full Dain Anzelotti effect in action.
She looks at me. I feel the heat on my skin and know I’m blushing. I can’t hide my response to him.
‘Consider it a scholarship,’ he says. ‘You’ve accepted those before, right?’
Ava nods but she doesn’t take her eyes off me. I’m trembling inside and I hold Lukas more carefully because I have to direct my energy somewhere.
