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‘Right.’ She almost smiles back but then she goes solemn again. ‘I’ll pay you back.’
I instantly chill. That’s not a conversation that interests me, but I don’t want to argue with her. I turn and begin walking back to the main house. ‘I’ll show you the nursery and your room now.’
She runs to catch me and grabs my shoulder to make me stop. ‘Thank you, Dain.’
I stare down at her. Yeah, I wanted to please her but oddly I really don’t want her gratitude. I don’t want her feeling beholden to me. I want there to be nothing like that between us again.
‘No problem.’ I’m gruff. ‘Keeping you happy is important.’
She pulls back and I want to bite out my tongue even though what I’ve said is true.
I keep moving. I show her through the airy bedroom suites that have been arranged for them. There’s a room for Lukas. One for a nanny next door while Talia’s is further along. My bedroom is at the other end of the corridor but I don’t make the mistake of showing her right inside that—my self-control has its limits.
‘I need to do some work,’ I say shortly once I’ve swiftly nodded whose is whose room. ‘Will you settle Lukas into the nursery?’
‘Of course, he’s due for a snack.’
I carefully hand our son to her. It’s torture being so close and getting a hit of her soft fragrance. I’m tempted to go into the nursery with her and sit with them while she tends to our baby. Except I need to get my head back together and I haven’t done any real work in days.
Only half an hour later I can’t stay away any longer. I go back to the nursery half expecting to see them both taking a nap. But while Lukas is bundled up fast asleep in his crib, Talia isn’t there. I hear noises and walk along the corridor. Talia’s in her bedroom—red-faced and frantic and rummaging through her bags.
‘What’s wrong?’ I watch her tearing through her few clothes. ‘You’ve lost something?’
‘A toy Romy gave to Lukas.’ She tips one bag upside down and keeps shaking it even though there’s clearly nothing else to fall from it. ‘I can’t find it. It isn’t anywhere. But I was sure I’d packed it.’
Her whisper is urgent and upset.
I freeze. ‘Are you talking about that ripped-up rabbit?’
‘Yes.’ She whips her head up. ‘Have you seen it?’
‘It was almost decapitated—’
‘I hadn’t had time to fix it.’ She’s suddenly in a fury. ‘Youtookit?’
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Talia
‘ITWASN’TYOURSto take.’ Anger surges into me. ‘What did you do with it?’
He’s frozen. ‘Talia—’
‘You got rid of it? Threw it out?’ I gape at him in horror. ‘Because it was ragged?’
He walks out of the room and I’m so furious I follow him, not stopping to see where he’s going, not stopping my tirade. He doesn’t want to deal with my emotion? Too bad. ‘Wasn’t it good enough for your standards? Didn’t it fit into this perfect nursery you’ve put together like magic?’
It was broken and it wasn’t perfect but it wasloved. But it wasn’t good enough to stay here. I’m so hurt. This place is so perfect and I most definitely do not fit in. Because I’m like that toy too—worn out and worthless to a guy like him.
‘Talia—’
‘It mightn’t have met your standards but it was given with love and—’
He bends down to the bag at his feet and turns back to face me, his hand outstretched.
I’m instantly silenced. I stare at his hand and slowly take the rabbit from him. His ear and head have been stitched back on properly.
‘I wouldn’t have thrown out a clearly much-loved toy, Talia.’ His breathing is jumpy. ‘I assumed it was one ofyourchildhood toys. I didn’t realise it had come from Romy. And I’m sorry if repairing it was the wrong thing to do.’
