Page 109 of The Summer That Changed Us

The other two protested loudly about that and Katie felt very cheered, if very slightly more nervous.

Once they’d parked and Barney had locked the car, the three of them made their way to the hotel’s main entrance with Amber in the middle.

‘It’s very posh, isn’t it,’ said Katie, swallowing her nerves. The butterflies in her stomach had gone into overdrive.

Even Amber’s usual confidence seemed to have deserted her. She slipped her hand into Katie’s and her dad’s.

‘I know I’m too old,’ she muttered. ‘Let’s pretend it never happened.’

Katie and Barney smiled at each other over Amber’s head and said nothing.

Barney held the door open for them, touching Katie’s back lightly as she passed by. Her breath caught in her throat. Her body was hypersensitive to his presence. Get a grip, she told herself firmly. Her mind wandered back to what Robyn and Grace had said earlier in the week about him; about it being a mutual appreciation society. But was it really? Her legs turned to jelly when he was nearby, whereas he seemed totally at ease.

As soon as they reached the glamorous lobby of the hotel, Amber got her phone out and began taking selfies, posing in front of a large gilt mirror beside the most enormous floral display.

‘I’m going to have to go and show my face,’ Barney said. ‘Katie, are you sure you’re OK to look after Amber?’

‘Dad!’ Amber looked mortified.

Katie put her arm around Amber’s waist. ‘Amber is my guest, so I have every intention of looking after her.

Although I’m so nervous about tonight that it could well be the other way around.’

‘See you later, have fun.’ He kissed her cheek. ‘You look stunning, BamBam. I’m really proud of you. You too, Katie.’

‘Dad!’ Amber groaned.

Katie’s heart melted as she watched him walk away. What a lovely, lovely man he was.

Amber giggled. ‘Wow, you really fancy my dad, don’t you?’

The question took Katie so much by surprise that she nearly tripped over the hem of her maxi dress.

‘You don’t beat about the bush, do you?’ she said.

‘This way, ladies.’ A man in uniform gestured along the corridor to the bar at the far end which was where the attendees of this evening’s event were gathering.

She and Amber joined the crowd and began to make their way towards it.

‘Direct to the point of being blunt, Mum used to say,’ she shrugged. ‘I’ve been the same ever since I was a kid.’

She was still a kid, thought Katie, suppressing a smile. But then Amber had experienced more of life in fourteen years than some do in forty, so was it any wonder she considered that her childhood was firmly in the past?

Anyway, regardless of her age, Amber was one of the most intuitive and astute people she’d ever met; she deserved her remark to be taken seriously. It was on the tip of her tongue to protest. But then what sort of person would that make her? A coward. A liar? She fancied Barney so much that he was constantly in her thoughts. All. The. Time.

Katie took a deep breath. ‘Your dad is the nicest man I’ve met in ages. But listen, I’m really sorry that it’s obvious and I’m mortified if I’ve upset you in any way. If you’d rather I didn’t come and see your dad again, I completely understand.’

Amber fell silent for a moment and when she spoke again, her face was solemn. ‘I’m glad you like him. I’ve been thinking about what would happen if he met someone. I thought I’d be really upset, but actually, I think I’m OK with it.’

A beat passed between them and Katie hardly dared speak. It would certainly put her mind at ease if she knew Amber supported having another woman in their lives.

‘Are you absolutely sure?’ She studied the teenager’s face.

Amber nodded. ‘I miss Mum. I’ll probably never be over her my whole life. But the thing is,’ her lip wobbled, ‘she’s not coming back. That life we had: Mum, Dad and me – that’s gone. So, the way I see it, I can carry on being really miserable about it like I was last year. Or I can try and be happy and make a new life. Do new things and get to know new people. I think you’re really cool, Katie, and I never expected to find someone cool, not in Merle Bay. Mum would want me to be happy and she’d want Dad to be happy, too.’

Katie had the biggest lump in her throat. This kid. ‘Amber, you’ve made me so happy. I don’t think I could be happier even if I won tonight’s award. But there’s only one woman in your dad’s heart right now and it’s not me.’

‘What?’ Amber looked aghast. ‘No way! Who is it?’