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‘I wasn’t trying to hide,’ she hissed.
‘Whatever you say, sweetheart.’
Serena sighed. She’d just wanted their first hello to be on equal ground, and she refused to think less of herself for that. Not after she’d spent weeks trying to get over the man she’d purged her soul for. Writing that letter had taken her back, splintered her defences, but the thought of him hurting, being in so much pain, had somehow outweighed her survival instincts. And if the tabloids were to be believed he was back on top form, oozing charisma with that legendary smile of his, so it was worth it to see him happy. Moving on.
True, seeing him with another woman had been...hard, but she’d needed that push to move on. Now she was just...peachy.
Which didn’t really explain why the sight of her dad smiling devilishly at some curvy blonde sparked her off. ‘I don’t get this “variety is the spice of life” business. What exactly is so wonderful about variety when they all look the same? There’s something cold about it. About them.’
She couldn’t understand the appeal. Not compared to the hours of scorching bliss she’d experienced in Finn’s arms—all the more intense for the way she’d felt, she was sure.
‘That’s the point. It doesn’t mean anything. It’s safe.’
‘That’s like going on a ghost train with your eyes shut. Going through the motions—’
‘With none of the emotions. Exactly. For me, it’s because I’ll always love your mother. She was The One for me. All the others since were just flash and no substance. Safe. A way to ease the loneliness, I guess.’
Serena frowned up at him as the floor did a funny little tilt. When she’d been a little girl she’d often asked about her mum. He’d tried to talk about her, but as she’d got older she’d thought his struggle and avoidance meant he hadn’t truly loved her. But clearly he’d loved her intensely.
A pang of bittersweet happiness eased the ache in her chest. To think it had been her mother who’d had the power to win his heart. It explained so much about him. She almost asked him for more, but this wasn’t the time or the place. Instead she murmured, ‘Never thought of it that way.’
Safe. Untouched. That suited Finn to perfection too, didn’t it? The showman who wore his charming façade to veil the tortured man beneath. But, unlike her mum, Serena hadn’t been enough to win his heart.
‘Don’t suppose you’re thinking about Finn right now?’
‘I’m doing nothing of the sort,’ she said, casting him a dour look before she did something stupid like burst into tears. When she was supposed to be peachy!
His graphite eyes twinkled knowingly before his handsome face took on a contemplative look etched with remorse.
‘I doubt I’ve given you much decent advice in your life. I was ill-equipped to deal with two young kids—especially you. That’s something I’ll always be sorry for, Serena. But when I lost her I had to...’
Her voice as raw as her throat, Serena quietly finished for him. ‘Get up. Get busy. Move on.’ For all their sakes.
He gave her a rueful smile. ‘But let me tell you this. If you’re anything like me, or all the Scotts before you, you’ll get one shot at true happiness. If you think Finn’s The One don’t let him go without a fight.’
Serena bit her bottom lip to stop it trembling. ‘I’m not interested.’ It didn’t matter how much she hurt, how much she wanted, she was never opening up again. ‘Anyway, he’s already moved on.’
‘You sure about that? Because the man who came to see me yesterday, asking for some time off so he could go gallivanting to find...’ he made inverted comma actions with his fingers ‘...“his girl” didn’t look like he’d moved on to me.’
A paralysing ball of hope bounced in her chest and she swiftly batted it away. No more foolish daydreaming. ‘He has “girls” on every continent. He’s moved on, I’m telling you.’
‘Positive? Because that same guy, who’s just walked through the archway, clapped eyes on you and looks like he’s been hit with a semi-truck, is on his way over.’
‘Oh, my life.’ She wasn’t ready—nowhere near ready.
‘So you might want to get rid of that deer-in-the-headlights look and bear in mind another of Garbo’s sayings.’
Huh? ‘Which is?’
‘Anyone who has a continuous smile on his face conceals a toughness that is almost frightening.’
‘And why should that affect me?’
‘No smile tonight. I get the feeling the shackles are off. I hope you’re ready for this sweetheart.’
