my favourites, so I just put the lot in the car.’ He raised his eyebrows, possibly reading her anxious thought. ‘I wasn’t intending to drink it all, and Dan always has a glass at Christmas.’
Miranda, who had the lasagne and the garlic bread in the oven, warming, was starting on a salad. ‘So, if you don’t mind me asking, why did you come away for Christmas?’
He hesitated before answering. ‘We usually go to my sister’s but this year she was also inviting her old friend, newly single, and on the lookout for a husband. I’m not in the market for a mother for my children just now.’
Miranda felt herself blush and opened a cupboard door at random, to hide her embarrassment. How awful if he thought she was on the lookout for a husband. And what had happened to his wife? There was no polite way of asking.
‘So, what about you?’ he said.
Miranda went back to grating carrot. The salad, if it was to feed six instead of three, would have to be substantial. ‘Oh, we usually go to my parents’ but they wanted to spend Christmas with friends this year.’ Without thinking, she went on, ‘If we’d just stayed at home it would have felt lonely without – my ex-husband.’
‘So he’s still alive then?’
‘We’re divorced. Two years ago. I don’t miss him at all but I do miss being a proper family.’
‘I do miss my wife but she died a long time ago, when Amy was a baby.’ His expression became set, reminding Miranda of how he had been when he had arrived. ‘Please don’t feel obliged to express your deep compassion – we’re fine as a unit, we don’t need to “complete it” by adding a stranger.’
‘Right,’ said Miranda, and looked in the fridge to find the celery she knew she’d packed. She was offended although she knew she shouldn’t be. It hadn’t occurred to her to make a move on him because he was a widower. She didn’t want a new relationship herself – life was tough enough holding it all together for the children without adding a random man who could cause all kinds of trouble.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said a couple of moments later. ‘I’ve been under a lot of stress lately.’
She looked at him, impressed by his quick, sincere apology that came with an endearingly shy smile. ‘It’s OK. And don’t worry. I’m not looking for a relationship either. I have enough on my plate.’
The smile broadened. ‘Now we’ve got that out of the way, I’d better go and wrap some presents.’
Alone in the kitchen Miranda thought, yes, it was Christmas Eve and you’re a man. You will have presents to wrap at the last minute. Her ex-husband had been spectacularly bad at present buying and Isa had always done his wrapping.
Miranda had finished making the salad and taken her glass of wine into the sitting room. She was enjoying the guilty pleasure of watching a celebratory special when Anthony appeared.
‘Sorry to disturb you, but have you seen Amy?’ It was not a casual enquiry. He looked worried.
‘She’s probably with my girls. Have you asked them?’
‘Of course,’ he said shortly and stalked away.
She was off the sofa and after him in seconds. ‘There’s a big cupboard on the landing. Have you looked in there?’
‘Yes,’ he snapped. Dan appeared in the hallway. ‘You should have kept an eye on her!’ said Anthony.
‘Excuse me, but you’re the dad here, Dad!’ said Dan.
‘I can’t be everywhere!’
‘Well nor can I! And it’s not fair to blame me because Amy’s gone missing. Again!’
‘She has a habit of wandering off on her own,’ said Anthony. ‘She’s always very surprised to find that we’ve been worried sick. I’ll ring her friends’ parents and see if she’s been in touch and said anything.’
He got out his phone and began scrolling through his address book. Dan scowled at his father, obviously just as concerned.
Isa and Lulu appeared at the top of the stairs looking anxious. Miranda hurried upstairs to join them.
‘Have you
Miranda, who had the lasagne and the garlic bread in the oven, warming, was starting on a salad. ‘So, if you don’t mind me asking, why did you come away for Christmas?’
He hesitated before answering. ‘We usually go to my sister’s but this year she was also inviting her old friend, newly single, and on the lookout for a husband. I’m not in the market for a mother for my children just now.’
Miranda felt herself blush and opened a cupboard door at random, to hide her embarrassment. How awful if he thought she was on the lookout for a husband. And what had happened to his wife? There was no polite way of asking.
‘So, what about you?’ he said.
Miranda went back to grating carrot. The salad, if it was to feed six instead of three, would have to be substantial. ‘Oh, we usually go to my parents’ but they wanted to spend Christmas with friends this year.’ Without thinking, she went on, ‘If we’d just stayed at home it would have felt lonely without – my ex-husband.’
‘So he’s still alive then?’
‘We’re divorced. Two years ago. I don’t miss him at all but I do miss being a proper family.’
‘I do miss my wife but she died a long time ago, when Amy was a baby.’ His expression became set, reminding Miranda of how he had been when he had arrived. ‘Please don’t feel obliged to express your deep compassion – we’re fine as a unit, we don’t need to “complete it” by adding a stranger.’
‘Right,’ said Miranda, and looked in the fridge to find the celery she knew she’d packed. She was offended although she knew she shouldn’t be. It hadn’t occurred to her to make a move on him because he was a widower. She didn’t want a new relationship herself – life was tough enough holding it all together for the children without adding a random man who could cause all kinds of trouble.
‘I’m sorry,’ he said a couple of moments later. ‘I’ve been under a lot of stress lately.’
She looked at him, impressed by his quick, sincere apology that came with an endearingly shy smile. ‘It’s OK. And don’t worry. I’m not looking for a relationship either. I have enough on my plate.’
The smile broadened. ‘Now we’ve got that out of the way, I’d better go and wrap some presents.’
Alone in the kitchen Miranda thought, yes, it was Christmas Eve and you’re a man. You will have presents to wrap at the last minute. Her ex-husband had been spectacularly bad at present buying and Isa had always done his wrapping.
Miranda had finished making the salad and taken her glass of wine into the sitting room. She was enjoying the guilty pleasure of watching a celebratory special when Anthony appeared.
‘Sorry to disturb you, but have you seen Amy?’ It was not a casual enquiry. He looked worried.
‘She’s probably with my girls. Have you asked them?’
‘Of course,’ he said shortly and stalked away.
She was off the sofa and after him in seconds. ‘There’s a big cupboard on the landing. Have you looked in there?’
‘Yes,’ he snapped. Dan appeared in the hallway. ‘You should have kept an eye on her!’ said Anthony.
‘Excuse me, but you’re the dad here, Dad!’ said Dan.
‘I can’t be everywhere!’
‘Well nor can I! And it’s not fair to blame me because Amy’s gone missing. Again!’
‘She has a habit of wandering off on her own,’ said Anthony. ‘She’s always very surprised to find that we’ve been worried sick. I’ll ring her friends’ parents and see if she’s been in touch and said anything.’
He got out his phone and began scrolling through his address book. Dan scowled at his father, obviously just as concerned.
Isa and Lulu appeared at the top of the stairs looking anxious. Miranda hurried upstairs to join them.
‘Have you
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