For a heartbeat, silence stretched between them, a contrast to the bustling tearoom with its soft clatter of cups and hum of conversation.
“Your parents divorced?”he asked.
Her throat tightened, but she fought to keep her tone light.“Died.Together.When I was ten.”
“I’m sorry.”
She nodded because she couldn’t bring herself to speak just then, not with the intense wash of emotions.
“You were so young.”
She could feel his scrutiny—not unkind but searching—and it was enough to make her regret revealing something so deeply personal.She rarely shared the tragedies in her past, not wanting sympathy or pity.When she was younger classmates would say,I don’t know how you did it, orI could never handle losing mine.And it had only made her angrier.She didn’t want her parents to die.It hadn’t even crossed her mind that they could.They were her parents for God’s sake.Mom and Dad.The two greatest people in her life.
To shift the energy, she gave her teacup a quick, brisk stir.“I appreciate you being honest about the girls and what they’re going through.It’s important for me to know, and I can handle strong emotions.”
“I didn’t think you’d worked with children before.”
“Well, notchildren.They were college freshmen, so close enough.
That earned her the faintest ghost of a smile.“You may find a twelve-year-old more formidable.”
“It’s okay.I like a good challenge.”
“Somehow, I don’t doubt it.Not if you’ve spent the past two years earning two different degrees.That’s not a choice everyone would make.”
“No.Practical people get a job and get to work.I’ve put my career off for as long as possible.Now it’s time to face reality.”
“Which is?”
“Life doesn’t pay for itself.Everybody has to work.Everybody has bills to pay.”
“That sounds awfully dreary.What about finding meaning in life… work that satisfies?”
She smiled faintly.“It does sound rather dreary, doesn’t it?I don’t mean it that way.I’m sure I’ll be happy when I’ve found a teaching position… once I’m settled.But that won’t be until after the holidays and to be honest, I haven’t started applying and I should have.Instead, I’ve been soaking up every minute in London, enjoying what’s left of my time here.”
“You enjoyed London?”
“Very much so.It became home, which was nice.”
“But your family, the rest of your family, they must miss you.”
“There isn’t really a family left.After my parents died, I was raised by my dad’s mother, and she’s gone now.There are no cousins, or aunts and uncles.”
“That can’t be easy.”
“It is rather lonely if I think about it, so I try not to think about it.”
“Which is why you stay busy.”
The corner of her mouth lifted.“Pretty much.”
The intensity of his gaze made her feel a little lightheaded and strange.
She looked away toward the tearoom windows and saw that it had begun to rain, water streaking the window in long silvery threads.“It’s raining.”
“We should go and save Mrs.Johnson.”
Cat gulped down her now cold tea and gathered her things.As they stepped outside, Rhys opened his umbrella and angled it to cover her, his arm brushing hers as he tried to shield her.The gesture was instinctive, old-fashioned, and unexpectedly intimate.
