She was falling for him, truly and completely.
A shadow fell across her soul. Her own struggles with premature menopause loomed large in her mind, a cruel irony in the face of Sam’s longing for more children.
But she wanted so badly to be there for Sam, to offer him comfort and support after his painful revelation. And she could – by giving him the love and friendship he needed right now. Even if any hopes of their relationship developing further were quickly dying. Things were going to change so much in the next few months. And Clara needed to discard all thoughts of a future relationship with Sam and enjoy every second she could with him and his lovely boys while they were still here.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Sam
Clara turned the car off the loch road and onto a narrow track that wound between tall trees, the afternoon sun flickering through branches as they bumped over an uneven section. Sam leaned back, looking at the view over the grounds at Glenvorneth.
A row of small, neat, and perfectly kept stone cottages came into view. Clara slowed in front of one with pale blue window frames and a tangle of flowers spilling from the garden wall.
‘Here we are,’ she said, pulling up and cutting the engine.
As soon as they were out of the car and she’d unlocked the door, a blur of fur bounded into view, tail wagging furiously.
‘Hey, Skye.’ Clara crouched to greet her, laughing as the little dog wriggled in delight.
Sam smiled. The warmth and love that filled the tiny hallway hit him square in the chest. He followed her inside, taking in the scent of coffee and cut flowers, the soft light catching on rustic wood and pale fabrics.
‘Shall we make some dinner?’ Clara asked.
‘Yeah, sure.’ Sam bent down to pet Skye, who’d come bounding up to him and was now on her back with her legs in the air. He chuckled as he rubbed her tummy.
‘How about a nice easy pasta dish?’
‘Sounds good to me.’ Sam straightened up, and Skye instantly jumped onto her feet and started pawing his ankle.
‘Let her out for a bit,’ Clara said. ‘Can you check the gate’s shut, please?’
Sam opened the door, walked down the path and made sure the latch was down on the gate. Skye had followed him out and was snuffling around the bushes. He hung around with her for a bit until she padded back to the door, then he went in too.
Clara was in the kitchen, pulling out pots and ingredients.
‘Let me help.’ Sam washed his hands and started cutting peppers, while Clara boiled the water.
The easy domesticity of it was relaxing – like food for the soul. In another life, this could be a more permanent arrangement. He and Clara could surely forge a future together. But with the uncertainty surrounding Olive’s job, Sam couldn’t offer any kind of stability. If Olive moved somewhere hundreds of miles from Glenbriar, perhaps into a city, he couldn’t expect Clara to follow – not when he didn’t relish the idea himself.
When the sauce was simmering gently, Sam turned back to Clara, watching her for a moment. ‘I need to thank you.’
She placed a block of cheese on the work surface. ‘For what?’
‘Everything.’ He ran his fingers through his hair. ‘For listening to me, for letting me spend time with you. For being there for me. For… just being you, I guess.’
‘Aw.’ She cocked her head and gave him an almost sad smile. ‘It’s not a problem. I care about you.’
‘I know you do.’ His hands gripped the edge of the counter. ‘And I appreciate it.’
Clara crossed the space between them and wrapped her arms around him. He returned her hug, pulling her close, remembering how small she felt curled into him like this, and it gave him a sense of power. A deep need to protect her surged in him. If he could just bottle this feeling, store it up for when he was far from her.
‘You’ve had such a tough time.’ She tilted her head and gazed into his eyes as though reading his mind.
‘Not really.’ He lowered his head so that the tip of his nose grazed her hair. ‘I’ve had it easy compared to some people.’
‘You’ve made tough choices and stuck by them to make sure your kids have the best life possible.’ Her hand slid up to his neck as his mouth dipped down to hers. A kiss ignited between them.
Her lips were soft and warm, and the way she pressed against him made his pulse race. His tongue found hers, and his hands snaked around the curve of her waist. She sighed into him, her fingers tangling in his hair.
