“Do you have a preferred option out of those?” Hannah asked. “Because ideally, I’d love it if you’d stay on here with Jack. At least until he starts school. Obviously, I know there’s a salary issue and potential conflict of interest, so what I’d propose is that the contract comes to me. I’d be your employer, your salary would come out of my account, and technically you’d report to me, but apart from that nothing would change.”
I stared at her, trying not to let my surprise show on my face. Matty had said she might suggest it but hadn’t thought it would be straight away. He’d assumed she might need more time to consider it. But clearly she’d been thinking about it as much as we had.
“If you’re happy to do that, then that sounds great,” I said with a glance at Matty, squeezing his hand. I couldn’t believe it was suddenly all so simple.
It didn’t feel like it should be, but I wasn’t going to argue and make it more complicated just for the sake of it.
I really was going to get everything I’d ever wanted. Maybe fairy-tale endings weren’t as rare as I’d believed.
“Of course. We can speak to the agency and I can talk to a lawyer to get a contract drawn up,” she said, making a quick note. “It might take a few weeks but hopefully not too long.”
“You’re a star,” Matty said, relief palpable on his face.
“Yes, well, considering how much bloody hassle you went through to find someone willing to put up with your nonsense, I really don’t think that’s going to happen again.”
“Was I really that bad?” Matty asked, glancing at me as he let go of my hand so he could fish out a chocolate biscuit.
“I’m not going to answer that,” I said, holding my hand out for a chocolate biscuit while Hannah laughed.
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
Matty
“Doyou want strawberries or blueberries with your pancakes this morning? Or both?” Harper asked as he took the tubs of fruit out of the fridge, looking over at Jack, who was stood on his stool next to me, watching intently as I spooned batter into the frying pan.
It was Sunday morning, the day after my last regular away game of the season, and we’d decided the time was right to tell Jack about us. We’d also decided, since the weather was nice, to do a bit of a surprise family day out with a trip to a local National Trust property that had long woodland walks, beautiful gardens, and, most importantly, a kids’ play area.
We purposely hadn’t booked the tickets in advance, though, in case Jack didn’t take it well and we needed to have a quiet day at home.
Everything with Hannah had been easier than I’d expected, and I kept waiting for someone to pull the rug out from underneath me. Which could very well happen today.
It’d been a little awkward to get things sorted with the agency, but we’d managed to smooth things over with a combination of Hannah’s charm and utter ruthlessness. We were still in the process of getting things moved across to Hannah, but she’d promised to keep us posted. She was now working in London, so there was the potential for us to see her more often, although she’d already mentioned a project coming up in Singapore, so I didn’t know how long she’d actually be around for.
“Strawbies, please,” Jack said, barely taking his eyes off the pancakes. They were banana and chocolate chip, a special treat just because. When I’d suggested them, Jack had practically exploded with excitement, and he’d loved helping me mash the bananas before throwing handfuls of chocolate chips in with wild abandon. Luckily, he hadn’t been fussed about helping with the eggs.
“Strawberries it is. Matty?”
“Both, please,” I said as I flipped the pancakes, pleased with how well they were turning out.
“Sounds good.” Harper put the fruit down on the counter before washing and slicing the strawberries, his nails a matching red with little rabbits stamped on them. He smiled at me every time he looked over, and something caught in my chest. I hadn’t used the word love, not directly, because I was worried it was too soon.
I’d told him I loved his smile and the way he laughed. That I loved how thoughtful he was, how kind and caring. How cute he looked with his hair pulled up and his glasses on the end of his nose as he painted his nails. How gorgeous he looked dancing around the kitchen and running around the garden with Jack.
That I adored how much he loved my son and dealt with everything—good, bad, and screaming—with grace and a smile, even if he didn’t feel that way inside.
But I hadn’t actually said I lovedhim.
That would have to change soon, though, because I didn’t think I’d be able to keep it in for much longer.
“Daddy,” Jack said as I put the cooked pancakes onto a plate on my other side, away from inquisitive toddler hands, and began scooping more batter into the pan.
“Yes, pumpkin.”
“How do I get a brother? Or a sister? I don’t mind which.”
I glanced over at Harper, who looked as bemused as I felt, and then back at my son, who was trying to fish chocolate chips out of the bowl of batter, his fingers and face already covered. “Er, why do you want one?”
“Addison and Cillian are getting one. They told me yesterday.”
