Her breath stank of wine, but I nodded and kissed her cheek. “Me too.”
She looked over her shoulder and shooed me up the stairs. “Go and change. And put that new lipstick on.”
I frowned at her, but she joined me, telling me I didn’t have time to shower.
She helped me change into the sparkling dress, ushering me along with an urgency I hadn’t been expecting.
It almost woke me up.
Dad cheered as I came in, the beard bells punctuating his cry. “You’re home!”
He thrust a glass of champagne into my hand.
“I can’t drink, Dad,” I told him and handed it back. “I have work in the morning.”
He ruffled my hair. “There’s my selfless, hard-working girl.”
The music was loud, but our family and friends werelouder. I looked for a surface to perch and people watch, but then a small bundle was placed in my hands.
Livie smiled and brushed her son’s cheek. “Can you have Xavie for one second? Just while I pee?”
“Of course.”
Xavie looked up at me with the deep blue eyes of his father, and I placed my finger in his palm, for him to clutch me in a grip Luca would be proud of.
“What a strong little man,” I cooed.
He might be two months old, but he was much more in the Christmas spirit than I was. He was in a yellow star onesie. His head popped out of one of the points.
“Thought it would be a while until I saw this,” said a voice that made me stiffen. Then relax.
“Jordan,” I said by way of greeting, forcing a smile.
So this was why Mum had been on my case. Behind him, she drunkenly winked and pointed at his back, nodded, and gave a thumbs up.
Everly looked between us, rolled her eyes, and escorted Mum out of the room.
Fabulous.
I made faces at Xavie to save myself from pulling a grimace of frustration after my loving mother.
“You look good with a baby in your arms,” he laughed. Then lifted his palms. “Not flirting. Old habits die hard.”
“Do they?” I laughed, watching Xavie’s mouth open and close as he wriggled.
“How are you?” he asked, and I abhorred the sincerity and sympathy in his voice.
My voice fell flat. “Fine. You?”
He moved closer as someone walked past him. “Yeah, I’vebeen worse. You sticking around for a bit?”
“It’s my house, Jord,” I said slowly. He was training to be a doctor…surely he’d know if he’d hit his head, right?
“No,” he laughed and looked at his feet. “I mean, in England. Not chasing bikes around the world.”
“For a while, yeah,” I said, rocking the baby. “I can’t really—I’m not allowed back.”
Nix’s words didn’t mean anything. Even if I was offered the job, I didn’t know if I had it in me to go and be there without…
