‘Probably. Why don’t we ask him?’ Kitty turned to Nick, who was lagging several paces behind. ‘Emily is wondering if you can play hide and seek?’
‘Um… I guess so?’
Kitty tried not to sigh. Yes, the man had had a shock. Acting like a zombie and ignoring the situation wouldn’t make it go away. Much better if he could try smiling for Emily’s sake.
When they reached the house, Kitty sat Emily on the sofa and followed Nick into the fancy kitchen. ‘Where’s the fridge?’
‘Here, although there’s not much in it.’
Kitty opened the fridge to find a six-pack of beer and several leftover takeaway containers. ‘Where’s all the proper food?’
Nick frowned. ‘Maybe try the cupboards?’
‘You do live here, don’t you?’ said Kitty, opening each cupboard and finding most empty. When she found a tin of tomatoes, a few condiments and half a pack of pasta, she almost cheered, until she realised they were the sole contents of the large designer kitchen. ‘You literally have no food. How do you survive?’
‘On pizzas mainly.’ He lifted his palms. ‘And I ate the last one last night.’
‘You need to do some shopping, get some food in.’
‘What do kids eat?’
‘Usually the same as adults, although I don’t think Carla would be too pleased to find all you’ve fed her daughter is frozen pizza and cans of Stella.’
‘Can you help me?’
‘Cook?’ Kitty pursed her lips and shook her head. ‘No way. I only came here to return your jacket. You’ve got another think coming if you believe I’m going to be your unofficial nanny and housekeeper.’
‘Please,’ said Nick, a desperate edge to his voice. ‘Just for today. I’ve no idea what to do with a kid. A little boy would have been marginally better, but a five-year-old girl? Kitty, I’m completely clueless.’ He clasped his hands, prayer-like, to his chest. ‘Please, you work with kids. Couldn’t you hang around fora bit longer and give me a few tips? I’ll get down on my knees and beg if you need me to.’
Kitty steeled her heart. ‘I’m meant to be sorting out my classroom today.’
‘Can’t you do it tomorrow?’
Kitty frowned. Yes, technically she could go into the school tomorrow. That didn’t mean she was going to alter her plans for the man-child standing in front of her.
‘Kitty?’
She turned to look at a small face creased in confusion, Emily’s bottom lip quivering as she tried to make sense of the situation she found herself in. Kitty fought to hold on to her resolve. She should walk out. This wasn’t her problem; it was Nick’s.
Resolve was hard when Emily’s eyes were full of hope, and Nick, useless as he was, looked like a man about to drown. Kitty wavered, and when Emily began hopping up and down, her mind was made up. ‘Do you need the toilet?’
Emily nodded, her cheeks flushing.
Kitty turned to Nick. ‘Where’s your bathroom?’
‘Down the hall, third door on your left.’
As Kitty helped Emily find the bathroom and take off the dungarees she was wearing, she decided. She would give Nick one day. Not for his sake. Leave Nick and Emily alone now, and all she’d do was go out of her mind with worry. If a day was all it took to make sure Nick had grasped at least the basics of caring for a child, the time would be well spent.
Chapter 10
Atwinge of guilt ruffled Nick’s already broken calm as he hurried down the street. He’d been responsible for his daughter for all of five minutes and already he was desperate to get away. From the look of disapproval on Kitty’s face, she thought he should have stayed with Emily. Someone had to go to the shop, though, and this trip could be the last time he’d have to himself for goodness knows how long. He’d jumped at the chance to escape for a while.
As he pressed on, he pictured Kitty struggling up the staircase from the beach, Emily on her back. If the tables were turned, he doubted very much Kitty would have taken the chance to escape the house. He wasn’t on an errand, he was running away. He chewed his lip. Knowing he was a coward wasn’t enough to stop him behaving like one.
The village was busy with holidaymakers, with a queue forming outside the ice-cream van and to get into the tiny gift shop. All the tables outside the Bayview Café were occupied, and with the car park full, no end of idiots had parked half on thepavement, blocking the way for both pedestrians and anything but the narrowest vehicles.
Nick kept his head down, not wanting to engage with any friendly locals. He needed time to think, to try to make sense of the thoughts swirling around his head in a mess he couldn’t untangle. With a trembling hand, he pulled out his phone.
