She clasped his hand. “And how about you? You deserve to be happy too.”
“Yeah, well, I’m taking a break from women. Focusing on work.” Unable to hold her gaze, he looked across the empty restaurant. “How’s Livvy?”
“She’s good. We became aunts again.”
“Jessica had the baby?”
“Yep, a little girl. Tabby.”
It hurt to think he’d never meet her, never see that family again. Yes, he’d fallen for Livvy, but he’d enjoyed the company of all of them. “That’s great.”Does Livvy miss me? Is she happy? Has she met anyone else? Is she working too hard?He cleared his throat. “Can I call you a cab?”
“I’ve ordered an Uber. It’s due in a few minutes.” She rose to her feet and gave him a quick hug. “Thanks for tonight, for everything you said. For getting Aaron to come over.”
He let out a low laugh. “You were here; he was here. It seemed like too good an opportunity to waste.”
“Yes.” She studied him a moment. “Speaking of not wasting opportunities, I happen to know Olivia is taking Mia to the Tate tomorrow morning to give Jess some time alone with Tabby.”
His heart jumped into his throat. “Livvy will be at the Tate? With Mia?”
Ashley chuckled. “Liv has no clue what eight-year-old girls enjoy, but Mia adores, her so she’ll have a good time. I believe she’s picking Mia up around ten, so they’ll probably be at the Tate about half ten. If you’re interested.” His thoughts tumbled so fast, he didn’t know how to articulate a response. Ashley seemed to understand, because she smiled. “You’re not the only one who can play matchmaker. Good night, Connor.”
Heart beating wildly, mind whirling, he watched her climb into the Uber.
The Tate was big and busy, so bumping into Olivia wasn’t a done deal. Plus he’d have to take Ellie. If—bigif—he was going to get another chance with Olivia, she had to know about Ellie.
Holy fuck. He might see Livvy again.
Chapter 17
Olivia kissed her new niece on her soft, downy head and felt something inside her chest shift. Damn her hormones. They’d been giving her hell the past few days as she’d watched her sister become an emotional mess over her baby daughter.
And, yes, Tabby was ridiculously cute, but... “I bet she’s not as sweet at two in the morning.”
Jessica laughed. “She’s not a good sleeper, no. And five a.m. tends to be her wake-up time. And mine.”
It was Olivia’s wake-up time too, but instead of changing a nappy or soothing a fractious baby, she’d pull on her running gear and go for her daily jog by the Thames.
She glanced back at her sister, who looked happy but exhausted. “And they say women can have it all, be a mum but also go to work on no sleep and seesawing hormones.”
Jessica smiled and kissed her bright-eyed baby daughter. “That’s why we get maternity leave.”
As if life for a mum got any easier after six months. She’d seen both her sisters live through teething, chicken pox, and God knows what else kids caught when they went to nursery school. Then there was the frazzled making of packed lunches, ferrying them round to various after-school activities, entertaining them during the school holidays, frantic dashes to be there for plays, for assemblies. And that was without the stress of work.
She felt a tug on her hand. “Can we go now, Aunt Livia?”
Olivia smiled down at Mia. “Of course. We’re going to have a great day. We’ll see art in the morning and fish in the afternoon.”
Jessica patted the top of Mia’s head. “Be good for your aunt. You’ll enjoy the aquarium.”
Olivia frowned. “And the Tate?”
Jessica avoided her eyes and waved them both away. “Take care, have fun. See you later when you’ve worn my daughter out. Or she’s worn you out.”
“Where are Matt and Harry going?” Mia asked as she and Olivia walked to the tube.
“Your brothers are at football. Your dad’s taking them so your mum can have a rest.”
Mia giggled. “If Tabby lets her. She cries a lot.”
