Olivia’s voice interrupted his spiraling thoughts. “What had you planned to do this afternoon after the riding school?”
“Not much,” he admitted. “Maybe kick a ball around the park with her for a bit, then hunker down and watch one of those Disney films she loves so much.” He flicked her a look. “Ever seenBlack Beauty?”
“Of course. It’s a beautiful film.”
“Try watching it for the one hundredth time. Kind of loses its shine.”
“Well, maybe I can watch it with Ellie while you make us dinner.”
He stared at her, trying to work out if she was real, because so far this felt like a dream. Except his dream house wouldn’t look like it had been bombed by a toy factory. “How about we agree to that but you promise to come and help me chop when you’re bored.”
“You think chopping vegetables with you is going to be the more exciting option?”
He waggled his eyebrows. “You’ve not seen me wield my chopper.”
She groaned but then lost the fight with herself she was clearly having and started to laugh. He vowed to spend the rest of the day seeing how many times he could make that happen. But first he had to put a smile on a little girl’s face.
Ellie was on the floor in her room, the pieces of the Playmobil riding-school set her Devon grandparents had given her for Christmas littered across her carpet.
Carefully, making sure to avoid trampling on any plastic horses, he hunkered down next to her. “I should have sorted your lessons out weeks ago, when you first asked me.” He tapped her on the shoulder to make her look at him. “I’m sorry.”
She shrugged. “S’okay. I’ll probably be rubbish at it anyway.”
“No.” He turned her so she was facing him. “You, Ellie Harris, can do anything you set your mind to, because you’re smart and determined. You’ll be brilliant at riding horses because you love them and because you’ll listen to everything the riding instructor says.”
Her big blue eyes—hiseyes—widened. “Am I gonna have lessons, then?”
“Got to be honest, I’m not sure how many we can afford, but you’re definitely going to have as many as we can manage.”
“Yippee!” She jumped to her feet and performed a daft hip wiggle.
Never mind him putting a smile on her face, she was putting one on his. “Thought we could drive to the riding school now and try and arrange them today.” The breath left his lungs as she threw her arms around him, and he hugged her tight, feeling choked. Didn’t matter how many times he mucked up, she kept forgiving him. “Do you remember Livvy?”
His heart seemed to stop for a moment as Ellie scrunched up her face. “Mia’s mum?”
“Mia’s aunt, yes.” He swallowed, his heart now a loud, thumping drum in his chest “She’s downstairs. Is it okay if she spends the day with us?”
“Is Mia here?”
“No, just Livvy.”
Ellie peered at him, her eyes way too observant for her age. “Is she your girlfriend now?”
“I want her to be, yes. Is that okay with you?”
“I’m still your number one?”
He looked her straight in the eye. “Always.”
A wide grin split her face. “Then if she’s your friend, she’s my friend too.”
It’s that easy,he thought, relief coursing through him as he rose to his feet. Probably he should get her to tidy her room before going downstairs, but right now he didn’t care that he’d probably end up accidentally trampling on the damn horses tonight when he tucked her in.
He was going to spend the day with his two favorite people.
Chapter 25
She was nervous, which was ridiculous. Olivia Davies didn’t do nervous. But as she walked with Connor toward Jessica’s house, Ellie happily skipping ahead of them, plaits bouncing, Olivia’s heart was galloping. It didn’t help that Connor—currently rocking a leather jacket—seemed tense too. Didn’t help either that they’d not seen each other since last Sunday. It had been a good day, areallygood day, so when her sister had mentioned bringing Connor to Mia’s party on Saturday—today—she’d not hesitated. Now, with her sister’s house in view, she wondered if this was a step too big for their embryonic relationship. Sure, her family had all met him in Nantucket, but he was no longer the guy who’d persuaded her into a holiday fling.
