“Good.” She kissed him again, her hand disappearing below the sheets, finding him hard and very ready. “Because I can think of something else I want from you.”
Chapter 30
The living room was in chaos. Balloons, torn wrapping, a Twister mat, beads from a hair-braiding set—yes, Connor the hairstylist had been busy. Olivia’s heart had completely melted at the sight of him carefully braiding not just Ellie’s hair but that of her three friends.
Thank God the girls had gone outside to do the treasure hunt she’d helped Connor set up round the small garden. It was Olivia’s second kids’ party in the space of a few weeks. She didn’t think she’d survive a third.
She grabbed a black bin liner from the kitchen and set about picking up the rubbish as Connor darted into the kitchen to sort out the party food.
“No need to do that.” Connor’s dad, Mark, took the bag from her. “You’re a guest. Sit yourself down and Connor will get you a drink.”
Today was the first time she’d met his parents, and she couldn’t say she’d warmed to them yet. “I’m happy to help.” She smiled to take the edge off her next words. “And I can make my own drink.”
“I’m sure you can. It doesn’t mean you should have to. Tea okay?” Without waiting for her to reply, he turned toward the kitchen. “Connor, make us all a pot of tea.” Then he turned back to her and indicated the sofa where she’d just cleared some space and where Connor’s mum, Sarah, was now gingerly sitting down, clearly afraid she’d get something sticky and unsuitable on her expensive-looking cream trousers. “Come and sit with us.”
Figuring she didn’t want to make today any more stressful for Connor than it was, she meekly joined them. The first and only time she’d be meek, she promised herself. If they pushed her again, she’d push back.
“Connor tells us you met in Nantucket?” Mark said.
“Yes. I was there for my niece’s wedding.”
“And what is it that you do, Olivia?” Sarah asked. “Our son has told us very little about you.”
She suspected that was because they hadn’t asked. From the snippets Connor had divulged and the conversations she’d overheard, it was clear they were only interested in Ellie. “I work in finance.”
“Ah, that explains it.” Sarah glanced down at Olivia’s tailored black trousers. “I thought to myself,Thoseclothes look well made, expensive.” As Olivia didn’t know what to say to that, she just smiled. “Do you have any children of your own?”
“No.” In her trouser pocket, her phone beeped with a message.
“Oh, do answer that.” Mark smiled. “Maybe the market has crashed while we’ve been talking.”
Taking the opportunity to break away from what felt like an interrogation, she glanced at her screen to find a string of messages from Connor.
Let me know if you need rescuing.
And say anything you want. I don’t give a fuck whether they like you or not.
I bloody adore you.
Her heart faltered and she turned toward the kitchen to find Connor watching her. If she’d doubted his last text, she only had to look at his crooked smile, the soft, blue eyes, to know he meant every word.
“Everything okay?” Mark’s question forced her to break away from Connor’s gaze.
“Yes, it was just a friend.”
“Good, good.” Mark leaned back against the sofa and crossed his legs. “I hope you don’t mind us saying this, but we noticed you’re a little older than Connor.”
“I’m thirty-nine.”
“Oh.” Sarah blinked. “And you say you’ve never had children?”
Oh, for God’s sake. “That’s right. I never planned on them.” Funny how her usual stock answer—that she didn’t want children, that she was career-focused—had subtly changed.
“It must be very strange for you, then, dating a man who has a child.” Sarah sighed. “Of course he had Ellie far too early in life, and the flighty piece he had his rash moment with was never suited to be a mum, which is such a shame for Ellie. Still, something very special came from his carelessness, and for that we’re very grateful.”
“He was twenty,” Olivia countered. “Who hasn’t been rash and careless at twenty?”
Sarah glanced at her husband, who cleared his throat. “There’s being rash, and there’s bringing a child into the world when you have no stable job, no prospects, and are barely able to look after yourself.”
