A cry stops me in my tracks. I turn back and April is holding her arms out to me. Charlie looks from her to me, taken aback.
‘Can I give you a kiss goodnight?’ I ask April, my chest feeling unusually thumpy.
I walk back over to her cot and, as I bend down to kiss her cheek, her arms fold around my neck.
‘Aw, you’re such a sweetheart,’ I murmur. I can’t resist scooping her up for a proper cuddle. ‘Sorry,’ I mouth at Charlie. I know he’s trying to get her to sleep.
He shakes his head with bewilderment as I cradle her in my arms. ‘Can I sing her a song?’ I ask him quietly, but April interjects.
‘Da,’ she says.
‘You want Daddy to sing you a song?’ I ask her.
She stares up at me with her very blue eyes.
‘I think she wants you to,’ Charlie says. ‘I think “da” means “yes”.’
‘Shall I sing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” again?’ I don’t take my eyes from hers. This time she nods and it’s such a sweet sight, my heart feels like it’s going to burst.
‘Just put her in her cot when you’re ready. She should settle, but give me a shout if you need me,’ he whispers. I wait until he leaves the room before I start to sing.
I’m feeling oddly emotional as I back out of April’s room. I placed her down in her cot when I came to the ‘lemon drops’ bit and sang the rest of the song with my hand on her chest. She let me walk out of her room without so much as a peep. She’s unbelievably good at her bedtime routine.
‘It’s all down to Kate,’ Charlie responds when I gush about how lovely his daughter is. He’s sitting at the kitchen table.
‘No, I don’t believe it’s that,’ I say decisively. ‘She’s just a really good baby, isn’t she?’
‘She’s pretty incredible, yeah,’ he agrees, distracted by whatever it is he’s doing.
‘What are you up to?’ I ask, moseying over.
He has his toolbox on the table.
‘Just trying to find a drill bit that would work,’ he mumbles, rummaging around.
‘For the sea glass?’
He nods, and then I see it – the small pile of coloured, smooth pieces on the table.
‘Could you dangle some pieces of painted driftwood in amongst it, too?’ I ask him.
He smiles up at me. ‘I had the same thought.’
I grin and sit down. ‘Can I help you?’ As soon as I ask the question, I backtrack. ‘Oh, it’s okay, I’m sure it’s something you want to do for her yourself.’
‘You can help if you want.’ He looks at me for a long moment.
God, hiseyes.They really are unusual. I’ve never seen a colour like it.
I’ve had boyfriends in the past who have looked similar to other boyfriends. Jorge had the same caramel-brown eye colour as Felix, and Gabe’s were the same dark shade as Dillon’s. When Liam frowned, sometimes I’d think I was looking straight at David because their expressions were so similar, and, even though Beau and Freddie looked nothing alike, there was something about the way Beau’s eyes creased when he laughed that would bring Freddie to mind.
When I sawStar Wars: The Force AwakensI completely identified with that little-old-lady thing with the big, round glasses who said that she’s lived so long, she sees the same eyes in different people.
I know what she means. I see the same eyes in different boyfriends, too.
But I’ve never seen Charlie in anyone.
Chapter 27
