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“I know.” I lean forward to kiss her cheek. “Thank you for taking care of her when I couldn’t.”

Five minutes later I’m carrying a paper bag of pastries and the mug of coffee, wheeling my suitcase across the hallway toward the front door.

“That you, Theo?” My brother’s voice echoes down from the staircase. He appears a second later, leaning over the banister in his blue striped pajamas, hair sticking up in every direction. “Thought we had burglars,” he adds dryly. “Or that you were being arrested.” He chuckles like the idea pleases him.

“I’m leaving for London.”

“Can you do it quietly please?” he says, even though he’s the one shouting. “Why are you going to London at this hour anyway?”

“To see Georgia.”

The corner of his lip curls. “What? Why? Hasn’t she done enough already?”

He straightens, folding his arms across his chest.

Behind him, Kate appears at the top of the stairs, her dressing gown pulled tight around her waist, her hair a mess of frizz. “What’s going on?” she asks.

“Theo’s letting his libido drive him to London,” Alex tells her.

Kate arches a brow. “Is that the name of his new chauffeur?”

The two of them laugh.

I let out a sigh and decide to leave them to their… whatever they have going on. It’s none of my business anyway.

“That’s right, walk away,” Alex calls out. “She must be a demon in the sack.”

I stop and slowly turn around. “Be very fucking careful,” I tell him, my voice ominously low. “Say her name or anything about her one more time and you’ll regret it.”

He opens his mouth and closes it again, like he knows I’m deadly serious.

“And the next time you see her, you will fucking apologize to her for everything.”

I don’t bother to wait for his reply. I don’t give a damn about him anyway.

The only person I care about is two hours away. And that’s two hours too many.

It takes longer than I’d like to get into London. The roads are already thick with Christmas traffic, people heading to see loved ones or maybe just going somewhere different to escape the madness. By the time ‘Last Christmas’ comes on the radio for the third time, I lean forward and switch it off. The last thing I need right now is a reminder of the festivities.

I pull into the circular drive of the hotel two hours later, parking behind a white van that’s currently being unloaded. Delivery drivers should know better than to use the front entrance.

A valet appears before I even have time to kill the engine. I leave the keys in the engine and climb out. “Sorry,” I murmur. “I’m running late for a meeting.”

“No problem, Mr. Hunt,” he says, sliding into the seat I’ve vacated. “Oh, and Merry Christmas.”

“You, too.” I give him a distracted nod and head for the doors. Despite the early hour, the lobby is already full. Our usual festive grotto is being set up, ready for our annual tradition of handing out little gifts to all the children staying with us.

In the corner, a local youth choir is warming up, ready to greet the breakfast crowd with carols.

Normally I’d stop and talk to them, but today I head straight for the desk.

“Has Mateo left yet?” I ask the daytime concierge. He’s new, only been here a few months.

He nods. “Yes he has, sir. He’s off to spend Christmas with his grandchildren in Wales. Is there anything I can do for you?”

“He was helping me with a guest last night. I wanted to know if she got in safely.”

“Oh yes, he left a note. Let me find it.”