Page 116

We talk for a while, and then eventually Jayden turns up with Millie. They’ve been to the park and children’s playground, and she’s had an ice cream, so she’s happy enough. I don’t miss Dad’s frosty attitude to Jayden, so I don’t know what Mitch has told him, but I’m past caring. They can all sort it out between them. From now on, I’m just going to focus on my future, and move on.

Jayden leaves, saying he’s going to visit some friends while he’s up here, and Dad says he’ll look after Millie for a while, and she can help him in the garden.

Mitch and I head back to the bookshop. On the way, I ask him what he discussed with Dad that made him so cross with Jayden. “Did you tell him Jayden had an affair before he left?”

But Mitch shakes his head. “We just talked about how he’d been planning to leave, and he thought it was terrible that Jayden didn’t tell you.”

I nod, not wanting to go all into it again. “Well, it’s done. I don’t want to look back anymore. I just want to move on.”

“I’m glad.” He puts his arm around me as we walk, and I slot my hand into his back pocket. “When are you going to tell Millie about the two of us?”

“Tonight. I think she understands that her dad’s not coming back, but we need to have that conversation.”

“Do you think she’ll be okay?”

“I think so.” I smile at him. “She likes you a lot. She’s going to be thrilled to think you’ll be around more.”

“And you?” He nuzzles my ear. “Will you be thrilled?”

I look up at him, and he kisses me. “I’m over the moon,” I say softly. “Jayden’s my past, but you’re my future, Mitch. And I’m excited to share it with you.”

*

We spend a good part of the day at the bookshop, Mitch finishing off in the flat, and me sorting out the remaining books. I put them into boxes and move as many as I can into the storeroom, ready to start sanding the floorboards the next day. Then, as I empty the shelves, I start taking stock of what repairs need doing.

Later in the afternoon, somewhat tired, we go back to the cottage. All the Sleigh Belles are coming around in the evening for another rehearsal and to talk about outfits, but first I decide to talk to Millie. After dinner, while she’s in the bath, I sit on the floor beside her and tell her I need to talk to her about something.

“Did you have a nice time with Daddy today?” I ask.

She has a set of bath crayons, and she’s busy drawing a picture of a house on the tiles. “Yes, we saw the ducks on the pond, and one of them had a black head and Daddy said he looked like Scrooge McDuck.”

I chuckle and watch her add the sun behind the house in yellow crayon.

“Daddy said he’ll see me again tomorrow before he leaves,” she says.

I know he wants to bring her presents over. We’ll have to smuggle them into the house. “Yes, he’s going back to Christchurch.”

She nods and starts drawing a tree.

“Millie,” I say gently. “You know he won’t be coming back to live here, right? His home is in Christchurch now.”

“Yes. He told me.” She draws green leaves on the tree.

“Honey, Daddy and I will be getting a divorce. Do you know what that is?”

“Sort of,” she says.

“When you’re married,” I continue, “if you no longer love one another, you can get a divorce, and that means you’re not married anymore.”

“Your coat didn’t fit,” she says.

With some surprise, I realise she’s referring to Mitch’s analogy. “That’s right. We tried each other on for a while, but we didn’t fit.”

“Are you going to try Mitch on?”

I blink. “What?”

“He said the coat he wanted wasn’t in the shops. But it is now, isn’t it?” She looks up at me with her big brown eyes.