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"Shit," she whispered, digging in her purse "Did I turn it off?"

"I know I didn’t," I said, pulling mine from my pocket It was just that there were no texts, no e to Niall: All good? We’re headed ho is fine Anna is asleep See you soon

Niall was stretched out on the leather couch in the living roo John Oliver on the telly Anna was asleep on his long legs, one fist in her mouth and the other curled around her lion blanket

"Good night out then?" he asked quietly, watching as we hung our coats up in the closet

"The best," I told hi in the scene in front of me "Are you sure you don’t want to move in across the hall? There’s a flat for sale This would be very convenient for us"

He laughed "It’s te is rather posh, and this little one is brilliant, yeah?"

"Cheers, et to be worried"

He sht I was a sentimental wanker, and then rested his hand on Anna’s belly "It was really nice Perhaps you can return the favor sohtened for the span of a heartbeat, and in that tiny flicker in his expression, I felt the full weight of his disappointe

"Without a doubt," I reassured hie out of her dress and I reached for Anna, picking her up with the confidence of a father who expects the child to re Except she didn’t; for once she hen jostled, and her sweet little face screwed up in frustration as she began to cry

"Ah, sorry, sorry," I whispered, bouncing her gently "Just a minute, little miss, your mum’s almost done"

Anna didn’t want to be held and rocked, she wanted Sara, and the sound of her angry cry pushed an ache into my chest But it didn’t bother ed like a battery, full of patience and calenuine content the baby fro theht, irls"

"She’s probably the cutest baby on the planet," Sara said, grinning up at iddy It was as if she knew all along ould end up right here, in this night

I bent down, kissed Annabel’s soft cheek as she calot your sensitive side froirl But you also got your mum’s steel, so you’ll be okay"