page18 (1/1)

‘Oh, no, Lisa, that is not about to happen You and I will go together—as husband and wife’ He e of defiance in her eyes, which sparked angrily at him, a stark contrast to her pale face He would have to calht not have wanted to create a child, but he had and he wouldn’t now do anything to jeopardise his baby or Lisa

He hadn’t decided if taking Lisa to Madrid was an excuse to keep her close or the co the better brother, but all he kneas that she had to be there with him He needed to see for hi care of herself as the doctor had instructed Just as his mother should have done He was adamant that they would re necessary to make her want to stay with him beyond New Year’s Eve He wanted to be the father he’d never had He just wasn’t sure if he could

‘What, to shoe are so happily —and true as her words flew at hihts that would only lead to the past, to the pain of losing his ht only have been a teenager then, but he wasn’t about to take any chances with his unborn child At least not until he was sure everything was as it should be

‘Happily or not, we areour first child That at least you cannot deny’

Her anger sparked across the roouilt He wasn’t the only one who’d walked out on this ht that had changed their lives Had she come to find him, tell him about the baby because she’d already known his world was falling apart around him?

It wasn’t the first tiht had occurred to him He knew that Lisa had married hih, but his constant silence had not been what she’d been looking for, what she’d wanted to hear He didn’t tell lies, he’d had enough of those in his childhood to kno destructive they could be, but his reluctance to say those three words shewith her i out had been the only option, before he hurt her any e, abouthim feel the same pain?

‘No, I can’t, but I wish I could walk away from you, this time for ever I knohat it’s like to have a part-ti in and out of my life when it suited them—or my mother’

An unwanted wave of syhts about herto offer co to make her feel better This was the first time she’d allowed hiuessed it wasn’t the happy picture she’d always tried to portray or hide behind

‘So, it seethe cold, detached business career five years ago

‘It looks that way When do we leave for Madrid?’ She was as cold as he was, proving, if nothing else, that any of those softer and sentimental emotions she’d once had for him had well and truly been buried—and it suited his Emotions only led to pain

‘I have chartered a private jet to ensure your co’

Initially, he thought she was going to challenge hi him, she nodded ‘When do we return?’

‘As soon as the wedding celebrations are over I have plans here in England for the festive season’

Now he felt the full force of her suspicion ‘What plans?’

He wasn’t about to reveal anything yet, but her talk of wanting a Christmas tree re to do with their past She’d told him how her family had never had time or the inclination for festive celebrations, that Christht not be able to feel love, but he wanted to make her happy, prove he could enter into the façade of fah he had no intention of engaging his eements for the kind of festivities his mother had loved—the kind he’d never had since her death

‘Plans that will prove to you we can bring our child up together Offer it all neither of us had You gave me until New Year’s Eve to prove that our child will be better off brought up by married parents and not divorced parents and that is precisely what I will do’