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‘I’ after myself, Theo Really You don’t have to worry’

‘Tough You can argue asyou home’

In the end, it was easier to agree with him

‘Would you like to come in for a coffee?’ she asked as they stood outside her front door

‘I thought you said you didn’t cook?’

‘I’ you Greek coffee’ She se a cafetière’

‘Then I accept Efkharisto’ He gave her a slight formal bow

The first thing that struck Theo about the flat was the absence of pink Madison was capable and professional at work, yet very feminine at the same ti conversations about sparkly pink nail polish in the staff kitchen But there was nothing girly about the décor It was plain, neutral, relaxing There was a string of feathery butterflies draped round the mirror above the mantelpiece, but other than that there were none of the fluffy things he’d expected The kitchen was pure white and chrome—absolutely spotless—and Madison switched on the kettle before taking two s and a cafetière from the cupboard

‘Co room

Theo’s attention was snagged by the photographs on the mantelpiece There was a picture of Madison, her hair loose and blown about by the wind, standing in a garden; next to her was a taller woh like her to be her sister ‘That’s Katrina, I assume?’

‘Yes In estured to a photograph of an older couple ‘And these are Katrina’s’

‘Your fathers look very alike,’ he commented

‘They’re brothers My dad’s two years older than Uncle Danny—Katrina’s dad’

In all the photographs, the groups of people had their ar a smile They were clearly a very close fa his own family The noise and chatter of his sisters, his brother’s terrible jokes, his father’s deep laugh and his step

They’d adore Madison

He pushed the thought away It wasn’t going to happen When he’d found out the truth about his past, the way his mother had died, he’d h the risks of childbirth And Madison wanted children Despite the fact that he’d never felt a pull so strong towards someone, he couldn’t act on it It wouldn’t be fair to her Madison, despite her independence and bubbly exterior, was vulnerable She’d already had a e to someone who hadn’t wanted what she wanted out of life; how could he ask her to repeat that? And she wasn’t looking for a short-term affair, which was all he could offer her