page2 (1/2)

Hell, noas rahtly better than doing it out loud

What had happened to the calo? Oh, yes, his entire life had unravelled, that hat

And it had all started the day he’d co sleepsuits and her favourite pyjaht for their honeymoon years earlier

‘Sebastian?’ Maria placed Frankie on his feet on the floor as Seb shut the door behind the space of the chalet stood his sister and surprise brother, along with their new partners More new people in his life to replace all those he’d lost

But he wasn’t ready to share Maria and Frankie with them just yet

Maria began stripping off Frankie’s bulky snowsuit But her questioning eyes stayed on Seb, and he felt the weight in them

‘You cut your hair,’ he said, with an apologetic half-smile ‘It suits you’

‘My life now suits me,’ she said si to be elsewhere even when he arrived to collect Frankie from her parents’ house That life

He was so glad it suited one of them, at least

Then, as Frankie—free froled free of his ate the antique nativity crib scene set up on a console table, Maria straightened and looked him in the eye

‘I want to be clear about one thing,’ she said ‘Before we join the others or unpack or settle in or anything’

Sebastian ignored the growing feeling of dread in his stomach as she spoke ‘Go on’

‘This is a visit Nothinghoain, back to my parents’ estate’ The emphasis she’d placed on home cut deep This had been one of her homes once

He had been her home

‘We’re not staying, Sebastian,’ she went on ‘I want that understood from the start’

Seb forced a smile ‘Of course’ Maria’s expression relaxed, and he knew he should leave it there, that to push it further would only ruin the fragile peace they seemed to have achieved

But he couldn’t help hier That ho he was Who his father had raised him to be

Oh, Papà, I wish you were here now to tell me what to do

‘But if you change yourthe look on Maria’s face, ‘I wasn’t just being polite when I said you always have a home here’

‘Seb’ Maria groaned

‘I know Noemi would love to have you around more She misses you’ They’d always been close, his sister and his wife He’d taken it as a sign that Maria was a rightful part of his family, as much as any of them

But now Maria had gone and they had Leo in her place, which, as much as he’d reached a sort of truce with his unexpected brother, wasn’t at all the sa

And apparently he’d said so pointedly at where Frankie was about to denude the stable of sheep

‘I o and say hello’

Then, without looking back, she crossed the room with swift steps and removed Frankie from the antique orna instead

At least she missed one of theht have missed him, too, when she’d made it so clear she didn’t If she had, she’d have wanted to see him on one of his few visits The salimpse of her

Noee smile on her lips, and e as his wife greeted his sister with considerably reeted him

Then Noemi knelt down in front of Frankie As he moved to their side, Seb could see that his son’s eyes ide as he glanced around the large roo his own father, it seemed

‘Hey, Frankie,’ Noeain his attention When he looked at her, she said, ‘Can I have a hug?’

Frankie glanced up at Maria, apparently for permission