Page 9 of The Holiday Cottage

She picked up her empty mug and walked back to the kitchen.

She reached for her laptop bag and pulled out the proposal that Imogen had sent through. The concept and details were inspired, but no less than she’d come to expect from Imogen. She was an impressive young woman and she deserved the volume of business, and the trust, that Dorothy gave her.

She knew Sara was worried that she’d allowed herself to get so close to Imogen.

It was the one thing, the only thing, on which they disagreed.

Dorothy understood Sara’s concern, but that didn’t alter her resolve.

She was doing what she needed to do.

3

Sara

“So how was the big bad city?” Patrick grabbed her and kissed her as she walked through the door.

“Big and bad.” She abandoned her suitcase and kissed him back. “I think it might have corrupted me.”

“Yeah?” He lifted his mouth from hers and smiled. “That’s the best news I’ve had in a while. Care to elaborate? Or better still, give me a physical demonstration?”

“Maybe I will.”

“Mummy!” There were shrieks and then both girls came thundering out of the kitchen.

“Or maybe not,” she murmured, smiling at him before she turned to hug the girls.

First was Ava, six years old and the more boisterous of the two sisters.

“We’re making pizza!”

“You are? Then I can’t wait to join you.” She kissed Ava and held out her arm to Iris. At nine, Iris was quieter than her sister. The girls smelled of shampoo, sugar and innocence.

She held them close. Only one thing truly mattered to Sara, and that was family. There wasn’t a day when she didn’t feel grateful for it. They were her whole world. She’d never let anything come between her, Patrick and her girls.

“We’ve started making yours,” Iris said. “We thought you might be too tired to make it yourself. We hoped Granny might come.”

Iris. Always kind. Always thinking of others.

Sara kissed the top of her head and stood up. “Granny was a bit tired and she was keen to get back to her animals.”

“Comeon,” Ava said to her sister. She grabbed Iris by the hand and dragged her back to the kitchen.

Ava. Always restless. Always moving on to the next thing.

Sara felt a pang as she watched them, hand in hand. She wanted her girls to always be as close as they were now. To always be a support to each other.Sisters.

Wishing she could freeze time, she walked with Patrick to the kitchen. “Have they been good?”

“Pretty good. You know how it is. They’re excited to see you. I don’t know how we’re ever going to get them to bed on time.”

“One late night won’t hurt.” Sara slid off her shoes and grabbed an apron. It felt so good to be home. Worry about her mother still nagged at her, but here among her family she was able to push it to the back of her mind. “I don’t want tomato sauce on my best silk shirt.”

“You could always take it off.” Patrick gave her a look and she gave him her own look back.

Maybe they should have booked a babysitter for the evening and gone out.

“I took mine off. I dropped tomato on it.” Ava scattered cheese over her pizza. “I was sad, because it’s my best one.”

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