Page 10 of You Only Live Once
‘That sounds great, Lily, thanks very much. I’ll definitely do all that.’
‘And obviously Felix and Poppy will be putting out feelers to anybody and everybody for you. I’m sure before long you’ll have more work than you can cope with.’
‘We can always hope, can’t we? At least then I’d be out from under your feet.’
I snapped my head up from my yoghurt, letting a spoonful plop back into the bowl. ‘That wasn’t why I was saying it.’
‘No, I know. I was just saying.’ He gave a one-shouldered shrug.
It was apparently clear to everyone that I’d been steamrollered into providing accommodation for Jack’s return to England, but I was beginning to wonder if I hadn’t been the only one steamrolled into this set up. Perhaps he really would rather have preferred the solitude of a hotel room as he rebuilt his life back on the other side of the world.
‘Have you seen your parents yet?’
‘No.’ He let out a deep and troubled sigh. ‘I was wondering how long I could put it off for.’
I gave a sympathetic smile. ‘I’m assuming your relationship with them hasn’t exactly improved over the years, then?’
‘Not exactly,’ he replied. ‘They haven’t agreed with anything I’ve done since I was about fifteen years old. They were pretty unhappy about me getting married out in New Zealand and so, when that broke down, in their eyes it only confirmed what they considered the poor choices I had made with my life. As far as they are concerned, if I’d married one of the many lady-this or lady-thats they insisted on introducing me to, I wouldn’t be in the mess I am now.’
I pulled a face. ‘You’re not in a mess. Life has a habit of throwing spanners in the works of our carefully laid plans. It’s not necessarily anyone’s fault, and whether they agreed with your choices at the time, the end result is that you made those choices, and now you’re making new ones. I’m sure they just want the best for you,’ I added, feeling like it was the diplomatic thing to say.
Jack laughed a cold, humourless laugh. ‘They want what’s best for the Coulsdon-Hart name, the legacy. And, of course, I didn’t even come home with an heir to soften the blow, which hasn’t really done much for familial relations.’
‘There’s still time and then there’s your younger brother.’
‘I’m not sure whether I’ll have kids. At least I get the fun bit now, playing with Ruby and Freddy and handing them back when they’re cranky.’
‘Yes, it’s quite a good deal, isn’t it?’
I knew what he meant. Mike and I hadn’t decided about children and thought we’d have a few years to see how things worked out. We’d been happy, just the two of us, and then, thanks to the accident, the decision was made for us.
‘Ed’s pretty keen on having kids but just hasn’t met the right woman yet, apparently. My parents would prefer if things were already clear and settled, and obviously I’ve let the side down, but I’m sure Edward will come to the rescue. He has a knack of getting everything right.’ The comment was made with resignation rather than malice. Felix had told me that Jack and his brother were close despite the distance, and I knew he’d been out there to visit. I was glad at least one member of his family was on Jack’s side.
‘I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have asked about your family.’
‘I think that classic phrase “we’re not upset, just disappointed” is one that could be applied to this particular situation.’
‘That’s always a good one.’
Jack gave a glimmer of a smile, which this time reached his eyes.
‘I was sorry to hear about your parents,’ he said. ‘They were both wonderful people.’
‘Thank you. Some days, it seems a long time and others, like yesterday. It was a shock to have them go so close together, but I suppose it’s never the right time, is it? You always want more time with someone.’
‘Absolutely.’
‘Thank you for coming to both their funerals. We didn’t expect that. It wasn’t like you were round the corner.’
‘They’d always been incredibly special to me. There was no way I wasn’t going to pay my respects. You’d already been through such a lot as a family.’
I gave him a smile and looked across at the photo of Mum, Dad, Felix and me that Mike had taken and had framed for us a few months before he died. Within a couple of years, Mum and Dad would both be gone, too.
‘I think I spent most of my youth around your house. I was always so comfortable there, and if those cheese straws last night are anything to go by, you’ve certainly inherited your mum’s skill at baking.’
I pushed myself off the stool. ‘Flattery will get you nowhere,’ I said with a laugh in my voice before realising that my concentration had slipped and my slinky silk dressing gown had just flashed Jack a brief ankle-to-thigh shot before I grabbed it closed. Thankfully, he hadn’t appeared to notice. I put my breakfast things in the dishwasher and turned back to Jack, one hand securely on my dressing gown this time.
‘I’m sure my parents would have adopted you if they thought yours would have allowed it. Mum was always singing your praises about how lovely your manners were. Clearly, she only ever saw your good side.’
