The Minute I Saw You by Paige Toon

Author:Paige Toon [Toon, Paige]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
Published: 2020-05-13T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter 27

On Sunday morning, almost two weeks later, I get a text from Sonny: Are you in? Are you free?

I reply immediately – Yes! – and race around getting ready.

He’s been in Amsterdam this past week and had the girls for their first sleepover last night. I have no idea know how they managed to squeeze into his tiny converted studio, but I bet they had fun.

When the doorbell goes, I decide I’m not going to even try to disguise how happy I am to see him. I’ve missed him.

‘Hello!’ I cry as I yank the door open. My face falls.

There’s not one person on the doorstep, but three. Sonny has brought his daughters.

‘Hey!’ he says, but his expression is instantly wary at the sight of my reaction.

I quickly rearrange my features. ‘Hello, girls! Don’t mind Bertie, she won’t bite.’ She’s pushed past me, wagging her tail and thankfully forgoing her usual barky greeting. Imogen and Natalie are all over her in a flash. I remember Sonny saying they’d love a dog.

‘Sorry,’ Sonny murmurs over the noise of their chatter. ‘I thought we might go out in the canoe, but I should have called.’

‘Of course you can go out in the canoe. Do you want to come around the back? I’ll get the paddles.’

‘I was hoping you’d come with us,’ he says.

‘Oh, I . . .’

His eyebrows pull together. ‘You’ve got other plans?’

‘No.’ I’ve already told him I’m free.

I look past him to his daughters and he turns to see them on their knees, going doolally over the dog. When he meets my eyes again, his smile fades.

‘Sorry, I don’t know why I thought you’d be up for it.’

He thinks I have a problem with spending the day with his children.

But he doesn’t understand at all.

‘I am,’ I decide impulsively, bracing myself. ‘I am up for it.’

‘Really?’ Now he seems unsure.

‘Yes. We won’t bring Bertie, but I’ll come.’

He looks relieved. ‘I was hoping to take some pictures – Rochelle’s birthday is on Wednesday; I could use a little help.’

‘Sure. Sounds great.’ I feel bad that I’ve made it necessary to reassure him. ‘Shall we take a picnic?’

‘I haven’t brought anything, but thought we could go to the Orchard afterwards?’

‘Perfect. Let me grab a few fun bits for on the boat too. Come in.’

We file inside, Imogen and Natalie still fawning over Bertie.

Sonny hesitates. ‘Actually, can I grab my camera from the car first? I’ll be back in a sec.’

I watch from the kitchen window as he stalks down the footpath, nerves creeping into my stomach at the realisation that I’m alone with his daughters.

‘Can we bring her on the boat?’ Natalie asks eagerly, patting Bertie’s stomach – the old madam has put it on full display.

‘I’m afraid not,’ I reply regretfully. ‘The last time she came on the boat, she jumped in.’

Both of the girls’ faces light up with identical looks of glee.

‘We could rescue her!’

‘Dad said we could go swimming!’

‘We could jump in too!’

These little voices come at me in quick succession.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.