The Single Dad's Handbook by Lynsey James

Author:Lynsey James [James, Lynsey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780008402617
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

It’s a small miracle, but we manage to get everything baked: three dozen cupcakes, two dozen brownies and a tray of blondies that I’m sure Renee just added in for the hell of it. From the few bites I sample, I can tell we’ve done a really good job. The three of us eat pizza to celebrate while I tell the best kid-friendly ghost stories I can come up with.

All too soon, though, it’s over.

‘Well, that was fun,’ Hannah says with a smile as she leans against the counter. ‘I think there’s hope for your culinary skills yet, Harper.’

I laugh as I pile more dishes into the sink. ‘Thanks, I think! But today’s been a really good laugh. I don’t usually get to do stuff like this at weekends.’

She edges a little closer to me. ‘Well, maybe you should. I’m always on the lookout for a sous chef and, with a bit of training, you could be the one.’

I feel her eyes on me and stop what I’m doing to look at her. It’s just the two of us standing here; Violet is in the living room playing a very complex, boisterous game.

‘I’ll have to get practising then,’ I reply. ‘Have you got time for a coffee?’

‘I’ve got time.’

I brew two cups of coffee and we take them over to the table by the window. The pale afternoon sunlight drapes her in a golden glow. She looks almost ethereal.

‘So, you seem happier lately,’ she says, steepling her fingers and resting her chin on them. ‘It’s nice to see.’

‘Thanks, it’s actually kind of fun not being a miserable bastard for once.’ I chuckle softly. ‘I think it’s down to a lot of things: getting back out there, being a better dad to Violet … having you back. It’s been great seeing you again.’

Hannah tilts her head to one side and smiles. ‘Bit soppy, but I’ll let it slide. Just this once though.’

That heavy feeling comes back and settles on the room as we study one another. She catches her bottom lip between her teeth and raises her eyebrows, as though we’re sharing a secret moment in a room full of people.

‘Thanks for today,’ I say to her. ‘I had a really good time.’

She smiles. ‘So did I. Those recipes were amazing – where did you get them?’

I pause for a moment, my gaze dropping to the coffee cup and my fingers drumming on the sides. ‘They were Claire’s,’ I say softly. ‘She was a great baker.’

Hannah screws her eyes shut and drops her head into her upturned palm. ‘I’m sorry, I completely forgot. She did the best lemon drizzle, didn’t she?’

Her voice is gentle and kind. I lift my gaze to her and manage a smile.

‘Yeah … yeah, she did. She used to bake with Violet all the time, but she probably doesn’t remember. She was too little to really help, but she liked making a mess with the icing sugar.’

Hannah’s attention turns to the Handbook, which I left on the kitchen table after reading the Trying New Things Together letter.

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