‘Is that why you were banging so loudly?’
‘I wasn’t banging.’ A sudden flash of irritation sparked in his cool eyes.
Oh, God. No doubt Luke was on edge too. And they were fighting. Already.
Erin back-pedalled. ‘I almost nodded off in the bath, but I’d say I’m good for another hour, tops.’
‘I don’t suppose our business will take very long.’
‘No, I guess not.’ She waved a hand in the direction of the armchairs arranged around an elegant polished timber coffee table. ‘Would you like coffee?’
‘Not unless you’d like some.’
‘I’m fine.’
They sat. Erin crossed her legs, but her bare feet and painted toenails seemed too—naked—and she wished she’d put shoes on. She uncrossed her legs again and tried, unsuccessfully, to tuck her feet out of sight. Luke settled comfortably with the ankle of one long leg balanced easily on the knee of the other.
It was daunting to be alone with him again after five long years. Everything about him was so familiar, and yet strange. There were changes too. He’d lost a little weight and gained a few lines. Resistance and stealthy watchfulness had replaced his easy good humour and ready smile.
His cool gaze slid over her, taking in her kitten-soft white cashmere sweater and sleek black Capri trousers—carelessly comfortable, elegant garments that she couldn’t have afforded when they’d met seven years ago.
‘No jewellery this evening,’ he commented.
Surprised that he’d noticed, she lifted ringless hands to touch her bare throat and to finger her empty ear lobes. ‘Too close to bedtime to bother.’ Besides, there’s no one I need to impress.
Watching her carefully, he hitched a casual arm over the back of his chair. ‘So, how are things, Erin? How’s your business?’
‘Things are fine. My business is doing really well.’
‘You’re still in partnership with your sister?’
‘Yes. And we’ve expanded. Angie and I still do all the designs, but we’ve taken on more staff to make most of our jewellery for us.’
It felt good to tell Luke that, to let him see that although she’d made a mess of her personal life, she was proud of her business success. ‘Actually, we’ve just signed a contract with Candia Hart. Have you heard of her? She’s one of the new big stars in Australian fashion design. She loves our stuff, and I’m meeting her here in Sydney to plan accessories for her show in NewYork next spring.’
Luke looked appropriately impressed. ‘You’ll be opening a shop on Fifth Avenue in no time.’
‘You never know. We just might.’
‘I had no idea there was such a high demand for coloured pencils threaded on string.’
Schmuck. Erin narrowed her eyes and waited for him to redeem himself with even the hint of a smile. In the past Luke’s dry sense of humour had been one of his charms, but this evening there was no sign of it.
‘We’ve expanded our repertoire,’ she said tightly and then she lifted one hand in a sweeping flourish that took in the suite of rooms. ‘Looks like your cattle business is doing well too. You’re staying in five-star hotels these days, and buying twin-engine aeroplanes.’
He nodded, but offered no further comment. Instead he said, ‘About these ground rules of yours.’
‘Right.’ Erin let out her breath with a nervous huff. ‘I don’t suppose they’re rules exactly. Mostly, I wanted to fill you in a little. It’s important we’re both on the same page with the way we handle Joey.’
She paused then, hoping Luke might make a favourable comment about their son, about what a fine little guy he was, but he simply nodded grimly. His cool stare was a distinct challenge, but she was determined not to let him upset her.
‘Fire away,’ he said.
‘Okay.’ She pressed her lips together, and then released her breath again slowly. ‘You’ll get to know Joey better tomorrow, but I’m sure you’ve already noticed that he asks lots of questions.’
He nodded without smiling.
‘You’ll need to be prepared for that. Once you take him to Warrapinya he’s bound to bombard you with questions—especially about—about us.’
‘What about us?’
‘About why we split up.’ Lowering her gaze, she traced the pattern of tapestry leaves on the upholstered arm of her chair. ‘I’m afraid he asks that question rather a lot—the same question over and over.’
‘Why would he need to do that?’ Luke asked sharply. ‘Haven’t you been able to give him a satisfactory answer?’
‘I—I believe I have. I’ve certainly done my best.’
‘But he keeps on asking—wanting to know why we spilt up?’
‘Yes. He does it partly to learn, I guess, to understand. But I think he’s also checking that the answer stays the same.’ She hurried on nervously. ‘He can ask the most difficult questions at the most inconvenient moments. It always seems to happen to me when I’m standing in the supermarket line, or when I’m dropping him off at school.’ And then, because Luke was looking at her with such clear dislike, she added, ‘Or just as I’m about to go out and my date’s standing on the doorstep.’
Luke’s jaw stiffened and Erin felt a flicker of triumph, but then, as a dark stain tinged his neck, she almost wished she could take back that last cheap shot. She wanted her role in this meeting to be very mature, very civilised.
Shifting his weight slightly, Luke sat a little straighter and crossed his arms over his chest. ‘Okay, so what is the answer, Erin?’ He asked this very quietly, but the question seemed to reverberate around the room. ‘What do you tell the boy about why we split up?’
An uncomfortable pulse beat at the base of her throat. ‘I—I tell him the truth—that we weren’t able to live together.’
‘I see.’ He stared at her. ‘Is that all you’ve told him?’
‘Pretty much. I’ve been careful never to criticise you, Luke.’
‘Am I supposed to be grateful?’
Her teeth ground together and she took a deep breath, trying for an impossible calm. ‘When Joey asks why we can’t be a family, I remind him about what his teacher told the class—about all the different kinds of families there are.’
Luke frowned. ‘For example?’
Was he being deliberately obtuse?
‘Come on, Luke, you know as well as I do how many single and blended families there are these days. In America there are more children in those kinds of families than there are in families
