that was Adam, he was early.
‘Can you get the intercom?’ Jenna reached up into the kitchen cabinet for another cup. ‘And don’t worry. He’ll be fine here, and I’ll keep an eye on him.’
‘Thanks, Jen.’
Rob disappeared out of the kitchen and Jenna gave the teapot a swirl, even though she’d already done so once, and dumped it down on the tray. It would have helped if she knew what on earth she was meant to be keeping an eye out for, but Cassie would be a much better bet than Rob when it came to straight answers.
The commotion in the hallway indicated that the object of her speculation had arrived and that he was being greeted by both Ellie and her father at the same time, the child squealing with laughter and demanding a hug.
Jenna popped her head around the kitchen doorway. He was a picture of health and good humour, tanned, taller and broader than Rob and grinning as he lifted Ellie up so she could fling her arms around his neck. No trace of whatever it was that Rob was so concerned about.
‘Hello, there.’ His head jerked upwards as Jenna spoke.
‘Hi.’ He came forward, still carrying Ellie, who looked as if she was going to have to be prised away from him with a crowbar. ‘I hope we’re not crashing in on your morning.’
‘Not at all. Welcome back.’ She held her hand out to him, and he took it, his touch cool, measured. He seemed to be less careful about keeping his distance now that he was not alone with her, and held on to her hand for one moment too long before Jenna pulled hers back again.
‘Where is my present?’ Ellie was demanding now, beating her hands against his shoulders.
‘In a minute, honey. We’ll just collect the keys from Jenna and get out of her hair first.’ He was smooth, she’d give him that. Perfect poise. Nothing but easy charm.
‘I’ve just made tea.’ Jenna waved him into the sitting room. ‘And Ellie’s been doing some drawing, I expect you’ll be wanting to see that. Let her open her present here if she’d like to.’
When she brought the tea in, Ellie was already working on the package that Adam had given her. Pink paper on the outside, a pretty bow and layer upon layer of paper underneath, firmly bound with sticky tape.
‘Hope it lives up to all this anticipation.’ Rob was making no move to help his daughter as she whooped with delighted frustration, trying to rip the parcel open.
‘Me, too.’ Adam too was letting Ellie get on with the task of unwrapping her present unaided. ‘So how was the holiday? Catch any waves?’
‘Fabulous. We were on the north coast, and the hotel was close to this great little surf beach, so I could go out first thing in the morning and make it back in time for breakfast.’
‘Nice one. You’ll have to come back to Florida soon.’ Adam accepted a mug of tea from Jenna, taking a grateful sip.
‘We will. You can sit on the beach with Cassie and the kids and I’ll show you how it’s done.’
‘Yeah, right, in your dreams.’ He shot a bright grin at Jenna. ‘Takes more than a hideous T-shirt to make a surfer. What was Cassie thinking, letting you go out in that?’
Rob laughed. ‘She reckons that if I go out in it then she won’t have to put up with it around the house.’ He ran his hand over the garishly coloured fabric. ‘What, don’t you like it?’
Ellie’s delighted squeal meant that Adam never did get to deliver his verdict. She’d reached the inside of the package and was holding up a string of beads.
‘Aren’t they pretty?’ Ellie brought the beads to Jenna to show her and when she examined them carefully she could see they were hand painted, each one different.
‘I got them in Mexico.’ Adam watched as Jenna carefully wound the beads around Ellie’s neck for her, nodding with approval. ‘You look beautiful, honey.’
Ellie was climbing up on the sofa, between Adam and Rob, to catch a glimpse of herself in the mirror over the fireplace, and Rob tugged at her sleeve. ‘What else have you got, then, El?’ He gestured to the folded fabric that still lay amongst the ruins of the wrapping paper.
Ellie pulled the fabric out, turned it around a couple of times then held it up against herself, and Jenna caught a glimpse of colourful embroidery on a white cotton background.
‘It’s a bit big, isn’t it, mate?’ Rob was surveying his daughter. ‘She’ll be sixteen before she grows into that.’
‘No, idiot. It’s a dress.’ Jenna smoothed the fabric and held it against Ellie. It was roomy, but the drawstring at the waist meant that it could be adjusted to fit her perfectly.
‘Can I wear it?’ Ellie was jumping up and down with excitement.
‘Not until you’ve said the magic word.’ Rob smiled at her.
Ellie launched herself at Adam, nearly knocking his tea over and flung her arms around his neck, kissing his cheek. ‘Oh, that’s nice … Can I have another one? Right here?’ His finger was on his other cheek and Ellie obliged eagerly. ‘Thank you.’
‘I drew you a picture.’ Ellie’s hands were on Adam’s shoulder, pulling as hard as she could, and Jenna saw alarm flare in Rob’s face.
‘Gently, El. Adam’s shoulder isn’t properly mended yet.’
Adam waved him away. ‘I’d love to see your picture, Ellie, will you show me?’
Ellie fetched her drawing and climbed up onto Adam’s knee. ‘That’s Mum … and Dad … me and Daisy … and that’s you.’ Her finger was moving across the paper.
‘That’s very good. And who’s this, up there?’
Ellie shook her head, as if the stupidity of adults never ceased to amaze her. ‘That’s your friend. Mum says she’s in heaven.’
Rob’s face tightened, but Adam’s smile never faltered. ‘That’s lovely, honey. I’m so pleased you drew her too, along with the rest of us.’
‘Will you tell her?’
‘Ellie …’ There was a note of anxiety in Rob’s voice but Adam’s glance quieted him.
‘Of course I’ll tell her. She’ll be so happy, I expect she’ll tell all her friends up there.’
Ellie glared up at the ceiling and nodded, as if satisfied. ‘Can I wear my dress?’
This time Adam allowed Rob to step in. ‘Not yet, El. We’ve got some things to move around downstairs and I don’t want you getting it all dirty. Later on, when we’ve finished.’
The circular face that Ellie had drawn, giving no hint of who Adam’s friend might really be, released its grip on Jenna’s attention and she bumped back down to earth. ‘Oh, no, that’s okay, I already did that.’
Adam’s gaze was on her now, so palpable that it almost tickled her skin. ‘You did what?’
‘I
