‘We’ll have to walk from here.’
It was a tiny house on a large block and they couldn’t park in the drive because it was covered in thick snow.
It was actually funny trying to get to the door. Jack put Blake on his back and even Janey laughed as, up to their knees, they waded through snow and he deposited them inside and then went back to the car and got all their bags.
They were all soaked and the house was colder inside than out.
They walked into the lounge and Jack lit a fire that had been prepared and reminded himself to leave a big tip for the cleaning lady who came in and aired the place regularly. They all stood shivering as the fire took. ‘There are a couple of heaters I can set up in your rooms …’ He looked at Blake and Janey. ‘I’ll go and check things out. Janey, can you make something to drink?’
Nina followed him, dragging the heaters into the small bedrooms, and she looked around. ‘I was expecting a mansion.’
‘Disappointed?’
‘No, it’s lovely, just cold.’
‘Yeah, well, not for long. I’m just waiting for planning permission then the bulldozers will be in.’
Once the heaters were on in the kids’ rooms he showed her the main bedroom.
‘You’ll freeze,’ Jack said.
‘I’ll be fine.’
They went back through to the living area and Janey had actually done as she’d been asked and made everyone a drink. By the time they’d finished, it was terribly late and Blake was falling asleep on the sofa. When Nina returned from taking him to his bed, Janey was already heading off to hers.
‘Janey, wait,’ Nina called, but Janey wasn’t hanging around to talk to her.
‘‘Night.’
They sat in the lounge and when finally they were alone, Jack closed the door and spoke to her.
‘Are you sure you want to do this?’ Jack said, and she sat there silent as he spoke on. ‘Are you absolutely sure that you want full custody?’
She looked at Jack and she knew it was their death knell, knew that it would be the end of them, and even though it hurt like hell, yes, she was sure and she nodded.
‘Because if I go into bat for you …’ Jack looked at her ‘… you’ll get it. I always win.’
‘Not always,’ she said. ‘You didn’t win with Sienna.’
‘That’s because I privately thought you were right,’ Jack said. ‘If I hadn’t there would have been no way Sienna would have gone home to the care of her mother.
I just want to be completely sure that this is what you want.’
‘Yes,’ Nina said. ‘I want my family together.’
‘Then we’ll sort it out, but right now you need to back off from Janey and stop trying to get her to talk to you.’
‘I need to know what’s going on.’
‘She’ll tell you when she’s ready. Right …’ Jack stood. ‘I’m going to drive back.’ They headed out to the hall. ‘Will you be all right without a car?’
‘I don’t have a car anyway.’ Nina smiled. ‘I’m sure I can work out how to call for a taxi.’
‘I’m sure you can.’ He gave her a kiss, but not a long one as it really was terribly late now. ‘I’ll pick you up on Sunday afternoon.’
‘We’re taking up all your weekend,’ Nina apologised, her hands loosely together behind his neck.
Jack wasn’t quite so tired now. ‘You could take up a bit more.’
He watched the smile at the edges of her mouth.
‘I don’t want you freezing …’ Jack moved to her ear.
‘It is terribly cold,’ Nina admitted.
‘Then it’s the least I can do.’ Jack smiled.
They had never undressed more quickly, though Nina kept her underwear and T-shirt on to take off once they were in bed and they dived under the covers. Jack turned to her.
‘You smell of garlic.’
‘It was supposed to be a deterrent.’
‘Not for me.’
She wriggled away, but he pulled her back. ‘We have to keep warm.’ He pulled at her T-shirt. ‘Skin on skin,’
Jack said, and he peeled off all her clothing. ‘That’s how you prevent hypothermia. I did mountain rescue once.’
She laughed.
‘I didn’t really,’ he admitted.
But it was exactly how it felt.
As if they were happily trapped on a ledge, waiting, while not wanting the cavalry to arrive, freezing cold and staying warm by the favourite method of all. Afterwards she thanked him for his help with her family and for how he’d handled things tonight.
‘I know I try too hard with them,’ Nina said. ‘You know what it’s like with family …’ Then she remembered their earlier conversation. ‘I thought you all got on?’
‘That’s what they want people to think,’ Jack said. ‘We’re hardly going to air everything in public but, no, I really couldn’t care less about them.’
And he said it so easily, was just so matter-of-fact as he dismissed his entire family, and just a few moments later Nina realised he was asleep. She lay there half the night thinking about the wonderful family he cared so little about and fully realised the impossibility of him ever really caring for hers.
‘DO YOU COME here a lot?’ They lay in bed in the morning, before the day had started, and she looked at the man who had brought her family here, who had given them a chance to get away from things properly.
He turned and gave her that devilish smile. ‘It depends what this morning brings.’ And she simply smiled, except Jack did not. He didn’t really want to talk about his time here, but realising all she had trusted him with last night, maybe it was fair to be a bit more open than he would be usually.
‘I came on holiday here when I was younger, stayed in a house close to here.’ He didn’t actually tell her it was the same house.
‘Do your family have a property here too, then?’
‘They have a property nearby but, no, I came here with a
