The connection between them had frayed around the edges, but coming to Butterfly Cove would give them both a chance to repair it. If Mia could be persuaded to give her a bit of breathing space. ‘I’ll be all right, you know? Once I find my bearings and get myself a job, I should be able to find my own place. I’m not saying I don’t need your help, Mimi. God knows, I do. But I want you to help me help myself, if that makes sense.’
The legs of Mia’s chair scraped against the kitchen tiles and Kiki found herself enveloped in a tight hug. She let herself cling to the strength her sister offered for a few moments. Face muffled against Mia’s shoulder, she let herself say the words that proved there was no turning back. ‘I’ve transferred enough money from our savings account to see us over the summer. My solicitor suggested it as a precaution, in case Neil turns ugly when he gets the divorce papers next week.’
Mia loosened her hold enough for Kiki to see the shocked expression on her face. ‘You’ve filed for divorce? How long have you been planning this?’
Her lips twisted in a grim smile. ‘Every single minute for the past two weeks.’
Chapter Eight
With his elbows resting on his knees, Aaron sat on the beach and watched the children play football with Richard. Daniel sprawled beside him, head propped on one arm, a broad smile fixed on his lips. Childish laughter and whoops filled the air, mixing with the squawking of the gulls circling over the white caps of the incoming tide. Matty rolled the ball to his sister, then raised his arms above his head in a victory cheer when the little girl kicked it all of three feet. She beamed at him like he was her hero, stirring memories in Aaron’s head of Luke grinning up at him with the exact same expression on his face.
Daniel scrambled into a sitting position and fished his camera out of the side pocket of his cargo shorts. The children played on, oblivious to the fact some people would drop thousands of pounds for the privilege of having Daniel Fitzwilliams take their photo. A few months in the fresh air and sunshine had wiped the last of the grey pallor from his friend’s skin. ‘London feels a lifetime away,’ Aaron observed.
‘You’re not kidding. On the rare occasions I think about it, it’s like watching a movie. Like it happened to a different person. I’ll always be grateful for the opportunities being Fitz brought me, but I never want to be him again.’ Daniel took a few more shots of the children then turned his full attention on Aaron. The piercing gaze that served him so well in his art made Aaron want to squirm from the intensity of it. Daniel cut straight to the chase. ‘Do you know what you’re letting yourself in for?’
He watched Charlie take a tumble in the soft sand. Matty was on her in seconds, scooping her up and brushing her arms and legs. Her face scrunched and Aaron pushed to his feet, ready to run over and check on her, but Matty had the situation in hand. He tickled her tummy, making her giggle and squirm, and in a couple of seconds they were running around again. He sank back onto the sand, rubbing his chest to ease the flutter of worry there. Half an hour and he already felt responsible for them. ‘I haven’t got a clue, to be honest, but they seem like good kids.’
Daniel nodded in agreement. ‘Father’s a bit of bastard, by all accounts.’ He held up his hands when Aaron swung his attention back to him. ‘Like I said, I don’t know details, but you have to wonder when she ups and leaves the moment he’s out of the country.’
A bite of anger gnawed Aaron’s gut. Slight and willowy, he doubted it would take more than a strong breeze to knock Kiki over and the children struck him as being well-behaved, given how well they’d taken being thrown in with a group of strangers. Every relationship had its stresses and strains, to be sure, but you’d have to be a special kind of wanker to mistreat a vulnerable woman and two small kids. ‘They’ll be safe with me.’ The words resonated through him, a promise and a vow.
‘It’s not just them I’m concerned about, mate. You’ve turned your entire life upside down on a whim. That’s not like you at all. You’ve always been so steady and methodical.’ Daniel placed a hand on his forearm to take any sting out of his words, but they still struck home. Steady; methodical. Boring.
Aaron stood up, brushing the sand from the back of his legs. ‘Perhaps you’re not the only one in need of a change, mate.’ He jogged over to where the game of football was winding down. ‘Who’s ready for some tea? Aunty Mia and Madeline have been baking all afternoon.’
‘I’m ready for some cake, how about you, Matty?’ Richard ruffled the boy’s hair then bent to pick up the ball.
‘I like cake,’ Matty said, giving his sweet smile.
‘Cake! Cake! Cake!’ Charlie bounced at Aaron’s feet, arms raised, hands opening and closing in that universal pick-me-up sign all children seemed to instinctively know.
He bent down and lifted her into his arms. ‘Is this how it’s going to be from now on, Miss Charlotte? Me carrying you everywhere?’ Her little hand patted his face as she gave him a solemn nod.
Richard chucked the little girl’s cheek before giving Aaron a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. ‘Looks like you’ve found yourself a new job.’
‘Looks like.’ Charlie settled against his shoulder and a sense of rightness eased over him. He’d never wanted children of his own, and he was self-aware enough to know it stemmed from his own childhood experiences. At least Cathy had provided him with a template of what not to do while living under the same roof as vulnerable little hearts and minds.
Daniel crouched in front of Matty. ‘Fancy a lift, Matty?’ He turned, offering the boy his back. The boy hesitated for a moment, then placed his hands on Daniel’s shoulders. Daniel hoisted him on his back and hooked his arms around his legs to anchor him in place. With Richard leading the way, they trooped back towards the house.
‘The wanderers return!’ Madeline greeted them with a sunny smile and a kiss on her husband’s cheek. ‘We were about to mount a search party. Hands and faces washed and then up to the table, everyone. You too, Daniel!’ She added with a cheeky wink.
‘I’ll take them.’ Kiki looked better; less pale and with a firmer set to her shoulders. Aaron and Daniel set the children down and they ran to their mother who ushered them towards the downstairs cloakroom.
Mia snuggled into Daniel’s side and he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. ‘All sorted?’
‘Getting there.’ She looked over at Aaron. ‘I’ve been persuaded that your place is the most sensible option for all of us.’ A fierce frown creased her forehead. ‘You look after them, you hear me?’
‘I hear you. I know what it’s like to be the eldest, Mia. I also know what it’s like when your world turns upside down. I’ll do right by them all.’
The corner of her mouth gave a sceptical twist, but she nodded. ‘Let’s see how it goes.’ She meant no offence, and he took none. He’d seen Mia in full protective mode before and admired her fierce spirit.
Tea was a riotous affair with everyone pitching in to make Kiki and the children as welcome as possible. By the time they were sprawled around the kitchen table with a final cup of tea, Matty was half asleep with his head lolling on Kiki’s shoulder. With too many interesting new people to show off to, there was little sign of Charlie doing the same. She perched on Madeline’s lap, chattering away like a magpie. Richard had moved his chair closer and seemed equally enraptured by the little girl.
Aaron rested a hand on his full stomach, grateful once again for the good food and better company he always found at this table. It would be easy to while away the next couple of hours in idle conversation, but he still needed to show them the cottage. He caught Kiki’s eye. ‘Ready to make a move?’ Her relaxed smile disappeared beneath lines of worry and he could’ve kicked himself. ‘There’s no rush.’
She shook her head. ‘No, you’re right. It’s been a long day and I need to get these two sorted out…’ The way she hesitated, he knew what she was about to say.
‘It’s really fine for you to stay. I promise.’
With a soft touch to his cheek, Kiki got Matty to sit up. A wry smile tweaked the corner of her mouth as she got him to his feet and leaned across to retrieve Charlie. ‘I’ll remind you of that when these two are making a racket.’
They rounded up the children and headed out to the car. Aaron held the door for Kiki while she leaned in to strap Charlie into her car seat. A soft touch brushed his leg and he glanced down. A worried frown creased Matty’s brow. ‘I promise we won’t make too much noise.’
Aaron took him by the hand and walked him around to the other side of the car. He opened the door and ushered Matty in. Crouching beside him, he helped the boy with his belt then touched a finger to his cheek. ‘It will take us all a bit of time to adjust to being under the same roof, Matty. You mustn’t be worried about being yourself and having fun. It’s your home, too, and I want you to be happy while you’re here. Promise me, if I do something you don’t like, or say something that worries or upsets you, that you’ll tell me or your mummy. I won’t be cross, and I never shout.’
He wasn’t sure the boy believed him, and he couldn’t blame him under the circumstances. He knew all too well what it was like to live somewhere you had to walk on eggshells. Matty gave a little nod and Aaron decided to be satisfied with that for the time being. A quick tug assured him Matty had secured his seatbelt properly, so he stood up and pushed the door closed.
Kiki’s eyes met his across the roof of the car. ‘Thank you.’
‘You’re welcome. Are you happy to drive or do you want me to? It’s only a couple of minutes down the road.’
A look of relief crossed her face. ‘You drive, if you don’t mind. I’m not very good at following directions.’ Realising she was deadly serious, he swallowed a laugh. She’d found her way to Butterfly Cove without any problems and the M5 was nobody’s idea of a great driving experience. He wondered how many other things were on the list of stuff she wasn’t very good at, and who the hell had made her believe it. Her bloody husband, no doubt.
Aaron pushed back the driver’s seat to accommodate his long legs, then took the car keys from Kiki’s outstretched hand. The engine started at the first attempt and he turned the car carefully in the driveway. Richard had parked their old estate car well to the side so there was plenty of space. He lowered his window and raised an arm to acknowledge the chorus of goodbyes from the others who’d come out to see them off.
‘You giving us a hand again with the painting tomorrow?’ Daniel called out.
‘Depends how things go. I’ll text you.’ It was his last free day for a week, and he’d promised to put as many hours in on the studios as possible, but getting Kiki and the children settled would have to come first.
‘No worries.’
With a final wave, he steered them along the winding driveway. The worst of the potholes had been filled in as soon as the weather had dried out. Mia had winced at the cost of the resurfacing, but better that than a guest bursting a tyre trying to navigate their way back and forth to the main road.
Main road gave the country crossroads a grandeur it didn’t deserve. Aaron gave a cursory glance left and right then accelerated over and into the narrow lane leading to his home. The setting sun cast a warm glow over the thatched roof of Honeysuckle Cottage, brightening the faded straw to a deeper yellow.
He parked just forward of the front door, to help with unloading the boot. ‘Here we are.’
Kiki ducked her head lower to peer out of her window. ‘It’s beautiful.’
‘You say that now, but you haven’t seen the interior.’ Maybe her taste ran to cabbage-rose-covered wallpaper, but his didn’t. Most of the changes he wanted to make were cosmetic, the building itself having been well maintained. A full redecoration, outside and in, and maybe an update of the kitchen and bathroom fixtures and fittings when he had the time. And the budget.
The cut in his salary hadn’t started to pinch yet, and he hoped to add to his client base soon. He had meetings lined up in Exeter and a couple of potential new artist clients he’d met at Daniel’s exhibition. Luke had promised him use of his sofa for a couple of days so Kiki and the kids would have some space to find their bearings and settle in.
He retrieved his door key from his front pocket and handed it to Kiki. ‘Why don’t you three go and explore the place and I’ll unload the car?’ Not giving her chance to refuse, he climbed out. It was important she feel comfortable in the place and a guided tour might make her feel like a guest.
Taking care to open the boot slowly and prevent a repeat of the earlier spillage, he waited until Kiki unlocked the front door, then loaded up with the first handful of bags. She hesitated on the threshold, but he nodded his head. ‘Go on in. I’ll put everything in the dining room for now. You can sort out essentials for tonight and then we’ll move the rest upstairs once everyone has decided on a bedroom.’
‘That’s probably a good idea. We’ll have a quick look around and then I think I need to get these two settled.’ She brushed her hand over Charlie’s chestnut curls. ‘It’s nearly your bedtime, isn’t it, poppet?’
The little girl looked full of beans, but it wasn’t for Aaron to deal with. ‘Living room is on the right, kitchen’s the next door after it. Bedrooms are upstairs, of course.’ He nodded towards the staircase on the left side of the red-tiled hallway.
She shepherded the children before her, and they moved into the living room. Aaron used his elbow to open the dining-room door and dumped the first load on the floor. Three more trips and the car was empty. He surveyed the pile of bags and cases for a moment then decided it was best to leave it to Kiki to sort out what she needed. Quiet voices could be heard from the kitchen so he headed there to join them.
The three of them were clustered by the open back door, looking out at the garden. The old lady who’d lived there had obviously taken pride in it and a bit of weeding and a good mow of the back lawn would have it looking shipshape. ‘I had a quick look the other day. I think there’s a vegetable patch down the bottom end.’
Kiki glanced over her shoulder at him. ‘I always thought it would be nice to grow my own veg, but I never got organised enough to do it.’
‘Now’s your chance then.’
She blinked, as though the idea hadn’t occurred to her. ‘I suppose it is.’
He bit his tongue against the urge to push other suggestions on her. She had time. They all had time to find their way along this new path life had laid out before them. ‘Shall we look upstairs?’
The ceilings in the cottage were lower than he was used to, and Aaron ducked beneath the thick plaster of the upstairs landing as he led them up. He’d tested it at his full height and there was a couple of inches clearance, but his instincts hadn’t quite caught up to the logic of it. He took a couple of steps to the side and waited for the others to join him.
Small and square, the landing looked gloomy thanks to the single small window at one end. The thatch overhang blocked the last of the evening sunshine and he flipped the switch on the wall, flooding the space with harsh light. He needed to get a shade to cover the bare bulb. He clapped his hands together and smiled at the children. ‘Ready to pick a bedroom?’
Chapter Nine
She couldn’t fault him for trying. From the moment they’d arrived in Butterfly Cove, Aaron had done his best to put them all at ease. His gentle touch with the children helped calm some of the nerves fluttering in her stomach, but being there, in the house, made her wonder if she’d made a mistake. It had been selfish of her to put her own needs first, to uproot the kids with no thought to their future other than removing them from Neil’s malign influence. She’d had the whole summer to plan and make her move, and trying to cram everything into two weeks didn’t feel like such a good idea any more. It felt more like the panic of a weak and foolish girl, not a strong, organised woman.
‘Kiki?’
She jumped about a foot in the air at the soft touch on her arm. ‘Sorry, you startled me.’ Her shaky
laugh sounded brittle to her ears. Hold it together. Aaron stepped back, hand up in apology. Damn, she was making such a hash of everything. Matty had that look about him, all big eyes and worried pout. Poor boy, he always saw too close to the truth.
‘I’m just tired. I think that drive took more out of me than I realised.’ Forcing a smile, she took Charlie by the hand. ‘Shall we find you somewhere to sleep, darling?’
Her daughter shook her head and buried her face against Kiki’s leg. ‘I want my bed, Mummy.’
‘I know, poppet, but you’ll soon get used to things here.’
Charlie sniffled and shook her head again and the fluttery feeling in Kiki’s stomach expanded. If there were any more tears today, she would end up wailing along. The thick white walls of the landing seemed to close in on her and her breath hitched in her throat. She needed to move. How hard could it be to take a couple of steps forward to look at the first bedroom? It was as though her feet were glued to the floor. Bloody useless. Neil’s mocking sneer rang in her ears and a tremor started in her fingers and began to work its way up her arm.
‘Mummy?’ She didn’t dare look at Matty. If she acknowledged the worry in his face it would finish her off.
‘The spare room is already made up. It’s a king-size bed. Why don’t you all sleep in there tonight and we can sort things out in the morning?’ There he was again. This practical stranger offering the lifeline she needed in his calm, reassuring voice.
‘That sounds like a brilliant idea.’ She bent to pick Charlie up and settled her on her hip. ‘Would you like that, darling? We can all snuggle in together like you did with Aunty Mia when you stayed with her. You liked that, remember?’
Charlie gave her a wary look, but nodded. She couldn’t blame her. Neil had refused to allow the children into their bed. He’d pointed out that, as the only one who had to work for a living, he was entitled to a decent night’s sleep. How many other normal things had she deprived the children of to suit his selfish demands?
Wedding Bells at Butterfly Cove Page 7
