some parental responsibility onto me. We’re a family now and what I think is best for Ruby—’
‘So what you say goes, right?’ Erin spun round. Her eyes hardened and became paler, if that was possible, and her usually full lips tightened into a thin line. ‘Without a thought about what really matters.’
‘What matters is Ruby’s happiness. When I picked her up earlier, she was glowing.’ Robert didn’t particularly want to cook and didn’t feel much like eating, but to curtail a major outburst, he returned to the chicken, lit the gas and added the sauce he’d prepared. He doubted if anyone apart from Ruby would eat now.
Erin left the room just as Ruby returned. She looked at Robert questioningly.
‘Your mother’s not very happy about it, love,’ Robert said and offered a little of the sauce for Ruby to taste.
‘Hot but good,’ she said flatly. ‘Will I have to go back to my old school?’
‘Not a chance. Don’t you worry about that.’ Robert stared out of the window briefly, as if to catch sight of his wife’s previous thoughts. The willow tree made his heart skittle as he remembered Erin’s willing body, how eager she was. All he wanted was to be allowed to love her like the pounding in his chest told him. ‘Anyway, I have a surprise for you both.’
Ruby immediately brightened and ran to fetch her mother.
The chicken was passable although rather spicy for such a muggy evening. A plain salad would have been better. Hungry from an exhilarating day, Ruby ate everything but Erin pushed her food around the plate, spreading it out like a child would to make it look as if she’d tried.
Conversation was limited and when Ruby mentioned her new school, Robert shot her a look that told her to save it for later. Erin was still tetchy about her bad day at work and grumbled briefly about untrustworthy employees. She was building up the business; the previous owner had not had a clue about running a florist’s shop. Robert had bought the place as a wedding present for Erin, convinced that she could make a go of it. She was driven, knew everything there was to know about the flower trade, and the shop, although small, was in a prime high street location.
‘I told her a thousand times but she obviously didn’t want to work.’ Erin was thinking out loud. ‘I’ll have to advertise for someone else.’ She leaned forward, head in hands. ‘I can’t believe I fired her.’
Robert reached across to rub her shoulders. ‘Maybe you should call her and ask her to come back. At least just for this Saturday.’ He looked at Ruby. ‘I reckon your mum needs a break.’
‘What on earth are you talking about, Robert?’ Erin stood up, still mad from being overruled, and began to clear the plates but Robert stopped her.
‘Sit. How about a weekend in a romantic country hotel? There’s a pool and spa, riding, golf, tennis and after all that you can indulge in massages and all sorts of other beauty stuff.’ Louisa had given Robert the name of the hotel where the wedding was taking place and he’d already looked at their website and called to check availability. ‘And I promised Ruby a surprise earlier. I thought a weekend away would be good for us all.’
Erin’s face revealed little emotion as she absorbed the news. The way she sat, perfectly still, hands clasped on the table, gave away nothing of what she was thinking. Ruby lunged for Robert and hugged him. At least he knew he had scored a hit with one member of his family.
‘Can I go riding, Dad?’
She had said Dad again. It warmed him from the inside out. Robert nodded and squeezed Ruby’s hand, noticing how icy cold it was, despite the lingering heat of the day.
‘Why don’t you run and get those letters from school. You said some were important.’
Ruby nodded and went to fetch her school bag.
‘I’m not happy with it, Rob.’ Erin stared into her husband’s eyes. ‘Not happy at all.’
The eye contact was a start, he thought. A
‘So what you say goes, right?’ Erin spun round. Her eyes hardened and became paler, if that was possible, and her usually full lips tightened into a thin line. ‘Without a thought about what really matters.’
‘What matters is Ruby’s happiness. When I picked her up earlier, she was glowing.’ Robert didn’t particularly want to cook and didn’t feel much like eating, but to curtail a major outburst, he returned to the chicken, lit the gas and added the sauce he’d prepared. He doubted if anyone apart from Ruby would eat now.
Erin left the room just as Ruby returned. She looked at Robert questioningly.
‘Your mother’s not very happy about it, love,’ Robert said and offered a little of the sauce for Ruby to taste.
‘Hot but good,’ she said flatly. ‘Will I have to go back to my old school?’
‘Not a chance. Don’t you worry about that.’ Robert stared out of the window briefly, as if to catch sight of his wife’s previous thoughts. The willow tree made his heart skittle as he remembered Erin’s willing body, how eager she was. All he wanted was to be allowed to love her like the pounding in his chest told him. ‘Anyway, I have a surprise for you both.’
Ruby immediately brightened and ran to fetch her mother.
The chicken was passable although rather spicy for such a muggy evening. A plain salad would have been better. Hungry from an exhilarating day, Ruby ate everything but Erin pushed her food around the plate, spreading it out like a child would to make it look as if she’d tried.
Conversation was limited and when Ruby mentioned her new school, Robert shot her a look that told her to save it for later. Erin was still tetchy about her bad day at work and grumbled briefly about untrustworthy employees. She was building up the business; the previous owner had not had a clue about running a florist’s shop. Robert had bought the place as a wedding present for Erin, convinced that she could make a go of it. She was driven, knew everything there was to know about the flower trade, and the shop, although small, was in a prime high street location.
‘I told her a thousand times but she obviously didn’t want to work.’ Erin was thinking out loud. ‘I’ll have to advertise for someone else.’ She leaned forward, head in hands. ‘I can’t believe I fired her.’
Robert reached across to rub her shoulders. ‘Maybe you should call her and ask her to come back. At least just for this Saturday.’ He looked at Ruby. ‘I reckon your mum needs a break.’
‘What on earth are you talking about, Robert?’ Erin stood up, still mad from being overruled, and began to clear the plates but Robert stopped her.
‘Sit. How about a weekend in a romantic country hotel? There’s a pool and spa, riding, golf, tennis and after all that you can indulge in massages and all sorts of other beauty stuff.’ Louisa had given Robert the name of the hotel where the wedding was taking place and he’d already looked at their website and called to check availability. ‘And I promised Ruby a surprise earlier. I thought a weekend away would be good for us all.’
Erin’s face revealed little emotion as she absorbed the news. The way she sat, perfectly still, hands clasped on the table, gave away nothing of what she was thinking. Ruby lunged for Robert and hugged him. At least he knew he had scored a hit with one member of his family.
‘Can I go riding, Dad?’
She had said Dad again. It warmed him from the inside out. Robert nodded and squeezed Ruby’s hand, noticing how icy cold it was, despite the lingering heat of the day.
‘Why don’t you run and get those letters from school. You said some were important.’
Ruby nodded and went to fetch her school bag.
‘I’m not happy with it, Rob.’ Erin stared into her husband’s eyes. ‘Not happy at all.’
The eye contact was a start, he thought. A
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