to have a few secrets.”
He smiled, glanced at his watch, then at Charlie. She checked her own watch and saw it was past twelve.
“Someone’s going to want lunch soon,” she said.
“Tell me about it. Probably needs his diaper changed, too, and I didn’t bring any with me.” He crossed the room and hoisted Charlie into his arms. “Time for us to go, Charlie-boy.”
Charlie immediately began fussing. Michael gave her an exasperated look over his son’s head.
“Sorry.”
“Hey, I’d cry, too, if I had to leave this palace.”
She walked them down the stairs and out the side entrance, kissing Charlie goodbye in the cobblestone laneway.
“Thanks for all your help, little man.”
He stared at her, bottom lip trembling, eyes awash with tears.
“I think that’s the saddest face in the whole wide world,” she said, unable to resist stroking his cheek with her finger.
“And yet nothing is actually wrong,” Michael said drily.
They exchanged smiles.
“Let me know if there’s anything else I can do.”
“I will. Thanks.”
She watched as they walked away, Michael’s long stride easy despite the fact that Charlie was no lightweight. She was still smiling when she returned to her studio. Having them visit had somehow taken away the worst of her angst over the break-in. What had happened was shitty, but not insurmountable.
As for that awkward flash of sexual awareness… It had been nothing. A blip. An aberration. Thinking about it now, she felt a little stupid for having been so rattled. With the benefit of hindsight, the moment settled into its rightful place in the big scheme of things: unimportant and insignificant.
The way it should be.
* * *
T HREE WEEKS LATER , M ICHAEL rubbed the back of his neck as he waited at the lights. Life had been crazy lately, filled with interviews with prospective nannies—none of whom had been very impressive—as well as preparations for his first week at work. Today marked his third full day back in the saddle and he was feeling more than a little weary after two complicated client briefings and a series of phone calls that had prevented him from accomplishing anything substantial all afternoon. Just as well he’d arranged with his partners to work from home on Thursdays and Fridays—he was nowhere near match fit after so many months downtime. The lack of distraction in his home office would give him a chance to make up lost ground. Hopefully.
Despite his weariness and even though a part of him felt guilty for cutting short the year he’d intended to spend with the kids, there wasn’t a doubt in his mind that returning to work was the best decision he’d made in a long time. It might have only been three days, but it was enough for him to know that Angie had been right—picking up the threads of his career had given him something to hold on to. It forced him to interact with the outside world, and it gave him things to occupy himself with that had nothing to do with Billie.
It gave him a chance to be a person again, and not simply a father and a grieving husband.
He hadn’t understood how much he’d needed that until today when he’d finished a phone call with a supplier and noticed that he’d gone a whole four hours without thinking of Billie once. Guilt had come hard on the heels of the realization, of course—but there had been relief, too.
It was exhausting living with the constant weight of grief on his shoulders.
The lights changed and he accelerated through the intersection, very aware of the need to relieve Mrs. Linton. He’d been fortunate enough to get Charlie into day care three days a week, but Mrs. Linton had saved his bacon, agreeing to pick up Eva from school and look after her until he could make a more permanent arrangement. Still, he didn’t want to abuse her generosity.
He swung by day care to collect Charlie, then headed home. A familiar green SUV was parked in front of his house when he pulled into the driveway. He smiled
He smiled, glanced at his watch, then at Charlie. She checked her own watch and saw it was past twelve.
“Someone’s going to want lunch soon,” she said.
“Tell me about it. Probably needs his diaper changed, too, and I didn’t bring any with me.” He crossed the room and hoisted Charlie into his arms. “Time for us to go, Charlie-boy.”
Charlie immediately began fussing. Michael gave her an exasperated look over his son’s head.
“Sorry.”
“Hey, I’d cry, too, if I had to leave this palace.”
She walked them down the stairs and out the side entrance, kissing Charlie goodbye in the cobblestone laneway.
“Thanks for all your help, little man.”
He stared at her, bottom lip trembling, eyes awash with tears.
“I think that’s the saddest face in the whole wide world,” she said, unable to resist stroking his cheek with her finger.
“And yet nothing is actually wrong,” Michael said drily.
They exchanged smiles.
“Let me know if there’s anything else I can do.”
“I will. Thanks.”
She watched as they walked away, Michael’s long stride easy despite the fact that Charlie was no lightweight. She was still smiling when she returned to her studio. Having them visit had somehow taken away the worst of her angst over the break-in. What had happened was shitty, but not insurmountable.
As for that awkward flash of sexual awareness… It had been nothing. A blip. An aberration. Thinking about it now, she felt a little stupid for having been so rattled. With the benefit of hindsight, the moment settled into its rightful place in the big scheme of things: unimportant and insignificant.
The way it should be.
* * *
T HREE WEEKS LATER , M ICHAEL rubbed the back of his neck as he waited at the lights. Life had been crazy lately, filled with interviews with prospective nannies—none of whom had been very impressive—as well as preparations for his first week at work. Today marked his third full day back in the saddle and he was feeling more than a little weary after two complicated client briefings and a series of phone calls that had prevented him from accomplishing anything substantial all afternoon. Just as well he’d arranged with his partners to work from home on Thursdays and Fridays—he was nowhere near match fit after so many months downtime. The lack of distraction in his home office would give him a chance to make up lost ground. Hopefully.
Despite his weariness and even though a part of him felt guilty for cutting short the year he’d intended to spend with the kids, there wasn’t a doubt in his mind that returning to work was the best decision he’d made in a long time. It might have only been three days, but it was enough for him to know that Angie had been right—picking up the threads of his career had given him something to hold on to. It forced him to interact with the outside world, and it gave him things to occupy himself with that had nothing to do with Billie.
It gave him a chance to be a person again, and not simply a father and a grieving husband.
He hadn’t understood how much he’d needed that until today when he’d finished a phone call with a supplier and noticed that he’d gone a whole four hours without thinking of Billie once. Guilt had come hard on the heels of the realization, of course—but there had been relief, too.
It was exhausting living with the constant weight of grief on his shoulders.
The lights changed and he accelerated through the intersection, very aware of the need to relieve Mrs. Linton. He’d been fortunate enough to get Charlie into day care three days a week, but Mrs. Linton had saved his bacon, agreeing to pick up Eva from school and look after her until he could make a more permanent arrangement. Still, he didn’t want to abuse her generosity.
He swung by day care to collect Charlie, then headed home. A familiar green SUV was parked in front of his house when he pulled into the driveway. He smiled
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