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“God was so sweet making it such a pleasurable experience.”
“It was a sneaky trick to make sure we procreate.”
I laugh. Then I kiss his chest. “I love your sperm.”
That makes him laugh. “Your eggs are pretty cool, too.”
“We’re so romantic, aren’t we?”
“Yeah. Perfect for a wedding.”
“Oh, of course! I forgot. Oliver and Elizabeth get married today. What time’s breakfast?”
“Eight,” he says. “We’ll have a shower in a minute.”
“Yeah. In a minute.” I rest my cheek on his chest, looking out at the sunrise. “No rush.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Titus
We all meet up for breakfast in the restaurant and spend a leisurely hour or so over the wonderful spread. We can choose from several cereals, fresh fruit, toast, croissants, and a variety of jams, or cooked breakfasts that include sausages, bacon, mushrooms, and eggs cooked however we want them.
Afterward, we have several hours to pass before the wedding in the afternoon. Heidi and I join some of the other guests at the skating rink and make fools of ourselves on the ice. Afterward, we take one of the helicopters that Huxley has hired for the day and fly up to the Tekapo side of the Two Thumb Range of mountains where there’s a ski area. Neither of us particularly wants to ski, but there’s a magnificent café perched on the side of the mountain overlooking the slopes, and we get ourselves a couple of Irish coffees and take a seat outside to watch the skiers and snowboarders. Evie and Victoria are out there skiing, and so are Chrissie and her boyfriend, and we also get to see Saxon on a snowboard, performing on an obstacle course, jibbing over ledges and walls and miraculously managing to avoid breaking any bones.
It’s while we’re sitting there sipping our coffees that Heidi gets a text message.
“It’s from Dad,” she says.
My eyebrows rise. “You don’t have to read it.” I don’t want him to spoil the day for her.
But she blows out a breath and pulls it up. “I’ll only keep wondering what it says.” She reads it out to me.
Heidi, I’d like to see you before you leave for England. I understand if you’d rather not, but I’ve done a lot of thinking, and I hope you’ll agree. Love Dad.
She looks up at me, her brow creasing in a frown.
We study each other for a while. “What do you think it means?” she asks eventually.
“If I was being cynical, I’d say he wants a final opportunity to convince you to stay so he can keep control over you.”
“And if you weren’t being cynical?”
“It’s possible he’s had a chance to think about what he did, and what happened the other night at the club, and he wants to make it up to you.”
She examines her hands for a moment. “I didn’t say anything to you, because I know how you feel about him, and I was dubious myself. But Mum told me he’s been seeing a therapist about his anger management issues. Maybe they’ve helped?”
“Maybe.”
“You don’t think so?”
“I’m not sure how much a person can change in ten days. But if he’s truly remorseful? Who knows?” I hold her hand. “I don’t want you to get your hopes up only to have them dashed again, that’s all.”
“Yeah, I know what you mean. I’ll think about it.”
“Okay. Hey, speaking of fathers, there’s something else I want to talk to you about. I wondered if, after the wedding, you’d come with me to visit my folks. I’d like to introduce you to my mother. Unfortunately it means meeting my father, too.”
She chuckles. “Of course I’ll come. I’d like to meet them.”
