He almost reached out and touched her knee when he said, ‘I know you are and I appreciate it.’ But he didn’t want to scare her off by making her think he was after a quick fling on holiday, and besides, he was way out of practice. He’d dated since Dawn died, but with his responsibilities as a dad, he’d never really wanted to get seriously involved with anyone before now. ‘I think you’ve probably got a better insight into the way teens’ minds work than I do,’ he said. ‘I thought I might suggest sitting down with her when we’re home and going through some of the information on art degree courses, look at the employment opportunities it could lead to.’
Amelia’s smile was well worth it. ‘She’ll see what the right path is. You both will.’
‘I have to admit, I find this stage really hard.’
‘The teen years?’
‘The breaking away, the independence kids inevitably learn. I spent so long being the only adult in Scarlett’s everyday life that it’s hard to let her go, difficult to accept she needs to make her own mistakes.’
‘Half the battle is recognising what you find difficult, and you just nailed it. Maybe tell Scarlett how you feel – it might help.’
After a sip of the warm wine brimming with Christmassy spice he said, ‘I’m making you put your work hat on.’
‘I don’t think I take it off very often.’
‘This is good,’ he said of the wine, suddenly nervous in her company, wondering how she’d react if he leaned across to kiss her right now.
‘There’s more in the pan.’
‘I’d better not.’ Time was marching on, he kept losing his nerve. If he kissed her and it wasn’t what she wanted, he’d be gutted for the rest of the holiday. ‘I’ll head back to the inn next, make sure I’m there for when Scarlett arrives home or I’ll be the one in trouble.’
‘Kyle is pretty good with curfews, he won’t keep her out.’
He rinsed his mug and set it in the sink. ‘Thanks for the mulled wine.’
‘Thank you, too. It was nice to have another adult to talk to.’
He pulled on all his layers yet again and the toasty warm gloves from the radiator. Impulsively he reached out and held her cheeks so she could feel the warmth for herself and she looked as surprised as he was. He moved closer, his hands still on her cheeks. He bent his head a little and when she didn’t move, he watched her lips, slightly parted as though she knew what was coming. He was going to do this, take the leap, hope her reaction was a good one. And why wouldn’t it be? She wasn’t backing away.
A knock at the door interrupted them before he got a chance to feel what it would be like to kiss her, this incredible, unexpected woman who’d stepped into his life on holiday.
‘That might be Kyle. I’d better get it.’ His hands still cradling her face, she took a moment to step away and answer the door.
The delivery man holding a clipboard ready for Amelia to sign ruined the moment and it was time to go. Maybe it was a sign, that he had New York romance on his mind, too much potent mulled wine and a sense of longing he hadn’t realised he had until he met Amelia.
‘I’ll leave you to it.’ He left her signing for a parcel and made his way back to the Inglenook Inn still thinking about the kiss that never was.
‘Good evening, Darcy.’ He greeted the hotelier the moment he stepped inside the communal lounge, where she was humming away to Christmas carols softly playing as she swept the tiles in front of the grate.
‘Someone’s chirpy tonight,’ she beamed.
‘’Tis the season!’ He grinned, and took the stairs two at a time up to their suite.
Inside, he hung his coat on the peg and was about to kick off his shoes when he heard giggling from Scarlett’s bedroom. She was either home and watching television or she’d be facetiming her friends in England, telling them all about the holiday.
He went into her room with a huge smile that might have given the game away had it not faded so fast when he saw Kyle in there too.
They both sat bolt upright, guilty as charged, tugging clothes back to their rightful places, and his mood plummeted to a new low.
Chapter Fourteen
Cleo
Cleo tugged a hand through her hair and came back into the kitchen after Ruby stormed up the stairs.
‘Dare I come in?’ Dylan asked. He’d been in his study on a work call and Cleo had tried to keep the noise to a minimum.
She squirted surface spray on the countertop and used a cloth to take out her frustration, rubbing at marks that had already begun to set. Ruby was getting lazier and lazier, and this household only worked if they all did their bit.
