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No reply. No read receipt, either. He paced from one side to the other, eyes fixed on the wall as he went, and finally, moved back behind his desk and sat down, tried to focus on work. But his brain was torn between the post-it note and Chloe, and as a result, he got absolutely nothing done whatsoever.

It was already dark when Chloe bustled in the door, arms full of bags of groceries, with more still in the trunk of her car.

“Oh, there you are,” Jane called cheerily, coming to take the bags from her. “Mr Konstantino was looking for you.”

Chloe’s heart rate accelerated predictably. “Was he?”

“Hours ago, now. Seemed a bit miffed that you weren’t here.”

Was Chloe imagining the way Jane’s gaze hovered on Chloe’s face, as if looking for some secret information there? Some confirmation of what she perhaps suspected, despite how careful they’d tried to be?

“I had to pop out,” she said. “I’ve got more in the car. Would you mind popping those in the kitchen? I’ll come put everything away in a moment.”

“No worries.”

Chloe’s eyes skimmed the hallway, gravitating towards his office door.

“He’s gone to get Ellie from school,” Jane said, voice soft, almost sympathetic. “He never misses a Friday pick up.”

Chloe nodded, heart pounding into her ribs. She hadn’t forgotten about Ellie, but the girl’s return was the inevitable ending of what she and Dimitrios had shared, and suddenly it felt like a form of torture to be in his home and know she’d never get to touch him again.

But that was what they’d agreed, and it was vital that they stick to it…

“He’s very devoted to her,” Jane continued. “His world was really blown apart when Laura died and he sees Ellie as his number one priority now. Above all else. Above everyone else.”

Read on the page, the words might have seemed cold, bitchy even. But Jane’s voice was infused with kindness and sympathy, the warning—for it clearly was—designed to protect Chloe from hurt.

Little did Jane know Chloe had already done that for herself.

“She’s lucky to have him,” she said with a nod. “I’ll be out of his hair soon. I’m driving back to London tomorrow.”

Jane looked like she wanted to say something else but instead she lifted the bags a fraction. “I’ll get these stashed for you.”

“Thanks.” She turned quickly, walking to her car fast enough to explain her racing heart, without needing to dig any deeper.

She heard everything. His car tyres crunching over gravel, the slamming of their doors, then the front door and Ellie’s, “Where’s Chloe?” So something burst through her before she could tamp down on it, and her feet began to carry her through the house towards the entrance hall. Only, she had long enough. Just. Long enough to control her emotions, to remind herself of what the next twelve to fifteen hours required of her, and steady herself for what was to come.

The fact she needed to should have been fair warning.

“Ellie,” Chloe smiled warmly at the teenager, eyes flicking to the sling, then back to her face. Anywhere but at the man right behind Ellie, removing his snow-covered coat.

“Hi,” she said, a little shy despite having just been looking for her. “Dimitrios says you’re leaving tomorrow?”

“I’m afraid so. I have to get back to London.” Her voice sounded fine. Normal. But inside, her body seemed to be spinning apart at the seams.

“I thought you were going to do my room?” Ellie said, face looking crushed, so Chloe’s own heart broke for her. She knew she’d been right about Ellie—that she did her best to protect herself. But she was still just a child who’d suffered unimaginable loss, and she’d chosen to open up to Chloe.

“Come with me,” Chloe said, holding out her hand. It was fifty-fifty as to whether or not she’d take it. At thirteen, some of her nieces and nephews were way too old and cool for hand-holding, others were fine with it.

Ellie, after a brief hesitation, put her hand in Chloe’s and Chloe squeezed it as she walked her upstairs and to the door of Ellie’s bedroom.

“Close your eyes,” she commanded, and for the first time risked a glance at Dimitrios. His eyes were boring down on her with an intensity that stole her breath.

“Okay.” Ellie did as instructed.

Chloe pushed open the door of the room, dropping Ellie’s hand and putting her own on the young girl’s shoulders. “I know we talked about this, but I wanted to make a start for you… Take a look.”

She couldn’t see Ellie’s face but her gasp told Chloe everything she needed to know. Her trip to the market hadn’t been in vain.