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Adam was many things, but slow wasn’t one of them.
“Sure.” His voice was neutral. “I’m not a man to refuse the offer of a good single malt.”
Hannah followed the girls upstairs, only half listening to Ruby’s excited chatter.
Anticipating the conversation with Adam, and the interrogation from her family, didn’t encourage her to rush the story.
She slid off her shoes and lay on the bed next to Ruby while Melly snuggled into the other bed.
“What are we reading?”
She read long after Ruby had stopped reaching out to turn pages and point to the illustrations, and long after Melly’s eyes had drifted shut.
When she knew she couldn’t hide in the girls’ room any longer, she turned the light out and walked quietly to her own room. From downstairs she could hear the occasional rumble of conversation interspersed with laughter.
She was standing by the window trying to work out what to do, when there was a tap on the door.
Braced for a difficult conversation with Adam, she was surprised to see Stewart standing there.
“Can I come in?”
“Of course.” Hannah’s tension rose. She’d been rude, she knew that. She’d flouted all the house rules about hospitality and probably embarrassed them. It wasn’t the first time Christmas had been stressful, and it probably wouldn’t be the last, but that didn’t stop her feeling guilty at the part she’d played. “I was about to come downstairs.”
Stewart pulled out the chair by her desk and sat down. “You don’t have to do that.”
She felt a spasm of guilt. “I shouldn’t have come home. Suzanne always wants Christmas to be a happy time and I’ve ruined it. Is she very upset? Are you worried about her?” Why was it she could never be what people wanted her to be?
And now she’d even disappointed Stewart. Kind, rock-solid, unflappable Stewart.
“You haven’t ruined anything. And it’s not Suzanne I’m worried about, it’s you.”
“Me?”
“You’ve never brought a guy home before, and it’s pretty obvious to me that you didn’t invite Adam. And then there’s the fact that you arrived home early, and looking pretty miserable.”
The fact that she’d been so transparent was embarrassing, not just for herself but also for Adam.
“I didn’t expect him to show up here. I’m sure you have questions—” The situation was so awkward and uncomfortable.
“Only one question.” Stewart leaned forward. “What would you like me to do?”
“Do?”
“About Adam. It doesn’t matter to me why he is here, or who thought what. The only thing that matters to me is what you want.” He sat quietly for a moment, staring at his hands as if he didn’t quite know what he should be doing with them. “Whatever you’d like me to do, I’ll do it. I’ll fix it in whatever way you’d like it fixed. If you want him to leave, then say the word and I’ll deal with it. You don’t have to see him if you don’t want to. He can stay in the pub tonight and I’ll take him back to the airport tomorrow.”
“You don’t think I’m capable of handling this myself?”
“You’re more than capable of handling it, but I’m your dad and I’m offering to handle it for you. Everyone needs a little help once in a while. I’m offering mine, if you’d like it. Sometimes in life it’s okay to take the easy path. I can see this is tough for you, so let me protect you from it.”
Hannah was so touched that for a moment she couldn’t breathe.
There was an ache in her chest that grew and grew.
He’d come to her room not to lecture her on her manners, but to offer his protection.
She turned away quickly so he wouldn’t see the tears in her eyes. They scalded, welled up, threatened to spill.
I’m your dad.
