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She picked it up, the warmth draining from her body, her mouth so dry she could hardly form the words. ‘Are they yours? Are you married?’ She almost laughed at herself. Of course he was married! Why would a man like him be single?
‘They’re my nephews—my sister’s children. I’m not married.’ His eyes narrowed and his gaze was suddenly intent. ‘
Do you think I’d have invited you back here if I was married with children? Do I look as though I’m married?’
‘Appearances can be deceptive.’ Hoping that he didn’t notice that her hand was shaking, she put the photograph carefully back on the table.
This was ridiculous.
She ought to leave, she thought to herself, suddenly unsettled by the feelings she was having.
But then she thought of the small, freezing bedroom with the bare walls and peeling paintwork that awaited her. She was in no hurry to go home.
If he wasn’t married, what harm could it do to stay? She wasn’t hurting anyone.
Just for the rest of the day, she promised herself, and then she’d go back to the harsh reality of her life.
She sank down onto the sofa. It was deep and squashy and comfortable and suddenly she just wanted to curl up and sleep. ‘This is a lovely room.’
‘Thanks. What can I get you to drink?’ He stood by the fire, fingers hooked into the pockets of his jeans as he watched her. ‘Wine? Champagne?’
‘Oh.’ She brushed her damp hair away from her face. ‘Something non-alcoholic, please. Juice? Tonic?’
‘It’s Christmas. Don’t you fancy anything stronger?’
‘No, thanks. I have to cycle home later. I don’t want to be drunk in charge of a heap of rust.’
He smiled and handed her a glass. ‘So where’s home, Miranda? And why were you avoiding Christmas Day?’
‘It’s just not my favourite time,’ she said evasively, and he gave a wry smile of understanding.
‘Too much of the media portrayal of happy families?’
‘Oh, no. That’s all nonsense.’
His blue eyes lingered on hers. ‘Is it?’
‘Of course.’ She curled her legs under her and grinned at him. ‘It’s an image created by advertisers would have you believe that the perfect family exists, but it doesn’t. At least, only on the surface. Underneath, it’s all very different.’
‘Different in what way?’
‘Things are never as they appear on the surface. All families have secrets.’ She sipped at her drink. ‘Take the family in that yoghurt advert on television.’
He smiled. ‘I know the one you mean. Healthy, happy and smiling. Two children and a dog. The sun is shining and there isn’t a cloud in the sky.’
‘That’s the one.’ She put her drink down on the small table next to the sofa, laughter in her eyes. ‘But do you want to know the truth? The father is probably having an affair with his wife’s best friend and the wife doesn’t know yet but wouldn’t care anyway because she has a secret life as a high-class escort whenever her husband is away on business. It actually suits her that he isn’t around much because she doesn’t particularly enjoy his company except when they’re eating yoghurt in front of a film crew.’
Amusement flickered in his gaze and he tilted his head to one side as he listened. ‘And the children?’
She nestled more deeply in the sofa, wondering why he was so easy to talk to. ‘The girl has been so damaged by the lack of attention from her parents that she’s now shoplifting regularly with her friends and has already started smoking and taking drugs behind the toilets at school, and the little boy is being badly bullied but hasn’t told anyone and no one has noticed because they don’t show enough interest in each other as individuals.’ She stopped and took a breath and he lifted a dark eyebrow in question. The amusement in his eyes had been replaced by speculation.
‘And the dog? Looked like a perfectly good-natured Labrador to me. No vices. Are you about to tell me that he’s bitten the neighbour and needs a doggy psychiatrist?’
She laughed. ‘They’ve received an official warning from the police because he regularly fouls the pavement and barks so loudly that he wakes the neighbours. So far he hasn’t actually bitten anyone but don’t think that just because he looks friendly he can’t have a bad side. Dogs and people have a way of surprising you.’
‘That’s right. They do.’ He studied her closely. ‘Sounds like the family from hell.’
Her smile faded. ‘A pretty normal family, actually. I’m just making the point that the picture presented by the media falls short of the real thing. Families are full of imperfections.’
