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‘Your mum was a very special woman. She would be a hard act for anyone to follow.’
He smiled at her. ‘She was. But it isn’t just that. I do want Dad to be happy and I did want him to find love again. But…’ he shot a look at her from beneath long dark lashes. ‘He has a habit of choosing the wrong woman.’
‘Oh? You make that sound as if there have been others?’
He held her gaze. ‘There have. Or should I say, there has.’
That was a surprise. ‘Really? Before Bianca?’
He shook his head. ‘No. Before Mum.’
‘Before Francesca!’ That was an even bigger surprise.
He looked her directly in the eye. ‘That’s a surprise?’
Grace nodded.
Griff sighed. ‘Then the less said about that the better.’
‘You can’t leave it at that! I mean, of course you can. It’s your family. But anything you say is safe with me. And I’ve always been…’
‘In love with my brother?’
‘That wasn’t what I was going to say. I was going to say, interested in your family.’
He remained silent and studied her face. ‘Okay. Dad was in love with another woman. But, sadly, she wasn’t in love with him. They dated for a while and then … she met someone else and fell head over heels in love. She dumped Dad, and she married her new love a couple of years later. Dad married Mum on the rebound, a few months after the other woman dumped him, but not before he’d made a total fool of himself by begging the other woman to take him back. He was still in love with the other woman when he married Mum and Mum knew it.’
‘Bloody hell! I had no idea.’
‘Clearly. Neither did I until shortly before Mum died. I heard Dad tell her that although he had loved the other woman, for many years, he had grown to love Mum far more, and he had genuinely loved Mum when she died. He was totally heart broken. And yet again, he married someone on the rebound. Namely, Bianca. Although not as fast this time.’
‘I’m so sorry, Griff. Did you ever find out who the other woman was?’
‘Yes. I know who she is.’
‘Oh?’
‘That, I amnottelling you, Grace. Sorry, but I’m not.’
‘Okay. I don’t suppose it’s anyone I would know so it’s none of my business. Not that it matters, but does Bianca know?’
He shrugged. ‘No idea. But somehow, I think she might.’
‘Mum told me today how she felt when she met Dad. We were … discussing something about love, and she suddenly told me that she just knew she’d marry Dad because of the way he made her feel. They’ve been married for thirty-seven years and she said he still makes her feel the same as he did all those years ago. That’s true love for you.’
‘Yes. I suppose it is.’
‘You don’t believe in marriage, do you?’
‘Don’t I?’
‘You’ve always said you don’t. At least you’ve often said you won’t marry.’
He shook his head. ‘I’ve only said I won’t marry the wrong woman. I’ve seen what marriage to the wrong person can do. I know Dad did love Mum, eventually, and they were definitely happy together. But Dad doesn’t love Bianca, and I don’t understand why he married her. Or why they don’t get divorced. I’m determined never to make that mistake. Or as determined as I can be. I’m not sure we can choose whom we fall in love with, but we can choose whom we marry. Look at your parents for example. That’s what a marriage should be like. That’s the sort of marriage I want. One that will last a lifetime.’
‘Wow. Who knew you were such a romantic?’
He met her gaze and held it. ‘You have no idea, Grace. Believe me.’
