AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“This is beautiful,” Juliette whispers. She’s coming to the end of the album now, but something makes her pause. “Oh. Amber. You look gorgeous, and you both look so happy. You’ll have to teach me how you got Phineas to smile like this for a photo.”
I frown and lean over. On the last page of the album there’s a photo that definitely wasn’t there the other day. I recognise it instantly, although this is the first time I’ve actually seen it.
It’s me and Finn on Primrose Hill. His arms are around my middle and I’m smiling shyly up at the camera, like I can’t quite believe how much I’m enjoying being in his arms. His head is gently resting on my chin, and the smile on his face could rival the sun.
I blink and feel a tear start to slide down my cheek.
“What— Why—”
Finn presses a kiss right where the tear has begun to fall. “Like Nel said, these are some of our most important memories as a family. The moments we want to look back on in twenty years and remember.”
“But—”
“You’re a part of this family now, sweetheart,” he says firmly. “You belong in this album, just as much as we all do.”
And then I take a note from Juliette’s book, and promptly start to cry.
29
AMBER
There are definitely morethan fifty people in this house right now. It feels like every inch of the large space is packed with smiling faces, everyone eager to grab hold of Juliette and Henry for a second or two to share their congratulations and well wishes.
I glance across the room. Finn had been doing a good job of staying by my side and proudly introducing me to his extended family and his parents’ friends and co-workers, but Maya is the only child here and she’s got her uncle wrapped tightly around her little finger.
They’re both sitting at a bright pink children’s table squashed in the corner of the living room. Maya’s pouring some imaginary tea into a plastic mug while Finn sits on the tiny chair, long legs pressed up against his chest, happily indulging her fantasies.
“She absolutely adores him,” Nel murmurs, coming to stand beside me. She’s got a plate full of fancy looking hors d’oeuvres and she angles it towards me. I snatch up a salmon bite and chew it as I watch the two of them play.
“I can tell.” It’s incredibly sweet to watch and I have to actively stop my brain from running wild with thoughts about the kind of father he’d be.
“Maya’s father was never really in the picture,” Nel tells me. “But he officially dipped out for good about two years ago.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” she scoffs. “I can’t call him my biggest mistake, because I got Maya out of it. But we’re definitely better off without him. She’s happy. I’m happy. It’s all good.” We watch them in silence for a few moments. Maya quickly tires of whatever game they’re playing at her table and starts dragging Finn towards the garden where her grandparents have a little jungle gym set up just for her.
He catches my eye just as they reach the back door and gives me a pretend grimace. “You good?” he mouths. I give him a nod and he lets Maya pull him out through the door.
“So,” I say once he’s gone. “Are you finally going to tell me about the house?”
Nel gives me a quizzical look. “The house?”
“The one I’m supposed to be redesigning for you.” I arch a brow. “The whole reason I’m here.”
Nel snorts. “I’ve known you for all of 72 hours, Amber, but I know you’re smarter than that.” She pops another salmon bite into her mouth. “You know you’re not here justfor the house.”
“So thereisa house?” Thanks to Finn’s constant interruptions whenever anyone mentioned the property I’m supposed to be here to design, I was beginning to think he’d made it all up.
Nel looks like she’s on the brink of bursting into laughter. “Of course there’s a house.”
“Can you show me a photo?”
“Nah.” I glare at her, but she just shrugs like it doesn’t bother at all “I promised Finn I wouldn’t ruin the surprise.”
“Will you at least tell me if it’s a good surprise?”
She looks at me closely for a long beat. Her brows pinch in the middle and she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth. Eventually her features relax. “It’s a good surprise, Amber. You’ll love it. I guarantee—” A tall woman and a slightly shorter man step into the room and Nel’s attention is suddenly on them.
