Page 12 of Be My Traitor

I supposed I was stuck with Lucas, for the time being at least.

Putting on a brave face, I went downstairs to find Lucas and Amber playing with Tyrone. Amber was using the giant teddy bear as a trampoline and Lucas was pretending to speak on behalf of the bear, begging her to stop, which only made her laugh and want to be even rougher.

“Okay, you two,” I said. “Who would like some lemonade and cookies?”

“Cookies? Really?” Amber looked at Lucas. “Mummy says I shouldn’t have too many cookies because it will spoil my appemite.”

“It will spoil your appetite.” I gently corrected her pronunciation. “But we can make an exception just this once. It’s not every day a little girl gets to meet her daddy.”

“I have the best daddy in the whole wide world.” Amber gazed at Lucas adoringly, an expression she’d only used for me in the past. I hated that she was connecting with him so easily, but I had to think about what was best for her. Lucas was her father, after all. She deserved a good relationship with him.

“And I have the best daughter.” Lucas reached out and ruffled her hair.

“Why don’t you take Lucas out to the garden and I’ll bring the cookies out to you?” I suggested. “You could show him your swings.”

“Yay! Swings!” Amber ran off in the direction of the garden. Lucas pulled himself up, taking a little longer to drag himself to his feet.

“She’s a real live wire,” he remarked. “She’s got so much energy. I don’t know how you keep up with her. I’m exhausted already!”

“Yeah, it’s tough being a single parent,” I said. “But Amber’s worth it. Even if some days, I’m counting down the hours until she goes to bed!”

“She’s a great kid,” Lucas said. “You’ve done a good job raising her.”

“Thanks.”

Lucas gazed at me, his expression inscrutable. He looked like he was about to say something, but we were interrupted by a little voice calling from the garden.

“Daddeee! Come and watch me swing! I can go really high!”

“You’d better go,” I advised. “Amber doesn’t have much patience.”

“I’ll be right there, honey!” Lucas grinned at me before heading outside to watch Amber on the swings.

I watched the two of them playing through the kitchen window as I poured out three glasses of lemonade and put some cookies on a plate. I put the glasses and plate on a tray and went outside to place them on the garden table.

“Cookies!” I called. Immediately, Amber started wriggling about on the swing, wanting it to stop so she could come and have a snack. A pang of nerves shot through me as I worried about the possibility of her falling off the swing, but Lucas was on it. He grabbed the swing and carefully brought it to a halt so Amber could jump off.

“Race you!” she cried, calling over her shoulder as she set off running as fast as she could.

“I’m going to get you!” roared Lucas, deliberately pacing himself so that he could almost catch her but would never overtake her.

“I won!” crowed Amber, flopping down into a chair and grabbing a handful of cookies.

“One at a time,” I warned.

Amber pouted and looked at Lucas for support.

“Your mum says one at a time,” Lucas said gently but firmly. “That doesn’t mean you can’t have more when you’ve finished that one.”

“Okay.”

I was stunned when Amber put the cookies back. Normally, she’d have argued, maybe even taken a quick, cheeky bite out of the extra ones. Clearly Lucas was a good influence on her. Wonders would never cease.

“So, what do you do, Daddy?” Amber asked, surprising me with how quickly she slipped into using the name.

“I’m Mummy’s boss,” he said.

Amber turned to me, eyes wide. “Really?” she gasped.

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