Page 15 of Unbreak My Heart

Darby put her squirming boy down and he bolted as fast as his stumbly little legs could carry him past Max. Eva looked around. Little Finn was headed straight for Simon.

A surge of inexplicable excitement went through her. The little boy must love his uncles terribly.

Small hands grabbed Simon’s jeans in their fists and the man in question patted Finn’s head. Gently, but almost… reserved.

Eva’s smile faltered.

It was obvious Finn wanted to be picked up.

Juliet squealed, her little face lighting up when she caught sight of Simon. Millie looked to Simon, a hesitant smile on her own mouth as she turned to him. “Would you like a cuddle?”

Her words were soft, as if she already knew the answer, but wanted to ask anyway.

Sudden dread pooled deep in Eva’s belly.

Simon looked up from the boy holding his pants leg so tightly. His expression shut down and he jerkily stepped backward.

“Maybe next time.”

His words, although low, held a rough edge that couldn’t be missed. She couldn’t help noticing the sadness in Millie’s eyes that also splashed over his mother’s face, standing as she was behind Millie.

“Okay,” Millie agreed quietly.

Ice drenched Eva’s skin, peppering her in goosebumps again, this time for all the wrong reasons.

Mr Perfect wasn’t so perfect, after all. Nowhere near it.

Simon Jameson didn’t like children, and she had a three-year-old son.

Chapter Three

“Inow declarethis build started!” Max’s excited voice rang clearly over the site as his shovel dug deep into the soil beneath their feet.

Simon waited with the rest of the huge group that now stood around them; his family, the construction crew, locals who had heard they were breaking ground today and wanted to show their support, the local reporter, and one from Bialga.

Max bumped Simon’s shoulder with his own. “Come on! What are you waiting for?”

Simon stood beside him, shovel in hand. He blinked in surprise. “What do you mean?”

Max laughed and gestured to the ground. “There’s a reason you have a shovel, and it’s not just to look pretty for the pictures. Dig, already!”

Laughter peppered the crowd. He certainly wasn’t pretty like his brothers were. Simon looked down. Max had dug his shovel into the ground, but hadn’t lifted it even an inch yet.

“With you? You want me to dig at the same time?” he clarified.

“Yes, with me. At the same time. Hurry up, Si!”

Simon couldn’t hide his surprise and happiness at being included like this. Honestly, hehadthought it was for the photos.

He shoved his shovel into the soil and glanced at his big brother, who nodded with a downward jerk of his chin. “On three.”

He positioned his hands properly and tensed his muscles as Max counted down.

“One. Two. Three!”

As one, they lifted their shovels of soil and deposited them to the side. The crowd cheered, whistles and claps surrounding them. Simon couldn’t help the grin that exploded on his face, happy laugher bursting from both him and his brother. He hadn’t felt this cheerful in longer than he could remember.

His life would always have a gaping hole in it where Amy had once been, but the day-to-day stuff had gotten easier over the last few months. He didn’t feel so guilty smiling these days; didn’t feel as if being happy or laughing was a crime.

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