Page 42 of Single Dad Christmas

Louisa pulled a face. “She googled me. That’s normal. Besides, it’s no secret.”

“I don’t even know how she knew your last name.”

“She’s a teenager. They’re excellent snoops.”

“You don’t seem annoyed?”

“I didn’t expect a bed of roses tonight.” Nor had she expected it to go quite like that. She placed her fork down and stood up, moving around the table to sit on Noah’s lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist like he never wanted to let go. “There’s alot for her to get her head around. Like you said, we just have to give her time.”

“You are wonderful.”

“I know.” She smiled as she kissed the top of his forehead.

“Listen, about Christmas?—,”

She padded her thumb over his cheek. “It’s fine. It’s not even on my radar. I’m looking forward to the quiet time.”

He frowned. “Apparently a bed’s been made up back at the farm,” he said with a groan.

“You mean I wouldn’t get to share your bed?” She pouted, pretending disappointment. “Then I’m definitely not coming.” She caught his face in her hands. “Is Amy going to be there?”

“No.”

“How do you know?”

“Because she’s in rehab. She went in last week. Court ordered because she was picked up for drink driving again.”

“Taylor must know that,” Louisa said.

“It’s been kept out of the papers. I haven’t mentioned it, and nor has Amy.”

Louisa nodded slowly. “She must miss her mother terribly.”

“Yes,” Noah sighed. “Do you think I made a mistake, to separate them?”

“I mean, it’s not ideal, but nothing about the situation is. You said you felt she was unsafe, with Amy.”

“I tried to live near enough to her that Amy could still see Tay, supervised, but she started picking her up early from school, signing her out for ‘appointments’, and the stuff she exposed her to on those visits.” He shook his head as if to clear the memory. “I didn’t know, but there were parties, and ‘lunches’ at ‘friends’’ houses, where I hate to think what was going on. I know Amy was drunk or high most of the time.” He expelled a rough sigh. “I just wanted to give Taylor a fresh start, and Amy a proper chance to focus on herself. I thought it would scare herinto taking rehab seriously, if I’m honest.” He dropped his head forward. “I never intended to have sole custody. I was hoping she’d get clean and then we’d work out a series of holiday visits, a way for Taylor to have the best of her parents.”

“Maybe this time…”

He pulled a face. “You know what they say? Tenth time’s a charm.”

“Noah, it might be. You can’t give up hope.”

“You give me hope,” he said, finally, slowly, and he kissed her, in a way that made any thoughts of parenting, arguments, custody, the past all fade away, until there was only this.

Louisa went over againthe next night, this time, with a bag. It had been a decision she and Noah had made, to show Taylor they weren’t backing down, but for the first time since things with Noah started up, she wasn’t relishing the night ahead.

Louisa cooked a traditional Moricosian rice dish, with almonds, nutmeg, chicken, raisins and eggplant. Noah took one mouthful and groaned. “This is so good.”

Pleasure flooded Louisa, her cheeks flushing pink. “My mother used to make this all the time. It’s one of the first recipes I learned, growing up.”

To her right, Taylor said nothing, but she kept lifting forkfuls of the meal to her mouth, so she must have liked it more than pasta. Louisa and Noah made small talk throughout dinner, mostly carrying on as though Taylor wasn’t there. They spoke about the hotel, and Louisa’s parents, and sister, about the places in Europe where the Fox family had hotels, and the cities Louisa had been to and loved.

When Taylor had finished eating though, and she’d gripped both sides of her bowl as if to leave the table, Louisa turned to her. “You’re on school holidays, aren’t you, Taylor?”

“Yeah, so?”

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