Page 65 of Heart of Stone (Dark Billionaires)

When Warren finally took a seat, it was at her side.

“I’m surprised at all this,” she admitted quietly, as Mattie told Euan about his models.

“All what?”

“You. Cooking. You order take-away so frequently that I would have bet money on you not knowing how to turn on your own oven.”

Under the table, his hand came to rest on her leg. “I’m a man of many surprises.”

“Like needing aloe vera deliveries in the middle of birthday parties,” Rhys grumbled on her other side.

“Fuck off, Rhys,” Warren responded immediately, not looking away from Kate. “I have another gift for you, by the way. Don’t let me forget to give it to you.”

“What kind of gift?” she asked, shooting an alarmed look at the dinner table. Considering his last gift had made her squirt—something she wasn’t aware she could actually do—she wasn’t sure this was conversation they should have in company.

“Anormalgift.”

An excitable shout from Mattie tugged Kate’s head to the left.

“It’s Dad,” he exclaimed, holding his phone out for Sarah to take. “He says he’ll be home in a fortnight.”

Sarah took it, frowning as she read the message. Reservation was clear on her face, but she attempted a smile back at Mattie. “That’s good news.”

“He’s been away, hasn’t he?” Alison asked.

Sarah nodded. “He works on cruise ships in the Mediterranean. I haven’t seen him since before I started chemo.”

“You must be looking forward to it.”

Sarah’s smile was tight. “I am.”

“How long have you been married now?” Euan asked, sipping his wine.

“We married not long after I turned eighteen. It’ll be twenty-three years this year.”

“And I came along eighteen months later,” Mattie grinned happily, crunching down on his Yorkshire pudding.

Kate didn’t miss Alison’s eyes flicking towards Warren. “I didn’t realise quite how young you were when you gave birth to Warren.”

“I was a month shy of fifteen,” Sarah smiled, her eyes softening as she gazed upon Warren.

“Oh my god,” Darcy’s jaw hung open. “I’m three years older than that and I couldn’t imagine having a kidnow.”

“That’s why we gave him up,” Sarah replied, her chest falling slightly. “To give him a better life.”

Alison took Sarah’s hand. “That must have been so difficult for you.”

“It was.”

“I’m thankful you did it,” Warren reassured his mother. “For both of us. You needed to be a child for a while longer.” Beneath the table, his hand squeezed Kate’s. “And I found more family than I ever imagined.”

“Oh my god, is that Bloodraven?” Kate could barely draw in breath as she perused through the hardback books Warren had ordered for her. Illustrated collector’s editions ofA Song of Ice and Fireby George R. R. Martin.

Or what GRRM had written so far, anyway.

“They arrived days ago, but I wanted to be here when you opened them. Forgive my selfishness.”

“I would literally forgive you for murder if you buy me more collector’s editions,” Kate laughed, before gasping as she flicked to the next page. “Is that Shireen with Wun Wun?” She let loose a girlish squeal. “These are amazing, thank you so much.”

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