he smiled softly. Faye felt her heart trip and then land with a heavy thud, unleashing a fresh swarm of butterflies in her belly.
Glancing away, she saw Mary observing her son as well. She then turned her eyes on Faye, her brows lifted slightly in query. Feeling warmth rise in her face, Faye imagined that Mary was able to sense the attraction between her son and Faye crackling across the table like an electric current. Dropping her gaze, she attempted to hide her scorched cheeks behind her coffee mug.
From the direction of the guest room came a low, sleepy-sounding wail.
“Sounds like Hannah’s awake,” Simon said cheerfully, abruptly rising from his chair. “I’ll get her. I trust she likes pancakes?”
Faye nodded, grateful for the interruption. “I can guarantee you they won’t end up tossed on the floor.”
* * *
“Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!”
Squealing, Hannah sprinted across the living room and into the kitchen, before spinning around and charging back to propel herself against the sofa. Grasping one of the leather cushions, with considerable effort she managed to clamber onto it, a look of triumph lighting her small, round face.
“Are you sure you didn’t sneak some coffee into her milk?” Simon inquired dryly, placing syrupy plates into the sink as he watched the little girl totter across the sofa cushions.
“She’s going to fall and get hurt,” Mary worried, hurrying to scoop up Hannah and place her safely on the carpet. Undaunted, the child scurried over to the patio door and began slapping her palms on the glass.
“Out!” she shrieked. “Out out out!”
“We can go outside, but not yet. I’m not dressed, and neither are you,” Faye told her, knowing the toddler wouldn’t comprehend why a person couldn’t just as easily enjoy the outdoors in pajamas as any other clothing.
“She’s restless, poor little thing,” Mary said. “Why don’t we take her down to the beach for a while?”
“She’d love that,” Faye said, relieved to have an activity to occupy the morning. “But I’ll need a few minutes to get ready.”
“I’ll take her,” Mary offered. “You take your time. You look exhausted, Faye. You could use a little break from chasing this ball of energy around.”
“Thanks, Mary.”
“Simon, will you join us?” his mother asked.
“I’m not dressed either, Mum. Go ahead. We’ll catch up with you.”
“All right,” she agreed, a slight hesitation in her voice. Faye wasn’t sure whether to be offended or amused; did the woman think they were going to tear the clothes off each other the moment she left the house?
Taking the reluctant toddler to the bedroom, Faye dressed her and brought her back out to Mary. Quite comfortable with her grandmother by now, Hannah was happy to be strapped into her stroller and wheeled out the door.
“Come and join us as soon as you’re ready,” Mary reminded Faye and Simon as she left.
“See you soon.” Faye turned to return to her room when Simon’s voice stopped her.
“We didn’t finish our conversation last night.”
She turned her head to look at him, catching her lip between her teeth briefly before replying. “I think more than enough was said.”
He took a step closer, one of his brows lifting skeptically. “You never really answered my question.”
Faye let out a slow breath. “You must know how I feel. But what I want and what I should do are two different things. I think Hannah saved us from making a mistake. Not that it wouldn’t have been … nice.” Fantastic, you mean . “But sometimes a little self-control is required. Look what happened with Jenna.”
Simon’s hands went to his hips, his eyes narrowing. “I’ve heard this lecture already from my mother and sister,” he said bitingly. “I didn’t expect it from you. Especially after all I’ve done to take responsibility for my daughter, once I was told of her existence.”
“I’m sorry,” Faye added quickly, regretting her words.
Glancing away, she saw Mary observing her son as well. She then turned her eyes on Faye, her brows lifted slightly in query. Feeling warmth rise in her face, Faye imagined that Mary was able to sense the attraction between her son and Faye crackling across the table like an electric current. Dropping her gaze, she attempted to hide her scorched cheeks behind her coffee mug.
From the direction of the guest room came a low, sleepy-sounding wail.
“Sounds like Hannah’s awake,” Simon said cheerfully, abruptly rising from his chair. “I’ll get her. I trust she likes pancakes?”
Faye nodded, grateful for the interruption. “I can guarantee you they won’t end up tossed on the floor.”
* * *
“Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!”
Squealing, Hannah sprinted across the living room and into the kitchen, before spinning around and charging back to propel herself against the sofa. Grasping one of the leather cushions, with considerable effort she managed to clamber onto it, a look of triumph lighting her small, round face.
“Are you sure you didn’t sneak some coffee into her milk?” Simon inquired dryly, placing syrupy plates into the sink as he watched the little girl totter across the sofa cushions.
“She’s going to fall and get hurt,” Mary worried, hurrying to scoop up Hannah and place her safely on the carpet. Undaunted, the child scurried over to the patio door and began slapping her palms on the glass.
“Out!” she shrieked. “Out out out!”
“We can go outside, but not yet. I’m not dressed, and neither are you,” Faye told her, knowing the toddler wouldn’t comprehend why a person couldn’t just as easily enjoy the outdoors in pajamas as any other clothing.
“She’s restless, poor little thing,” Mary said. “Why don’t we take her down to the beach for a while?”
“She’d love that,” Faye said, relieved to have an activity to occupy the morning. “But I’ll need a few minutes to get ready.”
“I’ll take her,” Mary offered. “You take your time. You look exhausted, Faye. You could use a little break from chasing this ball of energy around.”
“Thanks, Mary.”
“Simon, will you join us?” his mother asked.
“I’m not dressed either, Mum. Go ahead. We’ll catch up with you.”
“All right,” she agreed, a slight hesitation in her voice. Faye wasn’t sure whether to be offended or amused; did the woman think they were going to tear the clothes off each other the moment she left the house?
Taking the reluctant toddler to the bedroom, Faye dressed her and brought her back out to Mary. Quite comfortable with her grandmother by now, Hannah was happy to be strapped into her stroller and wheeled out the door.
“Come and join us as soon as you’re ready,” Mary reminded Faye and Simon as she left.
“See you soon.” Faye turned to return to her room when Simon’s voice stopped her.
“We didn’t finish our conversation last night.”
She turned her head to look at him, catching her lip between her teeth briefly before replying. “I think more than enough was said.”
He took a step closer, one of his brows lifting skeptically. “You never really answered my question.”
Faye let out a slow breath. “You must know how I feel. But what I want and what I should do are two different things. I think Hannah saved us from making a mistake. Not that it wouldn’t have been … nice.” Fantastic, you mean . “But sometimes a little self-control is required. Look what happened with Jenna.”
Simon’s hands went to his hips, his eyes narrowing. “I’ve heard this lecture already from my mother and sister,” he said bitingly. “I didn’t expect it from you. Especially after all I’ve done to take responsibility for my daughter, once I was told of her existence.”
“I’m sorry,” Faye added quickly, regretting her words.
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