wonderful to see you!”
Before she had time to catch her breath, Alex was enveloped in a warm hug. She breathed in the scent of expensive perfume—a mix of spicy oriental and vanilla.
Lily Munro hadn’t changed a bit. Her glossy blond hair was still shoulder length and hung in soft, shiny waves around her face. She hadn’t gained a pound on her slight frame and from the welcoming smile on her lips, it was as if the years of separation had never been.
“Hi, Lily,” Alex murmured, grateful the woman seemed to hold no animosity toward her. “Thank you for inviting us.”
“Why wouldn’t we invite you? When Brandon told us he’d caught up with you again, we practically threatened him with annihilation if he didn’t bring you around to see us. And where’s your little boy? Brandon said you have a son.”
She searched Lily’s eyes for any sign of suspicion, but the bright blue orbs held nothing but pleasure and a mild curiosity.
Sam had planted himself behind Alex and now clung tightly to the leg of her jeans. She gently disengaged his fingers and knelt down beside him. Giving his arms a reassuring squeeze, she stood and made the introductions.
“Sam, this is Mrs Munro. She’s married to the brother of my friend from work.”
Lily stepped forward and held out her hand, her eyes twinkling in delight.
“Hello, Sam. I’m Lily. It’s so lovely to meet you.”
Sam ducked his head shyly and tightened his hold on Alex’s leg.
Lily smiled. “He looks just like you, Alex. A total mini-you.”
Alex nodded and averted her eyes, ruffling the top of Sam’s curly, dark hair. “Yes, that’s what everyone says,” she murmured, relieved when Lily didn’t pursue the matter any further.
“Come outside and meet the others. We’ve invited a handful of friends over and I think there might just be a couple of children around your age, Sam. What do you think?”
Sam nodded cautiously and they followed Lily across the foyer and into a large open kitchen. The walls were decorated in neutral colors that contrasted nicely with a red and silver glass splashback. The late afternoon sun poured through tall French windows and glinted off an array of stainless-steel appliances.
“Your house is lovely, Lily. This space is so wonderful. It seems to go on forever,” Alex said, tilting her head back to take in the twelve-foot ceilings. A wide expanse of caramel-colored bamboo flooring ended in a carpeted area that housed a modular-shaped red leather couch and an enormous flat screen TV.
Lily smiled with pride. “Yes, it’s a little larger than the last place. With the kids growing bigger and bigger every day, we needed a bit more space. There’s another room through that door where the kids have their things.” She pointed in the direction of a wooden doorway at the far end of the open-plan living room. “They have a TV and computer set up in there, along with a couch that’s no stranger to spills. They practically live in there.”
Alex smiled back at her. “I know what you mean about spills. Sam and I live in an apartment. Three bedrooms, one of which I’ve converted into an office. Then there’s a single living area. Sometimes it drives me mad that I don’t have more space. Who’d have thought a child could need so much stuff?”
Lily eyed her with frank curiosity. “Where are you living now?”
Alex looked away. “Still in Bondi,” she murmured. “I love being close to the beach. Somehow, I couldn’t bring myself to leave.”
“I know what you mean. I’d love a place by the water. Unfortunately, I’d have to sacrifice some of this space and with a teenager and a half in the house driving me and each other insane on any given day, I’d rather have the space!”
She laughed and Alex laughed with her, their nervousness easing. She didn’t know what she’d been so worked up about. Lily was as lovely and gracious as she’d always been. Alex should have known she’d be far too well mannered to pry
Before she had time to catch her breath, Alex was enveloped in a warm hug. She breathed in the scent of expensive perfume—a mix of spicy oriental and vanilla.
Lily Munro hadn’t changed a bit. Her glossy blond hair was still shoulder length and hung in soft, shiny waves around her face. She hadn’t gained a pound on her slight frame and from the welcoming smile on her lips, it was as if the years of separation had never been.
“Hi, Lily,” Alex murmured, grateful the woman seemed to hold no animosity toward her. “Thank you for inviting us.”
“Why wouldn’t we invite you? When Brandon told us he’d caught up with you again, we practically threatened him with annihilation if he didn’t bring you around to see us. And where’s your little boy? Brandon said you have a son.”
She searched Lily’s eyes for any sign of suspicion, but the bright blue orbs held nothing but pleasure and a mild curiosity.
Sam had planted himself behind Alex and now clung tightly to the leg of her jeans. She gently disengaged his fingers and knelt down beside him. Giving his arms a reassuring squeeze, she stood and made the introductions.
“Sam, this is Mrs Munro. She’s married to the brother of my friend from work.”
Lily stepped forward and held out her hand, her eyes twinkling in delight.
“Hello, Sam. I’m Lily. It’s so lovely to meet you.”
Sam ducked his head shyly and tightened his hold on Alex’s leg.
Lily smiled. “He looks just like you, Alex. A total mini-you.”
Alex nodded and averted her eyes, ruffling the top of Sam’s curly, dark hair. “Yes, that’s what everyone says,” she murmured, relieved when Lily didn’t pursue the matter any further.
“Come outside and meet the others. We’ve invited a handful of friends over and I think there might just be a couple of children around your age, Sam. What do you think?”
Sam nodded cautiously and they followed Lily across the foyer and into a large open kitchen. The walls were decorated in neutral colors that contrasted nicely with a red and silver glass splashback. The late afternoon sun poured through tall French windows and glinted off an array of stainless-steel appliances.
“Your house is lovely, Lily. This space is so wonderful. It seems to go on forever,” Alex said, tilting her head back to take in the twelve-foot ceilings. A wide expanse of caramel-colored bamboo flooring ended in a carpeted area that housed a modular-shaped red leather couch and an enormous flat screen TV.
Lily smiled with pride. “Yes, it’s a little larger than the last place. With the kids growing bigger and bigger every day, we needed a bit more space. There’s another room through that door where the kids have their things.” She pointed in the direction of a wooden doorway at the far end of the open-plan living room. “They have a TV and computer set up in there, along with a couch that’s no stranger to spills. They practically live in there.”
Alex smiled back at her. “I know what you mean about spills. Sam and I live in an apartment. Three bedrooms, one of which I’ve converted into an office. Then there’s a single living area. Sometimes it drives me mad that I don’t have more space. Who’d have thought a child could need so much stuff?”
Lily eyed her with frank curiosity. “Where are you living now?”
Alex looked away. “Still in Bondi,” she murmured. “I love being close to the beach. Somehow, I couldn’t bring myself to leave.”
“I know what you mean. I’d love a place by the water. Unfortunately, I’d have to sacrifice some of this space and with a teenager and a half in the house driving me and each other insane on any given day, I’d rather have the space!”
She laughed and Alex laughed with her, their nervousness easing. She didn’t know what she’d been so worked up about. Lily was as lovely and gracious as she’d always been. Alex should have known she’d be far too well mannered to pry
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