‘Jamie, this is Dino’s house,’ Meg forced herself back to the present. ‘He’s an adult. Why would he have animated films?’
‘You love Ice Age and you’re an adult.’ Jamie lifted his chin and looked at Dino. ‘Have you ever seen it?’
‘No.’
‘Then how do you know you won’t like it?’
‘I’m sure I will like it and next time you come, I’ll have a section of cartoons, I promise.’
‘I could just bring my favourites over here and watch them,’ Jamie said helpfully, and Meg gasped.
‘Jamie! You can’t just—’
‘That’s an excellent idea.’ Dino took the little boy’s hand and pulled him across the room. ‘There’s the projector so you sit on one of those sofas and watch it there—try it for size.’
Jamie sprawled full-length on the sofa. ‘It’s massive. There’s room for me and five friends. Will there be popcorn?’
Dino didn’t hesitate. ‘Definitely popcorn.’
‘This is amazing, isn’t it, Mum?’
It was certainly amazingly expensive. Which, try as she may to convince herself otherwise, simply gave him another reason why he wouldn’t want to be with a scruff like her for long.
Meg turned away, but not before she’d caught his eye.
‘Now what?’ His voice was soft. ‘If you’re looking for more excuses why it won’t work, you’re wasting your time.’
Suddenly she wanted to ask him why he wanted her. She was complicated, wasn’t she? Not just because her head was completely messed up after Hayden, but because she had Jamie. She came as a pair.
A tour of the rest of the house did nothing to calm her fears. The place was sleek, sophisticated and not at all child friendly. Constructed in wood and designed to blend into the forest around it, there were balconies outside the bedrooms, and the huge walls of glass created a feeling of light and space. It was a place to chill out with fine wine and good music. And not a plastic superhero in sight.
‘It’s a perfect bachelor pad,’ Meg said tonelessly, and Dino gave a faint smile.
‘It would also make a perfect family home.’ His face was inscrutable. ‘It’s a very adaptable living space. Take a look around. I’m just going to change and then we can buy that Christmas tree.’ He disappeared through a set of doors, leaving them alone in the beautiful living area.
‘It’s like living inside the forest,’ Jamie breathed, incredibly impressed as he nosed around the house. ‘Wow, this place is enormous. Mum, I could use my skateboard inside this room—the floor would be brilliant.’
‘Jamie, don’t touch anything,’ Meg said quickly, grabbing his hand before he could touch a delicate bowl. ‘Just—just stand still with your hands by your sides.’
Jamie stood rigidly. ‘Why? Why can’t I move? Mum, Dino has a swimming pool. He can swim every day. Isn’t that awesome?’
‘It’s awesome.’
Meg moved away, staring out over the forest and the peaks beyond. Her mind, exhausted from worrying and analysing, drifted. Suddenly she saw herself curled up on the deep, comfortable sofa, enjoying the warmth of the fire after a long day in the mountains, gazing at that view. She imagined making love with Dino on the rug, or in the enormous bed she’d spied through one of the open doors. She imagined eating lunch on the balcony on a sunny day, and Jamie playing a game of superheroes in the forest…
‘It must be a wonderful house for entertaining. Just think of the parties you could have here.’ Catherine Miller looked ecstatic and Meg’s own vision of the place suddenly twisted and morphed into something different.
Parties. Her mother was right; this would be a perfect place for entertaining.
It was contemporary, sleek and stylish—like the man. And Dino would entertain, wouldn’t he? He was a senior consultant with an extended network of friends and colleagues.
She put out a hand to touch one of the tall, exotic plants and saw her own nails which Ellie had painted quickly the night before. Yes, they were shiny, but they were still short, neat and practical.
The wrong sort of nails. Just as she was the wrong sort of woman.
Furious with herself for tearing everything up before it had even started, Meg whirled round and paced to the other side of the room. Thick rugs covered wooden floorboards in a pale maple and the walls were lined with books. Somehow, the house managed to be cosy and spacious at the same time. Why couldn’t she live here? Why couldn’t it work? She had to stop doing that thing—what did psychologists call it?—catastrophising or something. Believing that the worst was going to happen.
‘I’m having a party here next week.’ Dino walked in, a sweater in his hand. ‘I’d like you to come. And before you start thinking of excuses, it’s just a few friends. People from the hospital. Mountain Rescue Team. Very informal.’