Sophia could tell by his face he hadn’t seen the pictures before and she had no idea how to gauge his reaction to them now.
‘It helps when I can’t sleep.’
‘So that’s why I keep finding your torch in bed with you?’
Lily gave him an impish grin. ‘I like drawing.’
‘And I like your drawings...’ he slid into the seat beside Sophia, leaning forward to give his daughter a stern look ‘...but you still should have been sleeping.’
She gave a little huff and pulled out her fluffy pink pencil case, ready to create some more.
‘I like them too,’ Sophia said, ducking low to speak to her. ‘Very much.’
And when she straightened again she felt his eyes on her, her own finding his just as swiftly.
‘You do?’ he asked softly.
‘Yes.’ And she knew then that they were both saying the same thing: that they liked it being the three of them, not just on paper but in real life, and hope sparked ever brighter inside.
‘What shall I draw next, Sphea?’
She pulled her eyes from his and looked back to the pictures, her eyes settling on the sledging one, and for the briefest of seconds she
felt the old familiar pang, the chill.
Jack reached out, his hand settling over hers to give it a gentle squeeze. ‘You okay?’
She took a breath and gave him a small smile. She knew he’d picked up on the sudden wave of sadness and as she looked to his creased-up brow, his grey eyes soft with concern, she knew she was more than okay.
‘Yes.’ And with him by her side she would get through this trip and be all the stronger for it. ‘I am.’
He returned her smile but he didn’t release her hand, keeping it there as they both offered up ideas to Lily, who evaluated each and every one in the special way she had until she’d decided on a scene involving hot chocolate and a roaring fire.
They settled back like that, Lily drawing, Jack’s hand on Sophia’s, their chatter innocent enough for Lily’s ears and so easy. They caught up on the past week, on what had happened with work, with Samantha and Noah. They ate pizza and played Snap with Lily. Everything was normal and relaxed. She could almost forget they were on a plane, if not for the occasional turbulence and the persistent hum of the engine.
Lily gave a huge yawn and scooted a little closer to Sophia’s side.
‘Tired, kiddo?’
She nodded and rested her head in Sophia’s lap. She didn’t ask, she didn’t seek permission, she just did it and the move was so telling and touching.
‘It’s the middle of the night back in Tokyo,’ Jack said softly, his eyes on his daughter in Sophia’s lap. ‘She’s been going for hours now.’
‘You both have,’ she said, stroking Lily’s hair.
‘She’s quite taken with you.’
She smiled. ‘The feeling’s mutual.’
‘She’s not the only one.’ The sincerity of his voice, so close to her ear, had her entire body warming and her eyes returning to his. Was he saying...? Was he admitting...? She hoped so, so much.
He cleared his throat and looked back to Lily. ‘The travelling has really taken its toll this time.’
‘It is a lot in a short space of time. Have you thought more about settling somewhere more permanent?’ She almost said London and realised it was too personal, too soon, and too close to what she wanted deep down for her own selfish reasons.
‘I have and we will, soon. I’d like to spend a little time with Elena’s family first, to see whether there is something worth saving there.’
‘Have you spoken to her mother?’