Kisses at Sunset

Ally was appalled. ‘But I don’t want to eat dinner with him!’

‘Then you need your head examined,’ her mother said calmly, dropping the dirty cake tins into the sink and putting water on them to soak. ‘He’s handsome, intelligent and single, and if I weren’t still in love with your father I’d be eating dinner with him myself.’

Ally shrugged off her coat. ‘I can’t believe I’m hearing this. You’re pairing me up with someone you met five minutes ago? You don’t know anything about him!’

Elaine McGuire stilled, a slight frown touching her fine, elegant features. ‘Oh, yes, I do. I know a great deal about him. I’ve known Sean Nicholson since he was three years old.’

Ally gaped at her and dropped into a chair. ‘You’ve known—? Mum! How? How come I don’t remember him, then?’

Her mother shrugged. ‘He’s quite a bit older than you…’

‘Did you know his parents?’

‘No.’ Watching her mother’s face tighten, Ally felt a sense of foreboding. ‘He was abandoned by his mother when he was two.’

Ally’s eyes widened in shock. Abandoned? Sean had been abandoned by his own mother? What sort of a woman would do a thing like that? Suddenly her limbs felt shaky and she was glad she was sitting down. She didn’t know what she’d expected but it certainly hadn’t been that.

‘What about his dad?’

‘Goodness knows. I don’t think his mother even knew who the father was.’ Elaine frowned. ‘I probably shouldn’t even be telling you this, but it’s pretty common knowledge really. He was in and out of foster-care for his entire childhood—probably would have got into real trouble if it hadn’t been for Will and Molly.’

‘What did they do?’ Everything was starting to fall into place. The way he felt so strongly that children should have two parents. His fear of commitment.

‘Well, eventually they gave him a home, of course, but it was more than that.’ Her mother wiped her hands on her apron. ‘Will got him involved in the outdoor pursuits centre, which was

where he met Jack. Sean helped out in return for tuition and then he joined the army and no one really heard of him after that. I never imagined he’d become a doctor, but obviously living with the Carters must have rubbed off.’

‘He’s a brilliant doctor,’ Ally mumbled, thinking about all the times she’d seen him in action. Totally cool and controlled and yet capable of sensitivity, too—after all, look how he’d been with Pete.

‘Yes, I can imagine he would be.’ Her mother looked at her thoughtfully. ‘He was considered quite brilliant as a boy but too lazy and quick with his fists to spend time bothering with his brain.’

Ally shook her head slowly. ‘But why hasn’t Will ever mentioned him?’

Her mother shrugged. ‘The Carters fostered quite a few children and I don’t think Sean was the best at keeping in touch.’

He’d admitted as much himself. Ally fiddled idly with some cake crumbs. ‘And he won’t be around for long this time either. He’s just helping Will out—says he owes him a favour.’

‘I expect he does.’ Her mother dried the cake tins and laid them carefully on the table. ‘And if he’s not going to be here for long, you’d better make the most of him while you can.’

Ally gasped. ‘Mum!’

‘What?’ Elaine gave a sigh. ‘Ally, I would have to be both blind and stupid not to have picked up the vibes between the two of you. It’s never really bothered me before, you putting your life on hold for Charlie, because I knew you’d never met a man worthy of you anyway, but if you let this opportunity slip through your fingers then you’ll regret it.’

‘But he doesn’t want commitment and he says he never wants children.’

‘Well, we all say things we don’t mean,’ her mother replied calmly. ‘Would you want children and commitment after all he went through as a child?’

‘Probably not.’ Ally cast her mind back to his comments about people who became parents. If he’d suffered so much abandonment in his life, no wonder he shied away from forging relationships. ‘But what happens when he moves on?’

‘Then you have your memories,’ her mother said crisply. ‘Better a brief relationship with Mr Right than a lifetime with Mr Wrong, don’t you think? I know you’re thinking of Rob and Paul, but don’t—they weren’t worth ruining your life over.’

Ally stared at her. ‘But there’s Charlie…’

‘You’ve always done the right thing by Charlie but she’s not made of glass, sweetheart.’ Elaine checked that the cakes were cool and then wrapped them up in clingfilm. ‘Thanks to you, she’s more than capable of coping with a few knocks in life. Now, I’m late and your dad will be worrying so I’m going to make a move.’

She stooped and kissed her daughter and picked up her coat on her way out, leaving Ally sitting at the table lost in thought. She was still there when Sean returned ten minutes later, bottle in hand.

‘Has your mum gone?’