‘It’s amazing, isn’t it?’ Sophia said to her as she pulled mugs out of a cupboard and scooped chocolate powder into each.
‘Have you ever been?’ Lily asked.
‘No.’ She stirred the milk into the cups. ‘I’m not good with snow and to see it at its best you need to go in winter.’
‘I love snow!’
Sophia gave a soft laugh. ‘Most kids do.’
Her voice had turned distant, her eyes on the task in hand but unseeing. Was she thinking of her sister? The memory of that tale sent a shiver running through him now and the impulse to reach out for her was overpowering.
‘Can I help?’ he asked, coming up behind her, his hand gentle on her lower back.
She gave him a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes and his chest ached for her, his own smile filled with understanding, compassion.
‘It’s okay; I’m almost done.’ She went back to the hot chocolate, squirting in cream and sprinkling on marshmallows with a dramatic flourish designed to hide it all. ‘Voila!’
She lifted two of the mugs and carried them to the counter, while he scooped up the third.
‘These are impressive.’
She quirked a brow at him. ‘You can say it.’
‘Say what?’
‘They’re a cardiac arrest in a cup.’
‘A cardy what?’ Lily said, her brow wrinkling as she reached out for the one nearest to her and her eyes became fishbowls once more.
Sophia grimaced at Jack as she mouthed a sorry and he just smiled at her. ‘Don’t worry, I don’t think even that would put her off.’
She blushed. ‘Can’t have a hot choc without all the trimmings. It’s criminal.’
Lily laughed. ‘Now I get it—cardy arrest. You are funny, Sphea.’
He laughed and shook his head. ‘Isn’t she just?’
Sophia looked to him, her own laughter sparkling in her eyes. He lifted the mug to his lips, felt the cream tickle at his nose and saw her eyes lower to the sight, her blush deepening. What wouldn’t he give to know what she was thinking? ‘You want to explain how you drink it?’
‘I quite like watching you work it out.’
He cleaned off the tip of his nose and watched as she closed her mouth over a marshmallow and some cream and felt his body tighten. His hand clenched tight around his mug.
‘Mmm, it’s so good,’ Sophia murmured. ‘How’s yours, Lily?’
‘Perfect,’ his daughter said, sticking her finger straight in and scooping up the topping, then popping it into her mouth with zero elegance. Mood officially killed. ‘Dee-licious! Isn’t it, Daddy?’
‘Yup.’ Not that he had tasted yet...
They all moved to the small dining table and Lily dragged the brochure into the middle of them, the double-page spread
open with the bubble-like hotel room surrounded by woodland and the aurora lights flooding the sky. There were images all the way around it showing the various sights Iceland had to offer: waterfalls, the black sand beach, the basalt stacks, geo-thermal pools, geysers... It really was a sight and his daughter was clearly fascinated.
‘It’s such a great concept,’ Sophia said, spying his focus. ‘Being able to sleep under the stars, all warm and cosy with a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view of it all.’
And yet she wouldn’t go because of the white stuff also liberally sprinkled throughout the shot. He leaned closer to her, his arm brushing against hers. ‘It is incredible.’
‘But is it real or have they just made it up?’