It was Jack’s usual pattern.
Bryony sighed. ‘Jack, you’re thirty-four,’ she said softly. ‘You can’t run for ever.’
He gave a funny lopsided grin that made her heart turn over. ‘Watch me.’
‘Listen…’ She put her pen down and gave up on her Christmas cards. They could wait. ‘I know your parents’ divorce was really difficult for you, but you can’t—’
‘Drop it, Blondie. I don’t want to talk about it.’ His eyes glittered ominously and she saw the warning in the blue depths. Taboo subject.
She sighed. ‘But, Jack, you can’t—’
‘Why did the blonde tiptoe past the medicine cabinet?’ he drawled lazily, and she rolled her eyes, exasperated by his refusal to talk about his emotions
.
‘I don’t know.’
‘Because she didn’t want to wake the sleeping pills.’ Jack gave a wicked smile that made her heart jump in her chest.
He was so shockingly handsome it was totally unfair, and when he smiled like that she just melted.
‘How many men does it take to change a toilet roll?’ She smiled sweetly. ‘No one knows. It’s never been done. So what did Nina do wrong?’
Jack gave a sardonic smile. ‘Frankly? She said, “I love you”,’ he said dryly, and gave a mock shudder. ‘Which is the same as “goodbye” in my language.’
Bryony rolled her eyes. ‘They always say that if you want to get rid of a man, you should say “I love you, I want to marry you and most of all I want to have your children.” It’s guaranteed to leave skid marks.’
Jack laughed. ‘That’s just about the size of it. Why do you think I bought a Ferrari?’
Bryony sighed. ‘Poor Nina.’
‘She knew the score.’
But Bryony was willing to bet that knowing the score hadn’t made it any easier. On the other hand, Nina seemed to have moved on quite happily to David so she couldn’t have been that broken-hearted.
‘One day you’ll settle down, Jack,’ Bryony predicted, licking another envelope. ‘You’ll be such a great father.’
‘That’s nonsense.’
‘Look how great you are with Lizzie.’
‘That’s because I have all the fun and none of the responsibility,’ he said shortly, frowning slightly as he looked at her.
‘I don’t think that’s true. Lizzie expects a lot from you and you always deliver. How many netball matches have you been to this year?’
Jack grinned. ‘Lots. You know me. Rugby, rock-climbing, netball—my three favourite sports.’
She laughed. ‘Precisely. The sight of you standing on the side of a netball court would be funny if it wasn’t so touching.’ She added the envelope to the ever-growing pile. ‘And it is touching, Jack. You’re fantastic with Lizzie.’
A muscle worked in his jaw. ‘But what she really wants is a father.’
Bryony shrugged. ‘And who can blame her for that?’
‘She doesn’t realise that fathers aren’t perfect.’
‘I think she probably does, actually. But she still wants someone.’
‘So how is the quest going? Any suitable candidates lined up? Obviously David is now off the scene…’