“Excellent. Mum and Dad bought a bike for Skylar last week, and what better place for her to cycle than our grounds. We can go for a run and Skylar can ride with us. I also thought we could clean out my old treehouse together. I’m sure Skylar would love that.”
“We’d love to spend time with you,” Star said, a little breathlessly, before remembering Mary and Lucas were standing watching them. Star turned to them, embarrassment flooding her face. “That is if it’s okay with you?” she directed at them.
“I wouldn’t have made the offer if it weren’t,” Mary said, smiling at them both, her cheek still resting on Lucas’s chest.
“Well, it looks like we’ll be having that meeting on Monday morning, if that’s okay with you, Star, Damian?” Lucas said, smiling down at his wife, love radiating from his eyes.
It was at that point Skylar came running back into the room.
“Mummy, can we stay?” she said, obviously having heard some of the conversation.
“If you want to,” Star replied. This wasn’t just about her, after all.
“Yes,” Skylar said, before throwing her arms around Damian, who let go of Star and scooped her up into his arms.
Chapter Fifteen
Monday morning came around far too fast. They had spent hours cleaning the treehouse and running round the grounds, with Skylar cycling next to them. Star loved that Damian still enjoyed running; it was something they’d spent many weekends doing when they had been students. Lucas and Mary’s seventy acres surrounding the manor house was perfect for running.
When Star came down for breakfast, she saw that Skylar was already dressed and ready for school. They’d popped home, and grabbed a change of clothes and Skylar’s uniform the day before.
“Mummy, Marcus is going to drop me at school and so I don’t need to go to Breakfast Club,” Skylar said. “I can go just in time for school to start. It’s even better ’cause now you’re up, we can have breakfast together before I go. Uncle Lucas wants to have a meeting with you here.” She looked up and added in a loud whisper, “He’s not allowed in the office, so he needs to speak to you in the house.”
Star looked at Mary over the top of her daughter’s head. “Mary, are you okay with this?”
“As if I can stop the old goat. I’m never going to hear the end of it. If you’re happy for me to take Skylar to school with Marcus, then maybe you and Damian can stop this man’s pacing and he will calm down. I got my way over the weekend, but it’s now Monday and life has to get back to normal.” Mary rolled her eyes, shooting her husband a glance.
“Yay,” Skylar squealed. “Aunty Mary, can we see the puppies now. Please!”
Star was about to protest, but Mary held up her hand to stop her. “Let me enjoy this time with my favourite little girl,” Mary said, coming round with a facecloth to wipe Skylar’s face and hands. It was such a grandmotherly thing to do. They took such great care of her. Star knew they would be doting grandparents when Damian gave them children. The thought sent a hollow feeling flooding through Star’s body. The idea of another woman getting large with Damian’s child made her sick to the stomach. They’d always talked about children before she’d ruined their chances.
Damian came into the kitchen, his hair still damp from the shower. Dropping a kiss on her lips, he helped himself to a large bowl of cereal and sat down next to her.
“I sent an email to the team, letting them know I would be having a face-to-face meeting with Lucas, so no one is expecting me in this morning,” Star said. “Friday night’s client meeting wasn’t a secret, so there should be no repercussions or gossip. If anyone asks, you dropped me home Friday night and then I drove out here this morning.”
A strange look crossed Damian’s face. “That’s very thoughtful of you,” he said before going back to eating his breakfast.
Damian’s response left Star feeling uncomfortable. She nibbled at her toast before getting up and washing her plate in the sink. Damian had made her no promises, and with Lucas starting to get involved in projects, Damian would no longer need to stay. The speed with which their relationship had restarted meant they hadn’t discussed any long-term plans. The past weekend had shown her what she had lost. She wasn’t sure how she was going to cope when he was gone.
Trying to hide her discomfort, Star plastered a smile on her face. “Skylar is really excited about your mum taking her to school,” she said, before turning to Lucas and adding, “Give me a moment. I’ll just finish getting ready and then we can begin. Are we meeting in your office?”
Both Lucas and Damian nodded, although Damian’s face held a quizzical look. He’d obviously picked up on her discomfort; she couldn’t hide anything from him.
“I won’t be a moment,” she said before making a quick exit.
Once outside the door, Star sagged against the wall, a sickening grief filling her chest. Rubbing the pain that had taken hold around her heart, Star pushed away from the wall and headed back towards the sweeping staircase that led to the upstairs.
She remembered the first time Damian had brought her here. The house looked like something out ofDownton Abbey. It was a real country manor with oak panelling, a west and east wing, and acres of land. But the Hunts, unlike her own mother, lacked the snobbery of their station; they’d always been warm and welcoming. Damian had never flashed his family’s wealth. If anything, he’d kept it hidden, and Lucas had made him work for what he had. When Star had arrived, she’d been the first girl Damian had brought home to meet them, or that was how Mary had described her, and she’d been welcomed with open arms. Star had joined them on holidays, at parties, and no one had ever made her feel less. She’d felt loved.
Making her way back to Damian’s room, Star sat down on the bed, and rubbed her chest to ease the tension. When Lucas returned, Damian would leave. She had no right to feel sad; they’d made no promises to each other. But the hollow feeling burrowing its way through Star left her in no doubt she was not going to walk away unscathed. She had fallen in love with Damian all over again – if she’d ever fallen out of love with him in the first place. Swiping at the single tear that had escaped, Star jumped at the gentle knock.
“It’s Mary, dear. I just wanted to let you know Skylar and I are about to leave.”
Star took a deep breath and headed to the door. Mary took one look at Star, and patted her arm. Star bent down and hugged Skylar goodbye.
“Be a good girl, munchkin, and I’ll see you after school,” Star said, giving her an extra squeeze.
“Are we coming back here?” Skylar asked excitedly.