Damian smiled down at her. “We will, but let’s get back. I have a surprise for Skylar.”
“You spoil her,” Star said, frowning. “Oh, and she wants to show you all the books she’s read since you left. She brought them with her in her backpack.”
“I want to spoil her. I love her mummy. She’s part of you, and she holds a special place in my heart.”
Gathering up their clothes, they redressed in silence.
“Race you back,” Star said not waiting for Damian to finish putting on his trainers, before she took off down the trail. Damian called after her but Star ignored him. It wasn’t long before his larger stride had closed the distance and they made their way back to the manor together, where Mary was waiting.
“Get washed up, breakfast will be ready in fifteen minutes,” she said, smiling, happy her intervention had so clearly worked.
Damian grabbed Star’s hand and pulled her up the stairs, heading for his room where they decided it would be much more time effective to share the shower. Or maybe not!
∞∞∞
Breakfast went off as though none of the past few weeks had occurred. Skylar was incredibly vocal, talking continually about all the books she had been reading. Damian in his usual manner remained focused and encouraging in ways Star couldn’t believe. This was a man with no siblings and no children of his own – as far as she was aware. Her body tensed as she remembered the woman’s voice from the phone call. What if Damian had another life? What if he was in a long-term relationship? What if she had inadvertently become the “other woman”?
Star’s brain went into overload, her breathing increasing.
“Are you okay?” It was Mary whose voice broke through the haze.
Star looked up, and her eyes must have flashed the panic she was feeling as Mary leant across and grabbed her hand. Damian’s attention had now shifted from Skylar’s to Star’s concern splashed across his face.
“Are you okay, Mummy? You’ve gone a funny colour,” Skylar said, her brow furrowing in the middle.
Giving a weak smile, Star stood up and said, “I think I need some air.” She made a dash for the back door. Star left a set of concerned faces in her wake. Once outside she leant against the wall and doubled over, trying to catch her breath.
“Hey,” Damian said, resting his hand on her back and rubbing soothing circles. “Is everything okay?”
Star straightened up, drawing a deep breath into her lungs. “Who was the woman in your apartment?” Damian looked confused. “The day you rang Lucas, there was a woman’s voice in the background. You said you were in your apartment. Who was she?”
Clarity followed by something else, maybe guilt, appeared on Damian’s face as he finally understood who she was talking about. “We probably need to talk about this …”
“Oh God.” Star bent double, so many emotions crashing into her at once. She was right; shewasthe other woman. He was with someone else and she didn’t know.
“Star, what’s going on?” Damian said, bending down next to her.
“Who is she?”
Damian had the decency to look guilty. “She was my girlfriend,”
“And you didn’t think you should tell me you have a girlfriend.”
“Had, past tense. Star, walk with me.” Damian took Star’s hand, pulling her upright and heading away from the house. “Sabrina is no longer my girlfriend. She was there that day to collect all of her things.”
“But you had a girlfriend and you slept with me?” Star’s voice caught in her throat.
“No and yes. When I came back to run things for Dad, I had no idea you were going to explode your way back into my life. Yes, I’d moved on. Sabrina was on the verge of moving in when I came over here.” Star’s intake of breath made Damian stop and spin her towards him. Gripping her chin, he made her look into his eyes. “But it took five minutes in a room with you again even after seven years to realise, I didn’t feel a fraction for her what I felt for you. When you and I got together, Sabrina and I were already over in my mind. I went back to the US because I felt I owed it to her to end things face to face. When I saw you with Christian, I knew I wanted to fight for us – I couldn’t just give you up again.”
“But you wouldn’t talk to me …”
“I’d already arranged my flight. I realised something was wrong when you blew me off.” He tapped her nose. “You are a terrible liar by the way. I followed you and saw you meeting with Christian. I wasn’t sure what he was up to, but before I threw my hat into the mix, I knew I needed to get my life in the States in order. Mum gave me a lecture about keeping people hanging, Sabrina had started ringing the house trying to get hold of me, so I’d already decided I needed to head back and set Sabrina straight.”
“Why didn’t you tell me about her?”
“Initially I was so shocked you were back in my life, I couldn’t think of anything but you, and I couldn’t tell you about her as I couldn’t do anything about it at the time. Sabrina was on an assignment when I first came back, and we weren’t in contact. When she came back and started contacting me, I’m not proud of myself, but I tried to ignore her … I didn’t want to risk us for something I knew was over.”
Star stared hard at Damian.