a son with the CEO

n instead of m

an issue,’ D

ot. Emmy kept a rein on he

cussion ought

ne who said we

difficult clients, before she was tempted to strangle him. ‘Could

he said

really trusts you,’ Emmy said, ‘or you’re

an said, ‘because we’re se

py,

amped the questions down. It wasn’t any of her business. Whereas Tyler’s

s most definite

sue a bit less complicated,

ad suggested to her yest

might turn out to be a

‘Maybe,’ she said slowly,

ould give Tyler

s eyes at her. ‘

gths.’ And different weakn

together on this, and now wasn’t the time for a f

do the serious stuff and you

to compromise, but this w

ed Dylan from practicall

arrogant, and had the soci

wasn’t sure which. She lifted her chin. ‘You mean, because I work with pretty,

she asked, her vo

n’t actually meant to insult her

ead, unable to do a basic set of yearly accounts and work out my profit marg

he black and my business is doing just fine, thank you. Or wil

K. I apologise. I shou

d.’ And maybe she should

sly hurting as much as she was. Especially as he was having to deal with a

hich meant he probably w

ut and making snippy rema

didn’t mean that she was going to let

giving him a stable home where he can grow up knowing who has nobody, and giving him a stable home wher

de. They’d managed it for

siness and hadn’t been able to attend, despite the fact tha

their differences aside a

h where Ally and Pete had

their promises as godpare

the marriage had been in tr

would make a bit more sense of the decision to

n’s christening day. I intend to be there for him.’ Was Emmy

Rig

had been there when he’d as good as called her an airhead. And that mollified

overemotional, needy mess

ous and focused, like Nad

refused to put up with; h

d of behaviour in

f their baby, if anything happened to them.’ Sh

of tears in her grey eyes,

Please don’t let her cry.

crying, he’d have to walk out of the café. Because right now he couldn’t cope with any more emotional pre

ith nothing t

‘We’re going to have to w

nal feeli

nal feeli

t have a lot of choice in

he tears back. That wa

slightly surprised at how

aviour. She’d been late t

eble of excuses. And he’d

’s and Ally had had to rus

’s disastrous relationsh

is mother behaved, and Dyl

f self

the glitter hadn’t been

o do the fun things with T

as all about fun. Which w

and do what needed to be

you’ve been look

ft.’ She shrugge

bysitting anymore. There

ck

The social worker came to

and a routine. So I guess t

omething as near as possi

hat usually surrounded Em

kind of routine. But he b

now he needed to be conci

. ‘R

icitor said, we’re

you have him, the next we

hat work

sn’t work

her, not underst

ed in with me, I have to br

you have to bring him to

not fair

are you s

e said, not meeting his g

e says that whoever cares

e, t

planning to move into

ghed. ‘No

ghed. ‘No

ally sank in. ‘You’re sug

ocking, he almost

n, looking affronted. ‘The

Tyler’s care. Believe you

le solution for Tyler. It s

over London at times tha

him, not the o

unds like living together

Hadn’t he failed spect

ecause he hadn’t wanted

ultimatum. A choice he

o embodied everything

to make a fam

r mouth tightened, and she gave him a look as if to say tha

about this. ‘I don’t want

s

e paused. ‘Actually, no, there is an easy solution to t

nd Ally wanted.’ And he d

, not permanently. Then ag