Christmas at Butterfly Cove. Sarah Bennett

he stuffed about half the crumpet in his mouth and closed his eyes with a happy sigh.

      It was on the tip of her tongue to refuse him, a tiny spark of heated indignation breaking through the suffocating weight of sadness blanketing her, but two things stopped her. Firstly, she was bloody starving for the first time in days. Secondly, he’d come when she hadn’t known she needed him, when she’d given him no reason to ever want to be near her again.

      Helping herself to some fruit and cheese, she ate in silence as Luke told her dad about the newest addition to Aaron and Kiki’s family, and the ‘surprise’ party they’d thrown for his brother the previous month. It sounded like he’d had a great time with everyone, reinforcing her decision to leave Butterfly Cove as the right one, even if it caused a pang of regret at the same time.

      He cut himself another slice of fruit cake, adding a thinner piece to her plate at the same time. Raising an eyebrow at his presumptuous action got her little more than a cocky grin in return. Damn him for knowing how much she loved fruit cake – they’d treated themselves to a Fortnum’s one as part of their homemade wedding supper. Memories of that day swamped her, bringing the fresh sting of tears to her eyes. His smile faltered and she bit the inside of her cheek to hold back the waterworks. ‘I’m okay. Thanks for the cake.’

      ‘I’m being bossy, sorry.’ He didn’t try too hard to look contrite, whatever his words.

      ‘It’s fine.’ She didn’t examine her own motives for acquiescing so easily. Being taken care of was too bloody nice.

      ‘In that case, when you’ve finished that, I’ll make you another cup of tea and you can take it up to bed with you.’

      Give a man an inch … ‘I’m going to have a bath.’ A pathetic little rebellion, but she wouldn’t let him push her around too much.

      He nodded. ‘Fine. Bath, then bed.’ She rolled her eyes, but couldn’t keep the corner of her mouth from twitching in amusement.

      ‘I think we could all do with an early night,’ her father interjected with a slightly desperate attempt at diplomacy. ‘There’s clean bedding in the airing cupboard so it won’t take me two minutes to make up one of the other rooms, unless …’ George trailed off, colour rising in his cheeks.

      Oh. God. He couldn’t possibly think she and Luke would be sharing a room, could he? Nee gaped at her father, feeling her own blush heat her skin. Luke surely wouldn’t expect it …

      She didn’t dare wait for him to respond. ‘I’ve already made up Kiki’s bed ready for tomorrow, but Luke can use Mia’s old room.’ Her elder sister had decided to stay with Pat and Bill, the parents of her late husband. They remained close and had welcomed Daniel into their family with a graceful ease few possessed. The couple would be spending Christmas with their other children and grandchildren, so Mia wanted to catch up with them whilst she could. Kiki’s children were staying home with Madeline and Richard, who had also agreed to look after the couple of artists staying at the studios until Mia and Daniel returned. No one had mentioned Luke to her when they’d been making arrangements, and she wondered whether they even knew he’d shown up. They’ll find out soon enough when they arrive.

      Needing to escape, she pushed back her chair. ‘I’ll make up the bed whilst my bath is running.’

      The bland expression on Luke’s face told her nothing. ‘Thanks. I’ll fetch your tea up in a minute.’