âListen, about last night â¦â
As Joe said the words he recognized this was the first time theyâd been alone since the kiss the day before. He was acutely aware of it and Hannah seemed just as uncomfortable.
Hannahâs gaze flew to his face. âI know, it was a mistake. It was stupidââ
âIt wasnât a mistake,â he said before he could edit himself. âThat wasnât what I was going to say.â
âOh.â She was silent for a beat or two. âWhat were you going to say?â
âGo out with me?â
âButââ
âBut what?â He took a step closer.
She looked straight into his eyes. In an instant all the heat from last night was there between them. And the only thing he wanted was a repeat of what theyâd done the last time they were alone.
Dear Reader,
Mills & Boon>® books hold a very special place in my heart because it was through them that I first discovered my love of romance novels. Both my grandmothers had a stack of Mills & Boon>® books, and I couldnât get enough of them as I was growing up.
When I first started writing, someone suggested I should write for Mills & Boon and I can remember the utter shock I felt. It simply hadnât occurred to me that I could be a part of something I adored so much. Now, several years after having my first book published, I still pinch myself every time I see my name on the cover of a book, and I think about both my grandmothers and thank them all over again for introducing me to the world of romance.
I hope you enjoy Home for the Holidays. I got so much out of writing Joe and Hannahâs journey to finding each other and understanding what family means. I love to hear from readers, so please drop me a line at sarah@ sarahmayberry.com if you feel the urge.
Until next time,
Sarah Mayberry
Thanks to Neighbours for inspiring this story.
Thanks to Claire and Helen for their wise advice and thoughts on children.
And thanks, as always, to Chris. You rock, in every possible way.
And last, but never, ever least, to Wanda. She knows why.
âDADDY, DO YOU THINK MOMMY will be able to find us in our new house?â
Joe Lawson paused a moment before answering his daughterâs question. Ruby stared at him from her bed, her small, angular face anxious.
âIâll bet Mommy can find us no matter where we are,â he said.
âThatâs what Grandma always says, but Iâm not so sure. Melbourne is a long way from Sydney. It took us ages to drive here.â
As he struggled to find an answer, Ruby sighed heavily and tugged the covers closer to her chin.
âI guess Iâd better go to sleep. School tomorrow. I need to be fresh.â
She rolled over onto her side and closed her eyes, apparently completely at peace now that sheâd voiced her deeper metaphysical concerns.
The joys of being ten years old. If only he could dismiss her question as easily. Not for the first time, he wondered if heâd done the right thing moving the kids away from everything that was familiar to them so that they could be closer to the support his mother could provide.
Be honest. At least with yourself.
The truth was, heâd been more than happy to abandon the family home.
Pulling Rubyâs door shut behind him, he walked up the hall to check on Ben. As he had suspected, Ben was out for the count, his bedroom light still on. Joe watched him for a long moment, noting how thin Ben had become over the past few months thanks to a growth spurt. Soon, his thirteen-year-old son would be able to look Joe in the eye. He tugged the duvet up over Benâs shoulders, flicked the light off then returned to the living room.
Boxes were still piled against the walls, filled with DVDs, books and God only knows what else, since heâd paid professionals to pack the contents of their former home. The kitchen was equally disastrous. In fact, the kidsâ rooms were the only spaces that were even close to being livable.
He stared at the boxes. He hated moving. Always had. Beth had claimed he was the worst packer in the Southern Hemisphere and always supervised him ruthlessly to ensure he was working up to her standards whenever they moved. He was pretty sure Ben had been conceived the afternoon they were packing to leave the small apartment theyâd bought when they married. After a day of being dictated to, heâd rebelled against Bethâs bossiness and seduced her on the kitchen floor. Sheâd been laughing and protesting right up to the moment when heâd tugged her bra down and started kissing her breasts.
He shied away from the memory, as he had from all the other memories that had surfaced during the day. It was impossible not to think about her, though, when he was unpacking the life theyâd shared together. The dinner set theyâd chosen when they were married. The kidsâ finger paintings from preschool sheâd saved. Even the damned side-by-side fridge reminded him of how excited sheâd been the day it was delivered.