Chapter Twenty-Six #2
‘Okay, can you keep a secret?’ He bent and whispered loudly enough in her ear that he knew the others would hear. ‘Of course she’s way better. But don’t let her know I told you that or she’ll stop me coming to the lessons. And I really enjoy dancing with your mum.’
As Maisie whispered an okay back at him, he glanced up at Anna. Her misty-eyed expression told him his charm button had finally become unstuck, though he had to admit it was easy to charm when all he was saying was the truth.
A flurry of activity followed, with Maisie saying goodnight to everyone, giving them all, including him, a hug, which left him feeling both touched and choked. Anna darted upstairs behind her daughter and Dan was left showing Val and Bob out of the house she’d used to live in with their son.
Yep, the awkwardness was back.
‘So, well, thanks for taking care of Maisie tonight,’ he ventured as they stood in the narrow hallway. Immediately he realised it wasn’t his place to say that, but again Val gave him one of her kind smiles.
‘It’s always a pleasure to spend time with her.
She’s what’s kept us going since Chris died.
At first it felt like a part of him was still with us, the way she’d give us a look, or smile just like he did when he was her age.
’ Val glanced at her husband, who nodded soberly.
‘As time went on though, it no longer became that connection to Chris that brought us such joy. It was Maisie herself.’ She shocked him then by placing a hand on his arm and squeezing it.
‘And she won’t stop talking about the play, about the weekends, about how funny you are.
So thank you for taking such good care with our granddaughter. ’
Jesus. Emotion swamped him and he almost couldn’t breathe.
‘I . . . it’s her who’s helped me. Her and Anna.
They’ve given me so much.’ He thought about his soulless existence before he’d met them.
Then about what he had now. Not just his son back in his life, which was massive, but more than that, he had hope for the future.
Hope that he’d find happiness in both his life and his work.
Hell, he’d even resurrected that long forgotten screenplay.
Overwhelmed, he dragged a hand through his hair.
‘Truth is, I can’t imagine life without them in it,’ he admitted hoarsely.
Val gave him a sympathetic smile, and even Bob’s expression changed from its usual watchful expression to one of quiet understanding as they let themselves out.
Feeling off balance, Dan was about to walk back into the sitting room when Anna called down to him. ‘Maisie said she wants you to read to her. She says you can do voices better than I can.’
‘Well, she’s right there.’ His heart and his mind full of memories from last weekend, when he’d ended up reading to Max and Maisie for over an hour because they wouldn’t let him go, he climbed the stairs towards the room where the chatter was coming from at the end of the landing.
The sign on Maisie’s door made him stop and read it.
Dear Santa, I’m good at being naughty. I think that should count.
Chuckling, he tapped on the door. ‘Famous actor here, come to read a story.’
Anna groaned. ‘I told you he’d get big-headed.’
Dan pretended to look hurt. ‘Hey, I do funny voices, you do . . . headmistressy discipline. We make a great team.’
Even as Maisie giggled, Dan felt another punch of emotion catch at his throat. Could they make a great team for real? Would Anna let him into her life enough for them to give it a try?
He really didn’t know, but the soft expression in her eyes at least told him she wasn’t upset by his statement. ‘I’ll be in my bedroom when you’ve finished,’ she whispered.
And wow, he really couldn’t have that image in his head right now. ‘So, what book are we reading?’ he asked as he plonked himself down on the floor next to Maisie’s bed. She handed him a red book covered in snowflakes, in the centre a picture of a rather weird creature. ‘The Christmasaurus?’
Maisie nodded enthusiastically. ‘It’s about a dinosaur who meets this boy on Christmas Eve and they have a magical adventure together.’
‘Wow, sounds good.’ He paused, flicking through the pages. The many, many pages. ‘How long does this adventure last, exactly?’
‘You don’t have to read it all. Mum says one chapter a night on a school night is enough.’ She gave him that cute grin he couldn’t resist. ‘But ’cause you’re an actor, maybe you can read two.’
And ’cause he was a sucker for the girl who was so much like her mum, he agreed.
After he’d finished, he kissed the top of her head and stepped quietly across the landing to the first room he’d walked by. There he found Anna sitting up in bed, wearing a strappy silk top and a beautiful smile. ‘You found me then.’
He swallowed, his throat tight and his voice, when he found it, several octaves deeper than usual. ‘I found you.’
She patted the side of the bed next to her. ‘Then come and make yourself at home.’ Her eyes held his, steady and sure. ‘This is a new bed. I had it delivered today. I thought we could christen it together.’
And boom, just like that, his heart almost detonated. That was when he knew for certain Pete was right. He’d fallen in love.