Page 89 of The Last Kiss

Wards in the morning

Sunlight streams through the open gap in the thick curtains, lasering my face with eye-murdering brightness. I stretch, toes and ankles stiff, as I acclimatise to the sound of my phone ringing. While one hand goes to the bedside table, my other reaches for Henri, only to come up empty. Hmm, that’s disappointing.

“He said to tell you he will be back shortly. He’s gone to check the herd.”

With my feet scrambling uselessly against the bedsheets I try to sit up, pulling them with me to cover my nakedness.

Was the cover up or down before?

Oh God.

“Hey?” I say and push my hair out of my face as I try to find a surprised smile that doesn’t look like a shocked grimace and paint it on my face.

“Hi.” Simone is cross-legged at the end of the bed.

So, this is strange.

“I got bored waiting for you to wake up.”

“And you often come into Uncle Henri’s room?”

Jeez, what have I walked into here?

Simone laughs. “No. He’ll tell me off.”

I wait, wondering if she’ll click she shouldn’t be in here now, but the penny isn’t dropping. Thankfully, my phone rings again. “I should get this.” I pick it up and wait again.

Nope, she’s not going anywhere. She pulls forward a lock of dark hair and starts weaving a fast plait with deft fingers.

Shaking my head and rubbing at my eyes, I answer Liv’s video call. “Hey, you.”

“You are so shit at staying in contact.”

“Sorry—”

“I’ll call when I land, I promise.”

“Liv—”

“I promise if I do this then I will call three times a day to keep you updated.”

“Shh.” I warn, squinting my eyes. “There’s a child sitting on the end of the bed.”

“Huh?” She’s brushing her hair, long blonde tangles seamlessly dropping into glossy locks. My fingers automatically drift to my mass of knotted curls. Ugh.

“I don’t know?” I mime before swiftly turning the phone. “Simone, say hello to my sister Olivia.” Averting her attention from her plait she looks up and gives a small wave. “Hi.”

“Uh, hi…”

With a grin, I swizzle the phone back around. “Simone is Henri’s ward, I think.”

“Only until Mama comes back.”

Simone drops her bottom lip and chews on it as she refocuses on another strand of hair to plait.

“Sure,” I say, optimistically.

Liv’s mouth is hanging wide open. “Ward?” she mouths to which I nod.