Page 70 of All Yours

‘Some of this would make more sense if it was done the night before,’ Fiona observed from her seat.

‘I’m sure you’ll find your way of doing things,’ Fox said agreeably.

‘And it might be better if you leave breakfast to me,’ Fiona said, ‘rather than being in here too, getting in the way.’

Fox caught a smile cross Robyn’s face before she hid it in the fridge looking for cheese strings.

‘I like having breakfast with the boys, though,’ Fox said. ‘Especially if I’m not going to see them again until dinner.’

‘That’s another thing we might want to look at,’ Fiona said. ‘Sometimes it works better for a child’s digestion to eat earlier in the evening than an adult. So it might be best to separate that out.’

Fox heard a snort from the fridge.

‘We’ll work it out, I’m sure, Fiona. But I’d like to stick to our routine for the time being.’

Finally, everyone was ready. The boys slung their bags over their shoulders and Dingbat ran to the front door.

‘You don’t normally take the dog, do you?’ Fiona frowned deeply.

‘We do,’ Robyn said, pulling her coat on and selecting Dingbat’s lead from the hook.

‘We might need to look at that too.’ Fiona sniffed. ‘I’m a nanny, not a dog walker.’ She turned towards the front door, zipping her anorak up to the chin. ‘Right, boys, let’s go. Breathe deeply as you walk.’

Fox and Robyn shared a look, half horror, half amusement. This was going to be some adjustment.

‘Happy last day,’ Fox said to Robyn as she passed him in the open doorway. ‘Hope the handover goes well.’

She looked at him from under her eyelashes.

‘Want to come over later?’ she asked quietly. ‘Play some games?’

He nodded quickly. Yes. Yes, he did.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Robyn

Fox carried the baby monitor in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other. He came in with a gust of cold wind and the scent of his skin. The butterflies in her stomach all took off at once, as she realised that tonight, there was nothing stopping them from doing exactly what they wanted.

‘So how was it?’ Fox asked as he slung his coat over the back of the sofa. ‘What did the boys think of her?’

Robyn chose her words tactfully. ‘Reggie didn’t like her suggestion that he was too loud. George revolted when she suggested he eat peas.’ She shrugged. ‘It’s going to take a bit of time, but they’ll be fine.’

Fox didn’t look reassured in the slightest, so she told him how great Fiona had been with organising things for the next day, and how the boys had enjoyed her helping them with their homework after school.

‘She even knew a special rhyme for the times tables that I’ve never heard before,’ Robyn said. ‘Reggie loved that.’

Fox’s shoulders dropped a couple of inches.

‘Thank you,’ Fox said, opening the drawer for a bottle opener and pouring them both a glass. ‘That makes me feel better. Right. No more work talk. Now, it’s all about fun.’

Their eyes met and they held each other’s gaze, and Robyn felt the flush in her face as she took the glass. Again, she’d made an effort with her appearance, with a slick of gloss on her lips and mascara on her eyelashes. She’d put a dab of perfume between her breasts, and as her top buttoned up at the front she’d left the top two undone, letting a glimpse of lacy underwear show. She saw his eyes run over her body and felt her pulse quicken. Everything felt different, new, exciting.

‘So, let the games begin,’ Robyn said and she pointed at the kitchen table where she’d set everything up. ‘I know how you love to play.’ Fox looked over and burst out laughing.

‘Monopoly!’

The board was laid out. The cards and pieces were lined up and ready. But there was something missing. He frowned.