chapter 14

“Will you come in?”

“Yeah,” he says good-naturedly, putting one arm around her and hugging her. “Hey, have you said hello to Auntie Elizabeth?”

“No, hello!” She comes up and hugs me.

“Hello, you.” I give her a big cuddle. She’s only a few inches shorter than me. “You want your prezzie now?”

“Ooh, yes please!” She sees the parcel I brought on the table and rushes over to it. “Can I open it now?”

“Of course.”

She rips off the paper as her friends crowd around, and they all squeal. It’s a nail stamper kit with kid-safe polish, over a hundred icons, and five design pods.

“I thought you could all give yourself mani-pedis at your sleepover tonight,” I tell them.

“I love it! Thank you so much!” She comes up and hugs me again and then runs off with her friends to investigate the different icons.

Huxley gives me a wry look.

“What?” I ask.

“You know they’re going to want to give me a manicure.”

“Why do you think I bought it?”

He meets my gaze, and his eyes are hot, bright. “Don’t think I didn’t