She remembered the night before her mother had died. After their terrible fight, her mother had swept into the room to let her know they were going out.

Her dark hair had been swept up in an elegant knot, and her black dress had flowed in a silken sweep to the floor. Izzy had badly wanted to continue their conversation, only this time without the shouting, but before she could speak her father had stepped into the room and the moment had passed.

Izzy had felt frustration and anxiety, but had promised herself she’d make her mother talk about it the next day. But there had been no next day. Her mother had collapsed suddenly from an undetected aneurysm in her brain. She’d died before she reached the hospital.

Their world had collapsed that night. For Izzy it had remained in ruins, but apparently her father had been busy rebuilding his.

“It’s dinner, Izzy. That’s all. She isn’t sharing my bed. She’s not moving in. But I like her.” He hesitated. “I like her a lot and I think you and Molly will, too.”

Izzy knew for sure she wouldn’t like her. There was no way, no way, she was ready to see her father with anyone else. Where would that leave her? Where would she fit in that scenario? Right now her dad needed her. Would that change if he had another woman in his life?

“How long have you been dating?” She tried to mimic his calm. “How did you meet her?”

“Remember the flowers I bought for your birthday? She’s a florist. She made that bouquet you loved so much.”

Izzy had loved the bouquet. It had made her feel ridiculously grown-up. She’d considered it thoughtful, but now she discovered that the choice had been driven by someone else’s thought. The gift shrank in her head.

“You’ve been seeing her since my birthday?”

“We went for a coffee that day. She’s been through tough times, too. She was about the same age as Molly when she lost her mother.”

That wasn’t good news. She’d think she understood them, and she most certainly didn’t. Families, Izzy decided, were the most complex things on the planet. “But you’ve seen her more than that one time.”

“She works near my office. I’ve seen her for lunch a few times.”

A few times. Enough times to want to bring her home to meet the family.

“You never mentioned it.”

“There was nothing to mention.”

“But now there is.”

Her father put the towels down. “I know this is difficult, and sensitive, but I’m asking you to keep an open mind.”

Molly had only just stopped crying herself to sleep. Would it all start again if her dad brought someone home? “So what? You want me to run round the house taking down all the pictures of Mom?”