She managed a smile. ‘Really?’ She stared at him through her tears as if deciding whether he was telling her the whole truth before adding, ‘Go home with Lily after Christmas lunch. I’ll be fine for the rest of the day.’ Her smile slipped a notch. ‘Hopefully by then we’ll know my results are OK. If my treatment means more surgery or something then I’ll have time to regroup before it actually happens, to make proper plans for my own care. Nic and Vicky will be back or I’ll have enough notice to be able to book nursing care.’ She put up a hand to stem his reply. ‘Isaac, I’m not having any more negative effects on your life.’ With a nod, she slipped inside her room and closed the door.

Right. That felt almost like light at the end of the tunnel, Isaac thought as he let himself into his room, loosening his tie and kicking off his shoes. He turned his attention to the parcel waiting for him on his bed. He’d taken it from a delivery lady this afternoon and popped it up here, knowing what it was. Lily’s Christmas present.

Carefully, he slit the tape on the box and checked the contents.

He fully intended to use every trick he had to bring him and Lily together again.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Working alongside Isaac left Lily feeling stretched and thin. So near. So far. So touchable. So not.

If she’d been thinking of weakening over the memory of Isaac’s kisses, Hayley’s cautious movements and anxious expression on Friday evening had strengthened her resolve. Imagine if they were together and Hayley shouted for Isaac? Or rang him? Lily’s tummy curled at the thought.

At least the Sunday lunch planned as ‘early Christmas’ with Roma, Patsie, Zinnia and George gave Lily something to focus on, even if it was also a reminder that none of her family members would be around on Christmas Day. In addition to the chocolate, glass, scarves and wooden ornaments she’d purchased in Schützenberg Christmas market, for Zinnia and George she’d bought a voucher for a nice restaurant in Peterborough – reasoning that they’d already be saving up for baby stuff – and a squashy rabbit in a Santa hat for the baby. Wrapping that up seemed unreal. Zinnia a mother? Wow.

For Roma she’d selected a book of Escher’s drawings and a garden centre voucher. For Patsie, tickets to a symphony orchestra concert, hoping it would be Roma she’d take with her.

She slipped into a favourite skater dress in amethyst purple, plaited the top of her hair and left the rest loose, slipped into sassy ankle boots and drove to the appointed pub between Bettsbrough and Peterborough.