‘Dad just acted like he didn’t have a family—’ Lexi’s voice jerked. ‘I mean, he made you sell the house so that he could have the money, and he didn’t even want me to go and stay with him this summer. That’s why we came up here, isn’t it? You made it impossible for me to get back there, so I wouldn’t find out the truth. But when I rang him he told me it wasn’t convenient for me to come—he didn’t want me around, and that’s why we came up here.’

Jenna stroked her daughter’s soaking hair, smoothing it away from her face. ‘I don’t know what’s going on in your dad’s head right now, sweetheart, but I do know he loves you. You need to give him time to sort himself out.’

‘He loves me as long as I don’t mess up his new life.’ Lexi scrubbed tears away with her hand. ‘I’m sorry I was so difficult. I’m sorry I made it hard for you.’

‘You didn’t. It always would have been hard. Having you is what’s kept me going. Having you is the best thing that ever happened in my life.’ With a flash of relief, Jenna saw the helicopter and drew Lexi back against the rock face. ‘Right. They’re going to get us out of here. You go first.’

Lexi clung to her mother. ‘I don’t want to leave you here—’

‘I’ll be right behind you, I promise.’

As Lexi was clipped onto the rope and lifted into the helicopter Jenna had a few moments alone on the rock.

Looking at the swirling, greedy sea, she knew that she was facing the most difficult decision of her life. She thought back to the moment when Ryan had been forced to choose between holding her and holding her daughter and the injured boy. That was life, wasn’t it? It was full of tough decisions. Things were rarely straightforward and every decision had a price.

If she told Lexi about her relationship with Ryan, she’d threaten her daughter’s security and happiness. And what could she offer Ryan? He wanted a family. Babies. Even if she was able to have more children, how could she do that to Lexi?

There was no choice to make because it had already been made for her.

Clinging to the rock, Jenna watched Lexi pulled to safety inside the helicopter, the seawater mingling with her tears.

CHAPTER NINE

OVERNIGHT, Lexi became a heroine.

As word spread of her daring climb down the cliffs to save Matt, Jenna couldn’t walk two steps along the bustling quay without being stopped and told how proud she must be feeling. Every time she opened her front door there was another gift lying there waiting for them. Fresh fruit. Cake. Chocolate. Hand-knitted socks for Lexi—