‘Your home?’ Hurt pushed itself to the surface, destroying any semblance of civility. ‘You left it the day you left us to go off with some bloke and live somewhere more exotic. To start your life over. That’s what you said to me when you left. You can’t just come waltzing back now you’ve changed your mind.’

‘I’ve got nowhere else to go, Nick, and I am Freddie’s mum. I want to be with him.’

Nick took three slow, deep breaths. ‘You can stay until we figure out what we’re going to do from now on.’

‘I know what I want to do, Nick. I want to come home to you and Freddie.’

‘You just want to wake up tomorrow like the last six months have never happened and play happy families?’ He launched upright and paced around the living room.

‘I don’t want to play happy families, Nick, and that’s a bit insulting. I just want us to try again, and I am entitled to be here. My name’s on the mortgage too.’

She might technically be entitled to stay, but morally? Nick swigged his beer. A part of him wanted to believe her but how could he after everything she’d done. She stood in front of him, looking him straight in the eye.

‘I’ve got nowhere else to go. I want us to try again. I’ve realised how much I love you and I’ve never stopped loving Freddie. I want my old life back.’

‘It’s not that easy,’ he said quietly, turning away and Paige’s voice softened.

‘It can be. If we want it to be.’

He cursed under his breath as a knock at the door took his attention and he strode over to open it. ‘Bella, hi.’ Panic washed over him, and he wished with all his heart he could remove Paige from the living room and invite her in instead. ‘Is everything okay?’

Bella’s eyes focused on the suitcase then lifted to Paige who was watching them both, one hand on her hip the other on her wine glass. He wanted Bella to glance back at him so she could see how much he didn’t want this etched on his face. But Bella being Bella, she mustered a smile. ‘Paige, you’re back.’

‘I am,’ Paige replied with a coolness that made Nick’s blood boil. ‘Here to stay.’ He shot a glance over his shoulder, then turned to Bella. Pain was so clearly written on her face he wanted to kiss her again but everything they’d had earlier was being snatched away.