They’d come to the crux of the matter far quicker than he’d expected. Over the last week she’d shown him how she felt about him, touching his hand, rubbing his back, snuggling up to him at the Christmas play, but every time all he could think was that he was betraying Bella and betraying his heart. He didn’t love Paige anymore and she’d forgotten the months of loveless marriage they’d endured before she left.

‘I’m sorry, Paige,’ he said kindly. ‘But we can’t go back to what we had. Our marriage wasn’t great for a long time before you left, and I don’t – I’m afraid I don’t feel that way about you anymore.’ He was trying to be kind, to say things nicely, but anger raged behind her eyes.

‘It’s Bella, isn’t it? You’ve fallen in love with her.’

‘Yes, I have.’

He’d thought about lying, about playing it down, but what was the point? He did love Bella. He hadn’t expected to, and he was pretty sure she hadn’t either. Not so soon after her split from Evan. But he had no doubt that what they had was real and too good to lose. Her quiet confidence and kind heart had won him over and he was sure that theirs would be a long and happy future. It was a future he wanted more than anything in the world.

Saying the words out loud was freeing. She’d made him a better person, a better dad, a better man. Being around her made him feel complete in a way he hadn’t with Paige for a long, long time, even before she walked out of the door.

‘You can’t forgive me, can you? I know I made a mistake, Nick, but that’s what it was. A mistake. I’ve realised that now and come back. I want to be a part of yours and Freddie’s lives.’

‘And you can – you will. I’d never stop you seeing Freddie and maybe one day we can be friends again too, but I can’t just pretend the last six months didn’t happen.’

He didn’t bother voicing his concerns over her getting bored and leaving again. It would serve no purpose, though the worry was present in his mind. But he couldn’t predict the future, all he could do was make the best future he could for him and Freddie and that future included Bella.

‘I can’t stand the idea of Freddie calling her Mummy,’ she snarled.

Nick bit his lip to keep his temper. ‘I’m not sure he ever will, but if he decides to, that’s up to him. And you’re getting a little ahead of yourself. We haven’t even been on a date yet.’