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Sophie sat up straighter. “My family are grown adult men who are more than capable of looking after themselves. You saved my dad’s life, and he’d better be grateful for it. As for Gio, well, he can like it or lump it. But if he wants a decent home-cooked meal every now and again, he’d better get used to things.”

“You sure?” Tilly asked, gripping her hand.

Sophie nodded. “I’m sure. I need to live my life for me. And for you.”

Tilly smiled a crooked smile, and it was more than Sophie’s heart could take. She leaned in and brushed Tilly’s lips with her own and then deepened the kiss until her arms were around Tilly’s neck and time stood still.

Until she could feel Tilly’s heartbeat in her lips and feel the muscles of her neck relaxing. Until she could feel the perfection that they made together.

Until the corridor door swung open and Gio strode in. “What the hell?” he shouted.

And Sophie began to laugh. “Gi, meet my girlfriend.”

“We’ve already met. When she arrested me,” he growled.

Sophie rolled her eyes and took Tilly’s hand. “Better behave yourself then. She’s got handcuffs in her back pocket.”

Then both she and Tilly were laughing at the wide-eyed shock on Gio’s face.

Epilogue

“What exactly am I supposed to do with this?” Sophie said, looking down at the writhing bundle that Tilly had passed her.

“He’s my god-son, not a this,” Tilly said.

“But I don’t know anything about babies,” Sophie wailed.

“You know about as much as I do,” said Tilly. “Besides, look how small he is. It’s not like he can be that much trouble. It’s for, what, a couple of hours tops?”

Sophie looked at Art. His face was smooth and small, his eyes were closed now, and he appeared to be falling back to sleep. “Alright, if you think so,” she said doubtfully.

“I could put him in a baby seat in the back of the police car?” offered Tilly. “Max does it all the time.”

A pungent odor began to rise from the baby. “Mmm, I’m not sure that’s a good idea. What do I do with him now?”

Tilly choked back a laugh. “Change him, I’m guessing. There’s nappies in the bag over there, there’s bottles in the cool bag. Max’s mum had to catch the first train this morning, his dad’s had a fall. Nothing major, but she needs to get home. So we’re on duty.”

“Until you meet the plane,” Sophie said, reminding Tilly for the umpteenth time.

“I’m not going to forget them,” said Tilly, putting on her uniform cap. “Max and Mila’s plane gets in at eleven thirty. I’ll be at the airport to pick them up. Easy peasy.”

“Max and Mila’s plane gets in at eleven,” said Sophie.

Tilly grinned and dropped a kiss on Sophie’s cheek. “I was kidding.” She walked toward the door and Sophie followed, redolent Art still in her arms.

“I thought babymoons were supposed to happen before the baby was born.”

“Technically, I think they are,” agreed Tilly. “But then, little Art came so fast. And you can’t fly when you’re heavily pregnant. Plus, I mean, Mila obviously needed the break now. With three kids around the house, I’m thinking a weekend away was just what she needed.”

Sophie stopped in the middle of the hallway. “Oh my god, where are the other two?”

Tilly laughed. “At school, where they’re supposed to be. I dropped them off on my way back here. Will you stop worrying?”

She was leaning against the doorframe, relaxed and confident in her uniform, and so beautiful that Sophie still couldn’t believe she was allowed to touch her. Even after a year together.

They’d been lucky getting the small cottage on the outskirts of Whitebridge, and luckier still that Tilly’s next assignment had left her within commuting distance. At the time, Sophie had been worried. But as Tilly said, there wasn’t really room in Whitebridge for two police officers.

“It’s going to be fine,” Tilly said again.