Page 116 of Vivacity

‘Really? It would be a big step, one of your parents remarrying.’

‘Loads of my friends have step-parents. It’s not that deep. Would she be my stepmother? She’d be fun, I suppose.’

‘Yes she would, if she said yes. And yeah, I think she’d be a lot of fun.’

‘You’re fun now, too. As long as you don’t get back to London and turn all boring again.’

‘Hey, I won’t. I’ve given up work, remember? You’ll be the one being boring at school all day, every day, while I’m living it up and doing whatever the hell I like.’

He groans. ‘So unfair. You could even go to the cinema in the middle of the day.’

‘I could,’ I agree.

‘So when are you going to ask Sophia to marry you?’ He twists his head to look up at me, his grin cheeky.

‘I don’t know yet. I wanted to see how you felt first. And I have no idea if she’d even say yes. I buggered off and left her, remember?’

‘Well, I’m fine with it. So don’t use me as your excuse. Sometimes you’ve got to put yourself out there, you know? You didn’t know Miles would say yes, but he did.’

‘True. But I probably wouldn’t have been heartbroken if he’d said no. I’m not in love with Miles.’

‘Maybe. But you wouldn’t be here, either.’ He nestles back against my shoulder again.

I sigh. When did he get so wise? ‘You’ve got me there, mate.’

‘Is she going to come out and meet us?’

‘No, I told you. This is just you and me, and I’m good with that.’

‘But she could come and see us in Malaysia. You could pop the question then.’

‘You’re really shipping us, aren’t you? I haven’t even thought about how I’d pop the question.’ That’s technically a lie. I havethought about it, at length. I just haven’t worked out the perfect plan yet.

He springs out of his seat and turns to me, his face alight.

‘I know! You could use our secret project to propose!’

That gives me pause. Jamie and I have been working on something on and off for the past two months. It’s extremely complicated but seriously enthralling.

And it could just make for the perfect proposal.

I sit up straighter. ‘Go on. What do you have in mind?’

CHAPTER 51

Sophia

Every day brings a new set of requests for information from the Montague side. The transaction is in its final stages now. We’re so close to the finish line. Miles actually offered me a job as a member of his Strategy team, which was incredibly touching, but I turned it down. I have my plans, and they don’t involve the corporate life much longer.

Besides, the poor guy has no clue in what capacity my filthy boss-slash-boyfriend hired me, or what grotesque sum he’s been paying me.

Ethan and Jamie FaceTimed me last night to invite me to join them in Langkawi, Malaysia for a few days as they break their journey home. It was the quickestyesI’ve ever given. I physically ache with the need to be close to him again, even though the pleasure at seeing how well they both look never fades. They’re both tanned and healthy, their hair sun-kissed and their grins wide. There’s an ease with each other that shines through even on a video call, and it tells me categorically that this trip has given them all the healing Ethan hoped for and more.

I cannotwaitto see them.

There’sa knock at the door to my office. When I look up, I find to my surprise that Elena is standing in the doorway. She looks, as ever, stunningly beautiful and perfectly put together, if a little flustered.

‘I’m so sorry for dropping in unannounced. I wondered if I could steal you away for a quick coffee. I totally understand if you’re too busy.’