Baby on Board. Liz Fielding

to hold her next to her skin.’

      ‘As if she were breastfeeding?’

      ‘What do you know about it?’ she asked, laughing.

      ‘I’ve got sisters,’ he said. ‘And sisters-in-law. Half a dozen of them. I’ve lost count of the number of nieces and nephews I have.’

      ‘Right. Well, if I need any advice I’ll know where to come,’ she said, pushing aside her shirt a little and holding the baby close so that her cheek was against her skin. Drawn by the warmth, Posie immediately turned towards her and, after a moment or two, took the rubber teat of the feeder.

      ‘That’s so beautiful,’ he said.

      ‘Oh, Toby…’

      And when, without warning, her eyes stung with tears that she could do nothing about, he put his arm around her, pulling her against his shoulder so that her tears soaked into his sleeve.

      ‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘This is stupid.’ She didn’t even know what she was crying about. Phoebe and Michael. Posie. Josh…

      Maybe all of them.

      ‘It’s okay,’ he said. ‘Go ahead. Let it out. It’ll do you good.’

      He still had his arm around her when the door opened and Josh walked in, coming to an abrupt halt at the sight of the three of them.

      For a moment no one said anything, then Toby murmured, just loud enough for him to hear, ‘I’m sorry, Grace, I thought I’d locked the door.’

      The shock on Josh’s face at finding her with Toby’s arm around her was very nearly as ridiculous as her own sense of guilt.

      She had nothing to feel guilty about.

      Toby was a friend—he’d been there when Josh had been communing with his guilt up a mountain.

      But Josh was clearly reading something a lot more significant into the situation. And why wouldn’t he, when she’d gone to such lengths to convince him that she was involved with the man?

      But enough was enough and she pulled free of his arm, rubbing her palm across her wet cheek. ‘Haven’t you got an urgent date with the post office, Toby?’ she reminded him before he completely forgot himself.

      ‘You’re going to throw me out before I have a cup of that fabulous coffee I’ve made for you?’ he said, apparently determined to give Josh a reprise of his ‘lovelorn swain’ act.

      ‘Abby will be here when you get back with the receipts,’ she said, cutting him off before he could get going. ‘Buy her a cake and I’m sure she’ll take the hint. My treat.’ Then, ‘Buy two,’ she said meaningfully.

      ‘Two?’

      ‘A red velvet cupcake is supposed to be irresistible,’ she said.

      ‘Got it,’ he murmured, finally getting to his feet. Then, as he made a move, she put her hand on his arm, detaining him. ‘Thanks for the shoulder.’

      ‘Any time,’ he said, covering her hand with his own, kissing her cheek, going for an Oscar. ‘Anything.’ Then, touching his finger to Posie’s cheek. ‘Bye, baby. Be good for Grace.’

      Then, gathering the packages from her desk, he headed for the door, where Josh was blocking his way.

      ‘Makepeace,’ Josh said, his acknowledgement curt to the point of rudeness.

      ‘Kingsley,’ he responded mildly. ‘I was sorry to hear about your brother. I liked him a lot.’ The mildness was deceptive. If he’d actually said, ‘Unlike you…’he couldn’t have made himself plainer. ‘We missed you at his funeral.’

      Josh said nothing, merely stepped aside to let him out, then closed the door after him and slipped the catch.