Chapter 48

CHAPTER 48

J ackson

With the water carriers filled, I try to find Luca. I look for him in the last place I'd left him, but he isn't there. I start to worry, hoping he's alright. I see Anna, but she hasn't seen him for a while either. I'm getting frantic, pushing past people to scour all of the garden. I round the wall into the rose garden and can see him on a bench, with an odious looking man standing talking to him. But I barely pay him any attention. It's Luca I'm concerned about—I've seen that look before. He looks defeated. He looks close to a panic attack. I'll deal with whatever, or whoever has caused it later. My first priority is Luca.

I crouch down on the ground in front of him.

"Luca?" I say tenderly, and he raises his head to meet my eyes. His eyes are dark, but alongside the defeat, I can see anger. That he can feel that, pleases me. I hope he can learn not to internalise everything. Anger is useful as long as it doesn't get out of control. I know, I've controlled mine for a long time.

"I'm here. Everything's going to be okay."

The guy is still here, still speaking, but I'm not listening—my focus is on Luca.

"Breathe with me. In one, two . . . out one, two . . . in one, two . . . out one, two . . . Good. Now in one, two, three . . . out one, two, three . . ." His breathing slows, and he smiles weakly at me. It's a start, but there's going to be hell to pay for whoever ruined his special day.

"Can you stand up?" He nods, so I stand and offer my hands. As he rises, I draw him into a hug.

I become aware that the man is still here. Any decent person would have left, given us some privacy. Unless he's the cause. I turn to him.

"Who are you?" I ask.

"I was just going to ask the same thing," he replies, "Manhandling my boy."

I feel Luca stiffen in my arms and I immediately understand. But before I can respond, I hear a voice that makes my blood run cold.

"Jacky!" Natasha, my ex-wife. For a split second, I wish I was hundreds of miles away. But no, Luca and Larchdown are worth it. But if Natasha's here, then David will be as well. I look round and spot him further along the path, looking at the Larchdown rose.

"It's Jackson." The correction is an automatic response, because my brain has computed that I still have an arm round Luca. I pull him a little tighter. I need him myself now.

"Oh, not between us, Jacky, you know that. I was just telling David how lovely these gardens are. I think we could do something similar at the lodge."

The lodge. The monstrosity she and David bought when she took everything I had.

She either hasn't noticed Luca, or has decided not to comment. Knowing Natasha, I think it's probably the former.

"But fancy seeing you here."

Hardly , my brain thinks, I live here . But then, my name hasn't been mentioned in the press articles about the opening of the gardens.

"I live here." Natasha looks startled, and seems to notice Luca for the first time.

"But these are the Winterton gardens."

"They are, and this is Luca Winterton." I keep him locked firmly in place against me. "Luca, meet Natasha—my ex-wife."

I see Natasha's eyes narrow as she works it out, and then a sly look crosses her face—one I know well. She's about to go on the attack.

"Did I ruin you for any other women, then?"

"What?"

"It makes sense now. I wondered why the sex was so . . . perfunctory."

"Don't be vulgar Natasha." I let her insults wash over me. They can't hurt me anymore.

"What was that?" David, finishing his inspection of the roses, appears next to Natasha. "What-Oh Jacko."

"It's Jackson," I grind out.

"I can see why our marriage failed." Natasha's voice is cold and spiteful. "It seems I didn't have the right, equipment." She flourishes her hand towards Luca.

David looks between her and me, and Luca. His eyes darken. "Are you telling me you're with this poof? I see I didn't do a good enough job of beating it out of you."

I can take any number of insults against myself, but not against Luca.

I get a fleeting moment of satisfaction at the shocked expression that crosses David's face, as my fist makes contact with his jaw—just before my hand explodes in pain. I've never hit anyone before, but there's no way I'm standing for that.

David clutches his jaw. For a moment I wish I'd broken his nose, but it's brief. Violence isn't the way. The shocked expression on Natasha's face is at least the first genuine emotion I've ever seen.

"Luca, this is my brother, David. David, this is Luca—my boyfriend."

I turn to David. "I should have done that a long time ago. Now get out and don't come back. I never want to see either of you again."

Anna rounds the corner.

"Ah, there you are. The photography crew want a few more pict?—"

She takes in the scene and immediately takes charge.

"Jackson and Luca—to the house now. Claude, you'd better leave before I call the police, and I don't know who you are, but I don't think you're welcome either."

Natasha at least has the sense to realise Anna's being serious. She grabs David's arm and pulls him away, stumbling over the path in her high heels towards the car park.