‘Mum... Mum!’ Sam was hallooing at the top of his voice. Hannah shot Matt a smile and got out of the car.
‘Mum... Did you win?’
‘We’ll have to wait for the judges to say.’ Hannah stroked her son’s cheek as his face fell. ‘But we did the best we could, and that’s what matters.’
What seemed to matter now was winning, but Sam accepted the thought without question, jumping up and down and waving his flag. Hannah gave him a hug and Sam craned around as Matt got out of the car. He gave Sam a wave and the little boy pretended not to notice, suddenly shy.
Hannah beckoned Matt over, and he walked towards them. ‘Sam, this is Matt.’
‘Hi, Sam.’ Matt squatted down on his heels in front of the boy, giving him his space and smiling quietly as he waited for Sam to get over his attack of nerves. ‘That’s a great flag.’
‘I made it.’ Sam gave the flag another wave, and Matt nodded solemnly.
‘I can see that. It’s better than all the others.’ He grinned when Sam waved the flag more vigorously. ‘It was the first thing we saw when we got to the hospital.’
Sam liked that. He began to chatter excitedly as Matt got to his feet and introduced himself to Hannah’s mum. His quiet manner, and the way he held his hand out to shake hers, elicited a glance in Hannah’s direction from her mother. No doubt about the meaning—Mum liked the strong silent type, and good manners always impressed her.
The home crowd had seen them, and people were beginning to cheer, the banner with the name of the hospital lifted aloft after what must have been a long wait to greet them. Hannah lifted Sam over the barrier, feeling her fatigued muscles protest at his weight, and he waved his flag wildly.
Anxious to get as good a view as possible, Sam reached for Matt’s taller frame. Hannah saw Matt hesitate, and then he smiled. As she delivered Sam into his arms, the brush of Matt’s skin against hers was suddenly all she could feel. He hoisted the boy onto his shoulders, holding him carefully so that he didn’t fall, and Sam howled with delight.
‘He’s not too heavy for you, is he?’ Matt grinned a no, and Hannah tapped Sam’s knee to get his attention. ‘Don’t wriggle so much. Matt won’t be able to hold you.’
‘I won’t let him go.’
This. This was what it would be like if Sam had a father. If John had responded to the news that she was pregnant by wanting anything to do with his child. But he hadn’t. He had been too busy with his own life to bother with hers or the one they’d unwittingly created together. Hannah felt a lump rise in her throat, and realised that her mother was staring at her.
‘Do you mind staying here with Sam for a moment? I’ll go and park the car up...’ She wanted to get away from here before the picture of a complete family formed too clearly in her mind.
‘Um... Yeah. Sure.’ Matt clearly wasn’t used to being around kids, and he was taking the responsibility seriously, but he was grinning from ear to ear. If he wanted to let Sam down, then her mum was there to take him.
‘Keys...?’
‘In my pocket.’ Matt didn’t seem at all disposed to let go of Sam, although one hand was probably quite enough to keep him from falling from his perch. Hannah saw the outline of the keys under the heavy material of his trousers, and felt her mouth go dry.
She was even thinking twice about this? She should be pleased that Matt was so careful, and that he was taking extra care that Sam didn’t fall.
‘Okay. Sharp...um...scratch.’ The joke dried in her throat. It wasn’t really necessary to warn Matt every time she went near him.
His momentary, heavy-lidded look told Hannah that he noticed her touch as much as she did his. She reached forward, fishing the keys from his pocket with two fingers, stepping back as soon as she had them, feeling the metal dig into her hand as she held them a lit
tle too tightly.
‘I’m just going to park the car, Sam. You’ll stay here with Matt and Grandma?’ Sam gave her a cursory nod, concentrating on waving his flag.
Sophie caught up with her in the car park, flinging her arm around her shoulders as they walked back together.
‘I see he’s made friends with Sam. How was he?’
Beautiful. Challenging. ‘Um...he’s got good stamina.’
‘I like a man with good stamina.’ Sophie laughed and Hannah dug her elbow into her ribs.
‘I meant for climbing hills. He’s a good problem-solver as well.’
‘Yeah? I love a good problem-solver...’
‘Shush. If you’re so keen on stamina and problem-solving, why don’t you try him out for yourself?’ Now she’d said it, Hannah wished she hadn’t. Sophie had better not try Matt out for herself.