More Than Just One Night (The Selwood Sisters Novellas) by Claire Baxter

before she could stop herself. Fern
might as well have punched her. “Is that your problem with me seeing Alex? Do
you think I’m being unfaithful to your dad?”
    Fern’s eyes were wet with tears. “It’s not
just what I think...it’s how it is.”
    “But it’s been six years, honey.”
    “I know how long it’s been since my dad died,
thank you very much. You’re six years older than you were then, and at your
age, you shouldn’t need anyone else.”
    Cora shook her head. “I’m afraid that’s not
true. I thought it was, though, I admit. I was prepared to be alone for the
rest of my days. I haven’t looked at another man in any romantic or sexual
way—”
    “Ew, Mum. Don’t be so disgusting.”
    “I haven’t thought about being with another
man since your father died. Not until I met Alex, and he looked at me like I
was still worth looking at.”
    “Of course you’re still worth looking at.”
Fern waved a dismissive hand. “I just don’t see why you care whether you are or
not.”
    Cora frowned. “I don’t know either. It’s not
something I can explain, but I do know that he makes me feel—”
    “Don’t say ‘young’.”
    “Special. I was going to say special. And now
that he’s gone from my life, I miss that as much as I miss him. I think
everybody deserves to feel special to someone else, don’t you?”
    Fern’s eyes closed and her lips pressed into
a thin line.
    “Well, that was all I wanted to say.” And
probably more than she’d intended. “I have to go to work now,” she said as she
rose.
    Ferns eyes snapped open. “So, basically,
you’re saying that you’re going to do what the hell you like, and you don’t
give a— a toss what I say about it?”
    “Yes. Basically, I am.”
    “So why should I give a toss what you say
about Russell?”
    “Like I said, you’re an adult. You don’t have
to listen to me, but if you’re going to continue to see him, don’t bring him
here again.” She turned to leave.
    “ Mum , haven’t you forgotten
something?”
    “Yes, of course.” Cora walked around the
table and gave her daughter a kiss and a hug, glad that Fern still wanted her
to do it. “Have a good day, honey.”
    Fern gave her a stony stare. “I meant, my phone .”

Chapter 10  
     
    The next day at the café near the office,
Cora paid for sandwiches for Lily and herself and carried them over to the
table near the window where Lily was waiting.
    Once she was sitting down Lily said, “Gwen
and I were a bit tough on you over coffee last week. Especially me, and I’ve
been meaning to apologise for that.”
    “No, don’t,” Cora said. “I needed to hear it.
And now I’ve told Fern that I’m not going to be governed by what she thinks I
should do.”
    “Have you? Gosh. Well, good for you. How did
she take it?”
    Cora waggled her hand in a so-so gesture.
“She sort of threatened to move in with Russell.”
    “Oops, that wasn’t the desired result. I hope
we haven’t made things worse.”
    “I have a feeling that she won’t go through
with it. She didn’t make it sound like her preferred option.”
    “Really? So there’s hope that she might be
tiring of him, then?”
    “Maybe. I’ll have to wait and see.”
    “Is that why you wanted to have lunch, to
tell me about Fern?”
    “No, there’s something else. I’ve booked a
flight to Sydney on Friday afternoon, and this time I don’t have any business
to take care of in the city. I have one purpose in going there, and only one
purpose. To see Alex.”
    “Wow. Isn’t that a bit of a risk, though? You
said he might not what to see you again after the way you treated him. What if
you tell him you’re in Sydney and he says, “So what?’”
    Cora nodded. “That’s the whole point. I need
to show him that I’ve made an effort and taken a risk, so that he won’t think
I’m likely to change my mind again in the next moment.”
    “I’m impressed. Cora, warrior woman.”
    Cora laughed. “Hardly. I’m