Falling For The Foster Mum. Karin Baine

short respite from her responsibilities. Simon would be awake soon enough and the next round of anxious parenting would begin.

      As she took in her new surroundings from her place of safety in the corner, she supposed it was a nice enough place. It had old-fashioned charm—Victorian, she guessed from the dark wood interior—and not the sort of establishment which immediately sprang to mind for a well-heeled surgeon. Matt was young, fashionable and, from what she could see, totally unencumbered by the ties she was bound by. Not that she regretted any of her choices, but if their roles were reversed she’d probably be living it up in some trendy wine bar hoping for a Matt clone to walk through the door and make her night. By weeping her way to a dinner invitation she’d no doubt spoiled the night for many single ladies across the city waiting for him to show.

      ‘The food shouldn’t be too long.’ Matt took a seat opposite and placed a jug of iced water and two glasses on the table between them.

      At least his agitation seemed to have passed as he poured the water with a steady hand. He was probably saving the heavy drinking for whenever he got rid of her and he could cut loose without having to babysit her.

      ‘So...you were going to give me a tutorial in basic child-rearing...’

      They may as well get this over with when they knew they both had other places to be. Ten minutes of him telling her where she was going wrong and they could all get back to their real lives, which, for her, generally didn’t include pub dinners with handsome men. It was the highlight of an otherwise fraught day, it had to be said.

      ‘Hey, I never claimed to be an expert. All I can do is pass on the benefit of my experience in dealing with young children in very trying circumstances.’

      ‘All suggestions for helping gain a five-year-old’s trust will be gratefully received.’ As was the arrival of her dinner. Although she hadn’t been hungry up until now, it was infinitely more appetising than the sandwich she’d binned earlier, and it was a nice change from potato smiley faces and alphabet spaghetti which were the only things Simon would eat at present.

      ‘A cheap magic set,’ Matt managed to get out before he took a huge bite out of his loaded burger. He attacked it with such a hunger it gave Quinn chills. There was more than a hint of a wild thing lurking beneath that gentlemanly exterior and a glimpse of it was enough to increase her appetite for more than the bland safe option she’d chosen.

      ‘Pardon?’

      She had to wait until he’d swallowed for an answer.

      ‘I use bribery as a way in. I keep a box of child-friendly toys in my office for emergencies. Toy cars, colouring books, bubbles...I’ve even got a couple of hand puppets I break out when they’re too shy to speak directly to me. I find being a friend makes the whole experience less traumatic for them.’ He snagged a couple of fries from the plate and tossed them into his mouth, making short work of them too before she’d even taken her first bite.

      ‘Tried that. He’s got a room full of new toys at my place but apparently you can’t buy your way into a child’s heart. I think you’ve just got a knack with kids that apparently I don’t.’ It was something she’d assumed would happen naturally since she’d been in the system herself and could relate to the circumstances which would bring foster children to her.

      Unfortunately, she was finding it took more than enthusiasm and a will for things to work out to make an impression on Simon. Not every child would fit seamlessly into family life the way she had. Not that it had been easy for her either when her adoptive father had decided he couldn’t hack it, but she’d had a special bond with her mother from the first time they’d met and they’d faced all the unexpected obstacles together. At least until she became an adult and decided she should venture out into the big wide world on her own. She wanted that same show of strength they’d had for her to enable her and Simon to work through the aftermath of the school fire but it wasn’t going to happen when he kept shutting her out.

      Matt shrugged. ‘I don’t know about that but I’ve had a lot of practice.’

      Quinn nearly choked on her tortilla wrap. ‘You have kids of your own?’