Free Burnt by Karly Lane

consider giving up the career he loved, and yet I was going to have to, because I could see how miserable the kids were.’
    â€˜So how’d you end up here?’
    â€˜A position come up and I applied, never really thinking I’d actually get it, but when I did, it just all seemed to fall into place. Mum was beside herself; she’d have come down the minute we got off the phone and helped us pack if she could. I couldn’t get hold of Matthew for a few weeks and by then I’d had to make all the arrangements, so as bad as I feel about surprising him with it and not giving him much choice in the matter, I still believe it was the right decision.’
    â€˜Well, they don’t look any the worse for it. You’ve done a good job with them, Bec – they’re great kids.’
    Rebecca let a fond smile touch her lips as she looked again at her two children, enjoying the sunshine and, for now at least, content to play with each other without squabbling.
    The phone rang again and Rebecca reached across the table to answer it. ‘Hello?’
    When silence immediately greeted her once more, she felt the instant grip of anxiety begin to settle in her stomach. A gasp escaped her and Seb reached across and took the phone from her.
    â€˜Who the hell is this?’
    She watched as his frown deepened, his gaze turning stony as he listened to the person who had obviously started talking on the end. ‘It’s for you,’ he said, holding the phone out across the table.
    Rebecca reluctantly took the phone and placed it against her ear.
    â€˜You there, Rebecca?’
    At the sound of her ex-husband’s angry voice, Rebecca grimaced. She could just imagine the response Seb had just received. ‘Matthew? Why the hell didn’t you tell me it was you when I answered?’
    â€˜You didn’t give me time, I had you on loudspeaker while I dialled the number and by the time I’d picked up the call I was speaking to some fella. Where are the kids?’
    Immediately Rebecca’s hackles rose. ‘The kids are right here, where else would they be?’
    â€˜You’ve got your children there while you’re entertaining your new boyfriend?’
    â€˜Well, I don’t know how entertaining I am, but yes, I have company over.’
    â€˜Who the hell is he?’
    â€˜That’s none of your business,’ Rebecca said, keeping her tone low as she got up from the table to take the call inside.
    â€˜Who my kids are hanging around is my business,’ Matthew snapped and Rebecca could hear the fury in his tone.
    â€˜Your kids ,’ she said sarcastically, ‘happen to always be my first priority, and I take offence to you suggesting that just because I have a friend over, I must be neglecting them.’
    â€˜I don’t appreciate having my head bitten off by some stranger, demanding to know who the hell I am.’
    Rebecca took a breath and realised he might have a point. It probably had been a bit of a shock to have an angry stranger on the end of a phone call when you were expecting someone else altogether. ‘When you didn’t speak straight away, Seb thought it was … someone else.’ Telling her ex-husband she had a possible stalker harassing her probably wouldn’t be very constructive at the moment.
    â€˜Were you calling to talk to the kids? I’ll just get them,’ she said before he could ask anything she didn’t feel like explaining right now. ‘Kids,’ she called, ‘your dad’s on the phone, come and talk to him!’ She pulled the phone away from her ear to hold out to the girls as they both ran excitedly into the house.
    Putting it on loudspeaker on the kitchen bench between them so they wouldn’t fight over holding the receiver, she left them to fill their father in on their new house, talking a hundred miles a minute, effectively stopping him from getting in any further protest about Rebecca