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What? Her answer completely threw him. She wasn’t even seven yet. He’d expected a few more years to prepare before he had to handle this.

‘It’s just school, Sarah, and I need to stop by the surgery for the healthy-eating leaflets your teacher wanted.’

‘But I want to look pretty!’ He could hear her little foot stamp against the tiles, and knew the stubborn tilt her chin would be taking, and that her lips would be pursing into a cross pout.

‘Can you be pretty more quickly?’

‘You can’t rush beauty. I’m worth the time.’ The prim response surprised him, and he wondered where on earth she’d heard that.

‘Who told you that?’

‘Beth. Her babysitter tells her that.’

‘Right. I’ll have to have a word with her.’

‘No, you won’t!’ The door flung open and he was confronted by a small, angry not-even-pre-teen who glared up at him from beneath bright, badly applied eyeshadow in hideously garish colours.

He gasped. He had to get this right, but first . . .’Where did you get that make-up from?’

‘My dressing-up box.’ Her chin stuck out stubbornly.

‘You have make-up in your dressing-up box?’

‘With the fairy princess dress Grandma gave me at Christmas.’

‘Oh.’

‘Do you think I look pretty?’

‘Um.’ Callum had no idea what to say without upsetting her, but as he hesitated he could see her sparkly bottom lip start to wobble threateningly. ‘Maybe . . . glitter is better saved for . . . special occasions?’

‘But I like glitter!’ The foot stomped again and Callum had to fight the urge to roll his eyes. What on earth was he supposed to do in situations like this? Sexist as it sounded — even in his own head — he didn’t know how to deal with girly stuff like this. And he didn’t really know who to turn to. His mum was up to her elbows in desert sand somewhere, off saving the world, his sister Kim was hundreds of miles away working, and as for his ex . . . well, the less thought space he gave her, the better!

There was only one thing for it. And he hated himself for stooping to such a low level, and so early in the morning. ‘How about this? If you let me help you wash your face, and we’re out of the house in the next ten minutes, I’ll take you to Badger’s Paws after school, and you can pick out anything you want for tea. What do you think?’

‘Annnnything?’

‘Any single cake,’ he amended hastily.

‘And a sausage roll?’

He had to smother a grin. She’d inherited his mother’s skills for bargaining. ‘OK, and a sausage roll. But only if you have vegetables with it.’

‘Mushrooms are vegetables, right?’

‘Yes.’

‘And beans?’

‘Yes.’ Sort of.

‘OK. Sausage roll, baked beans, mushrooms and Brockle cake. Deal?’

‘Deal.’ Callum strode into the bathroom, and picked up the washcloth. ‘Now let’s get you cleaned up and ready for school.’

‘OK, Daddy.’ The smile that lit up her face filled him with warmth and he gave her a brief, fierce hug.

‘I love you, Sarah-bear.’