knocked on the hotel knocked again. Her father

Lyssa knocked on the hotel door and waited. No-one answered, so she knocked again. Her father had given her the address, and she was at the right room number. She took the lift down and asked the concierge where he might have gone.

Jardin d’Acclimatation, the garden for children,’ he said, and gave her a map with directions.

There was snow outside and Lyssa was thankful for the warm coat that Nikolai had given her. She felt as though she was in a dream as she entered the garden where Dan and Andre had supposedly gone. She stood at the gates and realised why Dan had taken Andre there. A small train ferried parents and children about the park, and there were rides and an old-fashioned carousel.

Pulling down the green woollen hat on her head, she shivered slightly and looked around. There were children everywhere.

And then she saw him. In a red jumper and a yellow scarf, Andre looked enormous next to the children, his face beaming as he stood patiently in line, Dan standing beside him. Lyssa watched, entranced by Andre’s smile as Dan paid for the tickets and chatted to the train driver. Dan walked with Andre up to the replica train station and Andre stood still as Dan took a photo.

There was something about her brother that had changed, Lyssa thought as she spied on them. Andre seemed calmer, more present, perhaps.

Dan took Andre by the hand, chatting away. He helped him into the small seat, and then squashed in beside him. The train tooted – a signal it was about to embark on its small journey around the park. Lyssa stood back behind a tree.

As she watched them, she realised why she was feeling angry with Dan. He’d changed her family’s life more than she had been able to. She thought money would fix everything, but her family needed other things, too – like her honesty, and trust. She had been too quick to judge them in so many ways and, she realised now, too quick to judge Dan as well.

As the train took off, she stepped forward, craning her neck to keep Andre in her view. Just as she did, Dan turned around, as though she had called his name.

Had she? She couldn’t remember, but he caught her eye and they stared at each other as the train took them away. Lyssa felt herself go weak. He had hurt her so much, and yet she was so grateful for his part in bringing her family back together.

She knew they had to talk – but what could he say that would make what he did better? His lie about Bella had changed so much between them. Could she trust him again?

She stepped through the snow to the next replica station. By the time she made it, the train had already been through, and Dan and Andre were sitting on the seat, waiting for her.

‘Andre!’

Lyssa ran to her brother and hugged him close. Andre didn’t pull away or respond. But just holding him was enough for Lyssa, and she felt her tears fall.

‘You like the train, Andre? You looked so happy,’ she said, holding his face in her gloved hands.

Andre looked down. He took something out of his pocket and handed it to her.

It was a small yellow train – his favourite, Lyssa remembered.

She took it and held it carefully.

‘It’s so lovely, Andre. I can’t keep it though, it belongs to you.

Maybe I’ll come and borrow it when I need to, okay?’

To Lyssa’s surprise, Andre nodded.

She turned to Dan. ‘He’s different,’ she said, amazed.

‘He’s done a lot of work,’ said Dan. ‘He’s really tried so hard.’

Lyssa looked back to Andre, who had turned away.

‘I think we’ll have to take the next train,’ said Dan, putting his hands in the pockets of his navy pea coat.

Lyssa stood next to him, torn between wanting to slap him for her anguish, and wanting to kiss him.

He turned to her. ‘Lyssa, I have to say something. I don’t expect you to forgive me. What I did was not okay, I know that.

But nothing in my past prepared me for falling in love with you.’

‘When?’ she asked, unable to meet his eye.

‘When did I fall in love with you?’

She nodded slightly.

‘I always found you incredibly beautiful,’ he said. ‘But I think I fell in love with you when I first saw you with Andre,’ he said. ‘I was absolutely done for.’

The train pulled into the station. Lyssa waited for Andre to get on and went to move into the spot beside him. But Andre put his arm out.

‘He wants to sit by himself,’ said Dan.

‘I can see that,’ snapped Lyssa as she moved into the seat behind her brother.

Dan squeezed in next to her and she felt her teeth grit with frustration at her torn feelings.

‘You have done a lot for my family,’ Lyssa said as the train moved slowly through the park.

‘I did it for you,’ Dan said, staring ahead.

‘Why?’

‘To be worthy of you. To show you I was more than just a spoiled rich kid.’

Lyssa looked at the bare trees with the sun shining through them, the children running about the park, a lone peacock in the snow with his tail out, warming in the winter sun.

Dan cleared his throat. ‘I don’t expect you to forgive me for lying to you about Bella, but I hope we can be friends.’

Lyssa sighed. Bella didn’t even matter anymore. It was only Dan that she thought of. She felt her throat constricting with tears.

‘And I have to tell you about Andre,’ Dan continued. ‘Out of everything that’s happened since you left, my time with him has been the most eye-opening. He has a therapist now, and goes to a school a few days a week. He’s amazing. I love being with him and seeing how he’s doing.’

Lyssa said nothing, but sat looking at the back of Andre’s head.

She knew there was more to him than people saw, and so did Dan.

‘I’ve decided to go back to university. I’m going to be a teacher,’ he said, looking down. ‘I want to work with kids with special needs.’

Lyssa felt her eyes widen in surprise. ‘That’s great,’ she said, meaning it.

‘It’s not what people think I’d do, but I like it – it makes me feel like I’m doing something with my life,’ he said. ‘Like you will when you become a doctor. I’m really proud of you, Lys.’

Lyssa swallowed. ‘Man, I hate you for lying to me,’ she said softly.

Dan looked down at his feet. ‘I know.’

‘But I love you for how freaking stupid you are and how much you have to learn, and I love you for your kindness to me and my family, and your support. I wouldn’t have got through my exams or the modelling without you. ‘

Dan looked up, surprised. ‘You just said you hated me.’

Lyssa nodded. ‘Yeah, I kind of hate love you,’ she said, frowning.

‘I just love you,’ Dan said, looking at her and smiling tentatively.

Lyssa sighed heavily. ‘I’d been sensible all my life until I met you. You were the one thing I couldn’t say no to.’ She looked at his face. ‘You’re my rocky road.’

‘Your what?’ asked Dan, puzzled.

‘When we first met, you asked me what flavour ice-cream I thought you were. I said I didn’t know, but I do now. You’re rocky road.’

‘Why’s that?’ Dan asked, a grin spreading across his face.

‘Because you’re full of surprises. And honestly, I think it reflects our relationship so far.’ Lyssa threw her gloved hands in the air.

‘I want to make it up to you,’ Dan said, as he reached out and touched her face.

Lyssa shivered at his touch.

‘Are you cold?’ he asked, concerned.

‘No,’ she said. Then, unable to help herself, she kissed him deeply and passionately until they both came up for air.

‘I’ve missed you so much,’ he said as they drew apart. ‘Your face is the first one I want to see in the morning and the last one I want to see at night.’

Lyssa put her head on his shoulder. ‘How long will we be on this train, do you think?’

‘All day,’ he told her. ‘I was here yesterday as well. Rode the train all day. Is that a problem?’ He kissed her again and Lyssa smiled.

‘Nope. No problem at all.’ She looked up and saw the Eiffel Tower in the distance, and heard Andre laughing and clapping at the train’s tooting.

Dan was right. She would always have Paris. And with his hand in hers, she knew she would always have him.