by Sofia Grey
“Karl?” Nick chuckled to himself. “He’s an online-game junkie. I was surprised to see him at the wine bar. He doesn’t normally hang out with my crowd. Not your type, surely?”
“I guess not.”
They drank in silence for a few moments, but then she looked up, a challenge in her eyes. “Have you called Lara today?”
“Well, no.” She’d ignored his calls and texts so far. He was determined to hold out until she came to her senses and contacted him.
“That’s not good enough.” She picked up Nick’s phone from the table. “I’m going to call her, and you are going to talk to her.”
“She won’t answer.”
Adele ignored him. “What’s your PIN?”
“I’m telling you, she won’t take my calls.”
“PIN?”
Nick laughed. He’d forgotten Adele’s stubborn streak. He rattled out his six-digit code, and she tapped it into the phone.
“Give it back.” He tried to grab the phone, but she held it out of his reach.
“I’m dialling.” She listened, and then shoved it back to him, eyebrows raised, daring him to hang up. And then Lara answered. “Nick.” She sounded pleased.
“Hey.”
Adele smiled and sashayed off, towards the bathroom. He watched her neat little ass receding, and focused on his wife.
“I was hoping to talk to you today,” she said. “I’m glad you phoned.”
“Yeah, well, here I am. Are you still at your mum’s?”
“No. I’ve come up to Sylvie’s, in Wales.”
Nick was surprised. “I thought she and Alex were away on their honeymoon.”
“They were, but they’re back now.” She hesitated. “I’ve missed you, Nick. I love you, babe. I feel so confused.”
Her words made his chest warm. “Are you thinking of coming home soon? I’ve missed you too.”
“That depends on you. If we can talk—really talk—about the baby, then I’ll come home. But if you’re going to keep on at me to get rid of it, I’d rather not.”
Nick closed his eyes for a moment. In his mind, he’d resigned himself to the dull inevitability of parenthood. All his dreams were slipping away, one by one, but losing Lara would be even worse.
His voice was gruff when he spoke. “Just come home. I promise we’ll talk. And yes, I won’t ask you that again.”
He heard her swallow. “It took forever to get here, and I don’t get much time with Sylvie. How about I stay for a couple of days and maybe come back on Friday?”
Now they were talking, he didn’t want to wait that long. A thought struck him. “How did you get there?”
“On the train. It was a craptastic journey, and I had to change three times.”
“Ouch.” Nick tossed up the alternatives in his head. “Why don’t I come and pick you up on Saturday?
“Really?” She sounded excited. “That would be lovely. You can hang out with Sylvie and Alex.”
In his peripheral vision, Nick saw Adele lurking in the background, trying not to listen. “I have to go, but I’ll see you Saturday. I’ll ring you tonight, as well. Love you.”
“Love you, too.” She blew a kiss, and then disconnected.
Nick smiled at Adele. “Thank you. Now we need to sort out your love life. Are you sure you’re not interested in Jason?”
Chapter Eleven
Lara sat back on Sylvie’s spare bed and hugged her phone to her chest. She felt a million times happier after talking to Nick. If she hadn’t just arrived, she’d turn around and go home right now. But she didn’t know when she’d get another opportunity to catch up with Sylvie.
As Lara headed downstairs, eager to share her news, Sylvie appeared from another room, her face white and drawn. She didn’t see Lara, who watched Sylvie hurry into the kitchen, followed by Alex.
Raised voices poured through the open kitchen door.
“Syl, I know it’s a shock. I was surprised too. But I can’t leave him there. I won’t do that.”
“For Christ’s sake, Alex, do you know what you’re suggesting? It’s not like buying a bloody puppy. We’re touring again in a few months. How will that work?”
“We’ll take him with us. Anita takes her baby everywhere. I’ll get a nanny.”
There was a pause, and then what sounded like a sob. “What if I don’t want this?”
“He’s coming here.” Alex’s voice was low and angry. “Please don’t fight me on this, Syl. It’s too important.”
Whatever was going on, it was serious. Lara didn’t want to eavesdrop further, so she tiptoed back to her room and lay on the bed, while she waited for things to calm down. They didn’t. She heard shouting, doors slamming, a car engine revving, and then quiet. What on earth had she walked into?
Bracing herself, she went down to the kitchen again and peeked around the doorway. Sylvie was in there alone, crying quietly at the table.
Lara hurried to her side and wrapped her arms around Sylvie, hugging her tight. “What’s happened? Are you okay?”
Sylvie rubbed her face on her sleeve. “The pig-headed, stubborn, selfish, spoiled little tosser.”
“Do you want to tell me about it?”
The story tumbled out. How Alex was going to adopt his nephew—if the birth certificate was to be believed—regardless of any objections Sylvie might have. How she wasn’t ready for a child.
Lara smiled ruefully at her. “You know, you sound a lot like Nick.”
“I’m only twenty-three. We’ve been married a few weeks. It’s a little different. And this isn’t our child; it’s his brother’s. Maybe. His mother was a drug addict, and there’s no proof Sam was even the father.”
“If the situation were reversed—if it was your nephew—what would you do?”
Sylvie huffed a sigh. “I’ve got a big family. It wouldn’t happen.”
“How about Alex? Does he have any other family? What about his parents?”
“No. They’re all gone. He only has me.”
Sylvie crumpled a sheet of paper, then opened it out and flattened it on the table. “This is the email he showed me.” Lara read it over her shoulder. “I think what’s bugging me the most is that he just decided. There was no discussion. He made up his mind, and I have to accept it.”
Lara winced. Yep, this was a re-run of her and Nick.
Sylvie continued, her voice low and strained. “I never realised how stubborn Alex is. He made the big time at eighteen. His first album went straight to Number One in the charts, and he’s been a rock star ever since. It’s second nature for him to have everything his own way. He says he wants something, and it happens. I saw it on tour. He’ll sulk about having Perrier in the fridge, so his PA will fetch him Badoit or San Pellegrino instead. He’ll want limes and not lemons, and they magically appear. Nobody ever says no to him.”
Lara waited, her arms wrapped around Sylvie’s shoulders.
“It’s like he has a split personality,” Sylvie said. “And here, where I think he’s Alex, he turns right back into AJ and stomps his foot, expecting everything to happen the way he wants it.”
“So where is he? I heard the car,” Lara asked.
Sylvie shrugged. “I’ve no idea. Normally he goes out on the beach if he’s upset about something.”
They gazed together at the window. It was hammering down rain, and though it was only late afternoon, it was grey and gloomy outside. Darkness was not far away.
Lara spoke carefully. “What are you going to do?”
“I don’t know,” Sylvie whispered. “And that’s the truth.”
****
Alex drove off with only a vague idea of where he was heading. The events of the past hour spun inside his head. It was true. Sam had a child—a son. Alex had a nephew. Callum was living with a foster family, and God alone knew where he’d end up. If Alex didn’t step in now, he’d lose him.
Sylvie was upset, and Alex hadn’t exactly been tactful. This was their first row, the first time they y
elled at each other and were unable to see the same viewpoint. Alex rubbed his forehead and focused on the road ahead. It was raining heavily. He had the lights on and the wipers running, but could still barely see any distance. This was a dumb idea. He pulled over and parked on a wide grass verge by the side of the road. Where the hell was he going? He shook—with anger or fear, he didn’t know.
Leaning back in the seat, he tried to order his thoughts. There was no question about whether or not they’d have the child. He needed to organise the legal side, with whatever that entailed. He had to arrange a nanny or other qualified person to look after the kid. He’d need... What else? No idea. Kate would know. So would Anita, and she was a better prospect for advice, as she took little Mindy from one racetrack to another.
As Alex pointed out to Sylvie, it would be little different to them moving from one gig to another. Only problem? Alex had no idea where Jon and Anita lived or if they’d be at home. He racked his brains, remembering when they caught up the other week. Jon said they were home for a few weeks, and Alex knew home was somewhere near Trearrdur Bay.
He could call Sylvie and ask for Anita’s number. No. He wasn’t ready to encounter Syl again until she’d calmed down. She had a hell of a temper.
Or he could ring Kate. He dialled her number before he could talk himself out of it.
“Hi, stranger.” Her voice was welcoming as usual. “How was the honeymoon?”
Christ. He’d forgotten it already, and they only came back yesterday.
“It was good, thanks. Listen, Kate, do you have Anita’s number? I need to ask her something. And do you know if they’re at home this week?”
There was a surprised pause. “I’ll text you her number, no problem. I think they’re home. Jon’s next race is the end of the month. Is there anything I can help you with?”
“Maybe.” Alex was unsure how much to say. He’d used Kate as a sounding board so often, but not since he got together with Sylvie. It seemed disloyal to tell Kate they’d argued, though she wouldn’t judge. “How are you? And how’s Jordan?”
Kate laughed softly. “I’m good, thanks. Jordan is working too hard, as usual. He’ll be at the office for another few hours. I rarely see him before seven at night.”
“Oh yeah. Sorry.”
“Alex, are you okay?” Her voice was kind and concerned, but he had to sort out this mess by himself. He took a short breath.
“It’s all good, thanks. Can you give me Anita’s number? And, Kate? Thank you.”
She sounded amused. “Sure. Anytime. You know that.”
They disconnected, and Alex waited. Seconds later, a text popped up.
Anita’s number follows. If you need to talk, call me. Likewise, you can always ring Jordan. Hope everything is ok. K x
Kate was astute, and Alex didn’t want her worrying that his marriage was in difficulties. He’d think about that later, after he tracked down Anita.
To his relief, Anita and Jon were both at home when he phoned, and with their address programmed into the GPS, Alex headed in their direction. It wasn’t far. Anita welcomed him at the doorway, a bawling Mindy held securely in her arms. With her hair tied back, Anita looked like a schoolgirl. She was young to be a mother. A guilty thought semaphored across his brain—Sylvie was only two years older.
He pushed away this unwelcome thought and gladly accepted coffee, admiring their neat house.
Jon came into the lounge with a beaming grin and took Mindy in his arms, soothing her and making her chuckle, while Anita sat down opposite Alex.
“We don’t often have visitors.” Anita sounded shy. “Is Sylvie not with you?”
“No. She’s at home. A friend of hers is staying with us.” Alex hesitated, then jumped straight in. “I wanted to pick your brain. Both of you, really. I need to know what kind of stuff I need to buy for a child. A baby. You know... Starting from scratch, what things will I need?”
They both stared at him, their surprise clear. Anita spoke first. “Wow. Does this mean what I think? Is Sylvie expecting?”
“No,” he was quick to answer. He tried to organise his thoughts. “We’re going to be adopting a baby. Quite soon. And I don’t have the first idea of what we’re going to need. I’ll need a nanny or something, as well.” He tried a sheepish grin. “Could you make me a shopping list, do you think?”
Jon and Anita looked at each other, visibly perplexed. Jon sat down next to his wife, handed back Mindy, and poured himself some coffee, then spoke slowly. “Why don’t you start at the beginning? I think I’ve missed something. You’re adopting? And maybe I need to ask, does Sylvie know?”
Alex laughed at Jon’s concern. “Yes. Of course she does. Did you think I was doing it as a Christmas present or something?”
Jon shrugged.
Alex explained the situation as best he could. “I came to you because you take Mindy everywhere and you don’t have a problem with that.”
Jon snorted. “I wouldn’t say we don’t have a problem. It’s bloody hard sometimes. But we make it work. Don’t we, sweetheart?” When Anita nodded, Jon asked, “How does Sylvie feel about it?”
Alex hesitated. Did he go for brutal honesty or fudge the issue? He went for a hazy partial truth. “She needs a bit more time to get used to the idea, but she’ll be fine.”
“I could make a list of essentials for you,” Anita said.
“Thank you. I’d appreciate any suggestions you can make. Where to buy it would be good too. And how the hell do I engage a nanny?”
He left a couple of hours later, a long printout of essentials tucked into his pocket. Now he had to make his peace with Sylvie, he’d a suspicion that wouldn’t be so easily achieved.
****
Jordan had a squash match scheduled with Nick after work, and he gazed out of the window as he contemplated whether or not to cancel. He’d spent the past week avoiding Nick, which as his manager, sucked big time. Separating business from personal feelings had never been more difficult.
He rolled his neck and winced at the dull ache it produced. Stress made his headache worse, and regular stretches might help. He walked back to his laptop and flicked through the calendar entries for next week and the one after that. How long could he put off visiting the doctor? He wanted to wait until Kate made the magical—safe—twelve-week mark, but could he cope for another six weeks?
Logically, he knew there might be other reasons for the increasing levels of pain. His eyesight was perfect, so it wasn’t that. His general health was good.
He sighed. The headaches were exactly as his surgeon warned. The idea of what might happen was terrifying.
When his phone beeped with a text, he seized the distraction. It was from Kate.
Hi. I had an odd call from Alex earlier. Has he spoken to you? What time are you home tonight? K xxx
Jordan checked his phone for missed calls, but there were none. He buzzed through to Cassie, his PA, but she confirmed there were no messages to pass on. He was about to call Kate, when there was a knock at the door.
Nick.
“Hi, Jordan. Sorry to call unannounced, but I wondered if you had five minutes.” He looked tired and anxious.
So much for keeping a handle on his stress levels. Jordan felt his blood pressure rise at the sight of the guy, but he had to remain professional. He nodded and put away his phone. “Sure. Come in.”
Nick sat opposite his desk and ran a hand through his hair in a weary gesture. “I was hoping to take a couple of days off at the end of the week. My team will be fine without me, and there are no critical meetings that can’t be moved.” He paused, and Jordan inclined his head for him to continue.
“Thing is...” He gave Jordan a shamefaced smile. “I can tell you; You’re my friend as well as my boss.”
Christ. Jordan hoped Nick wasn’t going to tell him he was leaving his pregnant wife for Adele. There was no evidence of their having an affair, but it was a possibility, and Jordan’s gut instinct told him something was going on.
/>
Nick waited a long moment. He seemed to struggle to find the words, and then he spoke in a rush. “Lara’s pregnant. It came as a bit of a shock, and I didn’t take the news very well. She went to stay with her friend Sylvie, in Wales. We talked on the phone and made up, and I want to drive up there to bring her home. I was going to go on Saturday, but I miss her.” He shrugged, a wistful look on his face. “I’d like to go sooner, if you don’t mind me taking the time off.”
Several thoughts clamoured for attention. Relief that Nick was accepting the pregnancy. No mention of a termination. And maybe—just maybe—Jordan was wrong about the closeness with Adele. This was almost certainly the reason for Alex’s call to Kate. Jordan was pleased the news was out in the open.
He stood and reached out to clasp Nick’s hand. “Congratulations. I’m very pleased for you both. You need to spend some time with Lara, so no problem about taking the time off. Please pass on my best wishes to her.”
Nick smiled. “Thanks. It feels weird to talk about it.”
“Yeah, it does.” Jordan couldn’t help smiling back. “But you know, it’s great. You won’t regret it. Poppy has brought so much happiness into our lives, I can’t imagine being without her.”
He nodded, his normally lively expression thoughtful. “Are we still on for squash tonight?”
“Definitely. And maybe a drink afterward, to celebrate?”
Nick’s face cleared. “Yeah. That would be good. My evenings are empty without Lara.” He stood and flashed Jordan a grin. “Catch you later. And thank you.”
Jordan called Kate back and updated her on the conversation with Nick. He also asked about the call from Alex. She hesitated, and then said it didn’t sound like anything to do with Lara. Alex sounded odd. Her instincts were finely honed, and Jordan trusted her judgement, so he placed a call to Alex next. It went to voicemail, and Jordan left a brief message. They’d catch up later.
The squash game was a fierce and most enjoyable one. Nick had regained his usual energy, and he ran around the court like a gazelle on steroids, racing ahead in the final minutes. They chatted and joked in the changing room, like old times, and emerged on their way to the pub, to find Adele in reception. She appeared to be signing up for some classes. Others might think she was surprised to see them, but Jordan thought otherwise.
