AllFreeNovel
Share Us
‘We’ll get whatever else we need in Australia,’ he says.
‘Don’t think that by repeatedly mentioning it, I’ll suddenly agree to move.’ I follow to see where he’s taking Lukas’s bed. ‘I’m used to sleeping near him.’
‘Sure.’ He walks forward. ‘While we’re here, he’s in the room between each of ours.’
Lukas is restless and needs some playtime. I lay him on the warm rug in front of the wood-burner that was lit before we arrived. I kneel beside him and pull out his favourite rabbit toy to play and let him kick out his legs.
Dain appears in the doorway but doesn’t venture in. ‘He’ll be okay if we watch him from here while we talk?’
My stomach sinks. I feel as if I’ve been summoned to the principal’s office. He’s watching Lukas but as I approach his gaze lifts. Heat crawls over me. Suddenly clumsy, I almost trip over my own feet.
‘What’s the project you have in Queenstown?’ I mumble to distract us both from my humiliating loss of co-ordination.
‘The new apartments by the golf course. That’s why I was here a year ago. Simone wanted my investment.’
I know the ones. According to the sign they’re all sold already and they’ve barely begun building them.
‘Why did you run off so quickly that night?’ he asks bluntly.
‘I had another job to get to.’
‘Wasn’t it cancelled because of the storm? Surely the bar was closed after the power cut? You could have taken two minutes to say goodbye.’
Becausegoodbyewas all there should’ve been to say. I don’t answer and he doesn’t wait long.
‘When did you find out you were pregnant?’
He’s going direct. I’ve imagined this conversation so many times but I still struggle to explain. ‘I’d been working long hours and just thought I was irregular. It wasn’t till I started showing that I...’Completely panicked.‘That I did a test.’
‘Were you taking care of yourself?’
I stiffen. ‘I don’t party, if that’s what you’re worried about.’
There’s a rueful twist to his lips I don’t quite understand.
‘I’m more worried about the hours you work.’
I don’t respond because ironically it’s right this second that I realise how horribly tired I am. I’ve been filming late at night, baking early morning, caring for Lukas round the clock all while recovering from his birth.
‘You knew the baby was mine?’ His voice lowers.
My shrug is non-committal because I don’t want to tell him that he’s the only person I’ve ever slept with.
His gaze flickers. ‘You didn’t consider ending the pregnancy?’
Maybe he thinks I’m irresponsible given I’m in not in the best position to care for him? Once I was past that initial amazement I was elated. ‘Even if I’d found out sooner, I wouldn’t have done anything differently.’
‘Including not trying harder to contact me?’
The truth is I’ll doanythingto keep my baby, but I can’t tell him that because it will give him absolute power over me. Even though he’ll likely have that anyway, given he has resources I can’t compete with. I’ll have to compromise.
‘I love Lukas,’ I say huskily, my heart aching. ‘I tried to contact you. When you didn’t reply I stopped.’
‘Your family helped?’
I’m thrown. ‘My what?’
‘Did they support you through the pregnancy?’ He frowns. ‘Your parents?’
