Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 157032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157032 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
“Would you like a cup of coffee?” she asks.
“Please.” I frown as I take a seat on a stool at the kitchen counter.
She fusses about and I sit silently, uncomfortable. I feel myself begin to perspire.
She turns and hands me my coffee. “Do you still want to tell him today?”
“Yes.” I sip my coffee. “I’m not starting our relationship with lies.”
Her eyes hold mine. “Like we did, you mean?”
I raise my eyebrow and sip my coffee. “No comment,” I murmur.
She blows out a breath. “I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be snarky and I know you are doing the best you can.”
I purse my lips as I watch a small spot on the kitchen counter. I need to focus on anything but looking in her eyes.
She reaches out and puts her hand on my forearm. “I’ve had five years to adjust to this situation, Cam and you haven’t. It’s a lot to process. It will get easier, I promise.”
I nod. “I hope so.”
She smiles awkwardly and shrugs. “I thought maybe we could tell him and then, if you want some privacy, I could go out for a couple of hours and leave you two here alone?”
I frown and nod. I feel my nerves flutter.
Don’t leave me alone with him.
“Okay,” I mumble, distracted.
“What are you going to say?”
“When?”
“When you tell him?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. I’ve run though every possible scenario in my head all night. I think I’m just going to blurt out with it.”
“He’s very in tune, Cameron, and he’s really intelligent. If he picks up on the fact that you’re sad about it, he will latch onto that.”
My eyes rise to meet hers. “Do you think I’m sad about this?”
She shrugs. “You’re acting like you are.”
I frown. “I’m not sad I have a child with you. I’m upset with the way it happened, that I’ve missed out on so much. I’m furious that I found out from my mother and not you. You have no idea how that made me feel.”
She closes her eyes in regret. “I’m so sorry the way things transpired, Cameron, and I know you don’t believe me, but I can’t regret the week I spent with you. We would never have gotten to have that if you’d known earlier. You would have dismissed me as the psycho who turned up here with your kid in a heartbeat.”
Her eyes search mine and I don’t know what to think… or how to feel?
Blinding betrayal is all that comes through.
I drop my head. I don’t want to have this conversation. I can’t deal with it.
“Can you get him, please?” I ask.
Her eyes hold mine for an extended moment. I know she wants to finish this conversation, but I can’t.
I can’t go there. “Please?” I urge.
“Sure.” She walks out of the kitchen and calls upstairs. “Owen, you have a visitor.”
“Who?” he calls and I hear him run up the hall before he comes bouncing down the stairs. “Who is it?” he asks as he follows her into the kitchen.
“Cameron.” She smiles calmly.
Fuck… I wish I felt calm.
His face falls, and then he forces a smile when he sees me.
“Hello, mate.” I smile.
“Hi,” he replies.
“We’re having coffee. Would you like me to make you a hot chocolate?” Ashley asks him.
“Okay.” He smiles.
I pull out a stool next to me. “Why don’t you sit here?” I tap the stool.
He climbs up and sits at the counter.
His dark hair is unruly and curly like mine. He has the same olive skin and the cheekiest smile I have ever seen. He brings a smile to my face.
“What have you been up to?” I ask.
“You sound funny.” He smirks.
“Owen, use your manners, please.” Ashley frowns.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“Your voice is different.”
I smile. “That’s my accent. I’m Australian.”
He frowns as he thinks.
“Can you say Australia?” I ask.
“Australia,” he repeats as clear as day. “What is it?” he asks.
“It’s a country, my home.” I smile.
Owen frowns and his curious eyes rise to Ashley.
“You know, Owen, kangaroos come from Australia,” Ashley tells him.
“Oh.” He thinks for a moment. “Do you have a kangaroo?”
I smile. “No.”
Ashley hands him his hot chocolate. “Thank you.” He smiles as he takes it from the counter.
Ashley pulls a stool around to the other side and takes a seat. I inhale.
Just do it.
“So… Owen.” I pause. Fuck. “I… I wanted to talk to you today.”
He sips his chocolate and watches me intently.
“It seems that…” I frown. Fuck, this is hard. “It seems that when you were born, there was a bit of a mix up.”
Owen frowns.
I glance at Ashley and she looks to have turned a pale shade of green.
“Yeah,” I continue. “There was a mix up and we only just found out about it.”
He sips his chocolate as he listens.
“You see, I’m your dad, Owen.”
He frowns and I can see the information swirling around in his little head. “But I already have a dad,” he says.