Page 68 of Life After

She quickly placed her order and moved to the other end of the counter. Suzanne had texted her some fifteen minutes ago, but Jen had been driving, so she hadn’t picked it up yet. She took her phone from the Velcro top pocket in her high-vis jacket and brought up Suzanne’s message.

I’ve booked a table at a gorgeous little restaurant on the high street. My treat x

Jen smiled as she read the message. These moments were exactly what she’d missed when her last relationship ended. The spontaneity. The excitement of not knowing what was coming next.

Babe, you didn’t have to do that. Dinner was my idea. I should be the one paying x

Jen took her coffee when her name was called, added one brown sugar sachet to it, and headed back outside towards her van. Only as she reached the passenger side door, she spotted Grace’s boyfriend outside the shop next door to the coffee place. Did she acknowledge him—he had Toby in the pram—or did she avoid any sort of confrontation?

He has your nephew with him. Just say hello.

Jen hesitated as she took a step forward. She didn’t want there to be any kind of animosity, but she did want to see Toby. Surely Dan would afford her that. She cleared her throat as she pulled her shoulders back, trying to channel some of that confidence Suzanne always seemed to exude. “Hi, Dan.”

Dan turned around, his knuckles white where he held the handle of the pram. “Yeah, uh…hi.”

“How’s the little guy doing?” Jen peered inside his pram, her heart swelling when he gazed back at her with huge, inquisitive blue eyes. “Hi, gorgeous boy.”

“Um.” Dan moved the pram away from Jen, then turned it so she couldn’t see Toby any longer. “Why are you harassing me in the street?”

Jen’s brows rose. “Harassing you? Really?”

“You can’t just walk up to people and start looking at their kid. It’s weird.”

“I mean, it’s not just some random kid. Toby is my nephew, Dan.”

Dan scoffed and shook his head. “Not if I have anything to do with it.”

Jen should probably turn around and walk away, but she was just about done with Dan and his bullshit. On her initial release from prison, Jen hadn’t wanted to rock the boat, but now? Now, she believed it was time to live her life. A life that included heronlynephew. “Look, I understand that you don’t know me, that you only know about my past, but do I look like a monster who will lead your kid astray?”

“You’re a junkie.” Dan gave Jen probably the most disgusted look she’d ever received in her life. “I’m not bringing my kid up in that environment.”

“AndI’mnot bringing your kid up in that environment, either.” Jen sipped from her takeout coffee cup and took a step back. She held up her hand, aware that now wasn’t the time or place. “You may think you know all there is to know about me, but just remember that I know even more about your family. The Pritchards are oneveryone’swatch list around here.”

“The fuck is that supposed to mean?”

“I’d appreciate it if you didn’t use language like that around my nephew,” Jen said, shoving her hand in her pocket and taking her keys out. “And as for what it means… Well, you don’t come from the most highly thought of family, do you, Dan?”

“Just because I’m a Pritchard, it doesn’t mean I’m anything like my family!”

“And just because I made a mistake, it doesn’t define who I am.” Jen turned and walked to the back of her van, opening the doors and checking which route she needed to take next. Satisfied that she was in the right area, she closed the back doors and eyed Dan. “Think of all the nights out you and Grace have missed out on because you didn’t want Auntie Jen, the junkie, to babysit for you.”

“What? In your trap house? Don’t make me laugh!”

“Trap house?” Jen laughed, deciding she would tell a tiny white lie just to piss Dan off. “I actually live over on Belmont now. You know, where the millionaires are at. Is that ‘junkie’ enough for you?”

Dan’s brows drew together, his mouth opening and closing. Jen waited for a beat or two, mentally patting herself on the back when Dan didn’t respond.

“Thought that might be your reaction.” Jen took her scanner from the cargo pocket in her pants and logged back on. “Oh, and just a little bit of information for you.” She stepped towards him, now toe-to-toe. “When I was arrested and the police asked me where I was getting my supply of drugs from, you’ll be pleased to know I kept your brother’s name out of it.”

“Our Dean doesn’t deal.” Dan’s face reddened as he said that, practically spitting out the words.

“Trust me, he does. Usually on your dad’s say-so. Imagine how our Grace would feel knowingyourfamily was the reason I could get a hold of drugs.” Jen wasn’t blaming anyone else for her drug-taking, she’d made that decision all by herself, but if it took Dan down a notch or two, she would use it against him just this once. “You’d do well to remember that you and your family are far less squeaky clean than I’ll ever be, Dan.”

“Are you threatening me?” He snorted. “Once a criminal, always a criminal.”

“To be honest with you, I couldn’t give a toss what you think about me. I’ll always be ten times the person most of your family are—ex-con or not. But this is only going to push Grace away. Have a think about whether you’re willing to risk that. You won’t find anyone better than her.”

Jen turned and climbed into her van, firing up the engine the moment the key was in the ignition. Right now, she had work to finish. And then, she would be on her way to another date night with Suzanne Dixon. As Jen pulled away from her parking space, she realised that these were the moments when she was thankful to have Suzanne in her life. While people like Dan pointed the finger, Suzanne knew a different side to Jen. The most important side. The…real, honest, broken side.

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