Page 67 of Kiss Me Ever After
“I didn’t want to say anything until I knew everything was okay.” Candace rubbed her stomach, looking down at the bump.
“You usually wait to tell your friends and family. Not the father!” I turned to face her. “You should have toldmethe moment you found out.”
“It scared me. I didn’t know how you would react.” She blinked rapidly. “I thought you might be angry. Like this.”
“Damn right I’m angry. I can’t believe you kept something this huge a secret from me for all this time.”
“I’m sorry, Justin.” She clutched my arm. “We’re going to be okay though, right?”
I snatched my arm away and shook my head. “It’s a lot to take in. I need some time to get used to it. If it’s even true.” I tossed the words out without thinking.
She fixed me with a grey-eyed stare, as if daring me to question the truth. “Of course it is.”
Candace’s phone rang, and she pulled it from her bag. I couldn’t see the name of the caller on the screen as she answered.
“Yes, I’m coming home now. I’ll pick up what you wanted on the way.” There was a pause. “I’ll be back soon.” She ended the call, not waiting to hear the response from the other end of the line. “I have to go. Call me later?”
Mutely, I nodded, unmoving as she stood. She went to kiss me on the mouth, but I turned my head, so her lips hit my cheek instead.
As I watched her walk away, I didn’t feel a single thing.
For the next few hours, I sat on that park bench, too many thoughts swirling around in my head. I desperately tried to work out the dates Candace referred to, seeing if I could pinpoint the timeframe, but kept drawing blanks. If only I’d done the same…apparently.
By the time dusk came, I was still no closer to the answers.
The park filled with families playing and having fun. I’d never given much thought to having children, suspecting it would happen one day, but not until much, much later in life. Happening when I wanted it to and not having fatherhood thrust upon me. But whatever my feelings, I had to do the right thing.
I trudged back to Lennon’s house, hoping she’d finished work and was ready to talk.
We needed to talk.
I needed to feel her arms around me.
When I got to the house, I hammered on the front door, calling her name, but after five minutes and no response I gave up. Maybe she was at the Kane’s.
Alex answered the door. “Where the hell have you been all day?” he asked, ushering me into the hallway.
“With Candace.” I winced as he rolled his eyes.
“And?”
“And what? She’s pregnant. She tells me I’m the father. If I am, I have to deal with it and take responsibility.” I paused; hands thrown up in mid-air.
“Are you sure?” Alex asked the question I’d been asking myself all afternoon. “This is Candace we’re talking about.”
“Mate, I know. But you should have seen her. She was so convincing.”
He tilted his head. “Because she’s never lied to you in the past? Come on, Justin, you’re not that much of an idiot. Get a test, get proof, getsomethingthat gives you reassurance either way.”
I wished I’d spoken to Alex before I’d met with Candace this morning. My head was such a carnival, I didn’t even know whether you could get a paternity test before the baby was born.
“You’re a fucking genius!” My mood, which had been somewhere around my boots, lifted and I punched Alex on the shoulder. Relief washed over me. “Let me go and tell Lennon, then I’ll start doing some research.”
Amber swung through the hallway, a bowl of cereal in her hand. “That’ll be pretty hard.”
“Why? She’s with you, isn’t she?”
She shoved a spoonful of cornflakes into her mouth and made a negative sound. “I took her to the station an hour ago. She’s gone.”
