Page 92 of Playing the Game
How many times had they shared meals in this exact spot? Never in his wildest dreams did he think they would be having this conversation.
“Fuck,” he said.
“Is that all you can say?”
“Give me a minute, yeah?”
The initial shock subsiding, Adam tried to think clearly.
Okay. I need to get control of this situation.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Jen’s eyes filled again. “Because you would think I was trying to trap you.”
The little girl fixated on him. Instantly, he saw himself in her eyes and nose. This was real all right.
“Do you want to hold her?”
Whilst Adam had been getting good practice with Petar, holding his own child was a hell of a step. He nodded.
Jen got up and came round the table. Gently, she passed the baby into his arms.
He gazed down. From nowhere a fierce love for this child swept through him. He was glad he’d sat down.
“She’s beautiful,” he said.
At the sound of his voice, Olive treated him to a gummy grin. Tears pricked at his eyes as he took her in. Jen placed her hand on his shoulder.
“Are you okay?”
Adam shook his head. “Not exactly.”
Jen took the chair next to him. She looked as if she could fall asleep right there.
“We can talk properly later,” Adam said, regaining some self-control. “Tell me what you need.”
Running her hands through her hair, Jen sighed. “What don’t I need? Sleep. A shower. Help.”
How badly had he treated her that she’d not been able to come to him with something like this? The shame was real.
“Go and get into my bed,” Adam said. “You know where everything is.”
“What about her?”
Adam glanced down. Olive gurgled back at him.
“We’ll be fine,” he replied. “You’ll stay with me.”
Jen nodded. “Thank you.”
“Enough of that,” Adam replied. “Jen, I hate that you tried to do this on your own. You will have had your reasons and I want to hear them. All in good time.”
She reached forward and stroked Olive’s cheek.
“Don’t tell anyone,” she said. “Not just yet.”
“Of course not.”
