Page 112 of Playing the Game
He went through to his dressing room where he’d cleared a space for Olive’s tiny outfits. Jen had brought enough for weeks. Still Adam hadn’t been able to resist the lure of internet shopping.
“This one?” he asked, holding up a pink cord dress.
Olive gurgled.
“No? Okay, how about this?”
He held up a pair of mint green dungarees.
She snuggled into him. A positive sign if ever he saw one.
“A bold choice,mademoiselle,” he said. “And in Brockton’s colours too.”
His phone rang. Interrupting their one-sided conversation.
It was Jen.
“Hey,” Adam said.
“How is she?”
Jen had called every day from Liverpool where she’d gone to stay with friends.
“She’s fine. How are you?”
Jen sighed. “I’m better today.”
He exhaled. The last few calls Jen had been in a state.
“When you’re ready, we can talk about a proper future,” Adam said.
“Give me a couple more days,” she replied. “Are there reporters?”
“Nope. I think we were a five-minute thing. Howard shut them down with a statement.”
“That’s good. Thank him for me.”
Adam hated all this subterfuge. When Javier found out the truth, he’d be pissed that Adam hadn’t told him straight away.
“I’m not pressuring you. I can’t keep her a secret forever either.”
“I know and I’m sorry. I promise I’ll sort my head out and come back as soon as I can.”
“As long as you’re okay. That’s the main thing.”
“Thank you, Adam.”
“Bye.”
He terminated the call. Then he saw that he had a brown mark on his arm.
“Oh God,” he said. “You left Daddy with a souvenir.”
Olive gave him one of her special smiles that made his heart burst.
“You couldn’t care less, could you?”
He kissed her on the forehead before heading to the sink to wash himself. He supposed these were the trials of being a father.
