Page 39 of New Year, New Guy
‘Yes.’ Whatever the problem was they’d sort it together and move on from there. She scrolled through the latest messages on her phone while she waited for the water to boil and noticed several missed texts from Henry. She’d made it clear she wasn’t working again until Monday, so why was he bothering her now? As she read through them a chill shivered down her spine. ‘Is this what you didn’t want to tell me?’ She held up the phone for Hunter when he strolled back in. He read Henry’s alerts about Mike’s girlfriend undergoing an emergency Caesarean after being rushed to the hospital and the colour seeped from his face. ‘Partly.’ He scrutinised her closely. ‘You didn’t know she was pregnant?’
‘No.’ The strength of her reaction shocked her. It hurt like a vicious stab wound to the heart to discover her ex-husbandhad given his new girlfriend the baby she’d wanted so badly. A healthy, if small, little girl.
‘If it helps you any he’s not happy about it.’
‘It really doesn’t. In an ideal world every baby would be wanted, loved and cared for, although I’m not naive enough to believe that’s the case. Mike’s not soft and fuzzy when it comes to children . . . or anything else.’
‘Kiki going into labour early might be partly my fault.’ He shoved a hand through his loose curtain of hair. ‘I kind of interfered and might’ve upset her.’
‘You? How do you know her?’ Laura listened to his story with disbelief. ‘You did that for me?’
‘Yeah, mainly.’ Hunter’s sky-blue eyes darkened. ‘But also because he’s a piece of scum with the scruples and morals of an alley cat. The other doctor involved should be raked over the coals too.’
‘I’ll report them both on Monday.’ She flopped down on the nearest chair.
‘Hold your horses, sweetheart. I’m not sure Kiki will corroborate the allegation. Could be tricky.’
‘What about if I talk to her?’ Laura’s voice wobbled.
‘Are you prepared for all the gossip if you do that?’
‘As a medical professional how can I ignore this? And as a woman . . .’ Out of nowhere an image filled her head of a tiny wrinkled baby, swaddled in a soft blanket and wearing one of the pink-and-white striped hospital knitted hats with an oversized bow.
‘I’m dumb.’ Hunter clutched her tighter. ‘It’s the baby, isn’t it?’
Nodding through her tears Laura’s longing for a baby poured out.
‘Let’s talk about this when you’re . . .’ He hesitated.
‘Not hysterical?’
‘Don’t put words in my mouth. How about we go upstairs?’
She didn’t challenge him. For now she’d take what he offered exactly as he’d done with her the other night.
* * *
Hunter tightened his arms around Laura as she stirred in her sleep.
‘Do you want to talk now?’ she whispered.
With her warm, pliable body pressed against him their chances of having a sensible, unemotional conversation were zero. She sat up and tugged on a soft pink flannel pyjama top, treating him to a wry smile.
‘I’m sorry. Hearing about Mike’s baby caught me unawares. I didn’t mean to freak you out.’ Laura pushed her tousled hair out of the way. ‘Polly has always assumed I’m too wrapped up in my career to want a family.’ The harsh edge to her laughter sliced through him. ‘Mike made the same mistake.’
‘Didn’t you discuss whether or not you wanted children before the wedding?’
‘Yes, but we agreed to wait.’ She briefly closed her eyes and took a deep breath. ‘He assumed that meant I didn’t want them at all while I took it for granted he would change his mind at some point in the future. We should have been more honest but that was never our thing’
‘I’d tell it like it is because I know I’d be a lousy father.’
‘Why?’
The simplicity of the question caught him unawares.
‘You’re a good, kind, loving man. What more does a child need?’
‘Brett would describe our father that way but I don’t remember a time when the two of us weren’t at loggerheads. I can’t risk ruining my kid’s life that way.’
