Page 4 of A Chance to Believe

No way in hell was this conversation happening in front of his daughter. ‘I think this is something Cassie and I need to discuss in my office. Any further revelations can come later. Can you ask Parker to lay an extra place at lunch?’

Cassie shook her head. ‘Really, I couldn’t impose.’

A bit late to worry about that. ‘You’re here now, and I don’t think this is something that can be resolved in an hour or two.’

He waited by the door for Cassie to join him, taking the opportunity to rub his clammy hands on the back of his jeans. The initial angry disbelief was wearing off, but his heart was still thumping like he’d been on a hard ride.

She was almost at his side when Kim tossed a last defiant comment. ‘Remember what I told you.’

Cassie’s face flushed, but her expression stayed cool and unreadable.

Kim looked triumphant. Shayne made a note to speak to her later about her manner. Now was not the time or place with everyone so emotional. It would distract from what was important. Cassie Long and her news. In any case, he suspected he knew what it was about. ‘What did you tell her?’

‘That you won’t marry her. You don’t marry your mistakes.’

‘Your mother wasn’t a mistake, and neither were you. Getting married would have been the mistake.’

‘Same thing.’

Ben huffed out a laugh. ‘Every case should be judged on its own merits, Kimberley. You should know that. You plan on being a lawyer.’

Shayne nodded an acknowledgement. ‘Good point. In the meantime, Cassie and I have a conversation to take care of before lunch. Don’t forget to let Parker know.’

His office was down a side hall, away from the living areas and overlooking the backyard, with a good view of the pool and entertainment area from the window. It had its own entry at the side of the house, which meant he and his workers could come and go without impinging on the family. It also assured more privacy. He really, really needed to escape the accusing eyes of his daughter and Ben’s knowing smirk.

Cassie, with her long legs, had no problem keeping up with his stride, but he wondered if he should have considered her condition. He had to assume it was his, considering she’d made the effort to come and see him personally, though nearly six months was a long time to leave before contacting the father.

Kimberley’s mother had been on the doorstep the day she’d tested pregnant. Nausea tightened his gut at the memory. This was not the same. He wasn’t the same scared kid he’d been back then. Cassie was not Courtney either. What worried him was whether she was like Louella, the city slicker born and bred he’d met when Kim was a pre-schooler. He had to focus. Get his head together. This wasn’t about the past.

He stood back to allow Cassie to enter the room before him. She paused inside the door to look around. He hadn’t thought about what she might see. It wasn’t anything like the rest of the house, apart from the pressed metal ceiling and large sash windows. He’d set it up with practical modern furniture, desks and chairs and a couple of filing cabinets and a stationery cupboard. Mostly old records in the cabinets because the computer system held his stock data and financials now.

The built-in glass fronted timber bookcase fitted the rest of the house, but the contents were largely animal husbandry and veterinary texts.

‘Please, sit down.’ He indicated a comfortable tub chair facing the desk and circled to sit in his own high-backed executive chair with its back to the window. A little formal for the conversation he was expecting, but perhaps keeping things businesslike was a good option under these circumstances. Cassie accepted the invitation, handing him the paper store bag.

He glanced inside it, recognising the couple of items he remembered leaving behind and another he’d forgotten. A half-empty box of condoms. They’d used more than one box while they were together. When they’d used up the ones in his luggage, he’d insisted on providing his own once he’d discovered she didn’t have any on hand. It was safer anyway, for him. Fortunately, there had been a pharmacy in the arcade next to the hotel. It had been a full-on week between his commitments at the Ekka and his urgent desire to get back to Cassie and the bed they’d shared.

He steadied his breathing, hoping his heart would follow. His emotions were scattered and out of control, like a flock of damn sheep spotting a wild dog. With luck, she couldn’t see it. Especially after that giveaway moment when he’d first realised she was pregnant. He was used to maintaining a calm outer facade. You had to be when you were the one in charge. Especially dealing with animals. But a pregnancy was unexpected. All the feelings he’d had to deal with over sixteen years ago were coming to the surface.

He’d been so careful, determined to never be caught again. Courtney hadn’t stood a chance of making it up the aisle. He’d figured out her game the moment she’d arrived at Maidens Hill. A pity he hadn’t realised a little sooner when she’d persuaded him into bed after a night on the tiles he couldn’t remember much about. But then he wouldn’t have Kimberley, and he’d never regretted his little girl.

‘Is it mine?’ It came out with an aggressive tone he didn’t intend, sparked by memories that had nothing to do with her. He forced a smile she would probably see as a grimace. ‘Unless there’s something else you wanted to see me about?’

‘They are yours.’

‘They?’ He fixed his gaze on her stomach. ‘There’s more than one?’

‘Twin boys. Both are indeed yours.’

He was about to dispute any suggestion of denial when he realised she was joking. ‘Are you absolutely sure?’

‘It has been known, as I’m sure you would know, in your business—’ she pointed to the row of agricultural trophies and shields above the filing cabinets, ‘—but in this case, one egg, one sperm. All yours.’

‘Identical twins.’

Twin boys. An appealing thought to a man with one daughter who loved horses but hated sheep. Not that there was any guarantee either would be interested in following the Smith family into farming. Especially with a mother who came from the city.

‘I know this information is a little late coming, but I had some health problems earlier on. It seemed expedient to wait until I was sure there was news to tell.’

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