Players, Bumps and Cocktail Sausages (Silence #3)(37)

“Jasper it’s not even been two months since you broke up. It’s going to take time for you to get over what happened.”

“Cole, got any better advice than your wife’s?”

“You could get smashed and sleep around…”

“Arsehole,” I muttered, making him laugh. That was all I’d been doing though. Since the split, I’d put another fifteen notches on my bedpost.

“Seriously, man, Oakley’s right. Stop putting so much pressure on yourself. There’s no quick fix for anything, so you’re going to have to go with it and get over her the old fashioned way.”

“I was kinda hoping you’d be more help than this.”

He raised his eyebrows. “Why? I pined over Oakley for four bloody years!”

My sister smiled lovingly at her husband.

“Yeah, why did I come to you two? Neither of you have any experience in moving on. You were both pathetic messes.”

“Thank you,” Oakley replied dryly.

I held my hand up. “No offence.”

“Anyway, less about me and Cole. What are you going to do? Have you discussed what will happen when the baby,” she said, stopping for a second to smile, “my niece or nephew, is here? When’s the due date?”

“I don’t know. We could barely talk about anything without arguing. I’ll be there as much as possible. I want joint custody, and I don’t think she’ll fight it too much, she still wants a career, so only having the baby half the time will allow her to do that. I might need to rework my hours at The Centre.”

Oakley waved her hand. “We’ll sort it.”

I knew she’d say that. Family was her main priority too.

“Yesterday I thought I’d lost everything,” I whispered. “I can’t believe I’m going to be a dad.”

“You’re going to be a great dad.”

“Damn straight I will. I’ll do everything for that kid.”

Leaning over, she gave me a hug and whispered, “Congratulations.”





Chapter Fifteen


“Morning,” I said to Holly as I walked into work and again revelled in a blush that I knew meant she was thinking about the sex we’d had.

“Morning, Jasper. You look happy today.”

I stopped by her chair and sat on the spot on the desk we’d christened. Her lame attempt at fighting a smile told me she knew exactly what I was doing.

“That’s because I am.”

“Good. It’s nice to see you smiling again.”

“Hey, I’ve smiled since Abby. You should know that better than anyone.”

“Shh,” she hissed, looking around the empty room.

My smile widened. “There’s no one around but you and me, Holly. Now what could we do on this desk with no one around…”

She glared.

“I’m kidding. We should at least wait until I lock up tonight.”

Her cheeks turned scarlet.

“Want to tell me why you’re so happy rather than making me squirm at work?”

I was momentarily stunned into silence. That I hadn’t expected to come from her mouth. She admitted I made her squirm. I could live with that.

“I’m going to be a dad.”

Her mouth fell open so wide I could see all of her teeth.

“That was pretty much my reaction too,” I said.

“Oh. Um, congratulations then I guess.”

The light went from her eyes.

“So are you moving back into your old house?”

“What? No. Hey, when I said I never wanted Abby back I meant it. We’re having a baby together, but that’s it.”

‘That’s it’ was a strange phrase to use when talking about raising a tiny person but that was it, that was as far as my relationship with Abby was ever going to go again. We’d share a child. End of story.

“I see. No offence, but I’m glad you’re not going back there. You can do better.”

“Anyone can do better than being with a cheater.”

She nodded. “You’re going to be a great dad.”

“I hope so.”

Smiling distantly, she spun her chair to face the monitor. “Oakley asked if you’d sign off the wages as she ran out of time. She left a note, I think, but asked me to mention it too.”

Holly had gone from squirming and blushing to ice cold at the mention of me being a dad.

“You okay?” I asked her.

“Yeah, fine.” She looked up. “Why?”

I leant over, resting my hand on the desk and completely blocking her view of the screen.

“What’re you doing, Jasper?” she asked a little breathlessly. At least she wasn’t completely put off.

“What’re you doing? There something wrong with me now I’m going to be a dad?”

“Of course not. It’s just weird. I feel wrong for…” she shrugged.

“For what?”

“Flirting with you when your ex is carrying your child. I don’t know; I shouldn’t because you’re single and can do what the hell you like, but…”

“But you’re a good girl – most of the time – and you have all these weird morals.”