He poured more scotch. It wasn’t every day you found out you were a father. What if she hated him? “I’m scared.”
“Daughters are scary things.”
“Thanks, grandpa.” He pushed himself to his feet.
“Where are you going?” Rory asked.
“To phone the mother of my daughter.” At the last moment he grabbed the bottle of scotch and took it with him to his office.
“Well, tell her I take back what I said.”
He stopped and stared down at Rory. “And what did you say?”
“That she should stay the fuck away from my son.”
“A little late for that.”
“Well, I wasn’t in possession of all the facts.”
“Neither was I.”
Two days since she’d told him. It seemed like forever.
Abby couldn’t say the reveal had gone badly, though it hadn’t gone as she’d expected either.
If she was honest, she’d thought he wouldn’t be interested. That he’d maybe accuse her of wanting his money or something, and she’d been all ready to throw that back in his face. She wanted nothing from him. They’d managed up until now and would manage in the future.
But he genuinely wanted to meet Jennifer, and if she wasn’t mistaken, he fully intended to be part of her life.
How did she feel about that?
I don’t know.
Her thoughts had taken on a surreal quality, her life spiraling out of control. Oh God, she hoped this was going to work and she wasn’t making a mistake of gargantuan proportions.
“Are you okay?” her mum asked.
“Yes. No. I don’t know. Ask me in a few hours’ time.” When this was all over. Logan was coming to Sunday lunch. She’d thought that their first meeting would be better for Jenny among her family and familiar surroundings.
“Is he really that bad?”
“No. Yes. I don’t know.”
Her mum laughed. “You know, I’m looking forward to meeting him. The boy who sent my perfect little girl off the rails.”
“He’s hardly a boy. And I was never perfect.”
“Yes, you were, but I understand why.” She gave her a quick hug. “You were being what you thought we wanted you to be. And I’m really sorry we put those pressures on you.”
“And I’m sorry I screwed up.”
“You didn’t. What happened was for the best, and I don’t regret anything.”
When her father had insisted Abby have an abortion and go on with her legal studies, her mother had finally, after years of toeing the line, stood her ground. She’d left Abby’s father and stayed with her daughter. Abby would always feel guilty about that, but at the same time, her mother seemed happier now than she could ever remember her being during Abby’s childhood. Her father had been a criminal lawyer from a good family who’d done the right thing and married his pregnant hairdresser girlfriend. But her mother, and later Abby, following her lead, always felt that they had to be on their best behavior. Always smart, always well-behaved…
“Anyway,” her mum said. “There’s something I wanted to tell you. I—”
She broke off as Jenny entered the room. Dressed in jeans and a pink shirt—she’d changed clothes about six times—her face was pale; she looked a little like Abby felt.
“What if he doesn’t like me?” she asked.
“Of course he’ll like you.” She gave Jenny a quick hug. “Remember, he’s probably as nervous as you. He’s never had a daughter before. I bet he’s changed his clothes about six times this morning as well.”
Jenny giggled, then went serious. “I should be wearing a dress.”
“No, the jeans are good.”
“He’ll think I’m a tomboy.”
“You are a tomboy.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Oh.”
Another hug. “You’ll be fine. Don’t try to be something you’re not just for someone else. People need to love you as you are.”
“Amen to that,” her mother said, and the words sounded heartfelt.
At that moment a loud rumble came from outside on the street, as some sort of vehicle pulled up, followed by silence as the engine was switched off. It sounded like a bike. He’d come on a motorcycle?
Her mum crossed the room and peered out through the window. “Holy crap,” she muttered.
“Mum!”
“Sorry, but…”
Abby came up beside her and stared out through the glass. Logan sat astride a huge, gleaming black Harley. Jenny came to stand next to her, and Abby put an arm around her shoulders and hugged her close. As they watched, he pulled off his helmet. His black hair was tied back into a ponytail, revealing the sharp angles of his face. He wore black jeans and a black leather jacket. He didn’t look like anyone’s dad.
“Is that my dad?” Jenny asked in awed tones.
“Yes.”
“Sara is going to be so jealous.”
Abby caught her mother’s gaze over Jenny’s head, and her mum grinned.
Out on the street, Logan swung his leg over the gleaming machine with an almost animal-like grace. He stood for a moment studying the house, and she had the urge to step back out of sight. But there was no hiding today.