“What the hell is wrong with you?” Oakley snapped, pushing past me. “I know that Abby hurt you and the divorce is hard, and I’m sorry for that, but that doesn’t excuse you sleeping with our twenty-year-old employee! And not to mention your friend’s sister. What were you thinking?”
“Come on in,” I said, with an irony-laden welcome gesture.
She glared.
“I wasn’t thinking, okay! That night I was a bit of a mess, and she was upset about that Harry dick. We ended up sleeping together, no big deal.” I wasn’t going to tell her it had been more than once.
“No big deal,” she replied flatly.
“Well okay, now it’s a big deal, but you’re making it out like I planned it. Believe me, I was a shocked as you are now when I woke up next to her!”
Holly was gorgeous, don’t get me wrong, but she wasn’t my type. I didn’t go for the shy ones or the dark eye make-up – it just wasn’t my thing. Past tense. I wanted her now, badly.
“Well that’s lovely. Bet she felt really special! Nice one, Jasper.”
Shit, now I’ve upset my sister. Sex could just be sex, but not to Oakley, not after what she went through and if she thought anyone was being taken advantage of, she freaked.
“I didn’t mean it like that, just that neither of us knew what was going to happen. Holly actually jumped when she woke up and saw me. She was just as surprised. I’m not exactly who she goes for either.”
Her type was quiet bookish guys. I think the last thing I read was the back of a pizza box to see how long to cook it for.
“What’re you going to do now?”
“We’ve not got that far yet.” I walked into the living room and sat down. “I’ve gotta get a house. I can’t believe this is happening.”
She sat beside me. “You’re going to be okay, both of you. Is Holly planning to move back when the baby arrives?”
“Yeah, her parents have already marked out a room for the baby. I feel like it’s a dream.”
“Well, it’s not, so you’d better get yourself sorted out, and I don’t just mean buying a house.”
She meant the alcohol and my promiscuous behaviour.
“I know. I don’t want my kid hating me.”
Oakley bit her bottom lip, and I knew what she was thinking: the way I hate our sorry excuse of a dad. That was the bottom line, as much as I felt like running until I got my head around the news; I would never let my child down like that. I would never put myself before my baby.
“You’re going to be a great dad.”
Shit. I’d gone from no kid to losing one to another man, to having one again. My head was spinning, and even now I was half waiting for Holly to say there was a mistake, and it wasn’t mine.
“I hope so. I’m fucking terrified.”
She laughed. “I remember that feeling. You both have a lot of support though.”
I didn’t want to tell her I was terrified of someone hurting the baby. I didn’t stop her getting hurt. Who’s to say I’d even know if anything was going on again? I trusted my friends and family, but I’d trusted my father at one point too.
“Does Brad know?”
“Do I look dead?” Holly wanted to wait a while. I liked the idea, but the longer we left it the harder it’d be.
“Make sure you tell him. He’ll be even angrier if he finds out from someone else. I’m sure he’ll be fine about it eventually; you and Holly are both adults.”
She stood up.
“Lecture over?” I asked.
“Yes. I just come here to shout at you before meeting Cole and Everleigh at the diner.”
“Lucky me.”
“Are you going out tonight?”
“No, I have Everleigh tomorrow morning. That kid plus a hangover…” I shuddered. “And I guess I should start that sorting-myself-out thing now.”
“Yes, you should. Call if you need me. Love you.”
“You too,” I replied as she left.
“Hey,” I said as Holly walked in the door to work.
She stopped in her tracks and checked her watch. “You’re early.”
“Funny,” I replied dryly. “How’re you feeling? Had any morning sickness?”
“Not really. I feel a little more tired than usual but apart from that I don’t feel any different.”
“Okay, good. You want a coffee? I picked up decaf on the way.”
She smiled and put her handbag down on the desk.
“That was sweet. Coffee would be nice, thanks.”
At that moment, Oakley walked through the door and did the exact same thing as Holly had, only she looked at the clock on the wall rather than her watch.
“I’m not always late,” I said defensively and walked away.
The kitchen being beside reception meant I could hear their conversation. It helped that I poked my head around the door.
“How are you?” Oakley asked Holly.
“Good, thanks. You?”
“I’m good. Jasper told me.”