Lottie turned to face him fully as she nodded.
He glanced at the shopfront, making sure no one could hear. ‘It’s about Archie.’
Her eyes widened. ‘What about him?’
‘I just bumped into my old schoolmate Darren outside, and he told me about how his cousin found himself in the same situation as me.’
Lottie gave him a confused look. ‘What situation?’
‘Being told he was a dad.’
‘And?’ she whispered.
Spencer’s stomach flipped. ‘His cousin did a paternity test and it turned out the baby wasn’t his.’
‘Oh, I see. And now the seed has been well and truly planted in your head.’
Spencer quietly sighed. ‘Do you think I should do one?’
‘I guess that depends on you.’
‘What if people think I’m an idiot for not taking one?’
‘Since when do you care what others think? Anyway, how would they know?’
Spencer gestured towards the shopfront. ‘I took Beth’s word, but that was mostly because Archie reminded me so much of you when you were his age, and then I got to know Beth, and she’s lovely and nice, and I don’t think she would lie to me.’
‘But it’s bothering you now. I can see.’
‘I believe Archie is mine, but it wouldn’t hurt to be totally sure, would it?’
‘I guess not, if it puts your mind at ease. Talk to Beth. See what she thinks.’
Spencer shook his head. ‘No, I’m not letting her know. How am I supposed to bring that up now? That’s something you do in the beginning. It might upset her if I did it now.’
Lottie offered a small smile. ‘I don’t know what to say, Spence. You’re the only one who knows if this will play on your mind.’
It was something he could do by himself, perhaps. That way, he wouldn’t risk Beth thinking he didn’t trust her, and at the same time he would have the confirmation to wipe away the niggle.
No, I’m not doing it. Archie is my child.
Trying to shift the thought of testing, he turned back to the accounts.
Lottie came closer to him, resting a hand on his shoulder. ‘You’ve fallen for her, haven’t you?’
It was hard trying to add up while his little sister was pressing him for info.
‘Why don’t you tell her how you feel, Spence?’
The numbers on the screen seemed to shrink, and he wondered if he needed glasses.
‘Have you opened up to her at all? It might be easier for you to talk about things like paternity tests if you had that kind of relationship. Perhaps tell her your birth name or—’
Spencer turned so quickly, he could have got whiplash. ‘Have you told Sam my real name?’
‘No,’ she replied sheepishly, and that told him she had.
‘You’d better not tell anyone else,’ he said through clenched teeth. ‘I didn’t change that through deed poll for nothing.’
