He caught a glimpse of a person with a sense of humour – someone he might be able to have a laugh with if she allowed herself to lighten up a little.
‘Okay, so say you get pregnant. Then what?’
‘Like I said, your part is done.’
‘And I never see the baby? Ever?’
‘No, you wouldn’t be in my child’s life. I wouldn’t expect you to pay child support or to contribute in any way.’
‘And I wouldn’t have any access? Visitation rights?’
‘No, you don’t have to worry about any of that. I’m not going to come after you for money or anything. We can draw up an agreement, so we both know where we stand.’
‘I’m not worried about that.’
‘What then?’
‘I just don’t like the idea of having a child out there who I never see,’ Aidan said, rubbing his chin. ‘It’d be weird not seeing them grow up, not knowing what’s happening to them, how they’re doing.’ He couldn’t imagine never seeing Bo, never knowing if she was happy and safe, or what sort of person she’d turned into. It made him sad thinking about it.
‘Weird for you, you mean?’
‘Yeah. And for them too, maybe. I wouldn’t want them to grow up thinking I’d abandoned them.’ He already had one child who’d been abandoned by one of her parents. He wasn’t in the market for creating another.
Alva sighed. ‘I suppose if you insisted on it, I could keep in touch and let you know how they’re getting on. But I wouldn’t want you coming around, disrupting our lives.’
The waitress brought the bill.
‘So what happens now?’ Aidan asked, taking his wallet from his pocket. ‘Is there a shortlist or a second round of interviews or what?’
‘Actually, I think I’ve seen enough. I’m happy to go ahead if you are?’
‘Seriously?’
Alva nodded, looking nervous for the first time. ‘Yeah.’
‘Don’t you have more candidates to see?’
Alva’s face fell. ‘No. No other prospects at the moment, and you’re the best I’ve met so far. So, what do you think?’
Aidan felt a pang of pity, seeing the vulnerable, hopeful woman beneath the tough facade. ‘Sorry, but I don’t think I’m the right person for this… project of yours. It’s not about you. You’re very attractive and everything?—’
‘Give me a break,’ Alva cut in with a trademark eye-roll.
‘No, you are. I mean, you could stand to loosen up a little, don’t get me wrong, but you’re smart and forthright and?—’
‘Oh God,’ she groaned, ‘are you going to say any man would be lucky to have me?’
Aidan hooted. ‘No! I wouldn’t dare. I was going to say I think you’d be a great mum and anychildwould be lucky to have you.’
‘Oh.’ Alva’s face changed, softening a little. ‘Well, thanks.’
‘But I’m not up for abandoning any child of mine.’
Alva nodded stoically. ‘Well, that’s admirable, I suppose,’ she said grudgingly.
‘And I’m not looking for someone to just have sex with.’
‘What are you looking for?’
