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‘If you can’t forgive me, then it’s the best thing, isn’t it?’
The last scars of his childhood, which had taken so long to heal but had finally knitted over, were ripped open by Evie’s words. He would never heal the same way again. He wanted to tell her no, that he wasn’t ready for that. But she was right, it was the only way, and he had to find a way to move past this in order to have a future with his daughter.
‘The best thing. We will need to discuss custody of Imogen, too,’ he bit out. ‘Shared custody. I won’t b
e just a weekend father to her, Evie.’
‘Fine.’ There was a desolation in that single syllable that cracked his heart. ‘Then I won’t be there by the time you get home.’
Max gave a curt nod, unable to speak.
Home? That house would never feel like a home to him again.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
‘IT’S HEALING NICELY.’ Max inspected Sally’s new graft. It was good work, maybe some of his best yet. The scars would always be there, but they were no longer the marks of her self-harming years. People wouldn’t look at her and judge her, condemn her.
‘What’s happened between you and the doc—why is she back staying with Annie, not you?’ Sally cut across him. ‘I saw her before she left and she looked worse than she ever did, even with her kidney and the baby, and that’s saying something.’
‘It’s private.’ Max glared at the young woman. The last thing he wanted to do was rake over the crippling pain he’d been fighting against ever since Evie and Imogen had left.
‘Which means you’re trying to pretend everything’s okay.’
Nothing was okay. But this wasn’t a conversation he wanted to have, even if he was getting the impression Sally didn’t care what he wanted. His heart plummeted into his new black trainers. Everything was new since Evie and Imogen had gone. Too many memories.
Sally pressed on regardless. ‘I think you ought to cut Evie some slack.’
‘She told you that, did she? Shouldn’t surprise me.’
‘No.’ The woman clicked her tongue disapprovingly. ‘Of course she didn’t. She won’t tell anyone a thing. But I know, whatever it is, she’s blaming herself entirely.’
Despite everything a shaft of pain lanced through him. Evie had already been through more than most people would ever have to endure. He couldn’t do anything about the failed situation between the two of them, she had hurt him more than he’d ever thought possible, but that didn’t mean he wished any more grief on Evie.
‘Well, then, there’s no more to say.’ Max tried to shut the conversation down but Sally wasn’t so easily deterred.
‘There is more to say. I’m guessing that, whatever it is, it’s something to do with that baby of yours. And the doc loves that little girl with all her heart. Whatever she did, she’ll have done with her child’s best interests at heart.’
‘Sally—’ Max began warningly. He might have known someone who’d been through all this young woman had wasn’t about to be intimidated.
‘I can see that you’re a posh boy, from a good family. I bet you’ve got parents who would have done anything for you. So isn’t it a good thing that Evie’s willing to fight for her daughter so that she gets the same chance in life to end up like her doctor mum or surgeon dad? And not someone who didn’t have anyone wanting or fighting for them and ends up like me?’
‘You had Evie fighting for you. And look at what you’ve managed to achieve for yourself,’ Max answered before his brain could kick into gear.
He didn’t need to see the smug look on Sally’s face to know he’d just stepped right into her cleverly laid trap.
‘See, deep down you really do know that the doc’s one of the good guys. And when I didn’t give you the chance to second-guess yourself, your instinct made you stand up for her.’
Max opened his mouth, wanting to tell Sally it was none of her business. Ironic that she should be so perceptive in how he felt about Evie, yet so wrong about his childhood being so different from her own. But he stopped.
She was right about one thing. It was better that Imogen had someone like Evie, who showered her with love and affection every single day, and was willing to risk everything to protect her. Two things. He had instinctively thought well of Evie.
When it came down to a straight choice between him and her daughter, Evie had protected Imogen. Her baby would always come first. Just as he now knew he would put Imogen first if it came down to a choice between his career, and his daughter.
But that didn’t stop it from being painful thinking about the way Evie had hurt him.
Although, thanks to Sally’s interference, he was starting to wonder if he was looking at it all wrong.
‘Thank you, Sally. Most enlightening,’ he managed dryly, before stepping around her to open his consulting-room door. ‘Now, if you don’t have any more questions about your own post-op progress, I’ll see you at your next appointment.’
