AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s a very tricky situation.”
“It is, and it’s not easy knowing I’m the cause of it.”
I lean forward, elbows on my knees, and run a hand through my hair. “Aw, Penny.”
“I’m not saying that looking for sympathy, Kip. I’m just stating a fact. It’s not my fault, and there’s nothing I can do about my illness or the fact that I need looking after. It is what it is, and we have to make the best of it. I upset both my girls yesterday because I said it would be better if I wasn’t here, and I need to do something… to at least try to put it right.”
“What doyouwant?” I ask. “Because that’s important, too.”
“I think the first thing is that I need to ask you a question. I know Alice has broken up with you. And I know it’s a messy situation. You’re a very sweet guy, but I’m sure that having a girl’s mother permanently around is not what a guy looks for when he starts dating. Whatever you say now, whatever the outcome of this conversation, I want you to know that I’m not going to go and do something silly—I said what I said because I was upset and frustrated, but I’d never harm myself because I couldn’t make my girls’ lives even harder. We’ll work it out between us, whatever happens. But I wanted to talk to you before I start thinking about solutions. So I guess my question is, are you still interested in Alice? Do you still want to be with her?”
“A hundred percent, yes,” I say without hesitation, my heart swelling.
“Really?” Her voice is almost squeaky with hope.
“Of course. I love her. With all my heart. I want to be with her. And the thing is, I’m a family guy. I love my parents and brothers and aunts and uncles and cousins. And I want to be a part of your family, too. You’re very important to me, Penny. Not just because you’re Alice’s mum, and I want to make sure you’re happy and safe because I wantherto be happy. But because I like you! You’re fun and you’re a lovely person, and I like being with you.”
“Jesus, Kip, are you trying to make me cry?”
“I’m sorry. I’m just telling it like it is.”
“Okay.” She clears her throat. “Well, in that case, maybe we should talk about where we go from here. I think we should both be brutally honest, yes? There’s no point in tiptoeing around this situation.”
“I agree,” I say, pleased.
“I won’t be offended if I suggest something and you say no or that you’d prefer to do it a different way, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Right,” she says. “Here goes.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Kip
After my long phone call with Penny, I send a text to Sam, the pilot of the Knight Sky, then take my laptop out onto the deck and spend half an hour browsing and jotting down some notes until the doorbell goes. I answer it to find Craig standing there. To my relief, there’s no sign of Renée. I’m tempted to say, ‘So she let you out on your own, then?’ but I manage to restrain myself.
“Jesus,” he says, staring at my eye, “what happened to you?”
“Don’t ask,” I reply wryly. “Come in.” I stand back and let him pass, close the door, and follow him down the steps. “You want a coffee?”
He shrugs. “Okay.”
I take it as a sign that he’s planning to stay at least long enough to have a drink, and turn on the machine. “Thanks for coming,” I say as I start the espresso pouring. “I wasn’t sure you’d agree to it.” I glance at him. “Was Renée okay with you coming?” I’m genuinely curious, as I was convinced she’d arrive with him.
He sits on one of the barstools and scratches at a mark on the counter. “Renée and I broke up.”
I stop in the process of retrieving the milk from the fridge and stare at him. “Oh, shit. When?”
“A week ago.”
I study his face, and for the first time I spot the exhaustion and unhappiness on his features. Slowly, I lift out the plastic milk bottle, bring it over to the counter, and pour some milk into the jug. “I’m very sorry,” I tell him, taking the bottle back to the fridge.
“Are you?”
“Yes,” I reply sincerely. “Of course. Breakups make you feel like shit. Despite what you think of me, I don’t wish you ill.”
He doesn’t reply. I pour another espresso, steam the milk, pour it into the mugs, and turn off the machine. “Come on.”
