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“Yes. Yes,” he says, doing that “I’m doing sums in my head” expression some people use when they’re trying to count. “That still works out.”
“It works out for me too, though,” puts in Alan. “Although it wasn’t just the one time for me and Sam. Oh, no, it was—”
“Biscuits!” Mum almost yells, bursting back through the door. “Who wants biscuits?”
She offers around a plate of dried-up HobNobs that I don’t remember buying, so which have presumably been here since the last time she stayed with me. Unsurprisingly, no one is tempted.
“I was just saying, Sam,” says Alan, once she’s sitting between them again. “You and me were together for quite a while, weren’t we?”
He winks lasciviously in her direction, and now I’mreallyglad I didn’t take one of the biscuits.
“I wouldn’t say that,” says Mum, staring straight ahead of her, presumably because they’re all so squashed together that if she turns to look at him, they’ll be practically nose-to-nose. “We were never officially dating, if that’s what you mean.”
“Ach, that’s just because you didnae want anybody to know about your bit of rough, did you?” says Alan, nudging her. Mum almost drops the plate of biscuits she’s holding.
“I lived in the village,” says Alan, turning to me. “Worked in the garage there. Sam would never have looked twice at me, but she had this wee car she used to bring in sometimes.”
I give a sharp intake of breath. Jett reaches over and silently takes my hand.
“Most of the time there wasnae even anything wrong with it,” says Alan, laughing. “I think you just wanted an excuse to see me, didn’t ye, Sam?”
Mum’s blushing now, which is a phenomenon I’ve never witnessed before. I watch her curiously. So does Lochlan, who looks quite put out. Jett clears his throat loudly.
“You know you’re both going to have to do DNA tests, right?” he says. “That’s the only way to clear this up, and getting it cleared up as quickly as possible is our main priority. That’s the fairest thing for Lexie, and she’s the most important person in all of this. I’m sure you guys will agree.”
He smiles pleasantly, and my heart does a little flip at the way he said “our” as if we’re in this together, and it’s just as much of a priority for him as it is for me — themost important person.
I’mthe most important person.
For literally the first time in my life, I find myself wishing Violet was here.
“Of course,” says Lochlan, leaning forward eagerly. “As soon as it can be arranged. I need to get back to Edinburgh soon; I’ve got a family there, you know. They’d all love to meet you, Lexie.”
He smiles at me appealingly. He reminds me of a puppy, just wanting to be loved. I think again about his two daughters and his spaniel called Cheeto.
I could be part of that family. I could be one of them.
Icould be the person who loves him. Or one of them, anyway.
CouldI, though? Because I guess if this mandoesturn out to be my father, I probablyshouldlove him, shouldn’t I? It’s what he’ll expect. It’s just… it feels weird to even think about loving this complete stranger in front of me. Or Alan, for that matter: who, he tells us, is currently single (Is it just me, or does Mum perk up at this?), and living somewhere outside Inverness, where he owns his own garage. He’s happy to take a test too, he says. Nothing would make him happier, in fact.
Could I loveAlan?
I try to imagine myself calling him “dad” or… or going fishing with him, or whatever fathers and daughters do. (Whatdofathers and daughters do, though? I’ve never really noticed. I know Emerald Taylor’s dad makes her go and watch his darts team somehow, so… maybe that?Note to self: read up on darts…)
“Cool,” says Jett, sounding completely unimpressed. “I’ll tell my assistant to get on that, then. You should probably both speak to your lawyers, too. We’ll certainly be speaking to mine.”
He pulls out his phone, letting go of my hand in the process.
I hate his phone.
I love the way he said “we” again, though.
Stop it, Lexie. He’s with Violet. He’s just being nice.
“You don’t have to do that, Jett,” I protest. “You’ve done more than enough already. I’m sure we can sort something out ourselves—”
“Shhh, Lexie,” he says softly. “I’m doing it. I’m in this now. I’m invested. And I want to make sure you don’t get screwed over.”
