Page 5 of Under Ground

Tapping on his door, I wait a moment.

“Come in,” he says.

I open the door and cross the room.

“Here you go.” I dump the report on the desk and turn to leave. I get to the door before he speaks.

“Lana. Wait. Close the door.”

I suck in a breath, close the door, and turn back.

“I’m sorry if I was a bit short out there. Things are …” He sighs. “Tense with Melanie.”

Crossing my arms, I tap my foot. “I’m sorry to hear that, but that’s no excuse to take it out on me.”

“I agree.” He clasps his hands together. “I’d really like a sympathetic ear after work if you’re available.”

I snort, dropping my hands and shaking my head. “If I’m available? Are you for real?”

He recoils. “I’m just having trouble finding someone who will listen.”

“Maybe you should try talking to your wife? I have other priorities.”

His gaze drops, and I turn away.

“We can’t have children.”

I swallow hard. “That’s not my problem.”

“It’s not mine either. But I can’t tell Melanie that. The doctors don’t know what’s wrong. It’s frustrating. We’re starting IVF.”

Sucking in my bottom lip, I close my eyes and give my head a slow, small shake. “I’m sure it is.” Clasping my hands together, I take a step forward. “And for what it’s worth, I’m sorry for Melanie, if that’s what she wants.”

“I guess what I’m saying is that we need to be extra careful. If she finds out about …” He pauses, and I know it’s because he doesn’t want to say Casey’s name. It shouldn’t hurt, but it does. Despite him not wanting anything to do with her, she’s still biologically his daughter.

I drop my hands. “She won’t. I might not like you, but your wife is a good person. She deserves better than you.”

He clenches his jaw. “I know.”

“No one ever needs to know who Casey’s father is. We agreed to that, and I have no intention of breaking that agreement.”

His lips curl up a little. “I’m glad to hear it.”

“I’m not vindictive.”

“I know. Which is why I’m drawing up a new contract for you. There’s a pay increase included.”

My eyebrows rise of their own volition. “You’re rewarding me for keeping quiet?”

He stands, makes his way around the desk. In fairness to him, he keeps his distance, but it doesn’t stop my skin from crawling.

“I guess so. Melanie’s happiness is my priority, and if we’re going down the track I think we are, the last thing I need is for her to find out I fathered a child with someone else.”

My throat tightens. I’m used to him not wanting anything to do with Casey, but it still hurts when he refers to her in such a distant way. My dad might have chosen his old-fashioned beliefs over me, but he was always my dad.

Casey’s never had anyone in that role. No wonder she fought so hard this morning.

Still, it’s better that we’re alone. Casey and I are so much happier without Gareth in our lives and I have no intention of ever changing that.

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