Page 58 of The Forsaken
“I would never have guessed,” Quinn joked as she bravely moved the salt pot to the other side of the table to avoid temptation.
“It’s about Sylvia.”
“I’m shocked.”
“You’re laughing at me,” Rhys replied with a smile.
“Sorry. Please go on,” Quinn replied, contrite. At times, Rhys took himself too seriously, and she couldn’t help teasing him.
“As you know, Sylvia and I have been seeing each other for the past few months,” Rhys began. “I…” His voice trailed off as he seemed to search for the right words to express his feelings. Rhys was never at a loss, so this could only mean one of two things: Either he was in love and wanted to take things with Sylvia to the next level, or he wanted to break things off. “I’m going to be a dad,” he suddenly finished, nearly making Quinn choke on her fish.
“Sylvia is pregnant?” Quinn gasped, stunned. She certainly hadn’t expected that. Sylvia was almost forty-eight. A natural pregnancy at her age was unlikely, though not unheard of.
“No, she isn’t,” Rhys replied. Quinn tried to hide her smile behind a napkin when she noticed Rhys’s girlish blush. “It’s not Sylvia. We actually never took things that far.”
“Ah. Being chaste, were you?”
“I wasn’t in any rush to jump in the sack. Given our history, I wanted to be sure a relationship with Sylvia was what I really wanted before going to the next step. I didn’t want to hurt her,” Rhys explained.
“I’m not judging you. Only you know how you feel.”
“When I first contacted Sylvia, I had unresolved feelings about what happened the night you were conceived. I wanted, in some small way, to atone for what she’d been through, and to get to know her as a human being. I like her; I genuinely do.”
“But you don’t love her,” Quinn supplied.
“No. It could never work between us. We are just two very different people who find ourselves at different stages in our lives. I enjoy Sylvia’s company. I like her boys, and I certainly like you, but I can’t see a future for us, not a romantic one.”
“So, who is the lucky lady?”
“Haley Madden.”
“The Haley Madden who played Elise in the first episode ofEchoes?” Quinn asked, smiling. She recalled Rhys’s face when Haley had come into the room to audition. He’d sat up straighter, and his eyes had lit up as he watched her read. Quinn had known at that moment that Haley got the part.
“Haley and I didn’t get together until after the shooting finished. It would have been unprofessional, and I had no wish to put her in an uncomfortable situation if she had no interest in going out with me. She was seeing someone at the time of the shoot, but they’d broken up by the time the episode was completed,” Rhys explained.
“And now she’s pregnant.”
“I was shocked at first but, truthfully, I’m thrilled. I didn’t think I’d ever have children, but the thought of being a father makes me deliriously happy,” Rhys admitted.
“Is she as giddy as you are?” Quinn asked gently. She didn’t know Haley and couldn’t presume to know how she felt, but for a woman in her twenties at the start of her acting career, a baby might not fit into her plans.
“She’s really happy. She said that was one of the reasons her previous relationship broke up. She wanted to start a family while she was still young, but her boyfriend didn’t. I’m over the moon, Quinn. I really am.”
“Well, in that case, I’m really happy for you. Congratulations to you both.”
“I’ve asked Haley to move in with me, and she’s agreed.”
“Big step.”
“I know, but it just feels so right. I’ve always been a bit commitment shy. I like my space, and my freedom, but at this moment, I want nothing more than to have a family of my own.”
“Well, I have a very important piece of advice for you, Rhys Morgan.”
“What’s that?”
“Don’t bake for her. Haley won’t thank you if she gains several stone.”
“I know. She already warned me about that. All baked goods are prohibited. I’ll have to find a new hobby.”
