Page 73 of Touch in the Dark

“I’m going to prove it to you,” he says in a low voice, it might sound like a threat if I thought he was that kind of person. Maybe it is a threat, just not in a bad way.

“Prove what?” I ask huskily.

“That I’m worth a second chance.”

Nick steps back, looks at me so intently it feels like he is imprinting himself on my soul, then he turns and heads out to the living room. I half fall back against the counter, like some swooning heroine in a love story, trying to catch my breath, and watch him walk away from me.

He sweeps up his clothes and heads down the spiral staircase without looking back.

Chapter Eighteen

“What is all this?”

I barely glance up at Arch when he shuffles out and sees me with papers spread out all over the table, together with my laptop, a notepad and a pen in my hand. He stops by the edge of the table and reaches out for the papers.

“Don’t mess it up,” I scowl at him, he ignores that but heads over to the kitchen to grab himself an orange juice from the fridge.

“Want one?” he calls.

“Nah, I’m good.”

I’m currently writing down the names of a few private investigators that I am going to ask Janie to approach for me. I don’t want anyone knowing this is coming from me. Even though I’ve got a lot of information on Derrick Atwater from the internet, which is not the same as knowing the real man. A PI can find out a hell of a lot more. But I need to protect my privacy. I’d decided to suffer Doris’s wrath, if she ever notices I’ve taken this. I brought the box back here, picking it up on the way home from Elsa’s place.

“Where were you last night?”

“Didn’t realise I needed to keep you informed,” I raise a brow, then go back to my list.

“You don’t. Staying out all night usually means you got lucky, but you were at that commercial shoot all day with… Aaah.”

“Don’t aah me,” I click back onto the website of the last name on the list. This one looks promising, not that I have much experience in hiring Private Investigators.

“Come on, don’t be a bitch, was it Elsa?”

I look up at him, knowing he’ll only pester me until I tell him, and I need to focus. I’m not about to kiss and tell though so I just acknowledge his question with a nod of my head.

Archer laughs as he pulls out the chair opposite me and sits down. Guess he isn’t intending to leave me to it. “So, are you guys back together?”

“What is this? Days of Our Lives?”

“It’s a legitimate question.”

I close the lid on the laptop. “No, we’re not together. It’s gonna take a hell of a lot more than one night in bed with me to win her back.”

“Need some pointers?” he grins. I roll my eyes. He picks up a photograph and looks at it. “What is all this?” he repeats and pushes a few more photographs around. “Oh shit, look at this,” he half laughs and holds up a picture of us on the stage at a school show. “Fuck where’d you find all this?”

“Doris’s place. I was clearing out, getting it ready for when she comes home.”

I set the pen down and sigh at the notes. I can’t keep this shit to myself. This whole thing is serious. I’m about to try and find out what I can about my father, and potentially approach him. I’d spent the whole day yesterday worrying about it, going back and forth between leaving it where it belongs like Doris wants, and wanting to speak to the asshole, who abandoned us like we were trash.

It was while I was with Elsa this morning, I realised what I have to do. If I ever want to move on, to have the kind of life and relationships I see my friends becoming part of, then I need to find the answers to the questions that have plagued me for years.

I meant every word I said to her too. I am going to prove that I’m worthy of her, because after last night, I know what I want. I’m just damn lucky no one has taken her yet. And if I have anything to do with it, no one else will ever take her. I’m not ashamed to use all the help I can get. And I know one woman who is all in being on my side in getting Elsa back. Walking out on her this morning the way I did could backfire spectacularly, but I don’t think it will. Elsa is very intuitive and can see right through me. She knows I didn’t walk away this morning with no plan in mind to win her back. But she is no pushover either, I want to be worthy of her.

“When are Ad and Jenna back?” I ask.

“Huh?” Archer is flicking through more photographs. “Er, tomorrow, I think. Who is this?”

I look up at the photo he is holding out towards me, the one of my… parents, I guess. The one that started all of this. “I think that guy is my father.”

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