The Contract by Marsh, Nicola (read aloud books .txt) 📕

“Hi, Dad.” She stood on tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek, like she had as a little girl. She felt like she regressed more and more into her childhood with every passing day; living in the van again, having her dad check up on her daily and her huge extended carnival family smothering her with concern.

“How are you feeling?”

Yeah, nothing had changed. And it was driving her round the twist.

“I’m fine. Stop fussing. Don’t you have a business to run or something?” She filled the kettle, craving a cup of chamomile tea to soothe her frazzled nerves.

He sat down at the cramped table and she heaped coffee and three sugars into another cup, just the way he liked it. “I wouldn’t have a business if you hadn’t gone off and wrecked your life because of me.”

Amber sighed and poured the boiling water. “We’ve had this conversation a thousand times before, Dad. I married Steve because I wanted to, not for the money. And this baby isn’t a disaster, it’s a godsend.”

Colin Lawrence didn’t look convinced. “Then why hasn’t this child got two parents instead of an overworked, half-starved one?”

She handed him the coffee and sat opposite him. “Half-starved? I’m as big as the side of a house. I’ve even had to take my belly-button ring out.”

Her dad rolled his eyes. “Thank goodness for small mercies. You could take that poor child’s eye out with that horrid thing.”

“Get with it, Dad.” She managed a weak smile to show him she cared despite his paternal nagging.

He sipped his coffee and gave a satisfied sigh. “Hey, how much more ‘with it’ can I get? I’ve been reading up on which star sign my grandchild’s going to be born under. You know, all those rising moons and cusps and things?”

“Really?” She couldn’t believe her ears.

Her dad grinned, the laugh-lines around his eyes crinkling into their familiar pattern. “Nah, just kidding, love.”

She joined in his laughter. “Thanks, Dad. For everything.”

And she meant it; her father had opened his welcoming arms the night she’d knocked on his door and told him the whole, sorry tale about her split with Steve.

Not that she’d told him everything, just enough to reassure him she’d be fine and that he was not to contact her husband under any circumstances. She made him promise and true to his word he’d left the ‘scumbag, good-for-nothing’ lawyer alone, as he’d labelled her ex.

Colin drained the rest of his coffee in a few gulps and stood up, appearing uncomfortable with her gratitude. “Thanks for the cuppa. Get some rest and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay. Bye.” She waved at her dad and sipped her tea, wondering when the papers for the shop would arrive.

Steve had corresponded with her via several documents that had scared her witless at the start, until she realised he wasn’t trying to frighten her with legalities and was actually attempting to finalise her ownership of Harmony. She expected the final contract any day now and couldn’t wait; the shop would be her son or daughter’s trust fund one day and she had to make it legally hers to ensure her child had a secure future.

Unlike hers. These days, she drifted from one day to the next, not sure what the future held and not particularly caring. Her pain at losing Steve was still too acute, too raw and she had a hard enough time faking smiles for her customers and allaying her father’s fears to think about what the next day might bring.

She barely registered the door to the van opening as she quashed the rising tide of panic that threatened to swamp her whenever she thought about a future without the one man who had rocked her world.

“Did you forget something, Dad?” She looked up and almost upended her cup as Steve’s broad-shouldered silhouette blocked out the setting sun.

Her first impulse, to fling herself headlong into his arms, took her by surprise. She should be running ten miles in the opposite direction, not wanting to snuggle into his arms and beg him to chase away her doubts.

“What are you doing here?” She managed to say while slinking down in the chair to hide her swollen belly behind the tablecloth, wishing her erratic heart beat would calm down. How could he still affect her after all this time?

“Hello, Amber. I hear you’ve got some news for me.” He didn’t wait to be invited into the van. Instead, he stooped his giant frame and entered, slamming the door behind him so hard the hinges rattled.

She’d envisaged this scene several times in her dreams, a happy reunion where Steve would sweep her into his arms, caress her belly and swear his undying and eternal love. Then, like now, she’d woken up. And the reality hurt more than she could possibly bear.

She lashed out, all the months of pent-up pain spilling over. Patting her large stomach, she looked him straight in the eye. “What makes you think it’s yours?”

He covered the space between them in two strides and snagged her hand, almost dragging her to her feet. “Quit lying to me. I want the truth and I want it now.”

Every tense line of his body radiated anger. She’d never seen him this mad and it scared her. Her lies had fuelled his fury; would he seek vengeance by taking away the one thing that mattered? Her teeth gnawed at her bottom lip; she wanted to fall into his arms, to tell him the truth, to let him soothe her pain. But there was too much at stake and even the welcome contact of his grip and the familiarity of his steely gaze couldn’t shake her