| |
Adam tried not to think about Jordan and headed to work. The day dragged, but Jack wasn’t quite as cranky.
‘We’ve got our camping trip coming up this week.’
Having forgotten about that, Adam blew out a long breath. Freedom! He could escape for a few days with Jack, Jason Taylor, and their young workers to teach them crucial farm safety lessons while spending the nights under the stars. It’d be cold, but that would be a blessing when he’d spend most of his time thinking about Natalia.
He sent her a text at lunch time. Hope you’re feeling better. Thinking about you. He didn’t know what else to say.
She replied with, Thanks. Hope you’re having a good day.
Sighing, he got back to work. He wouldn’t give up without a fight, so at four o’clock, he jumped into his ute and headed into town. He loathed facing Jordan as he never knew what mood she’d be in, but he needed answers and Natalia wouldn’t have asked Ana about his exes unless she’d had reason to.
But no matter what Jordan said, he’d tell her—again—to leave him alone. He’d had enough. He pulled up outside her unit on Forbes Street, marched up the driveway, and knocked on the door. Her car was there, but it took her a while to answer.
‘Adam!’ Jordan’s mouth curved, the all too familiar glisten filling her eyes. ‘I knew you’d come back. Changed your mind?’
He gritted his teeth. ‘No. Can I come in?’
‘Sure.’ She stood back. ‘I just changed my sheets.’
Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside. He’d get through this. ‘And like I keep telling you, it’s not happening.’
‘Aww, stud ...’ She pursed her lips and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her large breasts against his chest. ‘You’re very tense. Do you want me to loosen you up?’
Calmly, he took her hands from where they were creeping beneath the waistband of his jeans and dropped them at her side.
‘I’m good. Thanks.’ Jordan pouted. Recognising the moves, Adam sighed. ‘Don’t play with me, Jordan. I’m not in the mood.’
She huffed out a breath and placed her hand on her hip. ‘Fine. Then what do you want?’
His eyebrows shot up. ‘You don’t know?’
‘You only ever want sex, so no, I don’t.’
‘Fine. What did you tell Natalia that made her not want to talk to me?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Did you speak to her?’
Jordan scoffed. ‘Why would I?’
‘Well, she’s not talking to me.’
‘And she said that was because of me?’
‘She didn’t say anything. But Ana told Natalia about ... us. So, why would that have upset her, Jordan?’
She raised her eyebrows. ‘So the rumours are true. You’re sleeping with the new doctor?’
He blew out his breath. ‘No. I’m thinking about dating her, but it doesn’t help when she isn’t talking to me!’
Jordan stared at him. He wanted to kick something. Then the corners of her mouth curved and she placed her hand to her lips.
‘Don’t laugh, Jordan.’ He crossed his arms over his chest to hide his curling fists.
‘I can’t picture it. You, dating the doctor. You’re a bit ... you’re not the Adam I know.’
‘I don’t want to be the Adam you know anymore. I told you that. So, just tell me if there’s anything I need to know so I can fix things with Natalia.’
Biting down on her lip, her eyes flashed. With what? Panic? He wasn’t sure. Time ticked away. Then an odd smile curved Jordan’s lips. ‘Maybe you should forget about Natalia.’
His teeth clenched. ‘Why?’
‘Because I’m pregnant. I think it’s yours.’
Adam blinked. She said it coolly, like she was telling him how fine a day it was. But the moment the words settled, everything blanked. ‘You think?’
Jordan shrugged. ‘Fine. I know.’
‘You’re sure?’
Her smile vanished as she popped her hands onto her hips. ‘What are you saying? That I sleep around and therefore wouldn’t know?’
‘No, I did not say that.’
‘You’re no better than me,’ she spat. ‘Do you really think that a man like you could make things work with Natalia? I can’t believe a self-respecting woman like her would even consider “dating” you.’
As Jordan’s fingers curled with air quotes, his blood boiled, her words reminding Adam of every fear that simmered inside him. But he didn’t want to discuss Natalia with Jordan, so he leaned back against her ugly brown lounge and focused on the other matter.
He cleared his throat. Words. He needed words. ‘Then tell me. How far along are you?’
‘A few weeks,’ she replied, shrugging dismissively.
‘Jordan.’ He darkened his tone. He wouldn’t call himself an academic man, but he was damn good at math and judging by her slim-as-usual figure, something didn’t add up. ‘How far?’
‘Fine. Eleven weeks today.’
Adam frowned, his mind whirring. It was relatively simple logic, so he must be right in that ...
The tightness in his chest evaporated and air filled his lungs. What did she think he was, stupid? They hadn’t been together in much longer than eleven weeks. The last time had been March and, bloody hell, it was July!
‘Ah ... we haven’t been together for about four months. I believe the last time was when you turned up at my place drenched.’
‘Yeah ...’ A smile curved the corner of her mouth and bile rose in his throat. Nothing about that night had been amusing, pleasant, or even memorable. ‘But no, Adam. We have.’
Even though he knew he was right, Adam wracked his brain, confused. He hadn’t been with Jordan since then. He hadn’t been with anyone.
‘Fine. When?’
Her smile widened. ‘Your birthday.’
Adam’s blood ran cold. That night. The night that remained a blur. Had he had sex with Jordan? Would he have? He faintly remembered a woman being there. He’d kissed someone for sure. But ... that hadn’t been Jordan. He knew Jordan, and that woman ...
Jordan exhaled and thrust out her hip. ‘Adam?’
‘I didn’t sleep with you on my birthday.’
‘Yes, you did!’
‘I was too drunk.’
She snorted. ‘You were certainly plastered, but I remember it well. We headed to the park and had a really good time. Remember, you woke with no shirt or shoes? I know because I woke before you. You were out of it though, so I left you there.’
His brain fuzzed. That was right about his clothes, but it didn’t prove anything. Everyone had heard the story. And if what she was saying was true ... ‘I wasn’t drunk, Jordan. Someone had spiked me.’
She released a puff of air and averted her gaze.
Adam stilled. ‘You don’t believe me?’
‘Hey, it’s not my problem if you took shit—’
‘I didn’t take anything!’
‘—but I am pregnant and figured I better tell you.’
‘Well, thank you for giving me that courtesy.’ He slipped his hands into his pockets and straightened. ‘But we didn’t have sex.’
‘Yes, we did.’
‘No.’ His control snapped, fury surged. With her, himself, the world. ‘We didn’t!’
Not wanting to hear another word, he stormed out of the unit.
* * *
Adam kicked the front tyre of his ute until the pain in his foot dulled that inside his chest. Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck!
He sank against the bonnet and raked his hands down his face. This couldn’t be happening. The one night he didn’t remember couldn’t have resulted in an unexpected pregnancy. He’d been drunk. Drugged. He hadn’t a clue what had happened and his chances with Natalia ...
Shit! Natalia!
Adam leapt into his ute. Natalia must have known. Jordan must have seen her at work and mentioned he was responsible for this. And she hadn’t been able to say anything because doctors weren’t allowed. No wonder she’d been upset!
Heart pounding, he pulled up outside Jackson Villas. She wouldn’t be home yet, so he sat by her front door, leaned his head against the screen, and stared at the concrete driveway, his mind whirring.
He’d been vulnerable. Out of control. But who had drugged him? And why? Jordan’s claims couldn’t be true. He wouldn’t have slept with her. He hadn’t wanted her for weeks and with the amount of alcohol he’d consumed mixed with whatever fucked-up substance that had been in his system, surely sex wouldn’t have been possible. Adam had experienced that inability before, and that had been a night he could remember.
Fuck, he was a bloody idiot. He should have got himself tested. Natalia would certainly agree. What would she think of him now?
Thankfully, he didn’t need to agonise over that question for long. He glanced up at the sound of footsteps and Natalia halted in her tracks.
Adam scrambled to his feet. ‘Nat, it’s not true.’
Her shoulders sagged and the tightness inside him loosened. But her eyes remained dull as she approached. ‘Really?’
‘It can’t be. We haven’t ... yes, Jordan and I used to ... get together. But I haven’t been with her since March. Can you tell me she’s four months pregnant?’
‘Then why is she saying it’s yours?’ she asked calmly, but Adam heard the hurt lingering beneath her words.
‘She reckons we slept together the night of my birthday.’
Closing her eyes, Natalia shook her head. ‘She’s claiming she slept with you on a night you don’t remember.’
‘Exactly! It’s incredibly convenient, don’t you think?’
Her adorable nose crinkled. ‘Yeah. But ...’
Adam stepped forward, careful to keep a respectable distance. ‘Look, I might be in some sort of shock or denial, but I know I didn’t sleep with her. I couldn’t have.’
‘Oh, Adam. I know this must be hard, but ...’ Natalia’s eyes flashed. ‘Was Jordan sober?’
‘She said she remembered, but what does that matter? Jordan’s not known for her honesty, Nat, and I’m a bloody fool—’
‘No, you’re not. You wanted a new path and you took it.’
‘But I left it too late!’ Adam’s chest tightened. ‘This blackout ... it’s not me, Nat. I don’t do that sort of shit.’
‘I know, but it wasn’t your fault. The drugs people use are nasty and in hindsight—’
‘In hindsight, I was a fucking idiot.’ He took her hands and closed the space between them. ‘But I know what I did and didn’t do, Nat. I didn’t sleep with Jordan. And I need you on my side. I can’t lose you.’
‘Adam ...’ Pain etched her face as she drew out of his grasp, stepped back, and placed her hand on his shoulder. ‘I want to be on your side. I hate that this has happened to you. Honestly. But I need some time to think. And you need to find out who spiked you. Because if Jordan did have sex with you, then ...’
Her eyes darkened. When she didn’t continue, Adam frowned. ‘Nat?’
She shook her head. ‘Sorry. My mind is racing. But you need to decide what you want.’
‘I want you.’
Her breath hitched. ‘But you might be having a baby with another woman.’
Adam blinked. Her words rattled around inside his head. Shit. He didn’t want to think about it, feared to acknowledge it, but Natalia was right.
He swallowed hard. ‘And if I am ... you wouldn’t be able to do that?’
Natalia pressed her beautiful lips together and shrugged. ‘I don’t know.’
His shoulders sank. ‘Oh, Nat. I’m sorry.’
‘Adam, don’t.’ Her eyes glistened and before he humiliated himself by shedding tears too, Adam pulled Natalia into his arms and held her tight. She buried her face into his shoulder and he kissed the top of her head, inhaling her strawberry scent.
‘It’s okay,’ he whispered. He wouldn’t blame her if she didn’t want to get mixed up in his mess. ‘I’m sorry, Natalia.’
‘Me too, Adam. I’m sorry this happened to you.’
He continued to place kisses in her hair and along the top of her forehead. She didn’t stop him. ‘Damn, Natalia. I’m seriously falling for you.’
‘Me too, Adam. But I’m afraid ...’
Again, she didn’t finish her sentence. He rubbed his hand up and down her back. ‘Don’t give up on me, okay? I’ll figure it out.’
She lifted her head. He wasn’t sure if it was a true spark of hope in her eyes or just his wishful thinking, but it was enough to keep his heart beating. He wanted her more than he’d ever wanted anyone, but if she wanted space, he’d give it to her. And hope like hell she chose to stand beside him.
Natalia pulled out of his embrace. ‘You should go. I want to go to yoga tonight.’
‘Okay.’ He tucked loose hair behind her ear. ‘But I’ll see you soon, yeah?’
‘Of course. I’ll let you know when I figure stuff out.’ She moved past him and unlocked the door, stepping inside before turning back. ‘But remember, there’ll be someone out there who knows what happened that night. And if it wasn’t you, then someone else got Jordan pregnant. If you ask around, maybe you’ll figure out what happened.’
Adam nodded. She was right—someone must remember. It wasn’t his brothers or friends, but there were other people in this town.
He slipped his hands into his pockets. ‘Thanks, Natalia.’
With a sad smile, she closed the door.