She cleared her throat and felt heat rising to her cheeks. ‘If… if that’s okay?’
He frowned and hesitated. But eventually he stepped aside and gestured for her to enter. ‘Can I get you a drink? I have tea and coffee, I think, although I can’t guarantee it’s decent stuff as I sent Evin to Morag’s for provisions. I have the distinct feeling he was quite frugal with the money, if the baked beans he bought are anything to go by. Talk about bullets on toast.’ His laugh was forced, and a feeling of sorrow washed over Juliette.
‘Tea would be nice. But here, let me make it. You sit down.’
Reid huffed and rubbed both hands over his face. ‘I’m not an invalid, you know. Iamstill able to function… despite how it may seem.’
She smiled and guessed that he’d been handled with kid gloves by everyone he’d encountered in the months since the divorce, and she knew what that was like. ‘Honestly, I’m very picky about my tea. Let me.’
He rolled his eyes. It was clear he knew what she was doing. But he chose not to argue further on this occasion. He walked through the hallway towards the kitchen which was situated at the back of the house and she followed, taking in her surroundings. It was a pretty home, quite plain, but she noticed plenty of photos of Reid and Evin dotted around the walls. One of them on a beach beside a huge sandcastle; one on a ride at a theme park where they both look terrified; one of them with Chewie in the middle of a group hug. Each image depicting a father and son with a great deal of love for one another.
The kitchen was a typical farmhouse style, with wooden units and granite worktops. To her surprise, Juliette found the place clean and fairly tidy. Although she wondered how much of this was Reid’s doing and how much was Morag’s, seeing as she had been visiting too.
‘So… to what do I owe the pleasure? And don’t tell me it’s a social call,’ Reid said as he sat at the old beaten-up kitchen table and gestured to where the kettle was.
Ouch. She set about gathering cups, a spoon, and she clicked the kettle on to boil. ‘Actually, it’sjustthat. I wanted to see how you’re doing. Kendric mentioned that something had happened.’
He sighed. ‘Oh,didhe now? It’s nice to know you’re both discussing me.’
Juliette turned to find him frowning at her. ‘It wasn’t like that. He said he wanted to put an idea past me when I saw him at the games. I have no clue what it’s all about. But then he phoned me to say something had come up, that Kate had struck again. So, I was worried about you.’
Reid held up his hands. ‘Hey, you don’t need to explain yourself to me. We’re just friends, remember?’ There was a hint of bitterness, but Millie’s words rang around her head, reminding Juliette about his pride.
They went through to the living room and Reid gestured for her to take a seat on the sofa. He sat beside her, but far enough away that another person could easily take the spot between them.
‘So, what’s happened, Reid?’
He sighed heavily. ‘Kate’s on another mission. But this one really takes the biscuit,’ he said through gritted teeth.
Juliette remained silent, waiting for him to say more.
‘That boy is my life,’ he hissed. ‘He means everything to me. Everything.’ He shook his head. ‘I’ve struggled since she left. I admit it. But only because it was all such a shock. It broke me. But at least I had Evin, you know?’
‘Youstillhave, Evin,’ she assured him.
Reid grimaced, his physical pain almost palpable. ‘Not for long, ifshehas anything to do with it. Apparently, I was seen kissing yetanotherwoman last night and she’s heardallabout it.’
Immediately, the hairs stood up on the back of Juliette’s neck.Shehad been the woman he’d kissed. Someone had witnessed their brief exchange and had gone running to Kate with the details. Her stomach roiled. ‘Reid, I’m so sorry, I—’
‘I kissedyou, remember? And, anyway,she’smarried. It’s fucking ridiculous!’ The colour drained from his face and he held up his hand. ‘Sorry, I don’t usually swear, not with Evin being…’
She wanted to reach out and comfort him but knew that it would only make matters worse, so she clenched her hands in her lap.
‘Anyway, the upshot is…’ He inhaled a shaking breath. ‘She’s definitely suing for full custody now.’
Juliette gasped. ‘What? How can she do that? On what grounds?’
He closed his eyes. ‘Oh, it’s a doozy. Knocked me for six, I can tell you.’ His eyes welled with tears and panic washed over Juliette.
‘What has she said?’
He lifted his face, clutched his shirt over his heart, and with a trembling chin, he whispered, ‘She’s told me Evin’s not my son.’
Juliette’s blood ran cold. She lifted one hand to her mouth and placed the other over her own heart. ‘What? But whynow? After all this time?’
He shook his head, his expression bereft of all hope. ‘Maybe it’s because she can’t get pregnant again and she’s hurting, so wants me to hurt too. Maybe she thinks she can make up for lost time with him? Maybe she’s finally realising she made a massive mistake? I don’t know. I can’t believe it. Iwon’tbelieve it. Becausehe’sall that matters to me.’ He pointed to the empty space before him. ‘That boy is my life. How the hell can henotbe my son? After everything else, now this?’ He rubbed a hand over his messy, uncombed hair. ‘In spite of whatever lies some bastard has been telling Kate,hecomes first.Always. And he’s the one whose opinion of me matters. Not hers, not anyone else’s. Just his.’ He gave a morose laugh and swiped moisture from his eyes, but his action was futile as more tears escaped and trickled down his unshaven face. ‘I told you it was a doozy.’
Horrified, Juliette’s voice came out in an angry whisper. ‘You can’t take her word for this, Reid. You can’t.’
