Chapter Eleven #3
God, that voice. Maybe that’s all he needed, a dose of her husky tones. ‘Is now a good time to talk? I’m not disturbing you?’ There was a pause while he heard some muffled conversation. The sound of rustling. ‘Anna?’
‘Yes, sorry. I’m out at dinner with friends. I’m trying to find somewhere quiet to talk.’
Friends. He wanted to ask if one of them was male, but he had no right to. And damn, he felt foolish now, interrupting her evening. ‘I can phone back another time. It’s not important.’
Another pause. Then that sexy voice again. ‘No problem. I’ve found a quiet spot. And with any luck they’ll now order a dessert to share that I don’t like, so I can smugly watch them stuff their faces with calories.’
You don’t have to worry about calories. You’re perfect.
He was bursting to say it. And how many times had he flirted like that?
Easy lines, delivered just the right side of smooth.
It was what he was good at. But she didn’t need easy.
She needed substance, and as he wasn’t sure he had too much of that right now, he swallowed the flirty comment.
‘I’d hate you to miss that, so I won’t keep you. I called to thank you, actually.’
‘What on earth for?’
‘The other evening, when you accused me of giving up on my son.’ Even now, the shame rolled through him.
‘You were right, in a way. It wasn’t a conscious thing.
I thought about him every day, but I stopped pestering Natalie to let me see him.
’ His chest hurt as he drew in a breath. ‘I stopped fighting for him.’
‘And now?’ she asked softly.
‘I went to see my lawyer this afternoon, and then I went to see Natalie. I’ve told her I want a return to seeing Max every week, as was originally agreed.’
‘How did she take it?’
‘She didn’t put up a fight, if that’s what you’re asking. She knows it’s my legal right.’ What he was legally entitled to, and what was best for Max, might be two different things though, he thought wretchedly.
‘Dan?’ Anna’s voice broke through his pessimism. ‘I can sense your hesitation. Is there something else?’
How could she know him so well, already? Or was it just because as a teacher she was used to dealing with people who couldn’t articulate their feelings that well. Even if they had the excuse of being under ten. ‘If Max doesn’t want to see me, is it really right for me to insist?’
He heard a soft exhale; sympathy, pity. Frustration with him? ‘How old did you say Max was again?’
‘Seven.’
‘I’ve had plenty of experience with seven-year-olds and trust me, what they want changes with the wind. Maybe he’s nervous to see you because it’s been a while between visits, but you can definitely regain his trust. If you’re prepared to put the time and effort in.’
‘I am.’ God, why had he let it come to this?
Why had he let Natalie persuade him that seeing his own son wasn’t a good idea?
And why was he discussing this shameful episode with a woman he wanted to impress?
‘Sorry, I’ve taken up enough of your evening.
I’ll leave you to your gut busting pudding.
’ He hesitated, then asked the question before he could think too much about it.
‘These friends you’re eating with. Are any of them male? ’
The silence on the other end of the phone unnerved him. But just as he was starting to panic that he’d annoyed her, she spoke again. And he could hear the smile in her voice. ‘Do you have something against men tempting women with desserts?’
He shut his eyes, leaning back against his sofa, feeling foolish. They’d shared a kiss, but then agreed it would go no further. He had no right to determine who she saw. ‘Men tempting women, no. Men tempting you, yes.’
Her laughter echoed warmly down the phone. ‘Well, have no fear, my friends doing the tempting are both female.’
Relief rushed through him, making him feel slightly giddy. ‘Maybe I can tempt you with something sweet next week.’
A slight pause, and then her breathy voice. ‘Feel free to try, though I’m warning you, my willpower is strong.’
A straight reference to her being able to avoid calorie-laden temptations, or a more subtle reference to not being tempted by him? And why was he even thinking about this, after the chat they’d had? ‘In which case it’s only fair that I warn you, my competitive streak is also strong.’
She laughed again. ‘Then may the best man, or woman, win.’
He didn’t want to let her go, but unlike him, sitting alone in his empty apartment, she was out with friends. ‘I’ll see you Tuesday then.’
‘Yes. And Dan, don’t worry about Max. You’ll get your relationship back on track.’
Her confidence in him brought a lump to his throat, even though he had a horrible feeling it was misplaced.
Max hadn’t exactly rushed to see him when he’d dropped in on him and Natalie earlier today.
In fact, his son had spent most of the hour he’d been there clinging to his mother’s side.
Dan couldn’t blame Natalie for being worried about leaving the two of them alone.
Damn it, he was worried, too. Which only added to his shame. What sort of father was he, scared to see his own son?