‘Hey, you.’ Her voice sounded warmer than she’d intended. She could hear his breath.
‘Sooooo-o, you got home.’
‘I’m alive, if hungover.’
‘Look, Cassie, I’m really sorry. I should’ve been upfront with you about having kids, I was a total dick.’
Don’t back down, be honest, she told herself.
‘You said it. Look, maybe underneath you actually wanted to keep part of your life private.’
She knew she was being provocative. Let’s see how he handled it.
He sighed.
‘I don’t know what I was thinking. I just haven’t done this in a long time. Very long.’
Could she believe him? Every fibre of her wanted to, but her head had to stay in control. Cassie knew only too well that once her heart got in the driving seat, they were all liable to go over a cliff.
‘I don’t know what to think, Finn. What would have happened if I hadn’t opened that door? When were you going to tell me? I mean, how long have you been separated?’
She heard him inhale after a long pause. ‘No, that’s a fair question. Three weeks.’
‘Three weeks? Is that all?’
On the other hand, her head chimed in crisply, think of him like the January sales. You have to get in on day one or all the good stuff’s gone .?.?.
‘OK .?.?. let me just explain: I’ve been separated from my ex-wife but living under the same roof for five years. From my children, I will never be separated.’
OK, that wasn’t so bad.
‘And so that’s why you stayed in the family home?’
‘For one last Christmas, yeah.’
In spite of all the stern warnings, her heart was already melting into a puddle on the floor. Stoppit now, she warned herself.
‘OK. I’m sorry I went off the deep end and chucked those toys at you, I’m not normally that deranged.’
‘Me neither. I don’t know what I was thinking, I had my head up my arse. I suppose I was afraid if you knew, you wouldn’t want anything to do with me.’
‘Why would you think that?’
‘Because .?.?. you’re so independent and bohemian.’
‘Really?’
Was that how she came across? Frankly, that was exactly what she was trying not to do.
‘I think you just sound like you’re trying to be a good dad.’
She could hear the relief as he exhaled.
‘That’s right. So, do you think we could .?.?. maybe try again sometime?’
Cassie was trying furiously not to let the smile show in her voice. Cop on, she scolded herself. There were red flags here and they weren’t the sign of a carnival.
‘I don’t know, let me think about it .?.?.’
