Noah did, however, note somewhat smugly that Paul stepped back down the few steps that led up to the door to put a distance between them. The man did confrontation, he was a bully, but he was a coward too. Noah knew he could flatten him if he really wanted to.
‘I need more time,’ Noah told him.
‘Sorry, no can do.’
‘I don’t have the sort of cash you’re asking for lying around.’ If the guy wanted the money that bad, he’d wait.
‘Do I need to call my lawyer and set the wheels in motion?’
‘I’ll get it,’ Noah snapped. ‘But I need another couple of weeks.’
‘No chance!’ Paul yelled, as if Noah was the unreasonable one. He turned to go.
‘One week,’ said Noah in a bid to stop him calling his lawyer as soon as he was in his car.
Paul stopped, protected from Noah around the other side of the revolting green vehicle. ‘One week. And that’s your limit. I’ll let you know a date and time. Be ready.’
Noah closed the door, leaned his head against the glass. ‘Cassie…’ he said out loud. ‘Cassie, I’m sorry.’
It was only Eva’s stirring that stopped him from sinking to his knees with the hopelessness of it all.
Noah overcooked the first lot of cauliflower cheese for Eva by leaving it too long in the microwave. It was so dried up, he had to throw it. He knocked her sippy cup off the highchair table soon after he’d made another portion and because he mustn’t have put the lid on properly, it broke off, sending water showering everywhere.
He finished clearing everything up, fed her and changed her nappy when there was another knock at the door.
Surely Paul wasn’t back already. But just in case, Noah grabbed his phone and set it to record the conversation. He was likely to be on guard for that, but you never knew, maybe he’d slip up and Noah could use the information to get rid of him rather than giving in to his demands.
But with Eva in his arms, he peeked through the gap he made in the curtains to find there was no sign of a green car.
He opened the door to find the lesser of two evils – Maya’s ex-husband.
‘What can I do for you?’ Noah pulled Eva’s hand away from his lips. She seemed to want to push her fingers into his mouth right now.
‘I think it’s best I say what I need to say inside.’
‘Is this official business?’
He seemed to take pleasure in the fact that Noah clearly knew what he did for a living. ‘I don’t think you want to do this on the doorstep. And you’re going to want to hear what I have to say so…’ He gestured for Noah to step aside using the brown folder he was holding.
Arrogant tosser.
Reluctantly, Noah tilted his head, indicating Conrad could come in. ‘I hope it won’t take too long; this one needs a nap.’ The guy, already heading along the hallway towards the lounge, would have no idea that was a bare-faced lie and it would be another good five hours before Eva went down again.
Conrad gave the lounge a cursory glance as if trying to size it up in seconds before he turned back to face Noah. His tanned forearm burst out from the pushed-up shirt sleeve, his other still sporting a cast. He had a cocky air about him that had Noah wondering how Maya had ever got mixed up with him in the first place. Maybe she wondered that as well.
‘I’ll get straight to the point,’ said Conrad. ‘Why are you sniffing around Maya?’
‘Really, that’s what you’re here about? Your ex-wife.’
Conrad’s top lip curled into a sneer. ‘I’m looking out for her, always will, remember that.’
‘I’m sure she can look after herself. Now, if there’s nothing else?—’
‘What are you doing associating with Russel? Or it could be Dale, maybe Richard?’
‘I’ve got no idea what you’re talking about.’ Noah’s language would be way stronger had Eva not been in his care. She kept him on the straight and narrow as far as his vocabulary was concerned. He’d had a dream the other night that he was fighting for custody in court and claiming to be the better parent. Eva had been sitting in her pram beside him and yelled the F word at the top of her voice in front of the judge, who’d quicklyruled in Paul’s favour. Noah had woken up in a cold sweat from that one.
‘The green car,’ Conrad grunted, ‘it doesn’t exactly blend in. Fucking idiot.’ He glanced at Eva. ‘Apologies. I should mind my language in front of a little one.’
