“We both made a mistake,” I say, icily. “And we’ll both find a solution.”
Niall
Itry to cast aside my irrational disappointment and anger at the fact that Jordan really married that useless prick, Steven Hill. I concentrate on the only thing that should matter to me right now: my daughter’s future.
“She’s been kicked out of three different schools,” I say, opening up to her. “She didn’t pass her end-of-year exams.”
Jordan listens to me, her face a picture of genuine sorrow at our situation.
“I applied to almost every school in County Dublin. No one would take her. Then my parents told me that there might be a place at my old school.” I look at her again, a strange nausea churning in my stomach. “They said she might have a chance.”
She doesn’t bat an eyelid. She keeps staring at me, her gaze unwavering.
“She’s not in the best position, Kerry.”
I sigh, frustrated. “Do you think I don’t know that? I’ve pretty much given in to the idea of home-schooling her already.”
“I didn’t even know you had a kid.”
I can’t work out her tone – she almost seems disappointed.
“Don’t you read the papers?”
She glares condescendingly at me.
“I only ask because everyone around here seems obsessed with gossip.”
“I didn’t know anything about your…private life. I knew about the sport side of things, but only because your face is blown up in the window of the local Intersport.”
Damn sponsors.
“And I never thought I’d see you again after Friday night. I thought you were only in town for a few days.”
“Otherwise you’d never have slept with me.”
She doesn’t agree – but she doesn’t deny it, either.
“Can we just talk about Skylar please? Let’s drop everything else for now.”
“Sounds good.”
I just need to stop thinking of her arse writhing around on top of my…
“So,” she says, interrupting my self-destructive fantasies. “I’m your only hope.”
“Yes. I left everything behind for this. I left my job, my house, my whole life.”
“Are you trying to guilt-trip me?”
“No,” I protest, lifting my hands innocently. If I piss her off, that’s it. “I didn’t mean to. I was just trying to explain the whole situation.”
Jordan leans back into the armchair, rubbing her forehead with one hand.
“I have to be honest, Kerry. I wasn’t sure about taking the risk and accepting her – even though Skylar’s story breaks my heart.”
I nod sadly.
“Not to mention the fact that you… Well, with everything that happened, it wouldn’t have been the best idea.”
