The Gift of a Child

‘Your appointment. I’ll come with you. It might help if he knows I’m in the background.’

Her jaw dropped. She hadn’t seen that coming. Mitch might not be owning up to fatherhood yet but he was supporting her in the one way he’d be utterly confident. ‘Um, great. Yes, that’s wonderful. Thank you. Ten o’clock.’

‘Your enthusiasm’s overwhelming. I thought this was why you knocked on my door,’ he grumbled, then gave her a genuine smile for the first time since she’d walked into his office.

As far as smiles went it wasn’t huge or exciting or welcoming, but it was warm and sincere. And her mouth dried. Her empty stomach sucked in. She’d once fallen in love with that smile.

I can’t afford to do that again.

But it was going to be good seeing Mitch occasionally over the next few months while Jamie hopefully got the treatment he needed.

‘There’s something you should know.’ Mitch’s drawl broke into her thoughts. ‘That party I’m supposed to be at? It’s an early farewell party. My farewell. I leave for Sydney in less than two months’ time, where I’ve accepted a job in the city’s busiest hospital. It’s a very prestigious position.’

She gasped, ‘I don’t believe it. You can’t.’ Shock rippled through her. Gripping her fists under her chin, she stared up at this man who seemed to slip out of tricky situations more easily than a greased eel slid from a man’s hands. ‘Of all the things you could’ve told me, I’d never have picked that one.’

‘Bad timing, isn’t it? Really bad.’

Her mouth fell open and she gaped at him.

He did sound apologetic. That didn’t help one iota.

She almost cried. ‘You have no idea.’ What have I done? Can I undo it? How totally unfair it would be to introduce Jamie to his dad only to have Mitchell disappear on him. No, that could not happen. No way.

Mitch looked directly at her, fixing her with those intense blue eyes. ‘It’s not right for a child to lose parents at an early age. Better not to have known them at all.’

By the time she found her voice and could get a sound out around the rock in her throat Mitch was long gone.

From the corner of the car park Mitch watched Jodi drive away from the hospital, his heart knocking and his head spinning.

Jodi Hawke had come to town, bringing with her problems he’d never expected to have to face.

‘I’m a father.’

Heading for his four-wheel drive in the underground park, he tried to think what this meant to him. Was he thrilled? Excited? Terrified? Angry?

Damn it. He’d go to Samantha’s party, drink a tankful and sink into oblivion. Forget Jodi was here. Forget the bombshell she’d dropped.

And how’s that going to look in front of your staff? Their HOD off his face at the party they’d put on to say farewell to him? A farewell he couldn’t look forward to anymore. Staff who expected better of him.

‘I’m a father.’

Yeah, he got that. Sort of. When would it really kick in? To the point where everything he did or thought had to take into consideration a small person? It might never happen with him. He wasn’t exactly qualified to be a parent.

Turning, he headed back to the road. The Shed Bar would be crowded and heaving but he could get a drink and not be able to hear himself think. Perfect.

Or he could change into his gym gear, which was in the back of his vehicle, and go for a run up at Auckland Domain. Build up a sweat and tire his body so that it would go to sleep when he finally crawled into bed. Pound the paths that circled the museum.

Yeah, and probably break an ankle tripping over a kerb.

Anyway, he liked the bar idea better. Shoving his hands deep into his trouser pockets, he headed for bourbon. On the rocks.

CHAPTER FOUR

‘MUMMY, WHY DO the sheep smell funny?’ Jamie leaned through the fence wire peering at the animals grazing on the lush green grass.

Jodi forced a grin but couldn’t keep the weariness out of it. ‘That’s their woolly coat. It keeps them warm and dry, like your jersey does for you. That’s made out of sheep’s wool too.’

Jamie’s brow furrowed as he looked from his fire-engine-red top to the muddy sheep. ‘Are there red sheep, Mummy?’

‘No, the wool is coloured with red dye, like I did with the icing for your birthday cake. Remember?’ Rubbing her eyes with the back of her hand, she stifled another yawn.

What with Mitch’s bombshell about Sydney and all the questions buzzing around her head, she hadn’t slept a wink last night. Worse, with her mother sleeping in the main room and Jamie in the small bedroom, she hadn’t been able to get up and read to distract herself. So Mitch had dominated her mind all night long. Nothing new, really. He’d been dominating it ever since she’d made the decision to move north. Come on, he’d never really left. Mitch had always held a place in her heart. They might be over as far as a loving, sexual relationship went, but she’d never been able to completely let him go. She’d loved him deeply. Missed him more than she’d believed possible.

‘Mummy, that man’s looking at me.’

She knew. Just knew it was Mitchell. Despite everything that had gone down between them last night, she’d known he’d come. Despite him saying a child shouldn’t have to lose a parent, she knew he wouldn’t be able to ignore Jamie for long.

Turning slowly, warily, she studied the man standing twenty metres away, who looked as though he didn’t know what to do next. ‘Hello, Mitch.’ He looked so … bewildered. Which was totally unlike him. What would it be like to hold him again? To feel that chest under her cheek? To have his arms around her? Darn, she’d missed him. Really, deep inside missed him.

‘Hi, Jodi.’ His eyes were glued on Jamie as he slowly closed the gap between them. ‘I called in at the motel and Alison told me I’d find you here.’

Mum had probably told him a whole heap more than that. ‘Cornwall Park’s the perfect place for a small boy who’s bored and feeling chained up in a motel unit the size of a gnat’s house. All this acreage, the sheep, trees—it’s wonderful. I’m going to take him up One Tree Hill shortly.’

Shut up, Jodi. Let Mitch speak. Let him tell you why he’s here. Has he come to meet Jamie? Or to explain more about why he’s soon heading to Sydney? As if she didn’t know the answer to that one. A very prestigious position. One to rub his brother’s face in, she’d bet. The guy couldn’t stay still if there was an outside chance of getting one over Max.