No Matter What (44 page)

***

“I really should be going,” Kenny said, leaning back against the kitchen counter, arms folded as he watched
India
clear away plates and glasses into various cupboards.
 

She looked at him.
 
“Somewhere you’ve got to be?”

He pushed a hand through his hair, smiling as she came over to him, slipping her arms round his waist.

“No, not really.
 
But Michael could be home anytime, you know that.”

“It’s not unusual for you to be here, Kenny.
 
He knows you’re my friend.
 
It wouldn’t be the first time he’s come home to find you here.”

“It’d be the first time he’s come home to find me here not long after I’ve had sex with his fiancée.
 
I’d just feel more comfortable not being here when he’s home. For now.”

She smiled and kissed him quickly, sliding her hands up under his black t-shirt.
 
“Ok.
 
I guess I’m just being greedy.”

He pulled her against him, not really wanting to go but knowing it was the most sensible thing to do, even though she was right.
 
Michael had come home many a time to find them both trawling through CD’s or playing guitar in the TV room, it wasn’t an unusual occurrence, but today - today felt different.
 
Well, the circumstances
were
different weren’t they?
 
He just wasn’t sure he could look Michael in the eye just yet and not show what he really felt for
India
.
 
He wasn’t sure he could do that.

“One more kiss,”
India
whispered.
 
“Before you go.
 
Just one more long, slow kiss.”

He smiled again, his hands moving down to her lower back, stroking it gently as he lowered his mouth down onto hers and gave her that kiss, that long, deep kiss. Her fingers stroked the back of his neck, her body pushing hard against his until it felt like every inch of them was touching the other and everything he’d ever shared with this woman came flooding back, everything he’d ever felt for her, it all came flooding back.
 
Along with the pain of this not being perfect, of her not being his anymore, of being second best but he’d take that, he’d take anything just to be close to her again.

“Well ... it looks as though your brother was right.”

Reece’s voice made them both jump apart, but it was too late.
 
He’d seen them.
 
 
He’d seen all the evidence he’d needed to see to know that they were more than just friends.
 
Again.

“Reece ...”

“What?
 
What are you going to say,
India
?
 
That you can explain?
 
That it wasn’t what it looked like?”

“Hey, come on, there’s no need to be like that with her, it’s not just her fault …”

Reece looked at Kenny.
 
“Oh, believe me, I’m very much aware of that.”
 
He turned back to
India
, who was desperately trying not to cry but she suddenly felt like a little girl who’d been caught playing with somebody she shouldn’t.
 
And in reality, wasn’t that exactly how it was?
 
“Terry told me he suspected this was happening but I was willing to give you both the benefit of the doubt, knowing how close the two of you are.
 
I honestly thought he was jumping to conclusions, but it seems I owe your brother an apology.
 
He obviously knows you better than you think,
India
.”

She couldn’t say anything, she couldn’t find the words because what
could
she say?
 
That she was sorry?
 
That it wasn’t what it looked like?
 
No.
 
Because it was
exactly
what it looked like.

“What do you think you’re doing,
India
?” Reece continued.
 
“You’re pregnant, for Christ’s’ sake ...”

“What’s that got to do with anything?” Kenny asked.

Reece just stared at him.
 
“Is it
your
baby?”

Kenny looked away and pushed a hand through his hair.

“Reece, please,”
India
begged.
 
“This was
my
fault ...”

“
India
, no ...”

“Kenny, maybe it’d be best if you went now,”
India
said, looking at him, knowing she couldn’t sort anything out with him still here.
 
And if Michael did come home now,
 
how was she going to explain this?
 
She just couldn’t handle this being any worse than it already was.

“I think that’s a good idea,” Reece agreed, leaning back against the kitchen counter, folding his arms.

“Is that what you want?” Kenny asked
India
, looking right into her eyes.

She nodded.
 
He sighed, grabbing his jacket from the back of the stool and walking towards the door, turning round to look at her again.
 
“Are you gonna be ok?”

“I’ll be fine.”

“I’ll talk to you later.”

She just nodded again, and Reece watched him go before turning back to her.
 
 
 
“Why,
India
?
 
Why start this up all over again?
 
Why now?”

She sat down on one of the stools by the breakfast bar and looked at Reece.
 
“Everything’s moving so fast.
 
I got scared.”

“Of what?”
 
His voice was quieter now.

“Michael, he ... he asked me to marry him, when we were over in
New York
.”

Reece sighed, looking up at the ceiling for a minute.
 
“
Jesus
,
India
... and you said yes?”

She nodded.

“You said yes, and then two days later you’re asking Kenny Ross to join you in
Britain
while your fiancé’s back in the States?
 
Did you sleep with him?
 
Kenny?
 
Did you sleep with him?”
 
Even as he asked it he knew it was very much a rhetorical question.

She looked up, not entirely sure this was any of his business and she suddenly started to feel a little trapped by a situation she felt he didn’t need to be involved in.

“That’s
my
business, Reece, not yours.”

“No, you see, you’re wrong there,
India
.
 
It’s
my
business too because I care about you and I’m not going to stand by and watch while you make a mess of everything.”

“I’m not making a mess!”
 
She was trying to stay calm but it was hard.
 
She was suddenly very tired and not in the mood for lectures.
 
Even if she did deserve them.

Reece gave a cynical laugh.
 
“You’re not making a mess?
 
You’re engaged to Michael, you’re expecting his baby and now you’re having an affair with your ex-husband?
 
What the hell is that if it’s not a mess?
 
What in the world has got into you?
 
You seemed so happy with Michael ...”

“I
am
happy with Michael.”

“How can you say you’re happy when you’re sleeping with another man?”

She stood up, kicking the stool back as she did so, more than slightly agitated now.
 
“Look, I’m not entirely sure what makes you think you’ve got the right to come in here and lecture me on my life.
 
I know you care about me, I know that and I’m grateful, but I can look after myself.”

“Can you?
 
Can you really?
 
Because you’re not doing that great a job of it at the minute, are you?”

“I don’t need this.
 
You may think you can act like my father, Reece, but you’re not, ok?
 
So don’t treat me like some kid that needs pulling into line because you’re
not
my father.”

“But that’s exactly what I am,
India
!”
 
He stared at her for a second, his eyes locking onto hers.
 
The words had just fallen out, he hadn’t been able to stop them.

She stared back, unable to register what he’d just said, a look of total confusion on her face.
 
“What … what did you say?”

It was out now.
 
The truth.
 
It was out and there was no going back.
 
“I
am
your father.
 
You ... you’re my daughter,
India
. You’re my daughter.”
 
His voice was extremely calm and measured, something he hadn’t expected it to be when he’d said those words.
 
But the look on her face was a look of anxiousness mixed with pure and utter confusion and it scared him.

“I ... I don’t understand.
 
How ... how can you be my ... my dad?
 
Reece?
 
How can you be my dad?”
 
She felt tears pricking her eyes.
 
This was crazy, this was surreal.
 
She’d known him for years, he’d always been there for her; was this why?
 
And yet he’d only felt the need to tell her now?
 
Why?
 
Why now?
 
How long had he known?
 
She had so many questions and she suddenly just wanted Michael.
 
She wanted her wonderful, strong American man to come home and tell her this wasn’t happening, none of this was happening, and that everything was going to be ok, it was going to be just like it was before.
 
She wanted that more than anything because she couldn’t deal with this right now.

“No,” she whispered, shaking her head.
 
“No ... you ... you can’t just come in here and do this.
 
You can’t just ... just walk in here and tell me that ... you can’t.
 
You can’t do that.”

“
India
, please, listen to me ...”

She was still shaking her head, backing away from him.
 
“No.
 
I’m sorry, but ... but I can’t do this right now.
 
I can’t do this.”

“Please,
India
, we need to talk.”

She laughed out loud.
 
“That’s the bloody understatement of the year!”

“We need to talk,” he repeated, trying to reach out for her hand but she pulled it away.
 
“There are things you need to know, circumstances you need to be aware of ...”

“I can’t do this,” she said, her voice almost a whisper.
 
“I just … I can’t …” She could hear something outside in the hall – was Michael home? - and a feeling of relief washed over her as he walked into the room.
 

He stopped and looked at them both.
 
“What’s going on?” he asked, all too aware that something was happening.
 
It was obvious.
 
“
India
?”
 
Getting no joy from her he looked at Reece, but all Reece did was turn his attention back to
India
.

“I need you to go now, Reece,” she said.

“That’s not a good idea, sweetheart.
 
You should know the full story.
 
I can’t leave it like this.”

Michael walked over to
India
, looking at her tear stained face.
 
“Is somebody going to tell me what’s going on here?”

“
India
, please.” Reece was almost begging her now.
 
He couldn’t leave it like this, he couldn’t walk away from her now.

“Just go, Reece.
 
I can’t do this tonight so, just go.
 
Please.”

Michael looked at him, no clue as to what this was all about, he was only aware that
India
was getting more distressed by the second and he didn’t want that happening.
 
“If she wants you to go then I think you should go,” he said, his arm slipping around
India
’s waist.
 
“She’ll be ok.
 
I’m here now, she’ll be fine.”

Reece sighed.
 
He was frustrated and upset, annoyed with himself for everything he’d done wrong in this whole situation, but he also knew that staying here was only going to make things worse.
 
She needed time to take everything in and he had to give her that.
 
He just hoped that, when she was ready, she’d still want to talk to him because she needed to know the full story.
 
This was his daughter standing here in front of him.
 
He’d
made her this upset,
he’d
done this and he wanted to make it better.
 
So maybe just leaving it for tonight was the best thing to do.