“What other reason would she not mention a child she tried to pass off as mine?”
“If she thought it was yours and you kicked her out, basically telling her you didn’t believe her or didn’t want children, perhaps she was resigned to raise the child alone.”
“Even if that was true, the child isn’t mine. It’s impossible. I made sure I wouldn’t be procreating.”
Marvin gave another indifferent shrug.
Internally I groaned knowing he was thinking something but not saying it. “Spit it out, Marvin.”
“Well sir, my brother’s fifth child was conceived after he had a procedure to prevent such things.”
“What?”
“He had a vasectomy but within a month or two, his wife was pregnant.”
How was that possible? “Maybe she cheated.”
Marvin flinched. “No sir. The child is his. No doubt.”
“A fluke then.” My gut clenched at the idea of a child. I didn’t dislike them. But I couldn’t imagine myself with one.
“My brother thought the same, but as it turns out it’s not all that uncommon if men don’t wait long enough afterwards. It’s best to have a follow up test to make sure the ah…swimmers are gone.”
Holy fuck. For a moment, I thought maybe I was a father. But then I remembered, she didn’t mention a child to me. Surely if there was a child, she’d have said something. What bigger way to smear my name than to call me out as a man who’d abandon a pregnant woman and not provide for his child.
I shook all that off. “It doesn’t matter. The thing that bothers me is that after all that, I’d still want her. Cupid is a sadist.”
Marvin shrugged again. “Some might say he knows what he’s doing and that it’s us that need to get out of our own way.”
“She wants to ruin me. Why would I let her in again if that is her goal?”
“Is your goal to ruin this town?”
Where the fuck did that come from? “No.”
“And yet, you do things because you’re angry at them. Perhaps she’s just angry.”
“Yeah, well I’m angry too.”
Again, with the shrug. “It’s unfortunate you weren’t able to come to some sort of understanding.”
“How’s that?”
“If she wasn’t against you and instead was with you, she
could help you turn the opinion of people in town.”
I studied him. “You think that could happen?”
“They like her. And they’ve told her their grievances with you. If she changed her mind about you and you learned what you could do to make things right with the town, maybe you could still have what you want.
Initially, I waved his comment away, but later as I sat alone in my office, I realized he might have a point. She’d have a hard time writing a smear piece if I let her into my life. She’d be considered biased and possibly vindictive. Plus, if she were to at least act like she was okay with me, others in town might be swayed. Even if they didn’t believe me fully, they might question Sinclair and all her gang’s attacks on me.
There was no way I could let Erica into my life for real again, but this town was loaded with people who engaged in fake relationships to get what they wanted. Why couldn’t I? Maybe I could offer Erica something she couldn’t refuse and in return, she could help me turn the tide of this election and my standing in town. Maybe I could even get her out of my system, and possibly some revenge of my own.
6
Erica