‘No…’She inspected her hands for a moment. ‘No, I didn’t.’
‘Howard called while you were out.’ Heath changed the subject tactfully. ‘He said something about taking you out to dinner. I told him you’d call but if you want me to put him off I can always—’
Ashleigh forced her mouth into a smile and tucked her arm through one of his. ‘Why don’t we go and look at that fish first?’
‘What a good idea,’ he said and led her towards the kitchen.
An hour later Lachlan was fast asleep upstairs and Ashleigh made her way downstairs again, only to be halted by her sister Mia who had not long come in from an actors and performers’ workshop.
‘Is it true?’ Mia ushered her into the study, out of the hearing of the rest of the Forrester family. ‘Is Jake really back in Sydney?’
Ashleigh gave a single nod. ‘Yes…he’s back.’
Mia let out a very unladylike phrase. ‘Have you told him about Lachlan?’ she asked.
Ashleigh shook her head. ‘No…’
Mia’s eyes widened. ‘What are you doing? Of course he has to know now that he’s back.’
‘Listen, Mia. I’ve already had this sort of lecture from Mum, so I don’t need another one from you.’
Mia held up her hands in a gesture of surrender. ‘Hey, don’t get all shirty with me, but have you actually listened to that kid of yours lately? All he ever talks about is dad stuff.’
Ashleigh frowned. ‘What do you mean?’
Mia gave her a sobering look. ‘I read him a story the other night when you were out with Howard. You know, the one about the elephant with the broken trunk who was looking for someone to fix it? Lachlan kept on and on about how if he could find his real dad he was sure he would be able to fix everything. How cute, but how sad, is that?’
Ashleigh turned away, her hands clenching in tension. ‘I can’t deal with this right now. I have enough to think about without you adding to it.’
‘Come on, Ash,’ Mia said. ‘What’s to think about? Jake has come home to Sydney and he should be told the truth. It’s not like you can hide it from him. One close look at that kid and he’s going to see it for himself.’
Ashleigh felt the full force of her sister’s words like a blow to her mid-section. Lachlan was the spitting image of his father. His darker-than-night eyes, his long rangy limbs, his black hair that refused to stay in place, his temper that could rise and fall with the weight of a timely smile or gentle caress…
The doorbell sounded and Ashleigh turned and walked down the hall to answer it rather than continue the conversation with her sister.
‘Ashleigh,’ Howard Caule greeted her warmly, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek as he came in. ‘How’s my girl?’ He caught sight of Mia hovering. ‘Hi, Mia, how are the auditions for the toilet paper advertisement going?’
‘Great, I’m going to wipe the floor with the competition,’ Mia answered with an insincere smile and a roll of her eyes before she walked away.
Ashleigh dampened down her annoyance at her sister’s behaviour towards her fiancé, knowing it would be pointless to try and defend him. Mia and Ellie had never taken to him no matter how many times she highlighted his good points. It caused her a great deal of pain but there was nothing she could do about it. Howard was reliable and safe and more or less wanted the same things in life that she did. Her family would just have to get used to the idea of him being a permanent fixture in her life. Lachlan liked him and as far as she was concerned that counted for more than anything.
Once Mia had gone she closed the front door and leant back against it, her eyes going to Howard’s. ‘We have to talk.’
‘Let’s do it over dinner,’ he suggested. Then, taking something out of his pocket, he added, ‘Is Lachlan still awake? I brought him a little present.’
Ashleigh took the toy car he held out to her, her expression softening with gratitude. ‘He’s asleep but I’ll leave it on his bedside table for him. Thank you; you’re so good to him.’
‘He’s a good kid, Ashleigh,’ he said. ‘I can’t wait until we’re finally married so I can be a real father to him.’
She gave him a weak smile. ‘I’ll just tell my folks we’re leaving.’
‘I’ll go and start the car,’ he offered helpfully and bounded back out the front door.
Ashleigh spoke briefly with her parents before joining Howard in his car, all the time trying to think of a way to bring up the subject of Jake Marriott.
She had told Howard the barest details of her affair with Lachlan’s father, preferring to keep that part of her life separate and distant from the here and now. She hadn’t even once mentioned Jake’s name. Howard hadn’t pressed her, and in a way that was why she valued his friendship so much. He seemed to sense her pain in speaking of the past and always kept things on an upbeat keel to lift her spirits.