Page 113 of Don't Believe A Word

‘After Sadie’s listened to the interview,’ Cristy said, ‘or even before, make sure you tell her that her father and uncle are very keen to meet her.’

‘Will do. Something that just occurred to me, do we ask Gabe to prove paternity? I mean, we can tell her it’s possible he’s her father, in fact highly likely, but …’

‘It’s already in hand,’ Cristy assured him, ‘and Lukas is doing the same. You’re right to think of it, because we’ll need the cover once we go live with this and the army of cynics get stuck into it.’

‘But we’re not foreseeing a problem?’

‘No, but if there is and they turn out to be fakes … Actually I can’t go there, it’s already making me feel faint, although I guess it’ll make a fantastic twist in the series if they are.’

*

‘Are you OK?’ David asked the following morning as he and Cristy strolled barefoot along the soft, white-sand beach in front of their hotel.

Cristy’s fingers tightened around his, as though to reassure him. She wasn’t going to mention the nuisance, nonsense texts she’d been receiving before, and since they’d arrived, and maybe spoil what little time they had here. It was the same crazy who, for some reason, had advised her not to be afraid in his first message. This time he’d just spewed out all his random fan-stuff, nothing threatening, or even standout really, so she couldn’t think why it was bothering her.

‘I might be a little jetlagged,’ she said. ‘And I’m concerned about the way things are going with the series.’

‘In what way?’

‘Something’s not feeling right.’

‘You mean with Gabe and Lukas?’

‘No, I believe what they told us and I know you do …’

‘As does Connor …’

‘I just keep getting the sense that we’re still missing something … Like it’s there in front of me, something I should be seeing, but I’m not.’

Pulling her down next to him on the sand, David slipped an arm around her shoulders and rested his head on hers as they stared out to the shimmering horizon while inky blue waves lapped gently, coolly, over their feet.

‘Whatever it is,’ he said, ‘I’m sure it’ll come clear—’

‘Shall we put it aside for now?’ Cristy interrupted, loving the feeling of being with him and deciding she wanted nothing more than to lose herself in it while she could.

‘Your call,’ he said, and pressed a kiss to her hair.

Moments later they both murmured in surprised appreciation as a dolphin appeared, only a few feet away, and began to circle and dive, skim and leap, as if putting on a show just for them. It was so early in the morning that there was no one else around, only the attendants quietly setting out loungers and raising parasols.

David started to speak, then stopped as his mobile rang. Seeing it was Rosie on FaceTime, he clicked to answer it. ‘Hi, sweetheart,’ he said, holding the phone so she could see Cristy too.

‘Hi Dad – and Cristy. It’s Rosie here.’

‘We can see,’ David responded dryly.

‘How are you?’ Cristy smiled.

‘Have you run away to get married?’ Rosie asked and giggled as they laughed.

‘Not the plan right now,’ David told her. ‘How are things with you?’

‘I’m OK, but I think Ludo’s made me pregnant.’

Feeling him stiffen, Cristy quickly said, ‘Why do you say that, sweetie? What did he do?’

‘He put his tongue in my mouth when he kissed me and said that was how babies are made. I told him it’s not, because I know it’s not, but he keeps saying it is.’

‘Have you talked to Grandma?’ David asked.