Page 91 of Playing the Game

He also realised he was dressed in his comfy trackies, which had more holes in than Swiss cheese, and a vintage Backstreet Boys T-shirt from a VIP trip the team had had a few years ago.

Oh well. I can do a quick change while they’re coming up the drive.

Adam padded through to the hallway and clicked Answer.

“Hello? Can I help you?”

“Adam?”

His heart almost stopped. He had to lean against the wall for support.

“Jen?”

“Can I come up?”

Her voice wavered. Something must be terribly wrong. Jen never cried. Not even when they broke up. Both times.

He pressed the Enter button.

All thoughts of upgrading his outfit flew clean out his mind. Instead an electrical current of anxiety swept through him.

Something’s wrong. It has to be.

In no time there was a knock on the door. He opened it and his jaw dropped.

She looked exhausted with dark circles around her eyes, greasy hair and a sloppy T-shirt and jeans. Then his eyes dropped.

On the ground next to her sat a car seat containing a squirming baby.

“Jen,” he said. “Are you okay? What’s going on?”

She burst into tears. Adam crossed the space between them and took her in his arms where she sobbed uncontrollably.

His head spinning, Adam took in the other member of the party. The baby gazing up at him.

When Jen’s crying slowed, Adam took a step back.

“Come in,” he said.

She picked up the car seat and followed him. They’d never officially lived together in this house. Even so, she’d spent a lot oftime there. Adam hadn’t been able to make it official. One of the nails in their relationship’s coffin.

“Go to the kitchen,” he said. “Can I get you anything?”

She shook her head and went through. Carefully she put the car seat down. After unbuckling the baby, she picked it out.

Terror gripped Adam. This child couldn’t be more than a few months old. The maths were beginning to look ominous.

“And who’s this?” he asked, desperately trying to keep his voice under control.

“This is Olive,” Jen said. “Your daughter.”

Adam sank onto one of the chairs at the kitchen table.

“My…”

“I’m so sorry to tell you like this.”

Jen sat opposite him. The baby gurgling away.