Another Chance (13 page)

"Let's have a baby, Cassie.”

She stared at him. Where was this coming from?

"Well love, let's face it. Sophie is pretty much perfect, and half her genes are defective from her dropkick father. Imagine what you and I could do."

Cassie pulled a face at that. “I can’t believe you said that.”

“Cass, love. How good would it be for Sophie to have a brother or sister? Kid can’t grow up by herself.”

“I did.”

“I’m confused, I thought this would be something you wanted?”

“I do, but I also want you to want it. Not do it because it would make me happy.”

“Cassie, I do. I have to admit that it’s not something I have ever really wanted but living with you and Sophie changed me. It’s amazing, thinking of a child created by you and I.”

“Are you clucky, Mark Burrows?”

Mark grinned. “You could say that, I keep picturing you with my baby in your arms, and it’s really doing things to me. This is different for me, Cass, you’re the only one I ever wanted to do something like this with.”

“I’m not happy that you called my daughter defective.”

He stared at her. “I didn’t mean it that way Ca,ssie, I know how you feel about her father. Sophie is perfect, she’s an incredible kid, and she has this mother whom I’m crazy about.”

Cassie laughed. “I was winding you up. Give me a bit of time, Mark, it’s just such a surprise for you to come out with this all of a sudden.”

“It’s been on my mind for a while love.”

“You constantly surprise me, Mark, you really do,” she said affectionately, stroking his face.

He closed his eyes at her touch, turning his head to kiss her hand. “I love you to bits Cassie, never imagined at my age I’d find someone who makes me feel the way you do.”

“I love you too. Maybe we could start working on a baby?”

Mark had the widest smile on his face she’d ever seen. “Really? You want to? With me?”

“I would do anything for you, Mark, you should know that by now.”

Three years of living together hadn’t dampened their relationship in the slightest. They were happier than either of them ever thought humanly possible. Trying for a baby with Mark was a no brainer. He would love a child they had together whether boy or a girl. Sophie was getting older, it would do her good to have a sibling. “I did always wonder what it would be like to have a brother or sister.”

“My sister is an eternal pain in the butt. I wouldn’t do without her though.” Mark laughed.

Later in bed he brought the subject up again. “This has been on your mind for a while hasn’t it?” Cassie asked.

“When we first met, I knew there was something special about you. You stirred something in me that had never woken up before. I can’t begin to tell you how it feels to love you, Cassie, and to know you love me. There has never been a paternal bone in my body until I met you and Sophie. Now we’re settled, and I can’t imagine being anywhere else but with you and Sophie.”

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“What for?”

“For sharing your heart with me.”

“Do you want popcorn? I would kill for something to eat. We’ll turn the TV on.”

“Why are you changing the subject now?” Cassie laughed, throwing a pillow at Mark as he left for the kitchen.

“Because I’ll start crying shortly and that’s not who I am. Besides, I’m hungry.”

Cassie shook her head, still laughing when he returned a few minutes later with a big bowl of popcorn. “I swear, we have all eaten more of this stuff over the years than anything else. It seems to be the default snack food.”

She grabbed a handful before settling back onto the pillow. The white kernels spilled out of her hand and onto the sheets.

“Can’t take you anywhere can I? Look at you making a mess in my bed,” he said in mock horror.

“Your bed? Come here and we’ll make a bigger mess.”

“Is that some sort of dare, Cassandra Warren?” Mark held the bowl over the bed while Cassie shrieked with laughter.

“What on earth is all the noise?” Sophie asked, pushing the door open. She took one look at what they were doing, rolled her eyes and went back to her own room.

“Don’t you want any popcorn?” Mark called after her as Cassie laughed even harder.

He sat on the bed beside her, placing the bowl on the bedside table. “This is why we’re good together, Cassie, we make each other laugh.”

Cassie nodded. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“Well if I have my way you’ll never find out.” He moved closer to her, stroking her face with his palm. “What I want is for us to sit like this in our bed, our daughter in your arms.”

“We’re having a girl then?”

“Yes. We’re naming her Charlotte.”

“After your mother?”

“I thought that would be the right thing to do. God knows she had to deal with enough of my crap.”

“It’s beautiful, Mark,”

“You’re beautiful,” he said, kissing her tenderly. As their kisses grew more urgent, she pulled away.

“What?” he asked.

“Do we need to close the door now? Don’t want any intruders.”

“Hang on a minute love.” He picked up the bowl, taking it to Sophie’s room before returning and closing the door.

Cassie laughed. “Did she say anything?”

“Just the usual stuff, we’re gross.”

“Come here you.”

“As my lady wishes.”

There would always be a part of her that wondered what would have happened if she had told Patrick about Sophie. Their life would have been different whether Patrick accepted Sophie or not. Even now his infidelity stung. Sophie asked about her father only once, accepting the explanation that he and Cassie were no longer together. Cassie had no plan if she pushed the issue further.

Now Cassie struggled as month after month led to disappointment. With Patrick it had been so easy, they’d even used protection, and it had failed but with Mark, nothing. He comforted her as best he could, finally suggesting after the first year they go and see a doctor to find out what was causing their infertility. “Mark has a very low sperm count,” the doctor told them, “it’s not impossible for you to conceive, but it does narrow your chances.”

“Is there anything we can do?” Asked Mark.

“Well you could let nature take its course and see what happens, or you could consider IVF.”

“What do you think love?” Mark squeezed Cassie’s hand.

“We need to digest this news and plan what we’re going to do next. IVF is a huge commitment.”

The doctor nodded. “It could be very wearing on Cassie. You’re wise to take your time over it.”

“We’ll go home and talk. Thanks doc,” Mark said.

At home, he hugged her tight. “So it’s my fault.”

“Oh, Mark, don’t think like that. It’s a thing we have to deal with, and it doesn’t matter which of us has the problem, we’ll get through it together.”

“That’s why I love you so much.”

“Why?”

“You’re so sensible.”

She laughed. “I’d like to think I’m fun too.”

“Oh you are, Miss Warren, you are.”

He looked pensive. The test results had to sting, to be the one stopping them from having a baby. It wasn’t fair. “If we go through IVF, Cassie, what if it still fails?”

“Do you know what?” She asked.

“What?”

“I’d do it for you.”

He laughed. “I know you would. Let’s keep on trying in the meantime.”

“What we should do is forget about making babies and go back to enjoying sex for fun.”

“You’re right. Sophie is still at her friend’s place so how about we go and do that now.”

“Are you suggesting doing it in the middle of the day.” Cassie feigned surprise.

He kissed her, pushing her back onto the couch. “That’s exactly what I’m suggesting.”

Cassie giggled. “Sounds good to me.”

“I love you, Cassie.”

“Love you too,” she replied, showing her impatience by pulling at his shirt. Mark laughed. Life was great.

“Can I call Mark Dad?” Sophie asked a couple of days later.

Cassie froze. It was hard to keep Patrick out of her head when she looked at Sophie. She was so much like him, tall, dark haired with those blue eyes. Only the tinge of red in her hair came from her mother. Was it right to let her call another man Father?

“Ask Mark and see what he says. If you want to do that, Sophie, I don’t mind.” Sophie grinned.

Mark entered the room a few minutes later, wrapping his arms around Cassie’s waist and twirling her around. “You will never guess what Sophie asked me.”

“Surprise me.”

His eyes shone with excitement. “She wants to call me Dad. I said it was okay if it was okay with you.”

“Mark, for all intense purposes you are her father. Or in that role at least. It’s not likely she’ll have anything to do with her biological father at least until she gets older, so it is fine with me.”

“We’ve never talked about him, Cassie. You haven’t told me what happened with him, and I never wanted to pry, but you need to tell me if Sophie wants this.”

“You’re right. When she goes to bed tonight, we’ll talk about it.”

He was waiting when she finished tucking Sophie into bed, and she sat beside him on the couch to talk to him about the most painful part of her life. “So, tell me about Sophie’s father.”

“I had a thing for him the whole time I was growing up. That last summer at home before the fire and after we left school, he told me he felt the same way. There’s not much to tell, Mark. I thought he loved me, we had sex, and he cheated on me.”

“Oh love, I’m sorry. Did you ever tell him about Sophie?”

She shook her head. “No, I never told him. I nearly did but he had moved on, so I decided that I was going to bring her up alone.”

“Well, you’re not alone now, and I am so very happy that Sophie considers me her father.”

“I am too. It was a bit of a surprise though considering she’s never really asked about her real father. I always planned for the future when she’s older. If she wants to meet him, I’ll help her find him if I have to.”

“She hasn’t asked because she has all she needs here. I do agree we need to be ready for when she does get curious though.”

Cassie nodded. “It’s been so good having you here for her. She loves you so much.”

“I love her as if she was my own. Having Sophie in my life is as good as if we had our own child.”

She hugged him. “I’m sorry I haven’t gotten pregnant, but I am glad to hear that. One of the reasons I fell in love with you was because of how good you were with Sophie.”

“You mean it’s not because I’m too sexy to resist.”

He winked at her, and she laughed. “You are so cheeky and pretty damn sexy.”

“That’s what I like to hear love. Must be bed time.”

“I have never had so many early nights since we have been together.”

“Are you seriously complaining?”

“Never.”

“I should hope not.” He grinned and leaned in for a kiss.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Mark’s forty-fifth birthday was a casual event, a barbecue with close friends and family. Lauren was there with her latest young man, and Cassie bit her tongue at how sadly desperate she seemed.

At the age of thirty-five, she was still determined to find a man and settle down, she was still going for the much younger, more immature types who were only interested in one thing.

“Hows the food going love? The barbecue is ready to go.”

“It’s all here,” she said, handing him the first tray.

“Beautiful.” He winked. “The food isn’t too bad either.”

Cassie laughed. “Get cooking for your guests, Mr Burrows, I’m sure they’re hungry.”

“So am I,” he murmured, “but, not for what’s on this tray.”

“Enough cheek you, get out there and get cooking,” said Cassie, rolling her eyes.

“Yes love.”

She watched him disappear out onto the deck with the food and shook her head, smirking. “He never stops does he?” Lauren laughed as she walked into the kitchen.

“Stop what?”

“The flirting. Every time I see you two together that’s what he’s doing. Is he like that in private too?”

“All the time. He makes me laugh, Lauren, he really does.”

“Is that why you two are so happy together?”

“Partly. Why do you ask?”

Lauren stared at the floor. “Because I want what you have and I can’t find it.”

“Oh honey, you are such a beautiful person. The right one is out there somewhere.”

“I hope so, I’m a bit over the whole being screwed and being left.”

“You need to do what I did and go for someone older than you.”