It did matter, but he couldn’t articulate why. Had Neve been seeing Alec all the time he’d been deceiving Lyssa? The thought made him feel sick to his stomach. He had very strong suspicions that she had. How could she have done this to him? Had he really been such a complete idiot?

When he didn’t speak, Neve said, ‘Yes, it’s been going on for some time. I like him, Jake. Alec is a lot of fun.’

‘Not to mention the quick route to promotion.’

‘I think that’s unnecessary,’ Neve said darkly. ‘I’m earning everything I have by my own merit.’

‘But you’ll never be able to prove that, will you?’ Jake said. ‘Everyone will think you’ve got the Blow account because you were sleeping with the boss.’

Neve said nothing, but he could see her chest heaving with indignation. At this moment she looked truly pathetic to him. And it was highly likely that he could be viewed in the same way.

‘Is there anything else you want to tell me?’ he said.

Neve folded her arms. ‘Yes.’ She took another swig of her wine and Jake noticed that her hand was shaking. ‘As a matter of fact, there is,’ she said. ‘I’m pregnant.’

Jake felt all the blood drain from his face. He stood up, unsteady on his feet. ‘Whose baby is it?’

He couldn’t believe that they were having this conversation. Part of him felt as if he’d stepped out of reality. He went to the other side of the counter to look at Neve.

‘I don’t know,’ she admitted. ‘That’s why I’m getting rid of it.’

‘That’s very kind of you to tell me.’

‘I didn’t want you to hear it from anyone else.’ She’d missed the irony in his voice.

Her stomach was washboard flat, as always. No hint of burgeoning pregnancy. She caught him looking at her. ‘I’m not very far gone,’ she said crisply.

‘Have you told Alec?’

‘Yes, and he agrees with me. He’s not ready to be a father.’

‘His wife and kids must be pleased.’

Now it was Neve’s turn to look rattled. ‘I’d be a hopeless mother,’ she said. ‘I don’t suppose you want it either.’

Did he want a baby with Neve? This is what he and Lyssa had been totally focussed on for the last year or more, and now, out of the blue, the chance of fatherhood had literally fallen into his lap. Why couldn’t it have happened so easily for him and Lyssa? Maybe they wouldn’t be in this stupid situation now. What if it was his child? What if his sperm weren’t sluggish after all? What if they were all strong, athletic swimmers? Jeez, what a conundrum. ‘That “it” is a person,’ he pointed out. ‘A life.’