In the Market for Love - By Nina Blake Page 0,40
couple of receipts. One for that dive of a restaurant, Mancini’s. She had no idea why he bothered with that place. Why go there when he could go to a classy restaurant instead?
Then she found a folded piece of paper at the back of his wallet. It looked like a page from his diary. She recognised Jake’s handwriting immediately. It was definitely a note to her. Why had he signed it Mr Porsche? It didn’t make sense that he’d written her a note yet kept it himself but then again, love wasn’t logical. And, damn him, he hadn’t put her name on the note. Bianca needed the woman’s name for her plan to work.
Smiling, she admired Connor’s photo in a small plastic sleeve. Jake really should update that photo. It was at least two years old. Deciding it prudent to be thorough, Bianca pulled the photo out. Her mouth fell open as she saw what was behind it.
A picture of her.
It looked like a good quality photocopy or laser print. That didn’t quite make sense either. As if it was impossible to get a real photograph of the woman to put in his wallet. Still, for Bianca this was so much better than a regular photo because under the picture of the woman’s smiling face was her name. Rachel Williams, Marketing Manager, Omega Pharmaceuticals.
Bianca shoved the papers back into Jake’s wallet, placing it back on the buffet, then heard voices from outside. She quickly slipped into the kitchen on the pretence of getting a glass of water and waited until she heard the French doors opening, then sauntered into the living room, taking her glass with her.
“Mum!” came Connor’s exuberant greeting.
Glass still in hand, Bianca gave him a one armed hug while he prattled on about some boys he’d met in the park. Jake glared at her relentlessly.
“Connor, didn’t you want to play on your computer?” he asked.
“Yeah, I haven’t played on it all day.”
“Okay then. You can have half an hour, mate. It’s in your bedroom.”
* * *
Jake nodded towards the French doors, motioning Bianca to join him outside.
“What do you think you’re doing here?” he demanded as they stood beneath the canopy of the Chinese Tallow.
She lifted her glass. “Getting a drink of water.”
“What? You’ve run out of water next door?”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I came to see Connor. I’d still be in there with him if you hadn’t sent him off to his room.”
“Well, I’ve got something to tell you.”
He’d already spoken to his lawyer and divorce proceedings were under way. It hadn’t been an easy decision for him to make but it was the right one.
He’d tried for four years to give his son a family with both a father and mother. He didn’t want Connor to grow up with the same fragmented, lonely family life he’d had. He wanted to do the best for his son and give him a solid foundation but he couldn’t do it any longer. Couldn’t make it work.
Connor was going to lose the only family he’d ever known.
Until he met Rachel, Jake’s main priority in life was to maintain a family for Connor. Now that had changed.
What was left of his relationship with Bianca was crumbling so now there was nothing left of it. He didn’t want anything to do with her and couldn’t stand living in the same house any longer than he had to.
When he cut the issues down to their most elemental level, it was quite simple. He couldn’t bear to be married to her any more.
“Surprise me.” Bianca’s voice was smug and confident.
“It’s not a surprise,” he said. “I’ve spoken to James Phillips.”
Her jaw tightened. “Your lawyer. And?”
“I can’t live like this any more. It’s time to make a clean break.”
She refused to give him the time to choose his words carefully. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”
He looked her in the eye. “It means we’re getting a divorce. James said it won’t take too long given we’ve already been separated for years but there’s still a lot for us to sort out.”
“Like what?” Her upper lip curled in disgust. “Like how often you’ll be able to see Connor? Because you won’t get custody. He’s my son. You’re the one who said you wanted to keep the family together for Connor. What’s changed your mind? You’re making a big mistake. You have no idea.”
“Calm down. I know you’re upset–”
“Upset!” Bianca pushed past him to the gate leading from his courtyard to her large landscaped garden. “You think