His Baby

He called Jack.

CORDIE READ the current issue of InStyle while eating a bagel and drinking a cup of tea at a little deli across the street from Abbott’s. She’d worked all day Sunday, taking advantage of the quiet of the closed store to put out new stock and fill a sales rack, so she could afford a few moments to herself this morning. The staff knew where she was if there was a problem.

Not that she was enjoying her solitude. The sesame-and-asiago bagel that had looked so appealing when she’d ordered it didn’t want to go down, and she was having second thoughts about her decision to work at Abbott’s and try to reclaim her marriage. The idea had seemed like such a good one, until she’d come face-to-face with Killian’s hostility on Friday. In her absence from him, she’d managed to forget how completely disgusted he’d been with her when he’d found her in Brian’s bed, and how serious he’d been when he’d told her their marriage was over.

She tried to brace herself with a sip of peppermint tea. “Come on,” she told herself. “You knew this would be hard. Did you think the circumstances were going to change and make it easier for you just because you dreamed of Killian welcoming you back with open arms? You knew there was no real chance of that. You analyzed this from all angles and decided you loved him enough to try it. Buck up! You’re not going to weasel out at the first roadblock. You’re just discouraged because you feel a little puny this morning.”

She took another sip of tea.

Her mind in a muddle, she didn’t even notice Killian walk into the deli until he stood directly across from her.

His eyes were dark but unreadable. She didn’t quite see anger in their depths, but some other black emotion she couldn’t analyze.

“You’re pregnant,” he said in a tone that was more of an accusation than an announcement.

She closed her eyes and accepted that this day was not going to improve anytime soon.

When they’d gotten married, she’d fantasized about announcing a pregnancy to him one day, but in her dreams that moment had never taken place in a deli buzzing with conversation. And he’d been proud and happy, not…whatever that dark look was in his eye.

He took the chair opposite her.

“How far along are you?” he asked tersely.

She knew what the question really asked. “Yes, it’s your baby,” she replied. “Even if you don’t believe me, the hotel incident was three months ago and I’m four months along. I can provide proof, if that’s necessary.”

“It isn’t necessary. The report from your doctor said so.”

“But that’s not why I’m back. I don’t have some plan to prove your paternity and secure an Abbott inheritance for him or her. I just want to work, I love fashion retail and Abbott’s is the best there is.” She drew a breath and made herself look him in the eye. His dark expression was darkening further, but she refused to be intimidated. “You were pretty clear the other day about any hope of reconciliation, so I’ve given up on that.” She willed herself to appear clear-eyed and honest rather than like the big fat liar she really was. “But I want to keep the job.”

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