Free The Baby Truce by Jeannie Watt

Reggie had designed together when they’d talked about opening a catering business. Reggie had stuck to the plan.
    As she stuck to all plans.
    She’d always intended to bring Eden into the business once her sister graduated culinary school, but Justin had been a wild ski bum, freshly dropped out of college. How had he gone from Reggie bailing him out of jail to being a chef? And a pastry chef at that?
    Tom didn’t do pastry. The thought of concocting desserts in general made him uncomfortable. Give him his knives and a nice piece of meat to butcher. Or pasta. Anything but phyllo dough.
    â€œHello,” he called again, setting his knife case on the nearest counter.
    A door opened on the opposite side of the room anda roundish woman with a head of grayish-brown curls came out. She stood taller when she saw him, which brought her height up to about five foot even. Maybe five-one.
    â€œMay I help you?” she asked, smoothing the sides of her apron over her sturdy hips.
    â€œIs Reggie here?”
    â€œNo, she’s not.” The woman’s gaze traveled over his loose, dark gray cargos and white T-shirt, then settled on the small gym bag he carried. Her eyebrows went up. “Do you have an appointment?”
    â€œI think I’m supposed to start work today. I’m Tom.”
    â€œI wasn’t informed.” She didn’t seem to recognize him, which was good. His only concern in this deal was having to explain why he was in a catering kitchen. I need to build a relationship with my pregnant ex, who wants to see me in hell would be tabloid fodder for sure. He’d do his best to avoid making that quote.
    â€œPerhaps there was no reason to inform you,” he suggested.
    The woman’s chin snapped up. “Reggie and Eden should be here shortly. Perhaps you’d like to go back out front and wait there. If you’re starting work today, then you probably have papers to fill out.”
    â€œI don’t need to fill out papers.” Tom opened his knife case.
    â€œW-2 forms are required.”
    â€œPerhaps I’m in the country illegally.” He heard her rapid intake of breath. A bona fide sniff of indignation.
    The back door of the kitchen, hidden behind a halfwall, opened and closed. A few seconds later Justin came in, yawning. He stopped when he saw Tom.
    â€œThis…man says he starts work today,” Patty announced.
    â€œYeah, I think he does.” Justin started moving again. The kid had changed. For one thing, he was no longer a kid. The scrawny towhead was now as tall as Tom and only a few pounds lighter. “Tom.” He held out his hand.
    â€œJustin,” he replied as they shook. He had the distinct feeling from the strength of Justin’s grip that Reggie wasn’t the only Tremont he’d be contending with. “I’m looking forward to helping you guys out.”
    Justin’s blue eyes, which Tom remembered as being full of laughter, even when he was in hot water, were nothing short of cold.
    â€œThis is Patty, our prep cook,” Justin said, nodding at the woman, who appeared to have just swallowed something sour, and was making a mental note to keep an eye on the good china.
    â€œPatty,” Tom said. She nodded curtly, and even though she’d been studying him, he still saw no sign of recognition.
    â€œReggie will be here in a few minutes. She had an early doctor’s appointment today.” Justin subtly motioned his head toward Patty, and Tom understood that the prep cook didn’t know about the pregnancy.
    â€œGreat. Do you have a place where I can store my stuff?”
    â€œLockers in the back beside the door.”
    Tom picked up his bag and headed through the kitchen toward the door Justin had come in through.He nodded at Patty, who sniffed again and did an about-face. The territorial type. Well, she’d better get used to sharing her territory. As long as she did her job well, he didn’t