Free Seducing the Baker (At First Sight) by Janet Lane-Walters Page B

boy is the right age. I don’t think there’s anything else. She’ll agree to less child support if he marries her.”
    “Not going to happen.” Tony reached for his cell and ran his finger down the screen. “Jules, Tony here. Call me ASAP.” He tried a second number and left the same message. “Looks like he’s not answering.”
    “What else can we do?”
    “You, nothing unless you have more information. I’ll hit his office tomorrow. This Charlene will be surprised when we ask for a paternity test. If she refuses to have her son tested a judge will issue the order.”
    The tension in Grace’s shoulders lessened. Could the problem be that easily solved?
    Tony rose. “We’ll lunch on cupcakes and have a sugar high.”
    As she followed Tony Grace’s thoughts roiled. How would Jules react to the news?
     
    * * *
     
    Jules sat in the coffee shop near his office and sipped his drink. A bitter taste lingered on his tongue. Not as smooth as the coffee he’d drunk at the bakery or Grace’s apartment. He chewed on a piece of cinnamon roll and grimaced. The bun tasted nothing like the cupcake with a similar name.
    He pushed aside the thoughts of the weekend. He failed to erase his memories. Everything reminded him of Grace and sex. Yesterday he’d roamed the city streets. The night had found chasing illusive sleep. Tony had left a dozen messages urging him to call. Jules figured he knew the reason and had ignored the message.
    What was he going to do about Grace? Would she talk to him? He glanced at his watch. Ten past nine. He needed to go to the office, call Allie and tell her he’d failed. All because he’d let the dude take control.
    He dumped the remainder of the roll and coffee in the trash and stepped into the biting wind of the winter day. Puddles of melting snow hid sheets of black ice. Walking became a challenge. Memories of two nights with Grace haunted his thoughts. Ghost whispers of cries of completion drifted into his head. The sex had been explosive. So had the sharing of their pasts. What would have happened if she had said yes ten years ago? The answer slugged him. The answer slugged him. To steady himself he pressed a hand against the brick wall of a building. He would have fallen in love. Maybe he still hovered on the edge but he’d blown his chance of forever.
    Coward.
    Instead of facing his feelings he had run back to the city where shallowness was the norm. Who needed to invest emotions in relationships when most of the people you knew were little more than strangers? Of his few friends, their lives had changed. Marriage had ended their days of bar-hopping and hitting clubs trolling for a flavor of the night or a bit longer. The rest of his life would be spent skimming the surface. Grace would never forgive him.
    When he entered the office his secretary/receptionist smiled. “You’re late. That’s a first.” Her eyes narrowed. You look awful. Are you ill?”
    He was but not physically. “I’ll live. There are some phone calls I need to make. Anything I should know?”
    She handed him an envelope. “This arrived by messenger. Allie Blakefield called for a report on her project. Tony’s on his way. A Mr. Gumble will be in around eleven.”
    Jules clutched the packet. He knew an unsigned contract lay inside. Why was Tony coming? Jules turned. “Did this Gumbel say what business he has with me?”
    “Only that he wants to discuss an important matter.”
    Jules closed his office door. He opened the envelope. She had signed. A hot arrow stabbed his chest. Though he wondered why she hadn’t returned shredded paper, he couldn’t ask. He flipped his cell open and hit a number.
    “Allie, it’s Jules.”
    “News?”
    “Welcome back. I’ve got the signed contract. She wants the feature to be in the November or December issue. Oh, she has developed a fruitcake cupcake that’s light, flavorful and absolutely delicious.”
    “Really. I’m not a fan of fruitcake. I’ll order some. Guess