Page 52 of His Long-Lost Baby

As I’m turning off the shower, I hear a door close. I walk into the bedroom with a towel around myself, water dripping from my hair and body.

James is fully dressed and in the middle of putting on his watch. At the sight of me, his face lights up.

And my heart flips.

Oh, no.

I thought my head and my heart were at war before, but I really had no clue. How will I ever get over this guy?

“Good morning.” He crosses the room, pulls me into his arms, and kisses me recklessly.

My head has no idea what to do. My heart is singing.

When he pulls back, I’m breathless, lips parted. “Good morning.”

“I ordered you breakfast. The presentation isn’t for a little while, but I need to head downstairs and schmooze with early crowd. I hope you understand.”

I nod, my tongue feeling heavy. I need to tell him about Quinn.

I need to see what he says. I need his explanation for why he abandoned her and her birth mom.

But I can’t. The words are stuck in my throat.

“I have to go.” He gives me a regretful look. “I’m sorry.”

“But…” I start to speak.

“I’ll see you down there.” He runs his fingers through my damp hair.

“Okay.” I lean into him, taking comfort in his strong arms.

I don’t want to let him go.

James disappears through the door, leaving me alone in the room. I have to move. I have to do my hair and get dressed.

I have to get my head together.

I don’t know what’s wrong with me. My head is spinning.

I’m in love with James. What am I doing?

And this isn’t just any sort of love. It’s the forever kind, the kind that doesn’t go away.

“I don’t want a forever love. Not with him.” I put my clothes on slowly, thinking about what my next move should be.

James is Quinn’s father, after all. I have to tell him what’s happened, and then he’ll tell me about his side of the story.

I will listen to what he has to say, but I don’t know if I’ll believe it.

It’s icky and wrong that he abandoned her. But I can’t help but admire him for turning his life around.

Maybe he’s different than he was six years ago.

Or maybe not.

Frustrated, I pull out my phone and call Monica. I’m not even thinking about what time it is back home, and realizing that I almost hang up.

But then a second later she answers.