Nine Months Part 1 (36 Hours) by Beverly Barton

Author:Beverly Barton [Barton, Beverly]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2014-04-21T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Three

Paige was thankful that Jared had left the office for an early lunch and had told her not to expect him back until after two, if then. Despite his totally professional attitude toward her the entire morning of his second day back in Grand Springs, he had seemed nervous and edgy. And once or twice, when he’d thought she wasn’t looking, she’d caught him staring at her. Smiling, she had returned his stare, giving him an opportunity to say something—anything—personal. But all he’d done was clear his throat and look away. If he’d wanted to say something to her, why hadn’t he? Maybe her wishful thinking had made her imagine the longing in his eyes, or perhaps it had just been a reflection of the longing in her own heart.

How was she going to work alongside Jared day after day, see him walk out of his office with his dinner dates time and again, and then have to order morning-after roses for those women, as she’d had to do today for Marcy Dailey?

“Eating in today?” Kay asked as she entered the employees’ lounge.

“Yes, I brought a microwave meal.” Paige pointed to the low-fat, low-calorie pasta dish she’d just warmed.

Kay tossed a brown paper bag on the table, pulled out a chair and sat down. “I brought tuna with fat-free mayo on whole wheat and bottled water. I’m watching my figure. What’s your excuse for eating that stuff?”

“I’m watching my weight, too,” Paige said. “I’m only five-five and I’ve gained three pounds more than I should have. Dr. Petrocelli says that since I’m already well-rounded—” Paige rolled her eyes and sighed “—I need to watch my weight or I could easily balloon into an elephant by the time the baby arrives.”

“Speaking of Baby Montgomery, have you given any more thought to what we talked about last night?” Kay unscrewed the lid from her bottled water.

“Shh!” Paige glared at Kay. “Anyone could overhear you. No one knows I’m pregnant, and I certainly don’t want anyone suspecting that Jared is the father.”

“You do realize that sooner or later, you’re going to have to tell him.”

“He may not believe the baby’s his.” Paige lowered her voice to a whisper. “He has no reason to believe me. He’ll probably think that I’m just trying to trap him because he’s rich.”

“Anyone who knows you, knows you aren’t the type.” Kay unwrapped her sandwich.

“That’s just the problem. Jared doesn’t know me. Except as his employee. He doesn’t have a clue as to who I am as a person.”

“Then we’ll have to figure out a way for him to get to know you. And we don’t have any time to lose. You’re going to have to tell him the truth before you start showing.”

“I think it might be better all the way around if, when it becomes necessary, I tell him he isn’t the father. That it’s my boyfriend’s baby.”

“What boyfriend?” Kay took a hefty bite out of her sandwich.

“The imaginary one who fathered my child.”

Kay chewed and swallowed, then washed the food down with water.

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