Surprise Package by Joanna Wayne

Author:Joanna Wayne
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2012-10-14T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TEN

THE BABY KICKED hard and Lily patted her stomach through the heavy denim fabric of her maternity skirt. She’d hesitated to call Ashley with the news she’d just learned, but if Ashley was going to let an innocent baby draw her into a relationship with a man she’d been avoiding for months, she deserved to know at least as much as Lily knew about the man in question.

“I’m waiting, Lily. Say whatever it is you have to tell me.”

“Can Kyle hear your end of the conversation?”

“Clear as a bell.”

“But you don’t have me on the speaker?”

“You’re entirely confidential.”

Lily took a deep breath and plunged ahead. “I conducted a garden variety background check.”

“And...?”

“Everything checked out fine. No arrest records. No bankruptcies, not even an unpaid traffic fine.”

“Let’s skip to the but. I’m sure there is one or you wouldn’t have called.”

Ashley’s tone was singed with irritation. Lily wasn’t sure if it was caused by her prying or by Kyle’s visit to Ashley’s office. Or maybe Ashley had passed the stage of wanting honesty where Kyle was concerned.

“Frankly, I had planned to give up the search at that point.”

“But something drove you on.”

“Not me, but my assistant. I forgot to inform her of my intent to abort. That’s when she discovered that Kyle Blackstone only came into existence two years ago.”

“I’m not following you.”

“He changed his name—legally, the summer after he graduated from law school and accepted his current position.”

“And that’s bad?”

“Not necessarily. People can change their name for a variety of reasons,” she explained. “Most of them harmless.”

“You must not believe that’s true this time.”

Lily took a deep breath. If this turned out to be nothing, she’d feel like a real heel. Kyle might be the perfect man for Ashley, and here she was dripping poison into the relationship’s bloodstream. Nonetheless, his refusal to have immediate DNA testing worried her, especially when combined with his hesitancy to call the authorities and have them begin a search for Tessa Ortiz. Separately, nothing seemed important. Added together, it made him look like a man who had something to hide.

“I’m still here, Lily.”

“Okay, I’ll put this as simply as I can. Frequently people change their name because they’re running from their past or they want to keep someone from finding them. I don’t know if that’s the case with Kyle, but I just think you should be cautious. Don’t rush into anything.”

“Anything?”

“Okay, don’t rush into a relationship.”

“You know my views on that.”

“I know what you’ve told me a thousand times, but Kyle’s a handsome, sexy man. And you’re going to fall one day. It’s just a matter of time.”

“You’ll be third-grade room mother for your kid by then. Now, take care of yourself and forget about me. I’m in no danger of falling into anything except fatigue brought on by attempts to work miracles for the Ranchers Association.”

“Are you still planning to drive down tomorrow?”

“I’ll be there, but not before noon. I have to take my car in for an oil change in the morning.

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