Temptation - Brenda Jackson [42]
“We received notification from the lab that the results of Bradford Price’s paternity test might be available earlier than we expected. I thought we’d let you know that.”
Sheila swallowed as she glanced across the room at Sunnie. She was sitting in her swing, laughing as she played with the toys attached to it.
“Does Mr. Price know?”
“I would think so. His attorney was contacted earlier today.”
She drew in a deep breath. It would be safe to assume that if Bradford Price knew then Zeke knew. Why hadn’t he mentioned this to her? Prepared her? “Ms. Hopkins?”
The woman reclaimed her attention. “Yes?”
“Do you have any questions for us?”
“No.”
“Okay, then. How is the baby doing?”
Sheila glanced over at Sunnie. “She’s fine.”
“That’s good. I’ll call you sometime this week to let you know when to bring the baby in.”
“All right.” Sheila hung up the phone and forced the tears back.
Zeke entered his house convinced something in Sheila’s attitude toward him had changed. But what and why?
He went straight into the kitchen to grab a beer, immediately feeling how lonely his house was. It had taken Sheila and the baby being here for him to realize there was a difference between a house and a home. This place was a house.
He had drunk his beer and was about to go upstairs when he noticed a blinking light on his phone. He crossed the room to retrieve his messages and smiled upon hearing his aunt’s voice. Moments later a frown touched his lips. When had his aunt called? He played back the message to extract the time. She had called around noon when Sheila had been here. Had she heard it?
He rubbed his hands down his face, knowing the assumptions that would probably come into her mind if she had. Sunnie was not the reason he’d been spending time with her. But after hearing his aunt’s message, she might think that it was.
He moved to the sofa to recall everything between them since returning home that day. Even on the car ride back to her place she hadn’t said more than a few words. Although the words had been polite, and he hadn’t detected anger or irritation in them, he’d known something was bothering her. At first he’d figured since this was the beginning of the second week, she was getting antsy over Sunnie’s fate. He had tried engaging her in conversation, but to no avail.
He drew in a deep breath. Did she know that she had come to mean something to him? He chuckled. Hell, man, how could she know when you’re just realizing such a thing yourself? Zeke knew at that moment that he had done with Sheila the very thing he hadn’t wanted to do with any woman. He had fallen in love with her.
He didn’t have to wonder how such a thing happened. Spending time with her had made him see what he was missing in his life. He had enjoyed leaving and coming home knowing she was here waiting for him. And at night when they retired, it was as if his bed was where she belonged.
He had thought about bringing up the subject of them trying their luck dating seriously. But he had figured they would have the opportunity to do that after everything with Sunnie was over. He envisioned them taking things slow and building a solid relationship. But now it looked as if that wouldn’t be happening.
He then thought about the call he’d gotten from Brad, indicating the test results might be arriving sooner than later. He probably should have mentioned it to her, but after seeing her melancholy mood, he’d decided to keep the information to himself. The last thing he wanted her to start doing was worry about having to give up the baby she’d gotten attached to.
A part of him wanted to get in his car and go over to her place and tell her she had made wrong assumptions about his reason for wanting to be with her. But he figured he would give her space tonight. At some point tomorrow he would be seeing her, and hopefully they would be able to sit down and do some serious talking.
He stood from the sofa, when his cell phone rang. He quickly pulled it off his belt hoping it was Sheila, and then grimaced when he saw the