Seducing the Baker (At First Sight) (9 page)

She thought back to the time they’d all been at the group homes. Jules had avoided Charlene. He said he’d never had sex without using a condom. And Charlene had been a compulsive liar.

Grace made a decision. She had to warn Jules but she had no way to reach him. Tony would know.

She pulled away from the curb and drove. After reaching her friends’ large house she parked in the circular driveway. With the box of cupcakes in hand she hurried up the walk.

Lauren opened the door. “You’re early.”

“I know. Something came up. I need to talk to Tony and he needs to call Jules.”

“What did he do to you?”

Grace felt her face heat. “It’s not about me.”

Lauren took the box. Grace hung her coat in the hall closet and followed her friend. “Where’s Jamie?”

“In the family room with the sitter.” Lauren paused. “Something happened. Jules crept out during the night. Left a note.”

Grace shrugged.
More than he’d left for her.
“I have no idea why he bolted but there is something he needs to know. And I have a contract I want Tony to look over.”

“About what?”

“For a feature in Good Eatin’ and something Charlene Paton plans.”

“The witch.”

Grace laughed. “Spell that with a b and you’ve named her perfectly. Her scheme upset me so much I didn’t stay to finish preparing dinner. Mrs. Paton turned nasty.”

“Why you go there every Sunday makes me question your sanity. She uses you.”

“I know.” Grace sighed. “Learned that today. I’ll stop going but I feel sorry for the girls.”

“So do I but I’m glad you’ve finally seen what users the whole family is.” Lauren paused in the doorway of Tony’s office.

He looked up. “Time for the tasting?”

“Not yet,” Lauren said. “She needs your advice.” She carried the box away. “I’ll get things ready.”

“Do not open the box until I’m there,” Grace said. “I know the order.” She walked to Tony’s desk and dropped the envelope. “Look at the contract first. Then…well…Jules has a problem.”

“Sit.” Tony waved to a chair. He slid the pages from the envelope. He studied each page. “Do you have any questions?”

“Just a few. Do you think I’m moving too fast?”

“You aren’t. If you need a stake just ask. Either as a loan or an investment. Think about doing a cookbook featuring some of your recipes and decorating tips.” He handed her a pen. “Sign and I’ll send it to Jules by messenger tomorrow.”

Grace signed her name in the places he indicated. She drew a deep breath. “Here’s hoping this is the right thing.”

Tony slid the papers into a courier envelope. “What did Jules do?”

Grace settled back in the chair. “It’s more about what he hasn’t done. Yesterday Charlene Paton ran into him at the bakery. She left in a rush. Though she pretended not to know him I think she rushed to some lawyer named Gumble. She’s claiming Jules is the father of her son.”

“No way,” Tony said.

Grace nodded. “Charlene lied. Jules never had sex without protection.”

Tony arched a brow. “I won’t ask how you know that.”

“Charlene said her attorney is serving Jules with papers for back child support and she believes she can force him to marry her.”

“How can she prove that?”

Grace leaned forward. “The 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 your charm did the job.”

“Something like that. How was your trip?”

“Italy was wonderful. The food fabulous and the country fascinating. Send the contract over. You’ll hear more about Italy at Tony’s wedding.”

Jules buzzed Mrs. Jamison. He handed her the contract. “Send this over to Allie at Good Eatin’.”

“Will do.”

Tony stepped into the office. “You have a problem.” He pushed past the desk and entered Jules’ office.

“What now?” Had Grace opted out as maid of honor rather than be escorted by him? He turned to Tony. “Sorry.”

“Me, too. What happened?”

Jules shrugged. “A touch of panic.”

“I don’t believe that for a second. You got the contract. Did anything happed I need to know?” Tony sank on one of the leather chairs across from the desk.

“Maybe.”

Tony arched an eyebrow. “She turned you down.”

Jules’ hands fisted. The intercom buzzed. “Mr. Gumble is here. He’s an attorney and insists on seeing you at once.”

“Show him in.” The interruption would halt his friend’s question since Jules had no answer.

“We need to talk first,” Tony said.

“Too late. Go. I’ll call this afternoon.”

“I’m not leaving.”

The door flew open. A heavy-set, balding man ambled inside. “Mr. Grayson.”

Jules nodded. “What can I do for you?”

The pudgy man pointed to Tony. “Send your friend away. I’m sure you don’t want him to hear what I have to say.”

“I’m his attorney and I’m not leaving.”

“Then you know why I’m here.”

“I do but Jules doesn’t.” Tony glared. “You should answer your calls.”

“What’s going on?” Jules asked.

The older man opened his briefcase and pulled out some papers. “I’m here on behalf of Robby Paton and his mother Charlene Paton. These papers are for you to make arrangements to pay the back child support. You are her son’s father.”

Jules’ mouth gaped. “Why would she say that? I was never with her.”

“We can make this easy or hard,” Mr. Gumble said. “Ms. Paton has agreed to take less money if you marry her.”

“In a pig’s eye. You tell her…”

Tony grabbed Jules’ arm. “What proof do you have to substantiate her claim?”

“Her sworn word. The child’s age. Mr. Grayson’s reputation and his presence in the house next-door at the time of the boy’s conception.”

“Proves nothing,” Tony said. “There were seven other teenage boys living in that house at this time. Tell Ms. Paton my client insists of a DNA paternity test. If she refuses I’ll ask for a court order. I’ve heard stories of her less than sterling reputation.”

Jules looked from one man to the other. “I never touched her. I’ll go for the tests. The results will solve the matter.”

Tony pulled a card from his pocket. “Here’s the name of a reputable lab. Ms. Paton can call for an appointment for her and her son.”

Mr. Gumble glared. “Don’t think this means you will win. A man should accept his mistakes. How can you deny her story?”

“Easy. What she says never happened.”

Tony touched Jules’ arm. “Enough. Mr. Gumble, inform your client of our terms. We await the results.” He followed the older man to the door.

The door closed. Jules sat on the edge of the desk. “That was fun.”

“Any chance the child is yours?”

Jules scowled. “Charlene’s pants were the last pair I wanted to see dropped. How did you learn about this?”

“Thank Grace. Charlene bragged to her.”

Jules smacked the desk. After what he’d done to her she had reached out to help him. There had to be a way to show her he wasn’t all bad.

Tony reached for the door. “That must have been some talk you and Grace had. Understand you always wear condoms.”

“Cautious.”

“Practical.”

“Give me the name of the lab and I’ll call for an appointment. Sooner this is done the sooner the problem’s solved.”

“Talk to Grace. Avoiding doesn’t work.”

“One problem at a time.” Jules ushered his friend out.

Chapter Six

On Tuesday morning the moment Bonnie arrived, Grace retreated to her office. She had expected Jules to call and thank her for the warning about Charlene’s plans. She wanted a chance to ask him what she had done wrong Saturday night. Had he heard her whispered “I love you” and left because what had happened was nothing more than great sex?

You can’t go there.

She heard the bell over the door chime. Her heart danced in her chest. Was he here and had he come to thank her? In minutes a fantasy arose and she stood in his arms with him announcing his love for her. She pressed her hands against the desk.

“You can’t go back there,” Bonnie cried.

Had Jules planned another invasion? Hope flared like a rocket ascending toward the stars. Grace closed her eyes.

The aroma of cheap perfume told her the identity of the visitor. Hope fizzled like a dud. Charlene stormed in and paused at the desk. “I hate you. You’ve ruined my life.”

“Ruined. How?”

“My plans. My lawyer said Jules had Tony present when Mr. Gumble arrived to inform him of the suit. He had a chance to end this quickly and refused. They demanded I have Robby’s DNA tested and compared to Jules’. The only way he could have known was if you told him.” She laughed. “They was going to have a judge order the test. Fooled them. Pulled Robby out of school and sent him away.”

Grace reached for her cell phone. “What Jules asked makes sense. Don’t you listen to the news? DNA tests are done all the time. If Jules is Robby’s father the test will prove that. Jules would be a fool not to ask for one.”