The Baby Surprise by Brenda Harlen Read Free Book Online

six o’clock the same morning that you’re due in court?”
    Paige nodded. “And I didn’t have a backup plan. Nothing like this had ever happened before. And because no one was available to watch Emma while I went to court, I took her with me.”
    â€œWhat did the judge think of that?”
    â€œBoth the judge and opposing counsel were understanding, and Emma slept through the whole process. Which, by the way, ended with my client maintaining custody of her fourkids and her degenerate ex-husband’s access being restricted and subject to supervision.”
    â€œSo what was the problem?” Zach wondered.
    â€œThe problem came when Emma let it be known that she wasn’t quite so happy at the office,” Paige told him. “And it wasn’t as if I intended to move her playpen beside my desk—I just went in to ask Rebecca to reschedule my appointments and to pick up some files so that I could work at home. But Carson Wainwright was meeting with the CEO of one of our biggest clients, who happens to be the doting grandfather of seven grandkids and who couldn’t help but be drawn away from their meeting in the conference room by the sound of Emma’s crying.”
    â€œAnd that didn’t go over well with Mr. Wainwright,” he guessed.
    â€œRight again,” Paige agreed. “Of course, he didn’t say anything at the time, but while the CEO was busy cooing over the baby, he was shooting daggers at me across the room. And when Emma was back at Annabelle’s the next morning and I returned to my office, I was summoned into a meeting with all three of the senior partners, who suggested that I needed to rethink my priorities if I expected to have a future at Wainwright, Witmer & Wynne.”
    â€œThey threatened to fire you?” Zach sounded as stunned as she had been.
    â€œI don’t think it will come to that,” Paige admitted. “Owen Wynne immediately jumped up, urging everyone not to be too hasty, and suggested that I should take some time to think things through.
    â€œSo that’s where I am—trying to figure out whether I can successfully juggle my professional obligations and personal responsibilities—or if I want to.”
    â€œYou mean you might leave Wainwright, Winter and…Whatever?”
    Her lips curved, just a little. “Wainwright, Witmer and Wynne. And I haven’t made any final decisions yet.”
    She lifted a sleepy Emma out of her high chair. He stood up.
    â€œSpeaking of decisions, you never said when or where we should have the paternity testing done.”
    Emma rubbed her face against Paige’s shoulder.
    â€œI’ve used PDA Labs before,” she told him.
    At the lift of his brows, she felt her cheeks flush. “I’m an attorney,” she reminded him. “I’ve had to deal with this issue for several of my clients.”
    â€œSo how does it work?”
    â€œWe find a doctor to conduct the test, then contact the lab to have them courier a kit to the doctor. Then it’s just a swab of the inside of Emma’s cheek and yours and waiting for the results.”
    â€œDo you know any doctors in town?”
    â€œCameron Turcotte, my cousin Ashley’s husband, is a doctor.”
    He nodded. “How soon can we get it done?”
    â€œI’ll call him and the lab this afternoon.”
    He must have sensed her reluctance, because he said, “I would think you’d be as anxious as I am to have the matter of Emma’s paternity settled once and for all.”
    Anxious didn’t begin to describe what she was feeling. Her emotions were too intense and conflicted to be so simply categorized.
    She felt helpless and scared, but she was also determined. Even if Zach was Emma’s father, Paige didn’t intend to quietly slip out of the little girl’s life. No, she would make sure that any decisions made about the future were made not on the basis of