Page 99 of Love You Like This

JADE

Darren asked me to be present for the paternity test results along with Xander, the attorneys, and him. Presenting a united front of support is important, so it’s a no-brainer that I’m sitting here with them today in a conference room. Darren and the two attorneys who represent the band have their heads together, speaking quietly about something unrelated to this. Xander has turned his chair away from the table and is looking out over the view of Atlanta from the high rise’s floor-to-ceiling windows.

“You good?” I ask quietly.

He nods and sets his hand on my knee. “Thanks for being here, I know this isn’t easy for you.”

I put my hand over his and squeeze. “I wouldn’t be anywhere else.”

“Xander?” Martin, one of the attorneys, leans his hip against the table and sets a pile of papers in front of him.

“Yes?” he turns to face him.

“Ms. Matthews’s attorneys have drawn up preliminary paperwork regarding custody and child support in case you are confirmed to be the father. Read through everything, including our notes in the margin. Our opinion is that their requests are a bit too aggressive. Unfortunately, you likely won’t do better in front of a judge, though.”

“Okay.” Xander leans forward, his eyes scanning the paper line by line.

I take a deep breath and think through every possibility today. If the baby isn’t his, we say nothing and move on with our lives. If it is his, we protect everyone’s privacy as much as possible and only respond to press inquiries from legitimate outlets.

The only thing that I haven’t figured out yet is how these results affect our relationship moving forward. This is so new between us that I honestly don’t know. He’s right, this is hard for me. All I can think about is the moment I took a pregnancy test my freshman year of college with my three best friends in the room with me. The way my heart broke all over again when those two pink lines showed up within seconds.

I laid in bed that night, sleepless, with a hand pressed above the tiny embryo growing inside me, and experienced the entire range of human emotion. It wasn’t just his fault, of course, we were both there. I knew exactly when it happened. His truck at the beach the last time we went surfing. When he told me he loved me, only to wordlessly abandon me the same way so many other men had throughout my life.

Quitting my job is an option I’ve considered as all this unfolded. Weeks ago, I started revamping my resume. It would suck, but I can start over; I have before, and I know I’ll be fine in the long run. Xander loves me as much as I do him. I believe this down to my bones. That doesn’t stop the voice in my mind, telling me that he’ll leave again. That I’m not good enough for anyone to stay for.

The conference room doors open, and a petite blonde woman walks in carrying a beautiful baby girl. Her fine platinum blonde curls are pulled into two tiny pigtails on her head. Giant brown eyes look around the room before laying her head down on her mother’s shoulder. Tension thickens the air as Ashley Matthews and Xander look back and forth at one another for the first time in what I assume is nearly two years. Her attorneys follow behind her, both older men who take seats flanking her on either side.

“How are you?” Xander asks in greeting.

“I’m alright, all things considered,” she answers quietly. “This is Blakeleigh.”

“She’s beautiful,” he says.

At the sound of his voice, the baby turns her gaze his way. Aside from the obvious brown eyes and blonde hair, I can’t tell if she looks like him. But he’s right, she is a gorgeous baby. Her mom is just as beautiful, too.

“I trust you’ve looked over the parenting contract we sent?” one of her attorneys asks.

“He is now,” Martin answers coolly.

“We sent that to you two weeks ago,” the other man snaps.

“And he’s been busy on tour. You’re lucky we found time to meet for this farce as is,” Darren retorts in full asshole mode.

Ashley flinches at his biting tone. Her body curves around the baby. The movement makes the protector in me come alive. I stand before anyone can go back and forth again and extend my hand across the table.

“I’m Jade Maxwell, Blue Sunday’s PR manager.” I offer her my hand first.

“Ashley Matthews.” She gives me a firm shake.

Her attorneys follow suit, introducing themselves to me.

“Do you have the results?” I ask them. “I’m sure Ms. Matthews is just as anxious for the results as Mr. Jacobs is.”

“My assistant is getting them,” the one to her left says.

A young man enters holding an envelope. He hands it to the attorney closest to him and leaves just as quickly. One of her attorneys leans over and whispers to her. She looks down at the table and shakes her head.

“I’ll open it,” the man says gently. He slides his finger under the flap and tears it open.