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“What did my grandfather tell you?” Blake had an unsettling feeling in his gut.
“That he did have a partner in the moonshine business before he started King’s Finest. I was this close to getting him to name my grandfather as the partner he left behind.”
“I don’t know what role your grandfather played, but my grandfather inherited that moonshine business from his father. And he kept his father’s recipe.”
“Your grandfather knew nothing about the business when his father died. He was too young. My grandfather taught him the business and tweaked the recipe.”
“Even if that was true, you just said he helped tweak my great-grandfather’s recipe. That still makes it our recipe.”
Savannah blinked rapidly. It seemed she hadn’t considered that before. “The courts will determine that.”
“If you’ve known about this story all your life, why wait until now to try and get proof?”
“My grandfather is gravely ill.” Her eyes filled with tears. “I couldn’t bear the thought of him never realizing his dream. Never getting the recognition he deserved.”
Blake sighed. For all he knew, they were a family of grifters who’d pulled this stunt on other wealthy families.
He could hear his mother’s voice in his head. And that’s why we don’t date employees, son.
Savannah shoved her feet into a pair of shoes and got a broom and dustpan to clean up the glass.
She stooped to the floor, her short shorts providing an excellent view of her firm, round bottom.
He had zero self-control, which was exactly how he’d ended up in this mess in the first place.
She’s a liar and a user. Best not forget that.
“Anything else you need to tell me?”
Savannah’s shoulders stiffened. She shook her head and finished sweeping up the glass before returning to the sofa.
Blake’s heart contracted in his chest. His limbs felt heavy.
He was desperate to believe some part of Savannah’s story. To believe she’d been sincere in their moments of intimacy, which had evidently led to the conception of a child.
His child.
He wanted a reason to believe their relationship hadn’t been part of Martin McDowell’s calculated effort to swindle his family out of half their fortune.
But even now, when she’d agreed to put all her cards on the table and level with him, she wasn’t capable of telling the complete truth.
Blake pulled the blue-and-white indicator from his back pocket. The one that declared the truth in a single, devastating word.
“Then how the hell do you explain this?”
* * *
Savannah gasped, her fingers pressed to her lips. “What are you doing with that?”
He ignored the question, asking one of his own. “Is it mine?”
Her head jerked, as if she’d been slapped. “Of course.”
“You say that like I can just believe you, no questions asked.” The pained look in his eye hurt even more than his question had. “How do I know this isn’t part of the sick game you’re playing?”
She felt the tears rising. “I’d never lie to you about this…about our child.”
“You just did. I asked if there was anything else you needed to tell me and you said no. I’m pretty sure the fact that I might be a father qualifies as something I’d need to know.”
“I wanted to be sure.”
“There were two more of these in the garbage.” His voice boomed, making her jump. “That wasn’t confirmation enough?”
“I wanted indisputable confirmation from a doctor. I didn’t think you’d believe me otherwise. I was afraid you would think—”
“That this was your backup plan all along?”
Hot tears burned a trail down her face. She wiped at them angrily. “You don’t honestly believe I’m capable of that.”
Blake huffed, sinking onto the sofa beside her. “A few days ago, I wouldn’t have believed you were capable of any of this. I was stupid enough to think you actually cared for me.”
“Oh, Blake, I do.” Savannah placed a hand on his arm, but pulled it away when he glared at her. “I never intended to get involved with you. But there you were. Handsome and funny. Sweet. Persistent.” She wrapped her arms around herself, an inadvertent smile playing on her lips. “I honestly couldn’t help falling in love with you.”
She’d admitted she’d fallen in love with him, and he hadn’t so much as blinked.
“Did you know about the baby the night we found you in the archives?”
“No.” Her voice was barely a whisper. “I only found out this afternoon. I have the receipt from the drugstore across the street, if you don’t believe me.”
