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Jake hesitated for a second. Charlie was his only reason for being here, and he hated not knowing what to expect from her. Would she throw him out the minute she saw him? Or would she give him a chance to explain. Only one way to find out.
Charlie stood at the counter covering plates of food with plastic wrap. From where he stood it looked like roast beef and roasted potatoes, and there was half an apple pie on the counter near the coffee pot. Immediately his mouth began to water. He'd always been a meat-and-potatoes kind of man. Fancy dishes that looked as if they belonged in a museum of modern art were fine on occasion but nothing could beat a good steak or roast.
“Sit down, Jake. I'll fix you a plate,” Maureen said as she took a clean plate from the cupboard.
Jake stopped near the kitchen table but didn't pull out a chair. Instead he waited for Charlie to turn and acknowledge him. So far she hadn't even said hello. As the seconds ticked by his stomach clenched in dread. He opened his mouth to ask if he could speak with Charlie alone when she whipped around and took the plate from her mom.
“I'll do it. You've been busy all day, Ma. I can finish up in here.” Charlie looked over in his direction for a brief second. With her face devoid of any emotion, there was no way for him to tell what thoughts were running through her mind
She didn't toss you out on your ass. It's a start.
Maureen didn't argue. Instead she removed her flowered apron then hung it up on the hook by the door. “Jake, I'll take your bag up on my way. I put you in the Hawthorne room again.”
“Thank you.” Jake waited until Maureen left before speaking again. “Hey.” He kept his tone natural. He figured it was best to let her set the tone of the conversation. “How have you been?”
Charlie shrugged as she arranged several slices of meat on the plate. “Things around here are returning to normal. I think I'll head back to Virginia soon.”
After heating the food in the microwave, she carried it to the table. “There's plenty more if you're still hungry after this.”
Although the aromas drifting up from the plate had his caused his stomach to growl, he didn't reach for the food. Before he did anything he needed to explain things. “We need to talk.” Charlie's less than enthusiastic greeting suggested she'd seen or heard about Blair. Still he didn't know for sure so Jake assumed the best place to start was the beginning. Pulling out a chair he gestured for her to have a seat.
Charlie didn't say anything. Rather she took a deep breath then slowly exhaled before sitting down. “Do you remember me mentioning a reporter named Marcy Blake?” Jake asked sitting down next to her. He wanted to reach for her but forced his hands to remain on the table.
She nodded yes but her face remained emotionless.
“She did an article on me in this week's edition of Today magazine.” Jake wished she’d give some hint of her feelings.
“I know. I read it.” He heard just the barest hint of anger in her voice. “They picked a great picture of you for the cover.”
Okay, so she knows. Now the important question is, will she believe me? Jake leaned forward in his chair as he fought down his anger. The article had not painted him in a good light. “Blair and I dated for several months, but I ended things with her almost 3 months ago after I got back from a month in England.”
Charlie folded her arms across her chest and her face went grim. “Is that when she told you she was pregnant?”
For a moment his temper flared. He knew the article claimed he walked out after she broke the news to him. “No. I only heard about it when I was up here. And it can't be true. If she's pregnant the baby isn't mine.”
Next to him, the rigidness in her body relaxed but the guarded expression remained.
“The last time we slept together was more than four months ago. Wouldn't she have known before last week that she was pregnant?”
“Maybe. Maybe not. Everyone is different. Or she might have just waited to tell you.”
By the cold tone of her voice, Jake knew she hadn't accepted his side of the story. Somehow though he needed to convince her. “Since you're the doctor I'm not going to argue about her knowing sooner. But we always used protection and if it is mine why won't she have the paternity test done? She won't even agree to an ultrasound to determine how far along she is.” If he'd had any doubts about the baby being his, Blair's lack of cooperation proved to him that either she wasn't pregnant or she wasn't far enough along for it to be his.
Charlie's eyebrows came together in confusion. “I can understand her not wanting DNA tests done before the baby is born. There are some risks involved doing it prenatally. An ultrasound is harmless though.” As she spoke she unfolded her arms and rested her hands on the table just inches away from his hands.
“Our lawyers have talked multiple times. She refuses. Of course Marcy Blake didn't mention any of that in the article.” Jake picked up his fork and stabbed a piece of meat wishing it was the reporter's head instead.
Jake ate as he waited for Charlie to respond. Even though he was anxious to know her thoughts, he didn't want to push her. Regardless of what he told her, it still came down to his word against the media. A dull ache formed around his heart. Maybe if they'd known each other longer she would be more willing to accept his side of the story.
After finishing half the meat on his plate, Jake turned his attention to the roasted potatoes. He had a forkful in his mouth when Charlie finally spoke.
“What are you going to do next?” Her voice sounded more normal. Much of the coldness he'd heard before was gone. “You could wait till the baby is born.”
He swallowed the food and shrugged. “I don't know yet. My lawyer is looking into my options.” Jake didn't want to discuss how he was going to handle this problem with Blair. Instead he wanted to know where he stood with her. Eventually everything with Blair would be settled even if it did take several months. But he needed to know if she believed him enough to stick around and learn the truth. “I'm meeting with him again next week.”
Charlie fell silent again and Jake could almost see her brain processing everything as she studied him.
“Charlie I know you have no reason to believe me.” He reached out, lacing her fingers with his. “But if I thought the baby could be mine, I'd try to smooth things over with Blair. I would want to be a part of my child's life. But I don't believe her. The timing is all wrong, and she's too uncooperative.”
