AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I hate to ask, but since you’re no longer at your grandmother’s place, did something happen last night after I left?” Of course Vanessa would want to know.
So much had happened, things she didn’t need to know and things Dania knew Brett wouldn’t tell her.
“You could say that.” He breathed in sharply. “I’m not going into the particulars on the phone. But just so you know, I followed your advice.”
Dania pulled the pan from the burner, not wanting the grease to keep smoking before she found somewhere to put the excess.
“Good. I’ll call you later today.” Vanessa hung up.
Dania opened a cupboard and found a small, empty jelly jar. She poured the excess bacon grease in it, then cracked eggs into the pan.
“Let’s get this breakfast over with.” Brett retrieved plates from the cupboard and silverware from a drawer. “I need to get a move on.”
For the first time in a very long while, Dania felt optimistic about her future. As soon as the eggs were done, she plated their food and took Hayley hers.
Entering the room, Dania found mother and child asleep. Cold eggs would not taste good. Hayley needed nourishment right now more than sleep, so Dania tapped the door.
Hayley opened her eyes, and her gaze went right to her plate. “That looks and smells so good.”
“Let me swap you.” Dania set the plate on the nightstand next to the bed and took the infant. Settling the baby in one arm, with her other hand, she gave Hayley her breakfast.
Before leaving she said, “Have you thought of a name yet?”
“I actually thought of one this morning.” An odd sneer crossed her face. “Val, after his father.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Brett wanted to wait forDania to return before eating his breakfast but gave into temptation and cleaned off his plate. He must have been hungrier than he’d thought. Rinsing his dish in the sink, he heard her walking toward him. He turned around. Dania’s face had grown pale, and she appeared as though she were going into shock.
“What’s wrong?” He pulled a chair out for her.
“I can’t believe it.” She sank onto the seat.
“What?” He couldn’t imagine what had caused this kind of reaction.
“I asked Hayley what she was going to name her son.” She stopped and swiped her chin. “She said she was going to name him after his father, Val.”
“You’re kidding?” Brett sat on the chair beside her.
“No, I’m not.”
“Is Val a common name?” He hoped so because if not, their situation just became extremely complicated.
“I only know of one.” She stared at Brett. “And you should have seen the look on her face.”
This could be really bad, but Brett didn’t want to scare her any more than she already was. “What did you say to her?”
“I didn’t know what to say.” She chewed her bottom lip. “Her father works at the auction house, so that could be why she knows Val and another reason she didn’t want to tell her parents who the baby’s father was.”
“She definitely knows him. And surely she knows that Val was your old boyfriend.” Something like this wasn’t a mere coincidence. “I knew that story about her going to Gran’s house was a load of—Well, I knew it wasn’t true.”
“Brett, what do we do now?” Dania stared at him.
“While you eat, I’ll have a talk with her. If I handle this right, she might be more helpful to us than we first thought.”
“I’m not very hungry.” Dania looked at her cold eggs.
“I suggest you force yourself. Who knows where this day will lead? You need to keep up your strength.” He rose, patted her shoulder, then headed for the bedroom. He didn’t have a clue what he should say to Hayley. He’d fish around to see if he could find out what she knew.
