The Naked Truth (3 page)

Willing the image of her body from his mind, he
walked around the living room, studying the photos. Most were of the child
Hailey and the rest were of the two of them. Josh had chatted with Nate again
and he found nothing of a father in the girl’s school records. He’d dug around
further and there wasn’t a trail anywhere. Who was the mystery man that had
walked away from these two?

Finally taking a seat on the couch, he looked
forward to actually talking with Abigail. Maybe things would work out for the
two of them this time. He had every intention of letting her know today how he
felt about her years ago and how he felt now. He wasn’t getting any younger and
he wanted to settle down. Abigail was the one he wanted to share his life with.
And with no mention of any father, perhaps he could adopt the girl and give her
the father she deserved.

“Sorry about that, but like I said, I wasn’t
expecting you just yet.” She entered the living room. Her hair was now dry, a
light layer of make-up coated her face, and she wore a tight white shirt with
dark blue jeans. The picture of beauty.

“It’s all right. I was early. Please sit.”

“Don’t forget this is my home and I call the shots.”
She took her seat.

Josh smiled. “I’m sorry for that as well. I forget
I’m not the boss of everyone sometimes.”

“It’s okay. You’re a high-powered man. It happens.”

“I’m glad we’re finally talking. Have you thought
about my offer?” She nodded, but before she could speak, he spoke again. “Good.
I want to help you both in any way I can. I probably over-stepped my grounds,
but I know your daughter’s father isn’t in the picture.”

Abigail tensed. “How much do you know about her
father?”

“From what I can gather, he must be scum. How can
someone have a child and not support them? It’s pathetic.”

“Maybe he didn’t know.” Her voice was soft and
caring, which really irritated him.

“Nonsense. Don’t cover for him.”

Abigail wiggled in her seat. “So you don’t know who Hailey’s
father is then?”

“Personally, I don’t care who it is. As I’ve said, I’d
like to help. I never had kids of my own and you were special to me.”

Her cheeks turned a light shade of red. “We spent one
night together.”

“One amazing night. We connected on many levels. I
know you felt what I did. I’ve never believed in love at first meeting, but
with you, I do.” Josh gazed at her, looking for any sign she might feel the
same.

“Don’t think you can sweet talk your way into me
forgiving you for getting me fired.”

“I can tell you’re one to hold a grudge.” He scooted
closer to her on the couch. “Perhaps with a little persuasion, I can get you to
forgive me.”

Josh leaned in, his lips close to hers. Her mouth
parted and she sighed. Just as he was about to kiss her, her hands touched his
chest, pushing him back. He stared into her eyes, hating the feeling of
rejection.

“I invited you here to talk. After what I have to
tell you, I’m almost positive you won’t want to kiss me.”

What could she possibly have to tell him that would
cause that kind of reaction? “What?”

“It’s about Hailey’s father.”

“What about her father?”

Abigail’s eyes were wet and he could tell whatever
she had to say, it was hard. A tear dropped slowly down her cheek and his heart
ached at the sight. “Is he deceased?”

She shook her head.

“What? Tell me.”

“It’s you,” she said in an almost whisper.

“Me. What about me?” He was confused.

“You’re her father.”

Josh froze. He was Hailey’s father. The little girl
in the photographs with his mother’s name was his. And in all these years, he
was never told. As he stared at the woman in front of him, he couldn’t help but
wonder why she’d kept this from him. “You never told me. Why?”

“I was going to, but I was worried at first you’d
think I did it on purpose. Then I worried you wouldn’t believe me and you’d
turn me away.”

His heart hurt to think she thought that badly of
him. Had he come across as some sort of monster? “I never would’ve done either
of those things. It pains me that you would think that.” He stood up and raked
his hands through his hair. “In four years, you never thought to tell me.”

“As time passed, it got harder because of the time.
Really, there is no excuse. All I can say is I’m sorry.” She wiped a tear from
her cheek. “Please don’t take her from me.”

Take her?
My God, he’d never do
that unless she was unfit. And that was one thing the woman in front of him
wasn’t. She loved that little girl with everything in her if she was willing to
work where she did so their daughter could go to one of the best private
schools. He could tell by the photos that Hailey was happy.

“I’m not going to take her.”

“Do you hate me?”

Josh wasn’t quite sure what he was feeling at the
moment, but hate wasn’t one of those emotions. He wanted to meet his daughter,
but he knew he couldn’t just be her father right away. “How are we going to
introduce me to her?”

“I don’t know.”

What a mess. He had a child and she didn’t know him.
He couldn’t just waltz right in and tell her he was her daddy. The child would
be confused and angry at both Abigail and him. “Maybe I can come around and be
your friend? She can get to know me on that level before we tell her.”

“You want to be in her life?”

“Of course I do. If I’d known about her, I would’ve
been here since day one. I would’ve married you.”

Abigail folded her arms across her chest. “You’re
only in town a few days and since I’m no longer working, I guess we’re pretty
free.”

“Tonight then.”

She blinked hard. “That’s fast, but okay.”

“Good. How about I come here for dinner, so it’s on
her territory and she can feel more comfortable?”

“Just understand that she is to think we are friends
and that’s it.”

Josh nodded to her and then walked toward the front
door. He was leaving rather abruptly, but he had to get out of there and clear
his head. Before leaving, he grabbed a photo frame from the side table. Abigail
said nothing and he suspected she wouldn’t. He left, holding the frame tightly
against his chest. Once in the car, he dialed Nate to see how quickly he could
get a paternity test done.

* * * *

Josh wiped the sweat from his palms onto his pressed
khakis. He’d never been more nervous than he was now. In a moment, he would
meet his daughter, only Hailey didn’t know he was her father.

Raising his hand, he knocked on the door. Abigail
answered almost immediately. Her hair was up in a bun and she had long dangling
earrings that almost sparkled in the light behind her.

“Hi,” she greeted.

“Good evening.”

She stepped back. “Come on in.”

Josh entered the apartment. It smelled delicious.
His mouth watered in anticipation of what was to come. He followed her farther
inside and it was then he saw the little girl. Her light hair had a slight curl
to it—just like her mother’s—and her green eyes were oval shaped. The image
before him almost made his heart stop beating. He felt as though he were looking
at his mother as a child.

“Hi.” Hailey hopped up and ran over, wrapping her
arms around her mom’s leg.

Josh knelt down. “You must be Hailey. I’m Josh.”

“I know. My mommy said you were her friend and you
were coming to eat with us. She also said I had to wear this pretty dress and
use my manners.”

He chuckled. “You look beautiful and it smells yummy
in here.”

“My mommy is a good cook.”

“I can’t wait to try it.” Josh stood again. His
knees ached on the hard floor. Hailey took it as her cue to go back and play
with the toys she’d been entranced with before he came in.

Abigail smiled at him. “Want a glass of wine?”

Josh nodded and went with her to the kitchen. He
wasn’t sure what to do. Help Abigail or sit near the girl on the couch. He
didn’t want to make Hailey uncomfortable. Tonight he’d have to just go with the
flow and take his time.

* * * *

Dinner had gone much better than Abigail had
expected. Hailey had been curious and outgoing. She’d warmed up quickly to Josh
and by the end of dinner, she begged him to read her a bedtime story. And he
did. After Abigail washed Hailey up and got her pajamas on, her daughter curled
up in the rocker with Josh and he read her several stories.

Abigail had to leave the room while this happened.
Her eyes grew wet and she wanted to hide the emotion from each of them. Her
daughter had taken to him so quickly, she wondered if Hailey sensed he was her
father. She knew it wasn’t conceivable for Hailey to just know, but viewing the
touching scene from the outside really made her ponder the possibility.

After a few more minutes, Josh joined her in the
living room. “She’s ready for a kiss from you. I think she’s almost out.”

Abigail smiled at him and then headed toward her
daughter’s room. Josh was right. By the time she made it in there, Hailey’s
mouth was open a little and her breathing was heavy. She planted a kiss on her daughter’s
forehead, then turned the light off and closed the door halfway.

She returned to the living room and found Josh
seated. He looked up at her as she took a seat as well. “That went great
tonight. I really liked her.”

“She wasn’t shy with you at all.”

“Is she usually?”

“No, I don’t know why I thought she would be. She
doesn’t have a shy bone in her body. But she isn’t used to being around men, so
I thought she might be a little nervous with you.”

He was silent for a moment and then spoke, “You’ve
done an amazing job with her.”

Abigail’s heart sped up and her stomach pitter-pattered.
“Thank you. And for what it’s worth, I’m really sorry I kept her from you.
Seeing the two of you together and what she’s missed all these years, I realize
the mistake I made.” A tear found its way down her cheek and soon another
followed.

She saw Josh clench his fists together and wasn’t
sure why. Then he reached out to her, pulling her close to him. She tensed from
the contact. Josh was the last man she’d been with or touched. He rubbed her
back and soon she found herself relaxing into him and enjoying being held. She
inhaled his musky scent and nuzzled her face into his collarbone. He didn’t
have to be nice to her, yet he was. And she still had every reason to be angry
at him, and yet as he held her, she couldn’t find an ounce of any emotion but
peace.

The contact ended much too quickly, but she stayed
close. “It’s been a long time since an adult has hugged me.”

Josh took her hand in his and cupped it with his
other hand. “I would like to come back, tomorrow if possible. I’m only in town
a short time and I want to see her as much as I can.” He cleared his throat
before adding, “I’ve arranged for a test tomorrow as well when she gets out of
school.”

“A test?”

“A DNA test.”

Abigail pulled away from him, feeling slightly
offended. She wasn’t sure why. Maybe because with everything in her she knew he
was the father, but then she had to remember that Josh knew nothing about her
and whether or not she was lying. “Okay, let me know where to meet you.”

Josh stood and held his hand out to her. She hesitated
a moment but then took it. He pulled her up. “I’m going to head out. If she’s
mine, I promise I will take care of her and you.”

“She is yours.”

Josh smiled. “I know. She reminds me of my mother.
But this test needs to be done regardless, if I want to legitimize her.”

“I understand,” Abigail snapped.

Josh reached out for her, but she stepped back.
“What’s wrong? Things have been going really good tonight.”

“It’s this whole situation. It’s getting to me. It’s
like you’ve waltzed right in and become a part of our lives. But at the end of
the week, you’re leaving. And when you do, I have no job to return to and yet
still have bills to pay.”

“I’ll take care of you.”

“I’m not some child that needs to be taken care of
though. I’ve been independent all these years.” She paused before adding, “but
I guess you just don’t understand. You’ve probably always had money.”

“Let’s just get through tomorrow and before I leave,
I promise we’ll figure this all out, okay?”

Abigail nodded, not having much fight left in her
tonight. The last two days had been emotionally draining and at this point she
wasn’t sure what she wanted.

Josh took her hand and kissed the back of her palm.
He then removed a card from his wallet, handing it to her. “This is where we’re
going tomorrow. Would you like me to pick you both up?”

“No, we’ll meet you there.”

“Okay.” He moved toward the door. “See you
tomorrow.”