“Zoey?” he says, and I laugh at the pure disbelief in his voice.
“Adam,” she snaps back at him as confirmation, but says nothing else. She walks past me and starts toward her front stairs. I shut her door and follow her. Out of the corner of my eye I watch the assistant pull her dark coat around herself, but she’s not cold. It’s a self-conscious move. She’s uncomfortable.
Zoey must catch the move too, because her step falters, and she looks over at the woman. “Hello, Minerva. You making another one of your famous late-night contract runs?”
“She is. You know how she always goes above and beyond.” Adam’s tone is hasty. I don’t know this tool, but even I can tell he’s covering something.
“She’s the superhero of the administrative assistant world,” Zoey says and smiles genuinely at Minerva.
Oh man, Zoey, how are you so naïve? Weirdly, I don’t think less of her for it, though. I just want to wreck this guy for taking advantage of her. He’s probably been banging this secretary the whole time he was married. Zoey might not love him now, but she did at one point, and he probably violated that. She’s a pastor’s daughter: marriage isn’t a joke to her.
“Who is your friend?” Adam says, and our eyes meet. I give him the biggest, most insincere smile I’ve ever given anyone and step forward, hand extended.
“I’m Jude Braddock. I’m a client of Zoey’s.”
He hesitantly stretches his hand out to meet mine. We’re both trying to prove something with our strangle grips. “You look familiar.”
“I play hockey for the Thunder.”
That acid-trip look is back. “You’re buying a house from her?”
“Buying one and selling one,” I correct him and turn to Minerva. I give her a warm smile. “Nice to meet you. Minnie, was it?”
“Minerva,” she corrects.
“Oh, sorry. I heard him call you Minnie. I guess nicknames are reserved for those who know you the most intimately.”
Zoey is watching the whole exchange. When the wind blows and Minerva’s coat catches in it, she yanks at it to pull it closed again, but it’s too late. Even in the weak glow of the streetlights, I can totally see the baby bump. I glance over at Zoey. She saw it too.
“You’re pregnant?!” Zoey exclaims, smiling.
“She’s only three months along,” Adam blurts out defensively.
Holy shit. It’s his kid.
Zoey doesn’t have the same revelation. She brushes by Adam and me to hug Minerva. “Congrats!”
“I’m actually four months along,” Minerva explains; her voice is soft and filled with hurt because baby daddy just screwed up the date. She pulls back sharply and pulls at the trench coat again.
“Well, have a safe drive home, Minerva. Thanks for dropping off the files,” Adam says briskly.
I glance from his hands to Minerva’s and look up. “What files?”
I may not be willing to blatantly tell Zoey what’s happening here, but I sure as hell am going to drop as many clues as I can. She deserves to know. My eyes lock with Adam’s, and he knows I know. He bristles and punches his shoulders back, getting even more defensive. “They’re inside my house. Why are you here?”
“Just dropping off my Realtor since you seem to have misplaced her car,” I say and give him a smile so cold it would make lying naked on an iceberg feel warmer.
“I’m not here for contracts.” Minerva’s wobbly voice cuts through our aggressive banter. “I’m sorry, Zoey. I swear I didn’t plan it, and it started after you two split up. If it makes you feel any better, I’m beginning to regret it.”
Minerva turns and rushes down the street to her car. Zoey is standing motionless, bound by truths that were just thrown at her. I turn to Adam. He’s not going after Minerva, the mother of his child, and he’s not rushing to ease the harsh reality that just crashed down on his ex-wife. He’s just standing there looking annoyed, like the whole thing somehow happenedtohim, instead of because of him.
My fists twitch, they want to connect with his arrogant face so badly.
“You have something to say?”
“Not to some professional rink rat,” he says condescendingly; then he turns to Zoey. “I did not cheat, but I’m wondering if you can say the same, Zoey.”
She lets out a hard, sarcastic laugh. “Are you kidding me right now?”
