Page 100 of Love You Like This

I risk a glance over at Xander. His body is stiff with tension as he watches the man read with the best poker face I’ve ever seen. I wish I could reach over and hold Xander’s hands to loosen them from the fists currently turning his knuckles white.

The attorney slides the paper over to our side and looks at Ashley. He shakes his head slightly, and her face crumples. I wish someone would say something, so we all know.

“Thank fuck,” Darren says on whoosh of breath from the other end of the table. “You’re not the father, Xander.”

Xander’s body deflates as all the tension that’s been plaguing him evaporates in a single second. He releases an audible breath. Martin claps his hand over his shoulder, giving him a congratulatory squeeze.

“Excuse me,” Ashley stands quickly and heads for the door, leaving her diaper bag and purse behind.

I don’t know why I do it, but I get up and follow her out of the conference room. Both her attorneys begin sniping back and forth with our team, and the last thing I want to do is listen to grown men act like complete assholes. I catch a glimpse of her disappearing into a bathroom and follow her inside.

She stands in the corner sobbing and pressing kisses to her daughter’s cheek. “I’m so sorry, baby girl,” I hear her whisper as she rocks her.

“Ashley?” I say quietly as I approach her. “Are you okay?”

She glances over, her eyes rimmed red and glassy. “Would you be?”

“Good point,” I concede.

“Sorry,” she says. “I didn’t mean to sound like a bitch.”

“I can handle it,” I say with a soft smile. “Since it isn’t Xander, do you know who the father is?”

She nods and tears spill down her cheeks. “My former boss.”

“Former?” Last I knew she was still employed at the same dentist’s office she had been for the past four years.

“He fired me.” She bounces swiftly on her feet, pressing another kiss to her daughter’s head. “Now I have a baby with no job, and the father wants nothing to do with me or her.”

“That’s awful.” I grab some toilet paper and bring it to her so she can blow her nose. “You’re an influencer, too, right?”

She blows her nose. “Yeah, but my brand deals have slowed to a trickle this year.”

I reach into my purse and pull out a business card. “This is my friend Eva; she’s an agent for a lot of high-level influencers. I’ll let her know you need new representation and to expect your call.”

She takes it from me. “Why would you do that for me? I assume this has caused a lot of trouble for the band.”

“My dad abandoned my mom and I when I was a baby.” I gesture around the room. “The world is a dumpster fire. We have to stick together to make it.” I point at the card in her hand. “And I can’t promise that is going to solve all your problems, but it’s a step in the right direction. Your daughter is beautiful and deserves the world.”

Tears overflow from her eyes again. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

I leave the bathroom and come face to face with Xander. He looks over my shoulder and catches a glimpse of Ashley in the corner of the bathroom. The corners of his eyes pinch in concern when he looks back at me.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah.”

“Is she?”

“No, but I hope she will be. I gave her the name of an agent who represents influencers.”

“Should I talk to her?”

“That’s up to you.”

“Was anyone else in there, or were you two alone?”