Page 13 of Worship Him

"You can, and you have to," he cuts me off. "There is no more time."

The truth of his words hits me like a punch to the gut. "You're right," I whisper, defeat coloring my voice. "I'll... I'll call him today."

"Good," he says, relief evident in his tone. "Let me know how it goes."

I end the call, my mind racing.

How did I let things get this far? The thought of facing Adam, of telling him about our daughter, sends a wave of nausea through me.

But Barrett's right. I've run out of time and excuses.

I slip my phone back into my pocket, my hand trembling slightly. I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself before re-entering the conference room.

"Everything okay, Destiny?" Amy, one of my favorite designers, asks as I slide back into my seat.

I force a smile. "Yeah, just some legal stuff. Where were we?"

Tara clears her throat. "We were discussing the color palette for the fall line. I was thinking rich jewel tones..."

Her voice fades into the background as my mind races. How am I going to tell Adam? The scenarios play out in my head, each one worse than the last.

Scenario one: I show up at his office unannounced. "Hey, Adam. Remember that night before I moved out? Surprise! We have a kid now."

No, too casual. Too flippant. Disrespectful, even.

Scenario two: I call him, my voice shaking. "Adam, we need to talk. It's about... it's about our daughter."

Too dramatic. He'd probably think someone died. And he hates theatrics.

Scenario three: I send him a text with a picture of Avery. "Meet your daughter. Sorry for the year-long delay."

Definitely not. That's just asking for a lawsuit.

"Destiny, what do you think?"

I snap back to reality, realizing everyone's staring at me. "I'm sorry, what was the question?"

Tara sighs, clearly frustrated. "The emerald green. Do you think it's too bold for the fall collection?"

I glance at the fabric swatch in front of me, trying to focus. "No, I think it's perfect. It'll stand out on the runway."

As the meeting continues, I make a silent vow to myself. No more excuses. No more delays.

I'll tell Adam about Avery within the month, come hell or high water.

The rest of the meeting passes in a blur. I nod and smile at the right moments, remaining professional, but my mind is elsewhere, plotting and planning.

By the time we wrap up, I've made my decision. I'll invite Adam for coffee, or get him over to my place with some other excuse. Neutral ground. Public enough to keep things civil, private enough for a conversation this important.

I'll tell him everything, face to face. It’s the least I can do now.

As everyone files out of the conference room, Amy hangs back. "You sure you're okay? You seemed pretty distracted."

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "I've got a lot on my mind. But I'm handling it."

She raises an eyebrow. "Handling it like you handle your inbox? Because let me tell you, that's not-"

"I've got it under control," I cut her off, more sharply than I intended. "Sorry, I just... I need to sort out a difficult situation."

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