Page 7 of Fatal Thrill
“Can we take this inside?” Cal said. “Sloane’s gettingcold.”
Beatrice took a deep breath, seeming to debate whether she wanted to let Jaya in or not, but finally gave her consent with a nod. “You may comein.”
Thank you, CalReese.
The foyer was warm and Jaya smelled coffee. For a moment, the scent was amazing, and then her stomach flipped like a kid on a trampoline, and she had to cover her nose. She tugged off her mittens and waited for Beatrice to set down the car seat and unveil Sloane’s face. A beautiful baby girl with big blue eyes like her mother caught on Jaya’s face and she smiled. Her hands waved in the air and she said something in baby-speak that Jaya didn’tunderstand.
Holy shit. That could be me in ninemonths…
Her hand instinctively went to her belly and she squeaked, “Restroom?”
Beatrice narrowed her eyes ever so slightly before she pointed to the left. “Down the hall, first door on theright.”
Jaya was already sprinting across the tiled floor, bootssqueaking.
Inside the posh restroom, her stomach relented after a moment, cutting her some slack. Jaya gripped the edge of the sink and took a couple steadying breaths before totally trusting that she wasn’t going to lose the crackers she’d nibbled on all the way to DC. In the mirror, her face was flushed, the concealer under her eyes tear-streaked.
Damn it.Here she was, approaching Jon’s boss—the executive director of a billion dollar security firm—looking like the tramp she’d been labeled by so many in her hometown since she was achild.
Get a grip. Who cared what she looked liked? Right now, she had bigger things to worryabout.
Using her fingers to fluff her hair and a pinkie finger to redistribute the concealer, she pinched her lips together to bring some color to the surface and squared her shoulders. She needed to befriend Beatrice and figure out a way to get Jon back to DC without exposing her secret. No way was she telling Beatrice her suspicions before she told the baby’sfather.
But she needed to know how soon he’d be back. The sooner the better, because she desperately needed to know if it was yes or no on the baby front, and she wasn’t peeing on the stick in her bag until Jon was with her to receive the news—positive or negative—withher.
They’d jumped into this together and they damn well would find out the results the sameway.
Nodding at her reflection, Jaya left the swanky restroom, hoping Beatrice hadn’t given up already and disappeared into the bowels of thebuilding.
She found her near a reception desk, the baby in her arms and Cal no longer around. Behind the desk sat a familiar face—Connor McKenzie. One of the guys who’d helped Shelby and Colton hunt down the serial killer in GoodHope.
He smiled at Jaya as Sloane reached for him, baby gibberish again spilling from her lips. He tickled Sloane’s chin, making her laugh. “I didn’t realize you were still in town,Jaya.”
“I wasn’t… I had to comeback.”
“Ms. O’Sullivan will be joining me in my office,” Beatrice told Connor, shifting Sloane to her other hip. “Hold my calls unless they’re fromNickleback.”
Connor winked at Jaya and ruffled Sloane’s hair. “Yes,ma’am.”
As Beatrice strode for the elevators down the hall, Jaya leaned close to the desk, eyeing the video monitors that showed all the access points. “You were sitting here the whole time I was freezing my ass offoutside?”
Connor had the decency to look ashamed. “Sorry, office policy. No one comes in without prior approval fromB.”
“Do you know where Jonis?”
“Ms. O’Sullivan?” Beatrice called. “If you wish to remain my guest, I suggest you followme.”
Another sheepish smile from Connor and Jaya huffed under her breath. She caught up just as the woman stepped into theelevator.
The ride up was done in complete silence, except for Sloane’s squeals and giggles. She kept sneaking shy glances, making Jaya smile. An ache bloomed in her chest, her mind envisioning what her and Jon’s baby might look like. Her fingers itched to reach out and offer to holdher.
Jaya finally broke the silence. “How old isshe?”
“Seven months,” Beatrice replied, kissing the baby’s forehead. “Hard for me tobelieve.”
A bevy of questions tickled Jaya’s lips. What was it like being a working mother? Did Beatrice and Cal want more children? How did she balance being in charge of a growing business andfamily?
Each of the questions threatened to come forth, but they were all too personal. Jaya held hertongue.
