Page 72 of Enemy Ex's Secret Baby

“The kombucha. I got it.”

Lola giggles to herself. “Silver Lake and its love for kombucha. I don’t get it.”

“A vegan who doesn’t like kombucha. It’s a travesty,” I say.

“It’s just like drinking apple cider vinegar. Blech,” she mutters as she disappears into the back.

I scan the bakery. It’s lunchtime on a Monday. The bakery is always slow lunchtime on a Monday. It’s not until midafternoon that we start seeing an influx of people who need their after-lunch treats. Except for the quiet backing track of Jack Johnson, it’s practically silent.

I turn away from the door and grab my phone off the back counter. There’s a text from Axel. I always get a headrush when I see his name on my phone.

Went well. Can’t wait to tell you all about it :)

I press the phone to my chest and smile.

Just then, I hear the front door open. I quickly throw my phone back down and greet the customer. “Welcome to Gilly’s Vegan Sweets, how can I –“ My mouth goes numb at the sight of the customer.

It’s not just some stranger from off the street. Not an average Joe.

It’s Martin Holtz. He looks just as handsome as he did seven years ago. Same curly brown hair and friendly hazel eyes. Except the expression on his face is not so friendly. “Hello, Gillian.”

“Martin. What a surprise.”

He smiles. Not kindly. “Is it, though?”

I glance over my shoulder to make sure Lola hasn’t overheard. The last thing I need is for her to come rushing in and find out I’ve been lying all these years about Stella’s father before I get a chance to tell Axel the truth. “Martin, what are you doing here?”

“Do you need me to spell it out for you?” he asks with fire in every word.

“N-no. Just…can we do this some other time? Not here?”

“Gillian, you’ve avoided this conversation for seven years. I’ll do it where and when I fucking please.”

The vitriol in his voice scrapes across my face. He wasn’t a violent or even hot-tempered man. His anger would be justified if what he believes was true.

“You had a baby? And you never told me?”

“It’s complicated,” I say in a low voice. If I can stay on an even keel, maybe he can too. If I could just sit him down over a cup of coffee. We could catch up. I could ask him about his landscaping business and if he was still living with his brother. I could tell him what he needed to know without fear galloping through my entire body.

“Complicated? What’s so complicated about a phone call?”

I don’t know what to say. All I can do is try to dodge his questions. “If you’d let me explain, then–”

“That’s why I came here. To hear you explain.”

“Not here.”

Martin clenches his fist and approaches the counter. “Here. Now.”

My heart races. I’m terrified. I’m cornered by my lie, literally.

“If you had my baby and kept her from me…” he trails off and then presses his hands against the counter. “I want a DNA test.”

“What for?”

“Because if she’s mine–”

“You broke up with me and I was–” Stop lying, Gillian. “I promise you, Martin, it won’t give you the answers you want.”

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