Page 8 of The Baby Behind Their Marriage Merger

Addi looked at the house and wished it was hers. She wished she was walking into it after a hard day, with Jude looking welcoming instead of threatening, ready with a hug or a cup of tea. She wished he was the man she could turn to, someone who’d help her make sense of the crazy, chaotic meeting at the lawyer’s office, someone utterly and for ever on her side. For some reason, she could imagine Jude in that role, could almost feel those big arms wrapping her up, being the barrier between her and the world, his deep voice encouraging her, soothing her anxiety...

You might be attracted to Fisher, Addi, but you are not looking for anything more! You don’t believe in more!

Wow, she was either more upset or more tired than she’d thought, as she’d given up on fairy tales a long time ago. Prince Charming didn’t exist, she didn’t need anyone to rescue her; she’d sort herself out, thank you very much. People always disappointed her and there were no happy-ever-afters to be had. The best she could hope for was a ‘happy for now’, or for the immediate future.

Irritated with herself, she followed Jude to the enormous front door, impressed when he stepped back to let her enter the house in front of him. She turned around slowly, taking in the steel beams, the ultra-high ceilings and the slate floor. On the wall were bright abstract paintings in bold colours that were warm, interesting and, strangely, comforting.

She looked to her left, where the hallway flowed into a large open-plan kitchen, dining and living room. A large wooden table with bench seats separated the chef’s kitchen from the living room, and comfortable-looking couches sat around a free-standing fireplace. But it was the view that caught and held her attention. Huge floor-to-ceiling windows ran from the kitchen area to the end of the lounge, allowing a one-eighty-degree view of the vineyards and the jagged mountain range beyond. The house was built on the edge of a slope and one level down was an impressive outdoor entertainment area and a huge pool, complete with Jacuzzi, at one end.

It was an impressive house, and it suited him, Addi thought.

‘Coffee?’ he asked, gesturing to the kitchen.

Ugh, no. She couldn’t think of anything she wanted less. ‘Water, please.’

He nodded, walked into the kitchen area and went to a brushed-steel fridge. He filled a glass before turning to his state-of-the-art coffee machine.

‘Nice place,’ Addi said, hanging onto her tote bag with a one-handed grip. ‘I presume you are off the grid?’

He nodded. ‘Totally.’

She couldn’t help it, she needed to needle him, just a little. It was either that or step into his arms for a hug, and she couldn’t do that. If he showed her any sympathy right now, she’d dissolve into a puddle. ‘How do you reconcile your “environment first” views and your gas-guzzling car?’

He shoved a cup under the nozzle of the coffee machine and used the side of his hand to hit the start button, dispensing espresso into the tiny cup. The smell wafted over to Addi and she had to breathe through her mouth and swallow a couple of times. ‘It’s a hybrid, Addi. I try, as far as I possibly can, to run off electricity but sometimes that isn’t always practical.’

She nodded, feeling a little foolish. She looked around. ‘Where do you want to work?’ she asked, wishing they could get on with it. She’d give him a run-down on the Thorpe assets and then she’d go home and spend the rest of the night trying to figure out how to tell him he was going to be a dad, and how to tell Lex that she’d messed up contraception-wise. And, most importantly, she needed time to research lawyers who specialised in family law, and hopefully get an idea as to how much they charged.

Blasted Joelle! Howdaredshe?

Addi clenched her fists and jaw, trying to push away the anger. If she let it take hold, it would overwhelm her. If she cracked open the door to her emotions, despair and fear would sneak in and she’d be lost.

No, she had to keep it together. Thanks to having plenty of practice, keeping it together was what she did.

Addi looked awful, in the way that only a spectacularly gorgeous woman could.

Despite looking nothing like the glamourous woman in the slip dress he remembered from eight weeks ago—the one with the smoky eyes, the bold lips and the very kissable mouth—Jude’s heart still kicked up a pace and the fabric of his trousers tightened. Then he looked closer, and concern replaced desire. Her eyes were road-map-red and puffy, and her nose looked a little pink. And, frankly, in her loose black trousers and slouchy jacket, she looked like a slight breeze could blow her away. She looked burned out and miserable, as if she needed a hot meal and a long hug.

Was she upset? Or sick?

He didn’t think he was completely oblivious to the emotions of the women who briefly shared his bed, but neither had he dwelled on them the way he was now doing with Addi. He wanted to know why she was upset, whether she was okay and, terrifyingly, how he could fix whatever was worrying her. He wasn’t a fix-it type of guy; he always kept his distance. So, what was it about this woman who tugged at the heartstrings he hadn’t thought he had?

Walking over to her, he took her bag off her shoulder, surprised at the weight of it. Taking her cold hand, he led her over to the fireplace and dumped her bag on the closest chair. ‘Take off your jacket and sit down before you collapse, Addi,’ he told her, his tone suggesting she not argue. ‘When last did you eat?’

She sank onto the couch but managed to glare at him. She opened her mouth, no doubt to ask him what business it was of his, but he lifted a hand to stop her snappy retort. ‘I have chicken soup that’s ready to be heated, as well as sourdough bread. You’re going to have a bowl, and when you have some colour back in your cheeks we might, or might not, discuss business.’

She lifted her stubborn chin. ‘I’m fine, Jude. And I have minimal time, so I can’t waste it eating.’

Her words lacked fire and he was getting more worried by the second. What was wrong with her? He intended to find out. But, first, she needed food.

He placed his hands on his hips and cocked his head. ‘Did that sound like a suggestion?’ he asked. ‘Because it wasn’t. You will eat. We’ll see where we go from there.’

When Addi didn’t reply, he knew that he’d won this round. He didn’t presume he’d win the next. Swallowing his frustrated sigh, he left her by the fire and walked back into the kitchen area. He pulled soup out of the fridge—his housekeeper was an amazing cook—and reached into a cupboard for a bowl. Looking back, he saw Addi scrabbling in her tote bag and shook his head when she pulled out her phone.

She started scrolling, her back hunched and her head drooping. It was so obvious she needed a break and looking at her phone wasn’t going to allow her to de-stress.

‘Addi.’

She didn’t hear him, so he raised his voice and called her name again. She didn’t acknowledge him; she was miles away, immersed in something on her phone. He walked into the utility room off the kitchen and cut the Internet connection. Thanks to being deep in a valley, all electronic contact came through a high-speed fibre connection, and he’d just killed the power to the modem.

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