Total pages in book: 65
Estimated words: 61199 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 61199 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 306(@200wpm)___ 245(@250wpm)___ 204(@300wpm)
Chapter 7
Alex
Iwoke up the next morning with a start, my heart racing as I looked around my bedroom and paused. I didn’t hear Dixie crying which at first filled me with relief and then concern. I jumped out of bed and yanked open my bedroom door as I tried to clear the fog of sleep from my brain. The scent of bacon hit me first, and in the next moment, dread washed over me when I realized that I hadn’t reached out to my chef or housekeeper, or any of the other weekly staff who made my life easier to let them know there had been changes.
“Dammit.” Instead of stopping at the room at the other end of the hall to check on Dixie and Sasha, I went to the kitchen, hoping I could have a quick chat with Henrietta before she put the pieces together on her own. I bit out a curse under my breath as I stopped in the middle of the kitchen and stared at the scene before me. Sasha was dressed in jeans and a tank top, yet somehow she still looked sinfully delicious, while Henrietta jostled a giggling Dixie in her arms.
“Good morning.” Sasha flashed a quick smile and turned back to the stove.
“Mornin’,” I growled and turned my attention to my housekeeper who smiled up at me with one salt and pepper brow arched knowingly.
“Seems to be a lot of changes going on around here, Alex.”
Henrietta had been with me since I moved to Houston about six years ago, and there was genuine affection between us, which meant lying to her wasn’t easy.
“I didn’t know where to start. Or what to say,” I admitted sheepishly.
Sasha flashed a compassionate smile in my direction. “I made it easy for you. This is Dixie and I’m her nanny,” she explained, holding my gaze in a moment of silent communication, which I somehow understood, and then she turned away again.
Wait one damned minute, when did I start silently communicating with my nanny? I didn’t know, and I didn’t have the mental bandwidth to handle it this early in the morning.
“That about covers it.”
“Coffee pot is full,” Sasha added cheerfully.
I nodded and grunted my gratitude as I headed across the kitchen to the coffeepot. The doorbell rang and I froze.
“I’ll get it,” Henrietta offered. “She’s just too cute, Alex. Well done.” With those words, Henrietta placed Dixie into her highchair, pinched her chubby cheek and shuffled off towards the front door.
“You didn’t have to step in for me like that,” I told Sasha as I savored the first few gulps of black coffee.
“I didn’t step in,” she shot back. “I simply introduced myself and then Dixie to your housekeeper who was mighty surprised to find us both here when she arrived.”
“You’re upset.”
“I’m not,” she said even as she dumped a skillet full of scrambled eggs onto a large platter. “I’m merely explaining what I did and why.”
“Jack is here,” Henrietta grumbled, just in case there was any confusion about her feelings about my agent. “And he brought a friend.”
Jack greeted me with a handshake and nodded to the man in the blue suit. “Dr. Peterson is here to do the DNA swabs.” His gaze settled on Sasha first and his blond brows shot up behind his hair in surprise before he shot a thunderous expression my way. Remembering his manners, Jack stepped forward and introduced himself to Sasha.
“I’m Jack Gentry, Alex’s agent.”
“I’m Sasha, the nanny, though I’m sure you know that. Hungry?”
He flashed a smile of surprise and nodded. “I could eat.” He glanced over his shoulder with another surprised expression and I nodded because I understood.
She was a wonder, full of both sass and warmth. Not to mention stunning.
“Where should we do this, Doc?”
“Anywhere with a flat surface is acceptable. I’ll need you and the child.”
“I’ll come with you,” Henrietta offered and scooped Dixie from her highchair and kissed her cheek. “Let’s go little one. It’ll be quick and painless, I’m sure.”
I hoped she was right. I led the doctor to a corner in the living room and waited impatiently as he wrote on glass tubes and slipped gloves on his fingers. “Okay, Mr. Witter, have you ever done this before?”
“No.”
Dr. Peterson nodded. “This is a quick buccal swab.” He stuck a giant cotton swab in my mouth and swiped at the inside of my cheek, and then did the same to Dixie.
I relaxed and listened carefully as he explained the process and what to expect. “When will we have the results?”
“Two days maximum. Call with this identification code and you’ll have the results. Or you can pick them up if you need the paper.”
“Perfect. Thank you, Doctor.” We all returned to the kitchen where Jack was eating and Sasha sat across from him looking over the boilerplate non-disclosure agreement.