It is. I feel like my entire world has been turned on its axis. “We should talk about what we’ll do.”
Her hand reaches for mine. “I meant it when I said I can do this on my own. I have my family to help and my friend, Gabi. I make good money. I can fit all the baby stuff I need in the extra bedroom of my apartment.”
There’s no way in hell that she just learned about the pregnancy today. She’s been sitting on this information for at least a day or two. “When did you find out, Chloe? When did you see the doctor?”
She circles her thumb over my palm. “Two days ago. I came by here yesterday morning but I couldn’t find you. I wanted to tell you.”
“Give me your number.” I tug my hand free and reach into the front pocket of my jeans to grab my phone. “I need it, Chloe. You’re having my baby.”
She calls out a series of numbers and I type them into my phone before I send her a quick text.
Her eyes drop to her phone’s screen. “Is that your number?”
I give her a curt nod. “Enter it into your contact list. I want you to use it whenever you need to.”
I type her name into my contact list along with her number before I put my phone back on the table.
“We will talk about all of this, right?” She tilts her head to look at me. “You’ll think about if you want to be a part of the baby’s life, because you can tell me it’s not for you and I’ll get it.”
She’s too nice for her own good. “I’m not going anywhere, Chloe. This baby is as much mine as it is yours. We will figure out the logistics and get everything in place before its born.”
Her expression shifts slightly. “Thank you for not freaking out. I did enough of that for us both.”
She has no idea how hard my heart is hammering inside my chest right now. I’m still trying to absorb the news. A baby. My baby. I’m going to be a dad.
“I need to get to my office.” She moves to stand. “I’ll be in touch soon, Evan.”
I stop her before she can walk away. “I still want to see you, Chloe. I know this is a lot and it complicates everything, but I hope we can see each other again.”
A beat passes before she says anything. “I’d like that. Call me sometime for a date. I might say yes.”
Chapter 31
Chloe
Evan is the only person I’ve told about the baby.
I’ve never been pregnant but I know that the risk of a miscarriage is highest in the first trimester. I don’t want to get too attached to the idea that I’m going to be a mom. It might not happen.
I’m still coming to terms with the news that I’m pregnant. I tried for so many years and with each disappointment I fell deeper into a pit of depression.
“Ms. Newell, we’d be thrilled if you’d join in on this discussion.” The mediator looks to where I’m sitting next to my client. “I’ve asked your client the same question four times and since you seem oblivious to her voice, I thought I’d attempt to reach you.”
I look at the woman sitting next to me. Margo Chance hired me to represent her after she lost her job at a retail store. She spent much of the past twenty years selling shoes to Manhattan’s elite and when the owner decided to expand to an online presence, her job as a sales clerk was cut.
Fortunately for her, she signed an employment contract that guaranteed a sizable pension upon retirement. It’s my job to negotiate the terms of her severance and secure as much of that pension as I can for her.
“What was the question?”
The mediator shuffles the papers in front of her around on the table in a lame attempt to intimidate me. This isn’t the first time that I’ve dealt with her and I know all of her tricks.
“Ms. Chance is prepared to take a smaller severance in exchange for her full pension.” I don’t wait for the mediator to pull the question out of the blue. “Anything else is unacceptable to us and the terms of her employment contract back up our position.”
The mediator looks to the lawyer representing the store when he starts to speak. “Chloe, we’re not changing our stance on this. She’ll get six weeks of pay and we’ll graciously allow her the benefit of twenty-five percent of her pension.”
“And you wonder why I was ignoring you, Norman,” I volley back to my not so esteemed colleague. “She’s been a loyal employee for decades. Her sales kept the business afloat through a string of lean years. Give her what she deserves. You don’t want her to fill in her retirement income with a job at your competitor, do you? There’s nothing in her contract about trade secrets. You can quote me on that.”
He slams the file folder in front of him closed. “Fine. We’ll sign off on what she wants, but it comes with the stipulation that she retires as of today.”