‘Your...what?’ His mother’s voice was a screech of shock.
‘I have a baby daughter just a few minutes old.’
‘Oh, my God, but why didn’t you tell me before now? I didn’t even know you were dating anyone long-term. When can I see the baby? What did you call her? Oh, I’m so excited I can barely stand it. I have to go shopping and get her a present. Lots of presents and toys and dolls and a proper teddy bear. Oh, I can’t believe I’m finally a granny. But you haven’t even told me your fiancée’s name. Do I know her? Have I met her?’ The questions were like bullets fired out of an automatic weapon. ‘When can I see the baby? Can I come now? Where are you? In London? Oh, I can’t wait to hold her. I never thought this day would come. I think I’m going to faint with shock.’
‘Mum, calm down.’
‘Don’t tell me to calm down on the most exciting day of my life since I had you,’ his mother said. ‘If I wasn’t so excited, I’d be furious with you for not telling me you were expecting a child. How could you have robbed me of the joy of anticipating becoming a grandmother? Did you do it deliberately? I never thought you could be so mean.’
‘I only found out half an hour before she was born.’
‘What?’
‘My...fiancée—’ Jack decided to refer to Harper as his bride-to-be because he was not going to take no for an answer ‘—had what’s called a cryptic pregnancy. She only found out herself just before she delivered.’
‘Oh, my goodness! I’ve heard about that sort of thing but I never believed it was possible. How could she not know? You nearly kicked your way out of my abdomen when I carried you. And my stomach still has the stretch marks to prove it.’ His mother paused to draw breath and then continued, ‘But surely you would have noticed the changes in her body, especially if you were...you know...intimate with her all this time.’
‘I wasn’t with her over the last nine months,’ Jack said, already hating how this was going to sound to his conservative mother, married for years to one man. ‘We had a one-night stand and—’
‘Oh, Jack, is this young woman a gold-digger? I mean, this is an old trick but a good one. You’re a handsome billionaire. Who wouldn’t want to trap you into a shotgun marriage?’
Jack pinched the bridge of his nose and hoped his daughter was too young to understand the words her grandmother was saying about her mother. ‘Mum, I want to marry Harper. No one’s forcing me to do anything. In fact, I have to convince her to agree to it. She’s not exactly been too keen so far on the idea.’
‘What? But you’re a prize catch!’
‘I don’t think Harper quite sees me that way.’
The bathroom door opened and Harper came out in a fresh hospital gown and her hair wrapped turban-like in a towel.
‘That’s another trick—playing hard to get.’ His mother’s voice was loud enough to wake the dead in the morgue downstairs. ‘Have you asked for a paternity test? You must insist on one, Jack. Don’t get too attached to the baby until you’re sure it’s yours. And for God’s sake, don’t marry that girl unless you’re absolutely sure she’s being straight with you.’
Jack clenched his jaw and gave Harper an apologetic glance. ‘Mum, I have to go. I’ll arrange a time for you to meet Marli Elizabeth Susannah in the next day or two.’
‘You named her after me?’ His mother’s tone softened. ‘Oh, how sweet of you.’
‘It was Harper’s idea, actually.’
Another short, tight silence.
‘Well, I’ll look forward to meeting her too,’ his mother said. ‘Send me some photos? I won’t believe I’m a grandmother until I see proof.’
‘Sending them now. Bye.’ Jack ended the call and deftly sent some photos of the baby to his mother. ‘Sorry you had to hear that.’ He put his phone back down and looked at Harper, who was now sitting on the bed with a pinched look on her face.
‘See? I told you. A paternity test is necessary.’
‘And I told you I don’t need one,’ Jack said.
Harper bounced off the bed and then winced as if she’d forgotten she had given birth less than an hour ago. ‘I’m going to have one done no matter what you say. I don’t want people speculating or calling me a flipping gold-digger.’ She came over and took the baby from him to cradle her close and protectively against her chest. ‘That’s why marriage is out of the question. Who’s ever going to believe we’re in love?’
‘What’s love got to do with anything? We can have a perfectly satisfying relationship without being in love with each other. That one night together nine months ago proved that.’
Harper’s mouth dropped open. ‘What? You don’t believe in love in marriage? Is that what you’re truly saying?’
‘I’m saying it’s not as necessary as you might think,’ Jack said. ‘Obviously it’s the ideal, but plenty of relationships survive on much less than that.’
‘Survive, yes, but do they thrive?’ Harper placed the baby gently in the crib and covered her with the pink blanket, tucking in the edges tenderly. ‘I want the best environment for Marli. I want her surrounded by love. I don’t want her to be around people who can’t bear the sight of each other.’
Jack came over to stand behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders. ‘What’s this talk of us not liking each other, hmm?’