Page 42 of Bountiful
“Okay,” Audrey said immediately. “Just let me grabapen.”
ChapterThirteen
Zara
When the knockcame on my door, my heart shimmied for no good reason. And when I opened it, Audrey stood there alone. “Good morning!” she said, looking cheerful. “I brought you a bag of mini muffins and amessage.”
“Muffins?” my twin brother muttered from a prone position on the sofa where he wasdrowsing.
“They’re not for you, Benny Boy,” Audrey said, handing me a bag. “They’re for the mystery man who wants to visit Zara.” Audrey squinted at a note in her hand. “Dave Beringer. This is hisnumber.”
My heart shimmied again. “What did he say?” I asked with asqueak.
“Nothing, babe. Just that he wanted to see you, and that you’dknowwhy.”
I didn’t, though. Yesterday he’d protested the very idea of having a child. And even though Benito had managed a calmer conversation with him last night, it still seemed unlikely that he’d suddenly warm up to having a daughter. “I’ll call him. Thanks for the message. You’d better get back downstairs.” Kieran Shipley would be manning the counter, unnerving the customers with his broodystare.
But Audrey didn’t budge. She leaned on the door frame and studied me. “Who’s the guy? I wouldn’t ask, but you’re clearly freaking out. Whyisthat?”
I hesitated, as if Nicole might overhear me. But she was asleep in her crib in the other room. “It’s him,” I said with a sigh. “Nicole’s spermdonor.”
Audrey’s eyes lit up. “Iknewit! Zara that man ishot. That red hair? Thosemuscles?”
Ben snorted fromthesofa.
Audrey ignored him. “Gah! No wonder you couldn’tresisthim.”
“It’s not like I tried very hard,” Ipointedout.
“How’d he takethenews?”
Slowly, I shook my head. “Not so well. But Benny met him last night at the bar, and he seemed to be getting his headaroundit.”
“Good!” Audrey said, clapping herhands.
But I wasn’t so sure. “Is it? I spent two years wondering if I’d ever see him again. But now I wonder if he should have stayed away. A bad father is worse than nofather.”
“I wouldn’t know,” Audrey said, and I mentally kicked myself. She had anactualsperm donor for a father. “But maybe it will all work out. And meanwhile, you can admire hisprettyface.”
Now it was my turn to snort. Dave wasn’t pretty. Rugged was a betterdescription.
Audrey dropped her voice to a near whisper. “The sex must have beenamazing.”
“As if I can even remember,” I lied. Then I put a hand on her shoulder and nodded toward the stairs. “Go save our business from Kieran’s stormy face. If there’s news, I’ll letyouknow.”
“You’d better!” shewhisperedback.
After I shut the door I pulled out my phone to call him. Then I walked over to the sliding glass door and pulled it open, stepping out onto Benito’s unfinished balcony. I shut the door again, so Benny couldn’teavesdrop.
There was nothing but an ancient, oversized lounge chair out here, and I sat down on it, stalling. I needed to call him, but I was a chicken. So I texted himinstead.
Zara:You were looking forme? —ZR
David:Good morning ZR. Can Icallyou?
Gulp.
Instead of answering, I dialed him. He answered on the first ring. “This is David,” the low voice said right intomyear.
