The Arrangement .(31)

Well, that wasn’t entirely true. One day she did call, but his assistant stated he was out of the country and asked if someone else could help her.

She’d wanted to leave the message, It’s his wife, and I’m pregnant. But she didn’t.

At some point she would have to tell him.



The evening was a smashing success. Of the over one hundred people in attendance, a number of them represented businesses. One company in particular, Demming Technology, a successful software company based in Atlanta, made a sizeable donation in addition to the funds they had paid for attending the event. This prompted others to do the same.

The total funds raised for Second Chance Closet were more than Alexa expected. Her mind was already racing as she envisioned what she could do with the money, such as opening a second store outside the city limits in Gwinnett or DeKalb County.

“Good night.” Alexa waved to the last of her guests as they left. She was sitting at the table in front of the stage.

Xander sauntered over. “You did good,” he said proudly. He dropped a gentle kiss on top of her curls.

“Thanks. I can’t believe how much money we raised.” The satchel containing all of the checks was on the table next to her laptop.

He nodded. “When it turns out better than you expected, that means you did a great job. And I made some good contacts tonight, so I expect business will increase for me in the near future.”

“Yes. Just make sure you give Ryan all the contacts so he can follow up.”

Ryan, who started out as a part-time office manager, had turned out to be invaluable. He was now the bakery’s full-time operations manager and was in charge of business development. He was as indispensable to Xander’s business as the commercial ovens.

“I know.” Xander rolled his eyes.

Fighting back a grin, Alexa glanced around the room. “Well, I’m going to—” She broke off when Xander’s phone rang.

He answered, listened for a few seconds, and then said in a weary voice,

“Yes, dear. I’m on my way home, and don’t worry, I won’t forget to stop at the store. I have the list with me.” He rolled his eyes, pretending to be annoyed with his wife. After a few noncommittal words, he hung up. “All right, I need to leave,” he said to Alexa. “I’ve been summoned. Let’s get your stuff and get out of here.”

Xander picked up her laptop and satchel, while Alexa eased her weary body out of the chair. It had been a long day. She was only five months along, but she was feeling the effects of her pregnancy—most notably in her lower back.

“Alexa.”

The sound of her name caught her attention, but it was the recognition of the person who spoke it that stilled her fingertips where she was absentmindedly massaging the base of her spine.

Gradually, she turned her body ninety degrees in the direction of her husband’s voice. He stood a few feet from Xander, his expression giving away nothing.

He’d changed since the last time she saw him. His face looked bleak. Was it her imagination, or did he look thinner, too? The lines of his handsome face and the angles of his cheekbones appeared more pronounced.

“What are you doing here?”

“I heard about the fundraiser.”

Xander spoke up. “Maybe I should go.”

Alexa felt lost, panicked. She didn’t want to be left alone with Leonardo.

This was all so unexpected.

“We’re about to leave,” she said.

“We need to talk.”

Xander chimed in. “That sounds like a good idea.” Before Alexa could disagree, he put the satchel and laptop back on the table.

“What are you doing?” Alexa demanded frantically. Her eyes widened in dismay. Xander was abandoning her.

“He’s right. You need to talk.” He touched his lips to her temple. “Call me later.”

As he was walking away, a look passed between him and Leonardo. She knew she didn’t imagine it, and she figured she knew what had happened.

Within seconds, she was left alone with her husband.

“You knew, didn’t you?” She placed a hand on her stomach.

“Yes.”

“How did you find out?”

“Xander.”

Xander! Her own brother, just as she suspected. Where were his loyalties? Apparently they could be bought with a quarter of a million dollars.

“When?”

“Two days ago. I was in Rio, and I flew back as quickly as I could.” Quiet descended on the room. He was staring at her protruding belly as if he’d never seen a pregnant woman before. “Am I so horrible that you would keep my own child from me?”

Guilt assailed her, making her wish she had made more of an effort to contact him sooner. “I wasn’t planning to exclude you from our child’s life.”