applause echoed over the hall.
“We want to thank our largest single donor, Mr. Jack Carson!” The announcer’s voice was far too cheery for the storm over our table. “His generous contribution helps us in this fight against this terrible disease. It’s our hope that, one day, no child will lose his life to leukemia.”
The applause thundered, most of the guests just as shocked as the journalists to hear of Jack’s generosity. It didn’t surprise me anymore. Nothing about his big heart did.
Jack leaned down, keeping his voice low as the guests still cheered for him. Ainsley’s smugness turned to a grimace. That was smart. I’d hate to see Jack beat the grin off of him.
“I doubt you’ll report on the charity donation,” Jack growled. “You’d rather investigate a story that would kick me from the league, right?”
“It’s just ratings, Jack.”
“I’ll tell you this once, and it’s your only warning. If I catch you calling my mother again…if you dare to harass Leah…if you are stupid enough to insult my bi-racial baby again? You’ll broadcast live from the hospital room with your jaw wired shut. And you can quote me.” Jack took my hand. “Let’s go, Kiss.”
The table silenced. He pulled me from the dinner just as the music started and the food served.
The entire fundraiser watched Jack slam the dining hall doors open for us. He didn’t stop in the hall to cool down either. Jack pulled me to the valet.
We were going home.
That wouldn’t look good.
“Jack, you have to go back and apologize to that…fiend,” I said.
“What?”
Jack didn’t yell. He knew better, even if he couldn’t disguise his rage.
“He insulted you. And…” His eyes crackled blue with a fierce fury. “The way he talked about my baby...”
“You can’t get angry,” I said. “Don’t do anything without thinking it through, Jack. Ainsley Ruport is a powerful journalist. He knows enough people in and out of the league to make this harder. He already doubts our story. Give him an inch, and he’ll investigate us. He’ll find out that this was a lie.”
“You can’t lie about a baby. About my baby!” Jack’s temper snapped, and I used all my weight to pull on his arm so he wouldn’t rush inside and rip Ainsley’s head off. “He’s going to use my kid against me.”
“If he does, he’d be discredited. Especially if he leads with the bi-racial headline. Come on, Jack. Use your head. The baby shields you. No one with a brain will ever challenge a father on his own children. It’d ruin him. That’s why you wanted the baby.”
He stiffened. “That baby means more to me than my reputation.”
I hated that it relieved me to hear it.
“I know. But you can’t jeopardize your reputation just to antagonize Ainsley.” I rubbed my hand over my belly, hoping the little one didn’t know we were upset. “We have to think about the future now.”
The valet arrived with the car. Jack helped me into the passenger seat but the door slammed shut the instant I was settled inside. He nearly broke it. I tried to calm him down, but Jack was beyond reasonable. The Porsche peeled from the parking lot, and he took his anger out on the road.
“There’s going to be more questions, Jack.” I brushed his arm. His breath caught. At least he liked my touch. “We’re hiding it well now, but people are going to ask why I was let go from my job immediately after the pregnancy hit the news.”
“Tell them you wanted to stay at home with the baby.”
“We’ll need a better answer than that.”
“Why?”
“Because I am living with you, but we’re not married. I’m not working. For all they know, I was fired for messing around with you. It looks bad.”
“What would make it better? Wanna get married?”
He was impossible. “You have to take this seriously.”
“I am.”
“I’m not marrying you to avoid the press, Jack.” My heart thudded too hard. “We’re a young, modern couple. We don’t need to be married to have a baby. It’ll just be harder without it.”
“Then let’s get married. What does it matter?”
Jack could be romantic, or he could be an idiot.
Tonight, he was an idiot.
I stared at the road and willed the car to return to the house before the conversation got real.
“We’re not getting married,” I said.
Jack shrugged. “If it shuts them up? If it stops them from calling my child illegitimate?”
“He is illegitimate, technically.”
Jack’s jaw tensed. “That makes the baby sound unwanted. Damn it. I remember working hard to make