me. I just wanna chance to prove to you that I can be the man you need.”
“That’s your problem, Ted. I don’t need a man.” In hindsight, Danica knew now that she’d put up with Ted longer than she should’ve because she had needed him at the time. But it’s not why she’d originally started seeing him. “I don’t need Orlando either. I’m with him because I want to be.”
“Really? No other reason?”
Danica shook her head, searching his eyes because she didn’t know what to make of the cryptic way he was staring at her.” Alright,” he said to her surprise. “Have it your way.” Without warning, he leaned in and hugged her hard. Danica didn’t hug him back, just stood there stiffly until he pulled away. “But I think you know right here”—he pointed at her chest—“why you’re really there. Because there’s no way I’m feeling everything I’m still feeling for you and you’ve moved on. No way. That boyfriend of yours will figure it out sooner rather than later. Just remember, when he does, I’ll be waiting.” Just as he had in the courthouse parking lot the day he’d made a spectacle of himself falling to his knees, he turned and walked away. Danica watched as he got in his car without another word and drove away.
She walked slowly back to the house, clutching the bag with the sweet bread, thinking about everything Ted’s delusional ass had just said. Did he really believe she wasn’t over him? Her feelings for Ted were never even remotely close to everything she felt for Orlando now.
Her sister was in the dining room, placing the cups of coffee down. Dominic was already there sitting down in front of his glass of milk. “What’s wrong?” she asked as soon as she looked up at Danica. Danica started to shake her head but then thought better of it. She’d already told Delia about Ted’s knee-dropping antics and then about the stunt he pulled the day of her hearing and how pissed Orlando had been about it. They sat down at the table with Dominic. “Ted was parked outside the panaderia when I walked out.”
“Oh my God, that man is not gonna give up, is he? That scares me, Dani. What did he want?”
Danica explained his theory of why he thinks she moved on so quickly and that she was just using Orlando. How he refused to believe she didn’t have feelings for him anymore.
“Thing is . . .” She hesitated to tell Delia the whole truth about how things really started between her and Orlando, but it was eating her up to not be able to tell anyone, so she took a deep breath and started, “Orlando’s baby is Angie’s baby.” Instantly, she felt choked up. “Angie died of an overdose. Only Orlando didn’t even know about the baby until I left him at his doorstep with a note. He still doesn’t know it was me who left him.”
Delia’s jaw had dropped with the first revelation and as expected was speechless the entire time Danica explained every sordid detail. “So, while I may have had ulterior motives for getting the jobs Orlando and Nine offered, it has nothing to do with why I’m with him now.”
“Does Ted know Orlando is the father of Angie’s baby?”
“No.” Danica shook her head. “That’s huge. He would’ve said something.”
“Would he?” Delia raised her brows. “You know what a calculating bastard he is. I’m sure he grilled Felicia for every detail she could offer about your relationship with Orlando. If she mentioned the baby, don’t you think the first thing he’d question would be about the mother?”
Feeling her gut drop, Danica shook her head, thinking back to her conversation with Ted. Really? No other reason? “Why wouldn’t he mention it?”
“I don’t know, Danica.” Delia shook her head before taking a sip of her coffee. “But I don’t trust the guy for shit. I think you need to tell Orlando the truth before Ted gets to him first.” Bringing her hands to her mouth, Danica gasped. “He said Orlando would figure it out sooner rather than later and that, when he did, he’d be there waiting.”
Her sister pointed at her phone. “Call Orlando.”
“I can’t do this over the phone.” Danica stood up, feeling completely panicked, but she did pick up her phone. “I was going to stay here tonight. But depending on how this goes, I may stay there tonight. Oh my God.” She gasped, feeling completely choked up again,