hands and shoved away.
"Swell of you to stop by, Stevie," she mocked, swinging on her heel and heading down the alley for the car. "Give me a call sometime and we'll do lunch."
He hurried after her and grabbing her elbow, jerked her to a halt. Maya shot his encroaching hand a withering look, and he hastily released his grip.
"Look, Maya, I'm sorry, all right? Life's a bitch sometimes, you know that. But I've got that recording contract," he continued excitedly. "I can take you and the baby back to L.A. Where is she? Does she look like me? Where are you staying?"
Maya stared at him as if he were Peter Pan offering to fly her to Never-Never Land. How had she ever thought this irresponsible idiot was the man of her dreams?
She hadn't, she realized. Stephen was fun, energetic, and talented. She'd once had hopes they could eventually make something of their relationship, but Cleo's arrest had prematurely ended any chance of that. Her pregnancy had just been an unexpected result.
She could blame him for his shameless irresponsibility, but the truth was, she hadn't been much better.
With a sigh, she released her temper. "You'll have to overcome one or two preconceived notions, Stephen," she said dryly. "One being that you ever have a remote chance of imitating fatherhood."
"C'mon, Maya! I've been busy. How can I support a baby unless I'm making money? I'm on the brink now. The studio's talking multi-albums, my agent's lined up a tour, and we're getting a percentage of gate. I can do it."
She really didn't want to take him to Alexa, but what choice did she have? She'd never lied to him. It was a little late to start now. She fought back a familiar bubble of panic. "Look, I've got people waiting for me. Why don't you go back to your hotel and new girlfriend and I'll call you later, all right?"
"Zita? Is that what this is all about? Don't worry about her. She's just some jealous bitch who hung around the band and screwed things up a lot. I flew into Charlotte from Nashville and hitched a ride from the airport. I figured I could bunk with you until you packed things up. C'mon, let's go to your place and I'll baby-sit. How's that?" He steered her eagerly from the alley toward the glass-plated storefronts lining the main street.
This was going to look real good. Word would be all over town in hours. Axell was probably watching from his office windows. What the hell was she supposed to do?
"I don't expect you to remember these little details, Stevie," she replied acidly, pulling out of his grasp again. Giving up on the car, she hurried toward the new shop. "But my sister got herself locked up, remember? And I flew out here because she has a little boy? None of that has changed."
"I'll ask my agent if he knows a good lawyer. We can make it work. C'mon, Maya..." He halted in front of her, forcing her to look at him. "What are you telling me? You picked up a new boyfriend while toting around my baby in your belly?"
He seemed to find the idea so ludicrous she briefly considered punching him for the insult. But remembering how ridiculous the idea really was, she let him off with a smirk and a verbal punch. "No, I picked up a husband, a word with which you're not familiar." Swinging around, she crossed the street and continued her progress toward the haven of company in the new store.
"A husband!" he screamed as he raced up behind her. "You're insane! You can't do that. That's my kid. I've got my rights!"
"We'll see about that, I guess. As far as I'm concerned, a minute's worth of genetic material does not make you a father." This was getting entirely out of hand. She hadn't meant to expel all this bile in public, alienate Stephen, or create a scene of any sort. She'd hoped to have a reasonable conversation and settle matters quietly. She should have known she was incapable of any such rational behavior.
Stephen grabbed her elbow again. Beyond reason now, Maya swung around and slammed her fist into his belly. He had a damned hard belly and didn't flinch an inch.
"Maya, dammit..."
"Having trouble, love? Next time, I'll get you a pager with an alarm so you don't have to break your fingers." Axell strolled down the street in their direction, no hurry in his stride, but his eyes