The Rock Star's Baby Bargain - Lili Valente Page 0,61
thinking rationally for the past year. Chip is an ass who’s overstepping his boundaries, but…he might also be right.
“I’m guessing most fans, especially our straitlaced, family-focused demographic, will think it’s scandalous. And a little irresponsible.” He sucks a breath through his bared teeth as he scoots his water bottle along the countertop with one finger. “Or a lot irresponsible. Those folks still believe a baby should be born within the confines of a relationship with a plan to raise the child together. Obviously, plans go to shit all the time, and people end up divorced and raising kids in broken homes, but they don’t start out broken. That’s the big difference here, and why I think most of Zack’s fans are going to decide you’re nothing but a… Well, I hate to say it, but a gold-digging piece of shit.”
My jaw drops, but before I can speak, Chip lifts his hands, his meaty fingers spread wide as if warding off unjust indignation. “Not that I would ever think that! Please, don’t take this personally, doll. It’s not personal, not a single bit of it. I’m here on business.” He winces, and his hands fall back to the marble counter. “Unfortunately for us, when you’re a high-profile entertainer like Zack, the lines between your business life and your personal life can get real blurry real quick. And unfortunately for you, our society is still far more critical of rule-breaking women than it is of rule-breaking men. Zack could probably get away with being a shitty baby daddy without a serious blow to his reputation.” He snorts. “Hell, considering the sweet golden boy thing he’s got going on right now, the news that he knocked a woman up and walked away from the relationship would probably be good for him. Give him an edge.”
Chip sighs as he leans closer. “But you and I both know that Zack is as sweet as you are. It would kill him to see you getting ripped apart in the press. He’d hate it for you, and he’d hate it for his son or daughter. Most of all, he’ll hate that he won’t be able to protect either of you from it.” He pulls a face, doing a decent impression of looking upset. “The children of celebrities aren’t off-limits to the press anymore. They haven’t been for a long time. It’s a hard world for all of us, no doubt, but for those kids, it’s fucking brutal.”
He shakes his head. “I mean, I can’t even imagine. Can you? Not being able to leave your house without people waiting outside to take your picture? Paparazzi stalking you at school, taking pictures through the chain-link fence around the playground? And in that kind of situation, the best you can hope for is that Zack’s career will crash and burn so your life can return to normal, but…” His forehead wrinkles. “Well, that’s not a position you want to be in, is it? Actively wishing bad things for someone you care about. You do care about him, correct? I’m not getting that part wrong?”
I set the zesting knife down by the cutting board with a shaking hand and brace my palms against the counter on either side. “Yes, I do care about him. Very much.”
“I thought so.” Chip reaches over, grabbing a sprig of dill from the bunch and lifting it to his nose. “Some people think I’m a sociopath, but I’m a good judge of character. And people and their feelings.”
“I’m not sure that rules you out as a sociopath.” I sound remarkably calm, considering how my heart is slamming against my ribs “From what I understand, sociopaths can be good at reading feelings, they’re just not good at feeling things themselves. Especially empathy.”
He grins and chomps the tender green leaves off the top of the sprig of dill. “Pretty, sweet, and smart. You really are the whole package, Colette. Someday soon, someone is going to snatch you up and make all your baby dreams come true. You don’t need to settle for a guy who isn’t going to be around to help with the kid. Take that beautiful face of yours out on the town. You’ll find someone to put a bun in your oven in no time.”
He laughs as he tosses the dill sprig back into my pile, contaminating it with his Chip germs. “Hell, I’d offer to do the job for you, but I have a feeling you think you’re too good for a guy like