Page 69 of Trials of a One Night Stand
What will he think about this? What will it mean if he loses everything that he’s worked so hard for? Will he hate me if I’m responsible for that happening?
So many questions, but Nate can’t be my focus. He’s not my client. He’s just my…baby daddy? No, that doesn’t sound right. But even if he wasn’t my client, my client was being unreasonable and immoral.
When my cell rings again, I ignore it. I don’t care who’s calling because I need time to think. I have a feeling whichever path I choose, I’ll lose and all my plans will blow up and I’ll have to start all over with my life.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
NATE
The skies are overcast, and it looks like rain when I arrive at the courthouse early. I swing by the men’s room on my way to the courtroom. Two cups of coffee on the way here have me looking halfway human. The new suit doesn’t hurt, and I hope Jayne likes it.
Only two seats in the gallery are taken, but they aren’t anyone I know. More will arrive closer to start time. A few folks from Zentello have been here, but given the list of witnesses, the entire Orchid team will be here when Cliff presents our side of the case.
I yawn, fighting the urge to stretch with my arms in the air. No matter how tired I am from lack of sleep, I must present the appearance of a well-rested co-CEO. Truth be told, I tossed and turned as thoughts of Jayne and Zentello wove themselves in an intricate tapestry where one loose thread could rip everything apart.
Rip me and everything I’ve worked so hard for apart.
It’s not a good feeling to have, and I hope seeing Jayne this morning will extinguish the more neurotic thoughts.
I force myself not to glance at my watch or my phone. If someone needs me, I’ll feel my phone vibrate from the text notification, but I know Zelda, who is recovering and feeling better finally, can handle anything. I just worry about her after the break-in. It feels like everything is coming to an apex, and it’s confusing as hell. I keep thinking about the amont of money Cliff said Sugar Valley Drugs wants in cases like ours. That could destroy or leave Zentello open for a takeover.
Is my company what I still want?
I’m a scientist at heart, but the business side of things has been all-encompassing lately. I do it well. Zelda and I do it well, to the highest standard, and I’m proud of that fact. I’m not sure how much more we can do with it, especially if Orchid continues being so successful. That is, if we keep the product under the Zentello umbrella of course—damn, we might not if Sugar Valley has their way. If Jayne does her job as well as she can.
Everything always comes back to Jayne. She’s made me think I might want something different for my life. I’ve been restless, and I hadn’t realized it until a woman I don’t even know if I have a future with—other than co-parenting—entered my life. The same woman who could take Orchid and Zentello from me.
Cliff makes a loud entrance, plops his briefcase onto the table in front of me, and sits to my right. “Looking forward to today?”
Not really. Sugar Valley’s lead scientist takes the stand today. I can’t imagine what he’ll say or, rather, lie about. “Zelda’s house was broken into last night.”
Cliff stiffens. “Why didn’t you call me?”
“It was late.”
“Fuck.” He glances around. “Did the police catch the perp?”
“No.”
“Do you think”—Cliff lowers his voice—“the break-in has anything to do with this case?”
“The thought crossed my mind. Zelda’s too.”
“But what would they want with your assistant?”
No one knows the truth about Zelda’s role at Zentello except Jack. He wrote a glowing article about my co-founder, Mr. Z, a.k.a. Zelda, but didn’t mention her even though that secret would have been a major scoop for him. “Her fiancé is a science journalist who’s written a lot of stories on Zentello and Orchid.”
“They must want his research.”
More like Zelda’s research, but yeah. I nod. “Wish there was a way to prove it.”
“I’ll see what I can do…”
“What?”
“It’s time to play dirty.” Cliff keeps his voice low, his eyes darting back and forth like he’s watching a tennis match. “They clearly don’t have a problem with it. I’ll bet you an all-expenses-paid trip to the Bahamas they’re responsible for the break-in at Zelda’s place.”
That’s a bet I’m unwilling to take. “I don’t want to play dirty. That isn’t what Zentello is about. Sugar Valley might think it’s okay, but I don’t.”
