“She asked about Amelia, and we told her that she was safe with her dad. That was when Ms. West informed us that you might not be Amelia’s biological father after all. That it was either you or this other man.”
A muscle in Linc’s jaw jumped, and he resumed pacing. “Why did she only tell Amelia about me, then?”
Zoey had the same question. She wanted to go to him, take his hand. Support him. But the fire in his eyes—and her uncertainty over exactly what it was motivated by—kept her rear end glued to the blue chair.
“Who knows? Maybe she didn’t want to give Amelia a bad impression. Maybe she never thought it would matter.” Ms. Bridges sighed. “I know these situations are messy. But the good news is, you’re not in immediate danger of losing custody of Amelia. Kirsten will be detained for some time, and with this arrest added to her existing record, I don’t see a full custody plea going in her favor—if she were to even request it.”
Linc nodded, pacing, clearly processing.
Zoey tilted her head. “So why the paternity test?”
“To have proof of parental rights, if you were to go to court in the future. But also because this could mean you’re not obligated to care for Amelia.”
Linc’s head snapped to stare at her. “Obligated?”
Ms. Bridges lifted both hands. “I’m only saying, a paternity test could give you more options should you want them.”
“Of course I don’t want them,” Linc grunted. “Amelia stays with us. Final.”
As attractive as Linc had been last night, all dressed up for the wedding, it was nothing compared to how appealing he was fighting for his daughter.
Who might not even be his. Her stomach churned. How would they address this?
“At least now we know where Ms. West is, and she knows Amelia is safe.” Ms. Bridges nodded at them. “I can relay a message to her, from you or Amelia, if you’d like.”
“Can Amelia talk to her?” Linc asked, shooting Zoey a look. She knew what that question cost him, and her respect for him swelled further. “We think she’s been wanting to.”
“I don’t know that seeing her mom in jail would be in her best interest, but that’s a decision for you two to make.” Ms. Bridges picked up her briefcase. “The paternity test is also available if you want it.”
He lifted his chin. “Don’t need it.”
“That’s fine.” Ms. Bridges shrugged, her eyes studying Linc, then Zoey, and back again. “I suppose Ms. West being detained right now worked out for good in this particular case.”
Like her favorite verse in Romans promised.
Zoey took a deep breath. Maybe Linc would believe her now. All of thiswasworking toward good—for Linc, for Zoey, for Amelia. For their family. Even for Kirsten. Maybe she’d be forced to clean her life up from here, start making better decisions.
Become a mother that Amelia could get to know again one day.
Ms. Bridges checked her watch, began walking toward the door. “Something official will have to be done in the future to maintain permanent custody, but for now, if you feel it best not to upset Amelia with the news, I understand.”
“Oh, no, we’ll still tell her.” Zoey looked at Linc, at the firm press of his lips, the little shake of his head. She frowned. “Wait. We won’t?”
His face was granite. “No reason to. Nothing is changing.”
“But Linc…I think we need to be honest. She deserves the full story.”
His jaw set. “Nothing. Is. Changing.”
She opened her mouth, then shut it. Nodded slowly. “Okay.” Denial it was. Because everything about that particular promise of his hadn’t been kept so far.
### (Sunday night)
Linc cracked his neck to the side as he walked through his house, toward the light glowing from the kitchen. First he was a dad, now maybe he wasn’t. The ultimate roller coaster he hadn’t wanted to ride.
But the question at hand ultimately meant nothing. Amelia washis.
She had to be.
