The Baby Bargain

Chapter 10: Harker

Harker stared at the spreadsheet he'd compiled of potential mothers. He had no idea how he'd overlooked this. Sometimes he was so focused on a goal that he missed the details. No woman as warm and caring as Alison would abandon her child and he didn't want a woman who would.

He grabbed his jacket and went into the garage. This wasn't over. Alison was the perfect candidate to be the mother of his child. He hadn't planned on sharing custody, but he'd concede on this point. All business deals had negotiations.

He got into his car and headed for Alison's house. The more he thought about it the more he realized that it was better this way. He worked a lot. He didn't want his child growing up in the care of nannies. Sharing custody would mean his child was with his or her parents more than paid caregivers.

By the time he pulled into the driveway at Alison's mother's house he was almost ready to thank her for being so stubborn. Having the mother share custody would free some of his evenings for amorous pursuits without guilt for leaving his child. Every other week or weekend he could go to La Petite Mort Club and engage in all his fantasies. His life would be perfect. He parked the car and walked to the house, ringing the doorbell.

"May I help you?" A woman peeked through a small window at the top of the door. She was older, but not unattractive with brown, wavy hair like her daughter's.

"Hello, Ma'am. I'm Harker. Alison's boss. I need to speak with her."

The woman opened the door. "Hi, I'm Estelle, Alison's mother. Please come in." She stepped aside. "I've wanted to meet you for a long time. Alison talks a lot about her job. I don't understand most of it, but I can tell she loves working for you."

"She's a dream employee." He'd had many dreams about her. Hot, sexy, wet dreams.

"She certainly works hard." There was a hint of chastisement in her tone. "And long hours."

He stepped inside the house. It was tidy but poor—worn drapes and carpet that had once been nice but was now threadbare. Stains on the ceiling signaled a leak—roof or maybe a plumbing issue. Either one worked for him because it meant that Alison definitely needed his money. "She does. We have a lot of work to do." He glanced at his watch. "May I speak with her?"

"She's not here."

"What do you mean she isn't here?" Then why the fuck was he in the house?

"She left."

"I understand the concept of she's not here."

Estelle's face pinched a bit around her lips.

"I'm sorry." He'd been too brusque. He needed to charm this woman. He was already at two strikes–rude and working her daughter long hours. He couldn't afford another one. "It's just that I need to speak with her. I want to discuss an offer I made her earlier tonight." Time to add some pressure to his case. "Did she tell you? It's quite lucrative." She wouldn't have told her mother. From what she'd said, dear mom was a bit old fashioned when it came to premarital sex.

"No, she didn't. What kind of offer?"

"Perhaps I should let Alison tell you. It's very good news."

"Yes, that's probably best." Estelle didn't sound happy about it.

"I wonder why she didn't mention it," he said.

"She probably forgot."

"Hmm. It's possible but the offer of a partnership in my business isn't something that slips one's mind."

"A partnership?" Estelle's face brightened. "That's wonderful. She's worked so hard for you."

"Yes, she has, and she should be rewarded." Oh, he'd reward her all right with sex, lots of it.