Could he do the same? Zach wasn’t sure. He wanted to, and Lord knew he and Sadie had one more major hurdle to cross before their future was decided. He would never be able to leave the mother of his child behind completely. And he wasn’t enough of an asshole to cut her out of their lives, even if that had been his first instinct.
Everyone made bad decisions when they were angry.
“There’s something else,” the lawyer said. The curiosity in his eyes making Zach just a little nervous.
“Yes?”
“Sadie has asked me to contact a family named Blackstone, and see that the pictures she took in Black Hills were copyrighted to them to do with as they wish.”
Holy hell.
“She also provided the name of a publisher who was interested in the story.”
Why? Zach thought back to that pregnancy test and tried to imagine how she must have felt when she took it. She could have been elated...could have imagined all of her problems were fixed with the luck of the draw. After all, one DNA test and he would be legally liable for at least child support. With the inheritance he had coming, she could probably have jockeyed for a lot more than that. But if that were so, why would she have subjected herself to Beddingfield and having to give her deposition alone? Given up the rights to pictures that he knew meant more to her than the money?
One phone call to Zach could have put her on top of the world instead of the bottom rung. One call she’d refused to make to save herself from a lot of worry and fears.
But was this proof enough that he could trust her?
* * *
A quick change into clean clothes had helped Sadie feel more in control after her ugly experience with Victor at the lawyer’s office. But she also felt an increased need to get them packed and out of the apartment over Mr. Beddingfield’s renovated horse barn.
A need that rose exponentially after realizing Zach was now in town.
She could have gone back into the office, could have asked what he’d seen and heard and tried to defend herself against any ugly things Victor might tell him about her. But what was the point?
Zach already had enough ammunition to blast her out of his life. Anything more would just be overkill.
Still, she needed to get her family moved. The probate of the will would be moving forward, and hopefully one of the interviews she’d had over the last week would pan out for a new job. She’d found a medical halfway house that would let her mother and sister stay temporarily while Sadie arranged for a new place. All the apartments on the cheap end had been scary, but with her credit, something small in a bad neighborhood was the best she could do.
If her luck turned around, her new position would also offer living accommodations, or at least a supplement toward her rent. Fingers crossed on that one.
She moved down the hall to her sister’s bedroom, stepping into the circle of cardboard boxes and packing tape and scissors she’d left there earlier. She’d splurged by hiring a mover, simply because her mother was completely unable to lift anything. Moving furniture alone wasn’t an option, but Sadie wanted to pack all of the keepsakes and items with sentimental value herself.
The sun had completely disappeared by the time a knock sounded on the apartment door. She must have lost track of time, moving from her sister’s bedroom to her own. The five full boxes now standing in the hallway attested to her progress.
The knock sounded again as she crossed the kitchen into the hallway. “I’m coming,” she hollered, wondering if it was one of the staff from the big house.
Even though she wasn’t technically employed anymore, they still showed up to ask her questions about various things. With that in mind, she flung the door open without thinking...and came face-to-face with Zachary Gatlin.
Panicked, she turned on her heel and strode back to the kitchen. Her quick steps took her all the way to the other side of the kitchen island. Only when she was facing the door with something solid between them did she feel a little more secure.
And slightly stupid for her reaction.
As he came through the door, words started to tumble out of her mouth. “Zach, I want to assure you we are in the process of moving. I’ve gotten everything arranged and we will be out—”