Wait! I didn’t mean for them to travel through my place!
“Uhhhhh… How ‘bout you two go into the great room with the rest of the guests,” I heard Angela’s terse tenor from just behind me. My chest heaved in gratitude. “When Stent’s done dressing their son, he’ll be out to entertain you. It’s not quite three yet.”
“But…” immediately at a loss for words, Erika turned to face me for my objection.
However, I didn’t. “Yes, I think that would be best.” I raised my one brow to indicate my assertiveness.
With a moment of hesitation, Erika paused. Emily appeared lost in the detail of the crown-molding in my foyer. Then Erika took off with her sister in tow, but only a few steps before a trotting Jordan came down the hall, holding onto his father, who hovered above him. Jordan was giggling and gurgling his heart’s delight, but his dad wore the most discerning scowl.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” he snarled.
I jumped in place at the language he took on in front of Jordan. Profanity wasn’t included in my daily dialect, I certainly didn’t use it around my son, and neither should Stenton. Still, I instinctively turned toward Erika to pick up on her maroon shade blush.
She flashed a pageant smile and quickly inserted, “I thought I’d start the clock on our date tonight.” Then she turned toward her sister and beamed, “Emily thought it would be cool to meet Jordan.”
Stenton gathered Jordan in his arms as he stood erect. His gaze traveled over to me and then back to Erika.
“E, this is a private, family function. My kid doesn’t do Hollywood—”
“I don’t have the crew with me!” Erika pushed out as she threw herself at Stenton. I knew she was referring to the camera crew that shadowed her everywhere.
“How did you even get this address?” he pressed on.
“Srey,” she answered, hesitantly.
I didn’t miss his grimace. Srey was Stenton’s new assistant. I knew everyone who had access to Stenton Rogers’ personal life had seemed to be in mine as well. I was lost, learning he didn’t even invite her. She’d bum-rushed my child’s birthday party. I was relieved. If Stenton had arranged this, it would be a new low for him. One I wouldn’t let slide. I couldn’t.
Stenton ambled over and murmured directly to me, “I had no idea she was coming. I didn’t even know she knew your name to ask for your address.”
But how could she not know my name! screamed in my head. It seemed to me everyone knew Stenton Rogers’ baby’s mother’s name. My identity as the owner of the Stenton Rogers’ “favorite” bakery had been released less than a week after his surprise visit. To my detriment, I’d been graced that title by the media. Sadly, there was nothing I could do about it. They even knew my child’s birthdate. This was all because of his father’s wild and far-reaching popularity, something he’d garnered all on his own. But since dating Erika, his celebrity had turned a new corner. In my opinion, Erika’s presence in Stenton’s world turned his career from iconic to reality pop star, something that wasn’t admirable. It was far from the legacy he’d been building over the years.
“It’s fine!” I asserted, almost gleefully with a tight smile. “Erika and her family are a welcome addition here today. She’s your girlfriend; she should be here.”