by Lynn, K. I.
“You didn’t meet at the office, then?”
My brow scrunched and I shook my head. Things were getting twisted.
“We met by accident outside of the office, and then found out we worked for the same company,” Richard said, saving the day.
I squeezed his hand again, already thinking of an appropriate thank you. Maybe that romp in my childhood bedroom was on the table.
“Since then, we’ve been working on a budget proposal and spending the weekends together,” I said.
“So that’s why you’ve been so unavailable,” Mom said with a grumble. She turned to give Richard a disapproving “you are keeping my daughter from me look” but as soon as her gaze landed on him, she was a puddle of goo again. I totally understood the reaction—it was mine every time I looked at him.
“We have something we wanted to tell you about,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. Reaching down to my purse, I pulled out the ultrasound picture, then placed it on the center of the table. “Congratulations, you’re going to be grandparents.”
My mom’s fork slipped from her fingers and clattered against the ceramic plate below. The entire table was silent, even Carson and Wyatt as they looked between our parents for a reaction.
The good-natured smile fell from my father’s face, and his features seemed to oscillate between disappointment, anger, happiness, and what I could only describe as his what-the-fuck expression.
“You’re pregnant?” Mom asked in a whisper.
“You just met,” Dad argued.
“Damn, man,” Wyatt said as he placed a hand on Richard’s shoulder. “You’re lucky you’re here and part of her life, or I’d come hunt you down in Chicago with my bat.”
“And I’d bring the plastic and shovel,” Carson added.
“It wasn’t planned, obviously. We’re both nervous, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t happy.”
“You just met!” Dad yelled, his fists slamming on the table before he pinched the bridge of his nose. “You’re on such a great path in your career. How could you be so irresponsible, Natasha?”
The harshness of his words stung, and tears began to fill my eyes.
“Yes, it’s early,” Richard said, his jaw tightly set. “Yes, we made a poor decision in the heat of the moment. But this—” he pointed to the ultrasound “—this is our future, and yours. We love our future, and we hope you will, too.”
I couldn’t help but stare at Richard as he talked. It was an instantaneous move to take his face in my hands and pull him down for a kiss.
“Thank you,” I whispered as I pulled back.
He put his hand on mine, keeping it on his cheek before turning his head and placing a kiss on my palm.
“Greg, Natasha and I are both responsible individuals,” Richard said, not wavering from my father’s stare. “Our child will be cared for and loved and want for nothing. While still young, as you pointed out, we are in a committed relationship.”
My father nodded. “I’m sorry, pumpkin.” He reached across the table for my hand. “I let the shock get the best of me and said things I shouldn’t have.”
“Thank you, Daddy.”
“Well, on that note…” Carson said, gaining attention. “The reason Hannah isn’t here is because, well, morning sickness.”
Mom’s eyes grew wide, and my head whipped over to my brother.
“Thunder stealer,” I said with a glare.
He held up his hands. “We were going to tell everyone tonight, sis. You just beat me to the punch.”
Mom sniffed before standing and coming around the table. Her arms wrapped tightly around me, then grabbed Carson.
“I’m going to be a grandma!”
Dad appeared beside me and pulled me in for a hug, and in that moment I forgave him for his outburst.
“Love you, bug,” he said.
“Love you, too, Daddy.”
He turned to Richard and held out his hand. “Thanks for helping me pull my head from my ass.”
At that, Richard chuckled and shook his hand. “Anytime.”
Hugs continued all around, and everyone sat back down to continue the meal.
“Now all we need is Wyatt to get a girl,” I said, quirking my brow at him.
“No girl is going to tie me down,” he grumbled.
“You say that now, ball boy, but one day she’ll catch you,” Carson quipped.
One word stuck out. “She? As in a specific she?” I asked.
Wyatt glared at Carson. “I fucking told you little Miss Lie Detector would catch it.”
“She’s like that with everyone, not just me, huh?” Richard said.
“Off me and back to she. Who is she?”
Wyatt shook his head, his jaw locked, refusing to answer, so I turned my attention to Carson.
“He’s got a super fan,” he revealed.
“Stalker?”
“No, but she lives in the same complex as me, and I bump into her everywhere. It really is all coincidence, though it doesn’t seem like it.”
“And you haven’t asked her out because?” I pressed.
“She isn’t my type,” he grumbled in response, refusing to look at anything but his plate.
“Lies,” Carson whispered.
“Shut up!” Wyatt groaned before tossing a roll at Carson’s head.
Carson laughed but didn’t let up. “She’s chubby, and pretty, and sweet.”
I nodded in understanding. “Wyatt’s kryptonite.”
“You all suck.” Wyatt’s cheeks were bright pink, and I could tell he really did like her, despite his attempts to dissuade us.
“Just ask her out, knock her up, and I’ll have three grandbabies on the way,” Mom said with a smile.
“Mom!” Wyatt whined.
“And when are my first two babies coming?” she asked, completely ignoring her youngest child.
Mom was on cloud nine. I was certain she was itching to go shopping and load up on baby stuff. She’d probably already imagined how she’d turn one of the bedrooms upstairs into a nursery, decorations and all.
“Hannah is due October sixth,” Carson said at the same time I answered, “September twenty-third.”
“Oh, we could do dual baby showers!” Mom cried.
I caught the roll of Dad’s eyes before he shook his head, but the smile on his face said he expected the response from her.
Two hours later, we were back in my apartment and I was ready to fall into bed. Richard stepped up behind me and wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. “I’m glad we got that over with.”
“Me, too.”
“How did they take it compared to how you thought?”
“About the same, actually. The shock, a dash of disappointment, and then happiness. Wasn’t expecting Carson’s announcement, though.”
“Your brothers are fun,” he said with a chuckle.
I rolled my eyes. He had no idea that was them in good behavior mode. “They’re holy terrors.”
“Maybe for you. It’s obvious how much they love you.”
“Okay, somewhat lovable little shits.” I really did love their stupid asses.
“You’re hysterical with them. Susie and I were never as close as you three are.”
“Why not?”
He shrugged. “I was into sports, she was into Barbie.”
“I was stomping through creeks with frick and frack. I guess I was a bit of a tomboy thanks to them.”
He sat on the edge of the bed and pulled me closer, his eyes on my bump. “Baby girl, you can play with whatever you want. If you’re into Transformers, that’s awesome. If dress-up is your thing, I’ll have tea parties with you.”
I smiled down at him and brushed my fingers through his hair. “What if your son wants to play dress-up?”
He tilted his head back and ran his hands over my stomach. “Let him. I’m not going to pigeonhole our child into some societal construct of what a boy or girl should do or be.”
It felt good to hear him s
ay that, but it also hurt, because I could tell they were words born out of experience. Maybe he and his sister weren’t close because of those views. Maybe they weren’t allowed to be because boys weren’t supposed to have feelings or some archaic view like that.
The way he clung to me, I realized Richard had more darkness in him than just from the pain from his divorce.
For the past week Natasha helped me to smooth out and perfect the budget analysis, and I was quite impressed with her work. She had it more streamlined than I’d been able accomplish on my own in the past.
We both had stayed up late, talking on the phone, emailing back and forth in the final week, until everything was just right. I knew it took a toll on her, and I was ready to free her for an early weekend, to pamper her a little.
And to share the excitement of a job well done.
The walls built to protect myself from Natasha did nothing to stifle the deep-seated desire I had for her. Natasha had worked her way into my bloodstream and had become a drug my body needed regular doses of to survive.
Meeting her family only highlighted how dysfunctional my family was. Susie and I weren’t close like that because she was a girl and I was a boy. Girls cooked and cleaned and sewed and played with dolls, while boys did hard chores outside, played sports, and made money.
I had a paper route by eight, and at thirteen I was working in the fields during the summer baling hay. We didn’t live in the city, but in a small town, and we hated every day of it. That was the only link Susie and I had at the time.
There was little affection, and absolutely no coddling allowed by our father. Maybe that’s why I fell so hard for Desiree when we met. She was affectionate and warm and loved football and allowed me to do things that had otherwise been frowned upon because I was a boy.
My father would have hated that I met Natasha dancing. That I showered her with kisses and was always looking for a way to touch her, to be close to her. That I allowed her to make decisions and asked her opinion.
Susie was opinionated, and that drove our father crazy. Once she was out of the house, she was like me—able to grow as a person and not a shadow of our parents’ outdated ideas.
I didn’t want that sort of stilted nurturing for our children, and no matter how thick the walls were around me, I couldn’t stop envisioning our future.
I locked down my emotions during the week, but the moment I saw her, that need came spilling out.
I wrapped my arms around her waist, dipping my head into her neck. A groan left me as I breathed her in.
“You are the perfect medicine for a long week.”
A giggle left her as I looked around the cubicles surrounding hers and the wide-eyed stares that were aimed at us. “Well, my week isn’t over.”
“Yes, it is,” I said. I needed it to be.
She turned in my arms. “You’re making a scene.”
“I don’t care.” Fuck them all. She was mine, and everyone would know it. They were both mine.
She ran her hands against my chest. “Why are you so desperate?”
“Because I missed you.” But that was only the surface.
“Well, you’re going to have to miss me for a few more hours. I have work to get done,” she said as she stepped away.
I took hold of her hand and tugged her back. “I bet I can clear it with your boss.”
“Oh, Richard, I didn’t realize you were coming in today,” Marjorie said with a strained smile.
My jaw ticked as I stared at her. “Hello, Marjorie.”
Her gaze bounced between us, then down to our joined hands. Her mouth snapped shut, jaw ticking, a struggle of a forced smile on her lips.
The growing tension was palpable, and Natasha tried to pull her hand from mine but I kept a firm grip. I wanted the crap with this woman over and in the open, because I was certain words were about to fly from her mouth that I would make her regret.
From what Nat said, Marjorie had never liked her. I knew for a fact she didn’t like Nina either. How had this woman never understood that she was the problem?
“Hey, Richard,” Jenna said, stepping forward and holding her hand up for a high five.
I slapped her hand. “Jenna. How’s Brent?”
“Good. What’s going on here?”
I smiled at her. “I came to see my girls.”
Natasha rolled her eyes, a smile playing on her lips. “You don’t know it’s a girl.”
“Don’t doubt me,” I said with a smirk. I reached out and placed my hand on her bump, anxiously waiting for the day she kicked back. “Baby Girl Bennett. I’m telling you.”
Marjorie’s jaw was slack as she looked at us. “I knew you couldn’t have gotten that promotion without help,” she spat.
Natasha froze, her gaze locked on Marjorie. “Excuse me?”
“I suspected you were screwing your way up the corporate ladder, but now I know.” Marjorie’s face was screwed up and red with anger.
“Of course you would think that,” Natasha said sourly.
“Marjorie, back down before I file a grievance with HR,” I growled. Her jealous accusation made my blood boil.
Marjorie blanched. “Why?”
My brows shot up. Did she really think her words were acceptable? Not in any business. How had someone so inept with people become a manager? I needed to look into that when I got home.
“Why? Because you just insinuated that my girlfriend was fucking her way up. Our relationship is not a topic of your concern.”
“Company policy states—”
Oh, fuck that!
“Do not recite company policy to me.” I could barely contain the anger that wanted to explode forth. “I’ve read her employee file, I know how she was promoted, and it was due to hard work and knowledge, and it happened before we met. What is your problem? Why do you feel the need to police everything going on in this office? Do you get off on putting others down? On feeling superior? Get off your fucking high horse or I will pull you off. You do not hold the company’s interest in mind, only your own, and you refuse to be a team player, singling yourself out. You don’t rule here, I do.”
Natasha’s fingers wove with mine, her other arm wrapped around my bicep.
Enough. I’d had enough of Marjorie’s attitude, and I would not allow her to talk about Natasha that way.
Marjorie blinked at me, wetness filling her eyes. “You’re right, sir. I’m sorry. I will go reflect on my actions and strive to be a better employee.”
“So there’s that vicious VP I’ve heard so much about,” Jenna said as we watched Marjorie walk away.
“I’m not going to fucking apologize for hurting her feelings.”
“Who said you had to?” Jenna asked.
Natasha let my hand go and stepped forward. In my periphery, I watched her falter and lean against a nearby desk for support.
“Are you okay?” I asked as I rushed to her side, my arms around her to support her weight.
“Yeah,” she said as she rested her head on my chest. “I just got dizzy all of a sudden.”
“Sit down.” I directed her to a nearby chair, then grabbed another one for myself.
“Thank you,” she said.
I took hold of her chin to look at her eyes for anything that seemed off. “Does this happen often?” There was one day a few weeks ago that she was shaking, but I didn’t remember her being dizzy.
She shook her head. “A few times.”
“Have you told your doctor about it?” I asked.
A nod that time. “Dizziness is another side effect of pregnancy. Just like the morning sickness.”
“Can I take you home now?” I asked, desperate to get her somewhere she could lie down.
She nodded, and I helped her to stand.
I’d made on-the-sly arrangements for Natasha to carpool with Jenna, making it easier for me to steal her away. That way when we left, all she had to do was grab her bag and we were off.
“How did it go?” she asked as we dro
ve out of the parking lot.
We hadn’t talked about my blowup at Marjorie, and that was fine by me, but I also hadn’t gotten to tell her how the meeting went. I wished she could have been there with me, but I made sure to give her credit, especially to her direct manager.
We’d worked so many hours on the budget proposal, and in the end found most items to be a worthy gamble. It was whether or not Michael and the other executives agreed.
“They were very pleased with our recommendations.”
A smile lit up her face. “Really?”
I nodded. “Really. So, you may be volunteered to help out the VP more in the future.”
“Oh, not him again.”
A chuckle left me. “Really? You’re going to do me like that?”
“No, not you,” she said, taking my hand in hers. “But the VP can be a real pain in my ass.”
A groan left me at the image her words conjured. “Don’t talk to me like that.”
“Like what?” she asked.
“Oh, baby, I’d love to be a real pain in your ass.”
She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “What’s for dinner?”
“Whatever you want.”
“Hibachi.”
We’d passed the exits for the interstate, so I had to take the surface streets, including some unusual shortcuts through neighborhoods.
She let out a sigh. “I’ve always loved this neighborhood.”
“Really? Why?” I asked. I’d lived in the city for so long, in apartments and condos, and in rural areas before that. I’d never really lived in the quintessential neighborhood.
“The houses have that traditional feel. Homey feel. There are always kids riding bikes, running around lawns. The houses are large and well taken care of with large lots.”
“Is that what you want?” I asked, curious what her ideal home was.
She nodded. “Nice big kitchen with a huge island and double ovens. A screened in porch. Large, but not too large, master bedroom with a spa-like bathroom.”
“How many bedrooms?”
She pursed her lips, and if I hadn’t been driving I would have leaned over and bit her succulent lower lip.
“Four. And a designated office somewhere in the house. A basement for a man cave or movie room, maybe a pool table. Hardwood floors for easier cleaning.”