Daddy’s Secret Baby

by Black, Natasha L.

  “I’ve actually been wanting to ask you something. But I’m not sure how you’ll react,” I said.

  She sat up, hovering over me. “Everything okay?”

  I cupped her cheek. “Of course everything’s okay. Just something I’ve been tumbling around in my head.”

  “You’re worrying me. Is something wrong with Tommy?”

  “No, no, no. The doctor is actually hopeful that Dad will hit remission without having to go through radiation.”

  She smiled. “That’s great, Simon. That’s absolutely fantastic.”

  “Yeah. I’m sorry I didn’t mention it sooner. Today’s just kind of been…”

  I swirled my hand around, and she giggled.

  “Trust me, I get what you mean, handsome.”

  I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “You’re beautiful, you know that?”

  She blushed. “You’re insane, you know that?”

  “Insanely in love with you.”

  She smiled brightly. “I love you, too, Simon.”

  She settled back down against my chest, and I finally found the courage.

  “Do you see us moving in together anytime soon?” I asked.

  Ari tensed. “What?”

  I stroked my hand down her back. “Not immediately. But just putting us all under one roof. You know, like a cohesive family.”

  “You’ve been thinking about that?”

  “A lot, actually. Especially now that we’re spending more time together.”

  “And here I thought I was the only one.”

  I paused. “What?”

  She giggled. “I’ve been thinking about it, too. You know, where we might move. Which house we’d live in. What that might mean for Macy.”

  “Do you like the idea?”

  I craned my neck to look down at Ari and saw her smiling up at me.

  “I love the idea, Simon.”

  I grinned. “Good.”

  “Do you think it would be better to live here? Or at my place?”

  I shrugged. “I don’t care where we live, as long as I’ve got my family.”

  “Well, after the holidays, maybe we can set some plans to put in motion.”

  And as I kissed her forehead, I felt the rest of my life click softly into place.

  “Sounds like a plan, beautiful.”

  The End

  Bad Boy’s Secret Baby (Sample)

  Enjoy a free sample of one of my other novels.

  1

  Jacob

  It had been years, eight years to be exact, since I’d darkened the door of Burning Butte, North Dakota. I had thought things would have changed dramatically. I had. The small town had not. I stared out the heavily tinted driver’s-side window of my Ford F-350 and saw the ice cream shop was still in the same place. On the other side of the street was what I thought had to be the tiniest bookstore in the world. Most of the buildings were A-frames. The northern town got a lot of snow in the winter, and the buildings with the flat roofs always suffered. I could see there were still a few holding up, but I imagined it was only a matter of time before they were demolished under the weight of the snow.

  The businesses lined the main road through town, all vying for that prime piece of real estate. I passed the Old Flame Saloon and grinned. It was amazing that place was still operating. Of course, not that surprising. The bar was one of two in town, where everyone went to get a drink. The other tavern was more of a restaurant and was always packed with families with mommies and daddies who wanted to drink but were also stuck with the kids. Parents could pretend to be getting in some family time while throwing back a few beers.

  I kept my speed slow as I rolled through the small town, taking it all in. It felt good to be back. It felt even better to be back in my new position. I wasn’t the same kid who’d been run out of town by the local sheriff all those years ago. I was a man. A man with money and power. Not a lot of either, but a hell of a lot more than what I had when I’d left.

  I was back and I was determined to show Sheriff Arthur Maxwell I wasn’t the kind of man who allowed himself to be pushed around anymore. I dared him to try and pull the same bullshit he did back then. I was back and I was determined as hell to prove I wasn’t a worthless piece of trash from the wrong side of town with no future. There had been other adjectives used to describe me, but they didn’t matter. I was going to prove them all wrong.

  I drove through town, heading out to the outskirts where Western Energies had set up shop. There were a few houses on sprawling farmland dotting the area with green pastures and cows lazily grazing as the road bent to the right. The old warehouse that had been used as a feedstore didn’t even look the same. I wouldn’t have known it had ever been a warehouse if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes as a kid. I was surprised to see the old, decrepit buildings that had once dotted the barren land gone and replaced by a paved parking lot. The old buildings that once stood in the area were dangerous, more of an attraction for kids to get up to no good. Like me. I was one of those kids, drinking and partying and doing other things I shouldn’t have.

  I drove through the smooth parking lot, looking for a spot close to the door, and was surprised to see my name on a sign in front of a spot near the door.

  “Well, look at that,” I cooed. “Reserved for Jacob Miner, Vice President of Western Energies,” I read aloud, unable to stop smiling as I pulled my truck into the spot.

  I threw it into park, grabbed my phone, and hopped out of the truck, smoothing down the dark polo shirt with the Western Energies logo on the upper left. I’d worn a pair of nice jeans for my first day. I bent down to check my reflection in the side mirror, making sure my hair was in place. I hadn’t been able to resist driving down the highway with my window down and the music blaring. I used my fingertips to comb back my short brown hair before standing to my full six-two height again.

  I strode up the couple of steps to the front doors and walked into the sleek, modern building that looked completely out of place in the old mining town. There was muted lighting throughout the lobby that was covered with tasteful, modern art and several little seating areas arranged around the wide-open space. It was like something one would expect to see in a big city, not a little out of the way town like Burning Butte. A receptionist was sitting behind a tall desk, a headset on her head as she smiled at me.

  “Hi, I’m Jacob Miner, here to see Larry Welsh,” I said in a friendly tone.

  “Yes, Mr. Miner, he’s expecting you. I’ll take you in,” she said, sliding off the tall chair she’d been sitting in.

  She came around the edge of the reception desk. Her attire, a very attractive business suit with heels that could be used as a lethal weapon, were starkly different than the flowing dresses and jean-clad women I had seen on my drive through town. I imagined she must stick out like a sore thumb if she ever dared shop at one of the local shops.

  The cement floor of the building was finished with a marble appearance and a high shine so perfect it was like walking on a mirror. She turned a corner and strode toward a set of double doors at the end of the hall. She knocked once before turning the handle and pushing the door open, gesturing for me to go inside.

  “Thank you,” I said with a nod before strolling into the office with a big black-and-gray rug spread over the cement. Larry Welsh was sitting behind a massive cherrywood desk lining one side of the office. The guy was a younger version of George Clooney. He was a handsome, suave dude that could charm just about anyone. He was wealthy and it showed in the way he dressed, but he also had that Texas charm about him that made him approachable and well liked.

  My new boss and the owner of Western Energies got to his feet. “Jacob! Good to see you. I take it you found the place okay.”

  I chuckled. “It’s not hard to find. This place is amazing. I can’t believe the transformation,” I told him, still in awe of how the old feed warehouse had been turned into something out of Architectural Digest.

  “Thank you. It’s been a long p
rocess, but my design team really pulled off a miracle. Have a seat,” he said, gesturing to one of the two leather couches facing each other on either side of the massive rug.

  I sat down, resting my ankle on my knee, and looked around the grand office. It exuded wealth and power. “This is really nice,” I told him again.

  “Thank you. I’m excited for our future here. We’re going to do great things together. I think Fate had a hand in the two of us meeting back in Chicago. I had been looking for somewhere just like this to invest in, and you pointed me in the right direction,” he said with a small laugh.

  I shrugged a shoulder, thinking back to the event that had been held for energy company execs and owners. It was a networking event, rubbing elbows, shaking hands, and making connections that would make the wealthy a little wealthier. I didn’t mind having a role in that. My goal was to be wealthy and powerful and prove to everyone I wasn’t a worthless punk kid. I had worked my ass off in school to earn my bachelor’s degree in business management. That event had been the ticket I needed to get a foothold in the world that would make me successful. A single, casual conversation with a guy had led to me becoming the VP of a major energy company.

  Larry had jumped at the chance to hire me when he found where I was from. The oil boom in the Dakotas was big money for those willing to take the risk with an investment. I had the in Larry was looking for. Between my knowledge of the area and his business savvy, we’d decided to make it happen and now, here we were.

  I had gone through all the training at his Dallas offices with the intention of coming home to Burning Butte to work as VP. It couldn’t have worked out any better if I tried. It was exactly what I had intended to do when I’d been very unceremoniously run out of town eight long years ago. I was back. I was back to reclaim what had been taken from me. I loved that I was coming back home with a fancy title and a six-figure salary to go with it.

  “I have to admit I thought things would have changed some. It is almost exactly like I remember. I guess time doesn’t move quite as fast here,” I chuckled.

  He grinned, slapping his knee. “That’s going to work out in our favor. We’re about to shake things up and bring this town into the twenty-first century with good paying jobs and all the benefits that brings. We’ll get new businesses in town and infuse life back into this sleepy little place.”

  I grimaced. “We’re going to have to do it with a great deal of finesse. These people are old-school, and they might not be all that open to change,” I warned him.

  “I’m prepared for that. You’re my secret weapon. I’m counting on you to help soothe those ruffled feathers,” he said, that old-boy smile in place. “Let me show you your office,” he said, getting to his feet.

  My office was in the exact opposite direction of his down an identical hallway. I was impressed to see that it had the same double doors. He pushed open the door, grinning from ear to ear as he stepped out of the way and let me walk in. I was thoroughly impressed.

  “Wow. This is nice,” I said, taking in the luxurious furnishings and the fluffy, dark rug that added a little warmth to the stark office.

  There were built-in shelves lining one wall and a desk that was similar to the one in his office. I could already picture a piece of art I’d had my eye on for some time hanging on the huge blank wall behind my desk. It was a little dark, but it exuded luxury. I liked it. It was what I had always dreamed of.

  “Only the best for my favorite vice president,” he said.

  “Thank you, Larry. This is great. I look forward to making this a successful venture for you and the company,” I told him.

  “What are you doing tonight?” he asked.

  I shrugged a shoulder. “I’ve got a room at the local inn. I’m thinking I’ll dine on some vending machine snacks and maybe a Big Mac,” I said with a laugh.

  He slapped a hand on my shoulder. “Why don’t you come by the house tonight for dinner. I’d like you to meet the family.”

  I nodded, not about to turn down a hot meal and the chance to cement the friendship between Larry and me. He was a good guy. I had interviewed with a lot of other companies, but I didn’t like the vibe, or the CEO was not the kind of person I would ever want to be associated with.

  “I’d like that, thank you.”

  He quickly gave me his address. I should have known. He had the biggest house in the damn county. I was going to start looking for my own house ASAP. I wished I had the time to have something built, but I needed a place to rest my head now, not in a year. I had a Realtor working on the problem and was hoping to be moved into a new place by the end of the week. The inn was not exactly my idea of a homecoming.

  2

  Erin

  I loved the kitchen in the Welsh mansion. What wasn’t to love? It was huge and bright and had counter space for days. It was a gourmet kitchen well thought out, which made cooking an absolute dream. It was the kitchen a real cook would absolutely go gaga over. The entire house on sprawling acreage outside of town was stunning. It had been built with about a million custom details to make it super comfortable and fancy by a megastar who thought he was going to retire to the country and have a cattle ranch. The guy lived in the house for a couple of weeks before he figured out he wasn’t a rancher and country living wasn’t for him. All of us in town knew it was the Dakota winter that sealed the deal. Only the toughest and most resilient could survive one of those.

  The house had sat empty for years until the Welsh family came along. Now, it was a happy, family home getting put to good use, and I got to call the place home as well. It had taken me close to a month to learn the layout. There were about a million doors, and it was easy to get lost inside the sprawling home.

  “Can I have the blue crayon?” Mitchell Welsh asked my daughter, Ellie.

  I glanced over my shoulder to make sure all three of the kids were behaving themselves. My little girl had immediately taken to Mitchell and Mackenzie Welsh, my two young charges. They all got along really well, and it made my job as a nanny so much easier. I loved that I could work and have my seven-year-old daughter with me.

  When the Welshes moved to town six months ago and put out an ad looking for a nanny, I jumped at the chance. Ellie and Mackenzie were both in the same grade, and Mitchell was just a year younger, which made it nice. They could all play together and keep one another occupied while I did things like cook dinner.

  “You guys play nice,” I warned when I heard some grumbling coming from the table where they were all supposed to be drawing me a picture of their favorite thing.

  “Mom, Mitchell has all the blue crayons,” Ellie complained.

  “Mitchell, share please,” I said without turning around.

  Thankfully, they were all good kids and the squabbles were minor and limited. When I had taken the job, I had been worried Ellie wouldn’t get along with the other kids or that the Welsh kids would be spoiled little monsters that were too difficult to take care of. They weren’t. They were great, and my life had changed for the better. I was finally able to move out of my father’s house as part of the job included an apartment over the four-car garage. It was my own little space with my daughter, something we had never had the luxury of enjoying in the past.

  “Guys, in about three minutes, it’s going to be time to start on those homework sheets. Put away the crayons please,” I told them.

  “But I’m not done,” Ellie whined.

  “Three minutes,” I said again.

  There were some muted complaints, but I wasn’t worried they wouldn’t do what they were told. They usually did with minimal resistance. I covered the lasagna and slid it in the oven before turning to the long center island to finish chopping the veggies for the salad I had made to go with it. I loved cooking and taking care of a big family. Back home, I used to make dinner for my dad and sometimes my brother.

  That was another perk to living way out in the country: my brother wasn’t always in my face with his buddies beside him. I loved my br
other, but damn, did he get on my nerves. It seemed like he was convinced he was my father and was constantly lecturing me and trying to tell me how to raise my daughter and how to live in general. Getting away from him had certainly helped our relationship.

  I tossed the cherry tomatoes on the salad, covered it with plastic wrap, and stuck it in the huge double-door refrigerator to chill while the lasagna cooked. I quickly washed my hands and moved to the table where the kids were cleaning up the crayons.

  “All right, who’s ready to play a little game?” I teased.

  “Me!” they all yelled in unison.

  I checked the time and realized Mrs. Welsh had been gone a while. She’d gone in search of “appropriately sophisticated wine” to go with the lasagna. Poor Mrs. Welsh was struggling to adjust to country living. She was used to the finer things in life, like Broadway shows, five-star restaurants, and spas whenever she felt like it. Living in the country had been a huge change for her, but she seemed to be handling it well.

  “Okay, everyone on your feet and get in a line,” I directed the kids.

  They all scrambled out of their chairs and lined up in the spacious kitchen area. The table was more of a craft play area than an actual eating area. The Welshes preferred to eat in the formal dining room. In fact, I considered the kitchen mostly my area. Mrs. Welsh wasn’t a huge fan of cooking in general.

  I started the kids on a little math facts game. It got them up and helped worked out the wiggles before dinner while brushing up on their math. I had thought at one point that I wanted to be a teacher. I went to school and got my Associate’s degree in early childhood education, but raising Ellie on my own had made school difficult. I didn’t want to spend so much time away from her and had decided to put it on hold until she was a little older. I had been working in daycare facilities in order to keep her with me while earning enough money to support us. Even then, I was still stuck living in my dad’s house.