“What about a science cake?!” he cried, letting out a little squeal of joy.
The request was a little strange and I paused for a moment to think about it. “Um, I’m not sure how I would go about making that or whether I’m a good enough decorator to pull it off, but I’d be willing to give it a try.” I was already typing in ‘science cake recipe’ into Google on my phone.
The things we do for our kids, I thought with a smile. I hadn’t believed it before having one of my own, but being a parent really did change me. I would do anything and everything just to make this kid happy. Even make a science-themed birthday cake apparently.
Lincoln smiled wide. “Yay! Birthday cake with dinos and stars and space!” He started gesturing wildly as he spoke, practically dancing in the store and no matter how much I tried to, I couldn’t get him to calm down.
He was still talking eagerly about his cake as we turned the corner at the end of the aisle and I heard a voice that had become ingrained in my memory. It was a voice I never thought I would ever forget and one that I didn’t expect to hear on an innocuous outing with my son. My heart fluttered and I could feel my chest grow tight as I held my breath.
“I need more cereal bars for work, I’ve been getting so hungry in the mornings even after breakfast,” Billie was explaining to her companion as she grew closer and closer. She was wearing a baby blue t-shirt with a slogan that read ‘Girl Power’ and a simple pair of jeans. It didn’t even look like she was wearing make-up, but it didn’t matter. She was still as devastatingly beautiful without it.
As soon as I got a hold of myself, I wanted to run. I wanted to hide and avoid the conversation that would inevitably occur. We still hadn’t talked properly since I’d kissed her and I was hoping to keep it that way. I certainly wasn’t wanting to have that kind of conversation with an audience. Besides, I knew we couldn’t be together. There were too many obstacles keeping us apart, including my own baggage, and if I couldn’t have Billie, I didn’t want to endure the torture of being so close to her and yet, nowhere near as close as I wanted to be.
Unfortunately, my son had other ideas for the two of us.
Before I could turn in the other direction, Lincoln had caught sight of the brunette and let out a gasp. “Billie!” he screamed at the top of his lungs, causing more than a few heads to turn our way—including Billie’s.
For a second, she looked around the supermarket for the person who had called her. Eventually, she looked toward Lincoln and her eyes widened in surprise. “Linc, is that you?” she said as her face broke out in a big grin.
“Yes, Billie! It’s me!” he cried, running ahead of me toward her.
There was someone stood next to Billie and I envied their proximity despite how irrational that was. Billie’s friend was the same person who had attended the tour with her. I was sure my dad had told me it was her landlady. I noticed that her eyes were on me instead of my son who had just been screaming the place down. I rubbed the back of my neck and shifted from side to side uncomfortably.
“Carla, this is Linc, the special little boy I was telling you about,” she explained to her friend. Then with open arms, Billie met Lincoln halfway between us and bent down to hug him tight. “It’s good to see you, little man,” she said as she drew back and stood up. Her eyes met mine for a brief moment. “Nice to see you too, boss.”
I nodded in greeting, but I didn’t want to say anymore. Luckily, I didn’t have to. Lincoln did the work for me.
“What are you up to? Are you buying candy? Can you get me some?” he asked in rapid succession.
“Linc,” I cautioned in a stern tone.
Both Carla and Billie just laughed, however. “I’m afraid your dad might have a problem with that,” she told him with a smile. “What are you two doing here anyway?”
“It’s my birthday soon!” Lincoln enthused, bouncing up and down happily. “Daddy and I are going to make the best cake ever. It’s going to be green and there’s going to be planets and stuff!”
“Oh, wow, that sounds like an awesome cake, Linc,” Billie replied with a smile. “How old are you going to be, little guy?”
“Five! I’m going to be five. I’ll be a big boy!” he explained with a happy expression.
“Wow, five. That’s a very important age. Isn’t that right, Carla?”
The blonde beside Billie nodded. “Yes, very important.”
“You should come to my party!” Lincoln said before I could stop him and instantly, I felt my whole body tense up. Surely, she wasn’t going to accept? It would be hell having her in my home while being unable to do what I really wanted to with her.
“Aww, Linc, you’re so sweet to invite me,” she replied. “Of course, I’ll come, little buddy. Like I said, five is a big age. There’s no way I’d miss it.”
My jaw dropped and I cursed fate for our impromptu meeting. It wasn’t like I could tell her not to come. Besides, I wanted to do whatever would make Lincoln happy. Whatever my little boy wanted, he got, even if it drove me insane.
“Yay! I can’t wait! Don’t forget to bring candy!”
Once more, Carla and Billie laughed at my mischievous child and I reluctantly stepped forward to give Billie the directions to my house. “Everybody is arriving for dinner at six. Do you think you can come on time?”
Billie had the biggest grin on her face the whole time. “Don’t worry, I’m good at coming when it matters,” she stated with a sly look over at me.
Heat coursed through my veins at the innuendo and I had to avert my gaze to stop myself from doing something I’d regret. “Yeah, well, I guess I’ll see you Monday then. Come on now, Linc. We need to get going…”
“Okay then. Bye, bye, little man,” Billie said as she leaned down to give Linc a parting hug.
“It was nice meeting you, boss man and little man,” Carla said as she smirked over at me. Her gaze was assessing and penetrating, like she could see right through me. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if she knew exactly how I felt about Billie. I felt like I was being about as subtle as a rocket launcher with how I acted around Billie.
The two of them disappeared down the cereal aisle and I hurried Lincoln toward the bakery section. I distracted myself from thinking about how beautiful Billie had looked just now by rifling through the selection of frostings available on the shelf. They had three different shades of green, so I picked each one up to get a better look when Lincoln said something that shook me to my very core.
“Hey, Daddy, could that pretty lady be my mama one day?”
The jar of frosting I’d been holding slipped from my grasp and shattered into tiny pieces on the ground.
15
Billie
By the time Wednesday had rolled around, I’d almost forgotten what Quentin looked like. He was doing such a spectacular job at avoiding me that I hardly knew where he was half the time. Instead, I was talking about any issues I came up against with Peter. It certainly made my days easier, but they were far less exciting. Anytime I heard a knock at my door, my heart started beating faster, hoping beyond hope that it was Quentin. Alas, every time I was disappointed.
“I think our selection would be more than adequate to fit your needs, Mr. Belvedere, but I’ll have to discuss the sheer volume of the potential order with my manager first before we can set up an order. Okay?” I said as I clutched the phone tight to my ear.
Unexpectedly, a knock sounded at the door and I gasped. Could it be him this time?
“Like I said, Mr. Belvedere, I’ll call you back as soon as I’ve got the confirmation. It’s been lovely chatting with you. Bye now.” I hung up the phone before running my fingers through my hair and checking for any blemishes on my face in my little compact mirror. Once I was certain I looked good enough to see my boss, I called out, “Come in!”
To my utter dismay, however, it wasn’t Quentin at the door. It was Peter.
“Good afternoon, Billie,” he greeted as he stepped inside and closed the door behind him.
>
“Good afternoon, Peter. What’s up?” I asked with a polite smile.
“Nothing much,” he admitted and shrugged. “I’m just checking in to see how your work’s going.”
“It’s fine,” I told him. “You know me, if I had any issues, I’d come to you.”
Peter nodded. “Then why don’t you tell me how you and Quentin are getting along…” he trailed off suggestively and waggled his eyebrows in my direction.
Ahh, so that’s what this was really about… I let out a little laugh. I knew how close Quentin and Peter were. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that he was aware of our little situation.
“Everything is fine between us as far as I’m aware,” I told him. “We very rarely even see each other. He only talks to me if he has to, but…”
“But?” Peter probed as he approached my desk with a curious expression.
I smirked. “Well, Linc might have invited me to his birthday dinner on Friday,” I began. “And I might have said yes.”
Peter made a noise that sounded somewhere between a groan and a laugh. “That… That sounds like a recipe for disaster.”
I shrugged. “The little guy invited me. What was I supposed to do? Say no?”
“You’re right,” he admitted. “That kid has been through a lot in his short little life. He deserves to have a good birthday party. Make sure you get him a decent present, okay?”
I nodded. “Of course.”
“Well, good luck and if you need any help with anything work-related then you know where to find me.” With one last nod, Peter turned and left the office.
I shook my head and leaned back in my chair. Peter’s words stuck with me. What was it that Lincoln had been through? Whatever it was, he didn’t deserve it, I knew that much. He was a wonderful young guy and I knew I needed to make his birthday as special as I could.
I tapped my forefinger against my lips as I thought long and hard about what I could get him. What does a five-year-old boy want? I wondered. I spent the rest of the afternoon only half-focused on my work while that thought and that thought alone reverberated through my mind.
The closest mall was only a short drive away and I was grateful to Lincoln for giving me a good reason to get out and explore more of this beautiful county. The outside of the shopping center was surrounded by palm trees and long blades of grass which gave off a fresh natural scent. As I walked down the concrete path toward the entrance, I thought long and hard about what I’d learned about the youngest Wendall. It should have been easy—he was a talkative little man! Yet, as I entered the building, I found myself lost.
What do kids like? I asked myself as I passed a 7-Eleven and a Forever 21 knowing that nothing inside there would be even remotely suitable for what I wanted. My eyes surveyed the signs of each shop that I passed, but nothing really caught my eye. At least, not until I turned the corner and spotted a brightly colored exterior right in front of me. A huge sign read ‘Cooper’s Toy Emporium’ and I smiled.
“Jackpot.”
With a determination I couldn’t quell, I strode toward the store and peered in the shop windows. There were elaborate displays of assembled toy structures including castles and Victorian houses which decorated the shelves, but still, nothing struck me as being the perfect present for Lincoln.
“Excuse me, miss, can I help you?” an attendant dressed in a striped shirt asked from the doorway. He had an average build and a tanned complexion. His name badge read ‘Tom’.
I smiled and nodded. “Actually, I’m looking for a present for a five-year-old’s birthday. Do you have anything for that age?”
“Of course,” he told me. “Come right this way and I’ll show you.”
I nodded gratefully and followed him inside. As soon as I stepped in the door, I was bathed in bright, white light and the vibrant orange, green, and yellow of the store’s décor shone invitingly. I looked around at the baskets of plushies and ornaments, keeping an eye out for anything that would remind me of Lincoln.
“Here we go, miss. Let me know if I can help you anymore,” Tom told me before turning around and walking toward a family who were looking at Wendy houses.
The selection of toys in front of me was excellent. There was such a variety and everything looked well-made. I brought a finger up to the shelf to peruse the boxes when I came across a section that piqued my interest.
“Science…” I whispered to myself. “That’s it.”
I recalled Lincoln mentioning he wanted a cake with planets on it for his birthday, so I rifled through the shelves to find the perfect gift. There were chemistry sets which seemed a little too old for him and a few crystal growing sets which I considered for a moment, but then I found one labeled ‘My First Science Kit’ and I picked it up with confidence.
“This is perfect.”
Just as I turned to go and pay, however, I caught a glimpse of a picture of the solar system. I turned my head and read the black box which stated ‘Solar System Model for Kids’. Before I could think too much about it, I snatched that toy up too before heading to the cashier. I hope I get this right…
After I finished up at the toy store, I headed toward the food court when I bumped into a friendly face. It was Tracy. She was carrying a couple of bulky and heavy-looking bags as she stared down at her phone. Her head was free of her hair net for once and her blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders. I thought it looked lovely.
“Hey, Tracy!” I called out before sprinting to catch up to her.
She turned and looked at me with her eyebrows drawn together before smiling. “Billie! I didn’t recognize you at first. What are you doing here?”
“Just a little bit of shopping. What about you?” I asked.
“Same,” she replied and lifted her bags in indication.
“They look awfully full, Trace. You want me to give you a hand?” I offered.
She nodded gratefully and passed me one of them. “Thanks so much, Billie.”
“Anytime. So, what are you doing now?”
“Well, my boyfriend, Al, his parents own one of the restaurants in the food court here. He works here from time to time to fill in for them. I was going to meet him when he finishes, but it won’t be for a few hours yet.”
I nodded in understanding. “How would you like a friend to help you kill some time?”
Tracy’s whole face brightened. “That sounds wonderful. Did you have anything in mind?”
I shook my head. “Oh, wait. I’m actually starving. I haven’t eaten anything since lunch.”
Tracy grinned and pointed ahead of us. “Over there is where Al’s working. I’ve eaten there a couple of times with him before. It’s actually great! Do you like Italian?” she gushed.
“Who doesn’t like Italian?” I replied easily. “Let’s go.”
The two of us closed the small distance to Al’s family restaurant while making small talk about the weather. When we arrived, Al seated us while giving Tracy a lovely smile. A waiter came by to see how we were doing and after much discussion, I settled on the salmon risotto while Tracy opted for a simple carbonara.
“And what would you have to drink, madams?” the waiter asked as he collected our food menus.
“White wine for me,” Tracy said with a grin.
“You’re drinking?” I asked, shocked. “But we have work tomorrow.”
Tracy giggled. “One little drink won’t do any harm.”
I smiled. “Okay, prosecco for me then. Thank you.”
“I’ll be right back with your drinks,” the waiter told us before turning away and walking off.
In the end, Tracy and I spent a few hours together. It was easy talking to her, surprisingly. Even though the meeting was spur of the moment, neither of us seemed out of our depth or awkward. Instead, we were getting along like a house on fire. We got along so well, in fact, that I even considered telling her about the whole Quentin situation, but I didn’t.
For now, I wanted it to be my little secret.
16
Quentin
By the time Friday rolled around, Lincoln was practically bouncing off the walls with excitement for his party. In the morning, his enthusiasm for his presents was soon replaced by impatience for time to move quicker.
“Is it time for my party now?” he asked while I grabbed my keys from the coffee table.
“Not yet, Linc,” I reminded him for the fifth time. “Not until tonight. You know Daddy has to go to work first.”
“Aww, but it’s my birthday!” Lincoln protested, stamping his feet on the ground and pushing his bottom lip out.
“I know, I know. That’s why Nanny Mandy is going to take you to the playground this morning, okay?” I assured him as I shrugged my jacket on.
“That’s right, Linc. We’re going to have lots of fun together,” the nanny agreed with a nod.
“Fine,” Lincoln said with a huff. He folded his arms across his chest adorably and I couldn’t stifle my laughter.
“I’ll see you both after lunch, okay?” I called as I opened the door and glanced back at my son and his nanny.
“See you after lunch!” they chimed together. I closed the door behind me happily, knowing full well that Lincoln was going to be taken care of.
Even though I was only intending the stay for half a day, my time at work was dragging. As I tried my best to focus on numbers and figures, I was getting distracted thinking about my son. I needed to get home as early as possible in order to have enough time to set up all the decorations, cook dinner, and still have time to shower and get ready before guests arrive.
I was tapping my fingers on the steering wheel impatiently when I finally began driving home. As expected, when I arrived back at my apartment, Mandy was waiting patiently with an excited Lincoln who was busy coloring on the floor. After a quick conversation about how he’d been that morning, Mandy left promptly and my son and I were alone again.
Dear Boss: A Single Dad Office Romance (Forbidden First Times Book 3) Page 9