Page 3 of Baby Daddy Wanted

“Not even the unicorn print ones? I thought they were your favorite.”

His eyes narrowed. “I said they were out of this world. Not that they were my favorite.”

“You were talking to David for a while.” I scanned the room until I found our boss, who was waving a short tumbler in the air as he held court, his bird-sized wife looking on obediently.

He shrugged. “Just checking him off the list. Think I’ve almost managed to speak to everyone.”

"You want to head soon then?”

“Are you that miserable?”

“I’m not miserable,” I said, feeling defensive. “I’m just…I don’t know. Don’t you feel like you already spend every waking moment with these people?”

“I suppose.”

I could sense his disappointment that I wasn’t enjoying myself more and wished I had even an ounce of my brother’s talent for turning everyone I met into my new best friend. Unfortunately, I couldn’t let my guard down with people like that, especially people whose respect I needed to do my job. And now that I’d been promoted to senior manager, I was more stressed than ever. “I’m just tired,” I said, hoping Kurt wouldn’t hate me for being a party pooper. “Think I might head.”

“Really?” His dark brows furrowed before he checked his watch, his surprised reaction revealing it was later than he thought.

“You can stay,” I said, glancing past him at our increasingly glassy-eyed coworkers.

“I’ll call you tomorrow.”

My face fell with my shock. “Oh. Okay.” I tried to muster a soft smile, told myself I’d no right to be disappointed. There were still lots of people milling about, and it’s not like we’d talked about spending the night together, though Saturdays were usually the one night we weren’t too tired to—

“Come on,” he said, his hand finding my lower back and pointing me towards the door. “I’ll come with you to get your coat.”

“My hero,” I mumbled.

He pulled his hand away. “What?”

“I said don’t bother. Stay and enjoy yourself. I prefer an Irish exit anyway.”

His eyes searched mine. “You sure?”

Come home with me, I thought. Pick me. “Of course.”

“Text me when you get in?”

"Sure,” I said, forcing a smile for the one person I shouldn’t have to.

He gave my hand a squeeze and then backed away slowly, his soft eyes smiling like he didn’t see anything wrong with sending me home on my own.

But by the time I got in the cab, I was relieved. Because I knew how to be alone. Unfortunately, I was starting to suspect that was all I’d ever be with Kurt. Worse, I was starting to feel like that wasn’t enough, starting to feel like I wanted more.

Except I didn’t know what to do about it. And as I stared out the window at the twinkling lights decorating the tree-lined sidewalks, it was like the weight of all the saddest Christmas songs came down on my heart at once. And soon silent tears were dripping over my rosy cheeks.

It was stupid, really. I didn’t even know why I was crying.

All I knew was that I couldn’t stop.

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