Page 49 of The Undercover Billionaire's Baby

“Thank you for today. You made it perfect.”

“You did that,” said Brad. “It was all you.”

I shook my head. “No…”

“Yes. I was watching.” Brad tilted my chin up to look in my eyes. His expression was serious, but his eyes were still warm. “You were great with the customers. You know your books. No matter what someone asked for, you knew what they’d love. They all left with books they couldn’t wait to read. When I say that was all you, I mean it. All you.”

A rush of warmth swept through me like I’d never felt, and nothing could’ve stopped me from rising up, kissing Brad. Tasting the sugar from the pastries he’d had. It all felt so right, like our whole lives had led here. Like I’d always been waiting for us, for this moment.

Brad pushed my hair back. Kissed my closed eyelids. A shiver ran through me, the sweetest excitement. I took his hands and pulled him back down the hall, back past the kitchen and past the hall closet, all the way to my bedroom. He paused at the door.

“Yeah? You sure?”

I pretended to think for all of a second. I’d never been surer of anything in my life. This was our night, mine and Brad’s, and I wasn’t about to let it slip away. Whatever came next, we’d have this, tonight. We’d have this shining triumph, and our night of each other.

I pulled him into my bedroom and let the door swing shut.

CHAPTER 20

SAM

Iwoke up and felt like I was still dreaming. It wasn’t quite morning yet, but not full night either, the sky graying up along the horizon. In the pale light I picked out Lana’s form, the curve of her shoulder, the fall of her hair. She’d curled up with her back to me some time in the night, and stolen most of the covers, leaving me bare. But it wasn’t the chill that had stirred me from my sleep. It was my phone, buzzing, obnoxious. Setting my pants jiggling where they hung on her chair.

I held my breath, praying it wouldn’t wake Lana. Yesterday had been big for her. She needed her sleep.

My phone buzzed again, loud in the silence.

Lana shifted and muttered, but didn’t wake up.

My phone did a half-buzz, then my voicemail picked up. I closed my eyes, then it started again.

Buzz.

Buzz.

Buzz.

Dad. Who else would it be? He was the only one who’d call me this early, who’d even be up at the butt crack of dawn. I’d told him a million times, people sleep when it’s dark.

Buzz. Buzz. Bu?—

Lana moaned, unhappy. I eased myself up. Dad wouldn’t stop calling, and I was awake. Lana didn’t need to be, because Dad had no manners.

Buzz.

“Yeah, I’m coming.” I swung my legs off the bed. Stood as smooth as I could, not to jostle Lana. She burrowed deeper into her pile of stolen covers. I grabbed my pants, phone and all, and snuck out to the hall.

“Dad, what’d I tell you about dawn wakeup calls?”

“Dawn? What dawn? I’m having my breakfast.”

“It’s quarter to stupid. What do you want?”

Dad huffed down the line. “I’m calling with good news. You could be half-civil.”

I glanced back down the hall. No sign of Lana. Fingers crossed, I’d grabbed Dad before he could wake her. I made my way to the kitchen, wriggling into my pants.

“Sorry,” I said. “Yesterday was the relaunch. We were run off our feet all day, so?—”

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