Page 87 of Taming the Boss

“Honestly, I’m happy it was you.” I raked a hand through my hair then just clutched the back of my neck where the muscles were so tight. “When I talk to him, I’ll bring Maddie.”

“Good idea. She’s your touchstone, and you’ll need her to get through this. We have each other, so we get how much harder it is for you.”

Saying nothing, I nodded.

Oliver clapped me on the back. “Ally and Sage are coming to pick us up when we let them know we’re ready to go, and they’ll drop you off at home too. Unless Maddie is coming here.”

I shook my head. Suddenly, I was so very tired. Exhausted, in fact. There had been far too many emotional revelations today.

“No, she’s got my boy. She doesn’t need to deal with me too.”

We didn’t rush to leave, playing a couple of games of pool and laughing about their kids and their wives and even Owen, when I shared something about here and there. I didn’t share anything about Maddie, since it was early days for us. I also hadn’t spent any time with her and her family yet, but I hoped I would get to soon.

Then Seth finally decided to call Ally to come pick us up in their mini-van since, apparently, she and Sage had decided to have an impromptu sleepover with their kids. He mentioned maybe Maddie could hang out with the ladies sometime, which was a really nice offer.

They were trying to include us already. And it didn’t feel nearly as strange as I would’ve assumed.

Family didn’t have to be painful, I supposed. Definitely new for me in all ways.

Ally came by a bit later. She dropped me off at home with a smile and an offer to come for dinner the next weekend and to make sure I brought Maddie and Owen too. Then Oliver said he and Sage and their kids would have us over within the next few weeks, so of course, I extended the same offer to both.

I’d even invite our father and Cookie, once I ascertained he was open to getting to know me.

First, I’d talk to Maddie and see if she would be willing to go see him with me at the earliest possible time. Just so we had our initial contact in private.

I didn’t know if my luck with family could continue to hold, but so far, so good.

Maddie and Owen were both already in bed when I arrived home, and checking on both gave me a warm feeling of satisfaction. And love. I’d never had my own family before, and other than Sydney, my immediate family had certainly never given me the warm fuzzies. I’d never thought I needed them.

But having a family was already changing my mind so quickly, and it had only been such a short time. If I’d known what it was like sooner…

Perhaps I’d met Maddie right when I was meant to. When I was meant to have a family, despite any initial reluctance.

I changed out of my clothes, thinking again how Seth had indicated I was damn near a copy of Oliver in my more formal dress. I’d have to buy some jeans and T-shirts—and actually wear them now and then—to prove that I wasn’t always so stiff.

I could relax, by God. I could. I’d even spent a night with Maddie and my boy watching movies, with more to come.

No way did I want Owen to look back and realize his only memories of me were always working, just as I had so many the same of my father.

Or the man I’d always assumed was my father. Sydney’s father.

How would she react to learning we had different fathers? I’d have to assume not well, because we’d always relied so heavily on each other in the absence of decent parental support.

I sat on the edge of the bed for a bit and watched Maddie sleep. I stayed for a while, just stroking her hair until she must’ve felt the weight of my stare and stretched and yawned, her drowsy blue eyes flickering open and meeting mine. Instantly, she smiled, and the remaining tightness in my neck and shoulders instantly lifted.

“Hi, you,” she breathed. Then she sat up. “Are you okay? Is Owen okay?”

“Yes, we’re both fine. But you thought of us first before you even took stock of yourself.” I leaned over to give her a soft kiss. “You have made my life so much better, do you realize that? You’ve been a fucking gift to me. Not sure what I did to deserve you.”

“I feel the same about you and Owen. Maybe we just find who we are meant to when it’s meant. Happenstance or perhaps kismet.” She returned my kiss before easing back with a regretful sigh. “How did everything go? You didn’t rush home before you were ready, I hope.”

Before I could reply, she glanced at her phone, her eyes widening as she saw the time. “Oh, I guess not. I didn’t realize it was so late. We came home right after fireworks because it started to rain just as they were winding down. Owen was up way past his bedtime though he looked so cute in his little slicker.” Her lips curved. “He loved the fireworks though he kept covering his ears. Soon as we came home, I put him down and he went right to sleep. And I guess I did too. I never got to show him a video of fireworks first. Oh, well. Best laid plans.” She laughed. “We missed you but I was so happy you met your brothers.” She took a breath. “Okay, now I’m shutting up so you can talk.”

“You can talk forever, and I’ll never get tired of it. Don’t worry there.” I gave in and brushed her hair away from her face. I just needed to keep touching her as much as possible, even when it had absolutely nothing to do with sex.

What was happening to me? I truly had no explanation. Other than love.

Love was the answer for all the best things.

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