Page 95 of Taming the Boss

But I’d gone through the steps with James, because there, I’d needed certainty. And I was his son, no doubt at all.

Maddie had rushed off to be with Owen and the cat once my sister had zeroed in on her pregnancy tests, and I couldn’t blame her for fleeing the scene. I didn’t relish this conversation with Syd, because I’d told her so little about Maddie. We just hadn’t talked much at all.

“I’m in love with Maddie.” My voice was low, since my partners were still a few feet away. Not that I was hiding it from anyone.

Hell, I fully intended to propose soon. I’d already asked her parents for their permission to marry her—which they’d given, shockingly—and I even already had the claddagh ring I’d had created with diamonds and emeralds. It was just a matter of timing.

Everything was.

Quickly, Gavin and Xavier made their excuses to go while mentioning they’d leave the paperwork I’d neglected to sign on the counter for whenever I could get to it. I nodded and said I’d be in touch soon just before they closed the back door behind them.

“So, you’re clearly lovers and clearly looking to expand your family.” Syd dropped the bag of tests as if pregnancy could be catchy.

She sat at the counter and I sat across from her, reaching out to take her hand. “I wish I could have handled this better. Eased you in. I wanted to tell you about Maddie, but everything happened pretty fast.”

“No kidding. Last time I talked to you for more than two minutes, you said you had a line on a nanny but nothing was for certain yet. Skipped some vital steps, brother.”

“I wasn’t lying. We just moved quickly once she accepted the job. I didn’t want to let her go.” I laughed, the sound cracking at the end as I raked a hand through my hair. “Basically, I asked her to move in the first day we met.”

Syd narrowed her eyes. “That’s not you.”

She didn’t know exactly how I’d met Gavin and Xavier. The leap I’d taken into mid-air without any kind of parachute. Now I was taking another one with Maddie.

“Tell me about it. Everything about me changed due to finding my son and my girl.” I cleared my throat. “And the rest of my family. Though no matter what, you’re always going to be my first family, Syd. No matter what.”

She warmed enough to clutch my hand, just for a couple seconds before she released me and pressed her fist to her mouth to shove her feelings back in line. Only someone who knew her tells would recognize she had any emotions at all.

“You know I love you. How important you are to me, and how much I wanted you to be here with me.”

She laughed unevenly. “Before her, that is. Why would you need me now, when you’re starting an all-new family with Maddie and your little boy and whatever sex your new baby is, assuming she’s pregnant. And if not now, I know she will be soon.”

“I pushed for all of it. I didn’t think I wanted a family, because I didn’t have a clue what it would really be like. I looked at Mom and Dad and how chilly they were to each other, and I truly didn’t see the point. Why put on that fake front for the world?” When Syd looked down at her fisted hands, I made myself keep going. “But it’s not fake with us. I fucking love being a father. And you know what else? I’m getting better at it. I am. Didn’t think that was possible, either.”

“Of course, you are. You’re a good guy, Jude. You always have been.”

“No, I haven’t been. Far from it. Before I came here, I was in a deep hole and didn’t even realize how far down I’d fallen. But my boy and Maddie helped me climb out. And if she’s pregnant now, I will be so grateful. It’s like I got thrown a rope. I was drowning and never even knew it.” I exhaled and reached for her hand again. Reluctantly, she gave it to me and didn’t pull back when I started to talk about the Hamiltons.

So, I told her what she had to know as quickly and cleanly as I was able to.

“Syd, I found out my father isn’t Wayne. When our mother left here with her payday, the one she used to start her business, she was already pregnant with me. I had a test to verify it recently. My father is James Hamilton, so I’ve started formal paperwork to change my name.”

All the color seemed to drain from her face. “What?” Her question was barely a whisper.

“I know it seems impossible. But you’re still my sister, just we have brothers now too. I want us to be as close as ever. Our parents weren’t why we were always tight. We just were the rocks for each other they were not for us. I’ve told Owen all about his aunt Sydney…” I trailed off as Syd ripped her hand from mine and leaped to her feet, staring at me as if I was a stranger.

Worse than a stranger, as if I was someone who had betrayed her.

I didn’t try to stop her as she rushed out, knowing she needed time to process all of this.

Just as I was still processing myself.

I regretted she’d taken my relationship with Maddie as one more example of how I didn’t need her anymore, when of course, nothing had changed between us. But only time would prove that to her. Nothing I could say would make any difference.

Words were just that. Only actions would have any lasting effect.

I was still sitting at the counter with my head in my hands when Maddie came in a little while later as her oven timer went off. I hadn’t even remembered she was still cooking dinner. She hurried to take out her delicious-smelling casserole, setting it aside to cool off before she came around to perch on the stool at my side.

“Are you okay?” Even before I could answer her, she set her hand on my leg, soothing me without words as she had done from the very start. “What can I do to make this easier on you?”

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