Page 16 of The Boss's Triplet Surprise

“That was a very enjoyable dinner. Thank you for joining me. And thank you for sharing about your journey into the world of research and development.”

Leah felt her cheeks heat. She still felt bad for insulting Dan, even though he’d said that he admired her passion, rather than getting upset. It took a strong man to accept criticism with such an open mind.

“Sorry again for that.”

“No, really. I appreciated hearing your perspective.”

“I am curious, though.” Leah leaned slightly closer. “You know now about my story. But what made you interested in pharmaceuticals? I’m sure you had other options than to follow in your father’s footsteps.”

Dan nodded. “I did. My father was always clear with both me and Jenny that it was up to us what career we wanted to pursue. Jenny became interested in other things, but from the time I was very young, I never considered any path but to work at RMA. I loved going with my father to work and hearing his stories about how his pharmaceuticals helped people — and ensured a solid foundation for his family. My father is the most family-oriented man you’ll ever see. He founded RMA to ensure a stable income so his family would never want for anything.”

“Another reason why he wants you to be married.” Leah hesitated. More and more, a picture was starting to come together. Dan was clearly a workaholic who left little time for anything but his job. And his father sounded genuinely concerned about his son’s well-being. Leah was starting to wonder if Dan was making a mistake by pretending to date her, rather than pursuing a real relationship. Yet she didn’t want to question Dan’s plan. Surely, he knew his father and his life better than she did.

“Exactly.” Dan nodded. “He tells me that RMA is built around family values and that I’ll never understand that until I’m married myself. And until I’m a father.”

“Hmm.” Richard might have a point there, too.

“Speak your mind, Leah.” Dan fixed her with his intense gaze. “I feel like you’re dancing around something. We’re going to be having a child together. You should be able to tell me how you feel.”

He hadn’t pushed her before, but maybe now, with both of them a little tipsy, it was easier to ask the question.

Leah sighed. “You know your life best. But I do wonder if you’re missing out by not trying for a real relationship, a real family.”

“Our child will be real,” Dan pointed out. “Anyway, I did try. In my twenties, I dated my share of women. I always went into the relationships open to how they would turn out. Yet they never developed into anything serious.”

“Hmm.”

Dan shot her another glance, and Leah sighed again.

“Okay, okay,” she said. I just wonder if they didn’t work out because you were more dedicated to your work than to the relationships.”

Dan chuckled. He didn’t sound upset, which was a relief. Leah might have been upset if someone called out her life choices like that.

“You sound just like my father,” he said. “I’m starting to think you’ll get along even better than I thought. But I have to ask. You’re choosing to have a baby without a proper partner, just like I am. So, I could easily turn the argument back on you. Don’t you think you might be missing out by having a family on your own?”

“That’s a good point.” Leah bit her lip. “But I guess it’s more important to me to be a mother than to chase a dream of love that might never happen.” It was more honest than Leah usually was, but in that moment, in the dark car with this man who’d proven to be so much more than she’d expected, it felt right.

“I feel the same way. My career is more important to me than a chance at love that may never happen.”

They looked at each other for a long moment. Leah couldn’t make out Dan’s features well, but his eyes still stood out. She felt a connection to him, then. It was a connection she couldn’t feel with her happily married girlfriends or her happily married parents. She felt like Dan understood her in a way that no one else could — and maybe the other way around, too.

“You are going to be a wonderful mother,” Dan said softly. “No matter what else happens. No matter how involved — or not — you want me to be. I can see how much you care, not just about yourself but about everyone you meet. It’s truly inspiring.”

Leah hoped Dan couldn’t see her blush in the darkness. “I… Wow. Thank you. That means a lot to hear, especially from you. Since you’ll be the father, of course. And for the record, I think you’ll be a wonderful dad, too.”

The cab pulled into the hotel’s parking lot and came to a stop. Dan paid the driver, along with a generous tip and a goodnight, then got out. Leah followed. She felt a little strange. Her heart was beating faster than usual.

“I’ll walk you to your room,” Dan insisted. “The party scene here can be a little intense.”

“I’ve walked to my room at conferences alone plenty of times,” Leah pointed out with a slight chuckle. “I think I can figure out the way.”

“I know, I know. But let me walk you anyway.”

Since Leah didn’t want to end their conversation, she nodded her assent and they walked together into the hotel’s lobby. Sure enough, most of the attendees had converted into party mode and were milling around with drinks in hand, chatting, even dancing. Leah smiled at them but didn’t stop as she headed for the elevators. She’d never really been one to join in on the more informal side of these conferences. A good time for her was more likely to entail a nice jog, a walk in the park, a good book and a warm blanket, or a circle of close friends and a casual dinner.

As they rode the elevator up to Leah’s floor, she took the opportunity to cast a furtive glance at the man beside her. Dan was leaning against the wall, his hands in his pockets. Now, at night, after a dinner together and a few drinks, he looked less like her boss and more like a man. An attractive man. Leah was already fighting hard to keep her crush at bay, and seeing Dan like this, with his hair slightly tousled and his careful posture relaxed, wasn’t making it any easier.

The elevator reached Leah’s floor and the doors opened with a ding. As they stepped out, she glanced at Dan again.

---