Page 41 of The Boss's Triplet Surprise

“I…” Dan trailed off. Leah was right. Their deal was over — and just this morning, he’d been ready to step away. Putting some distance between them was still the best thing to do. Even if Dan couldn’t forget his lo—his attraction towards Leah, nothing had changed. It was still best for both of them if he stepped away now, before he could hurt Leah and their children.

Work was always going to take priority, because Dan knew what he was doing at work. And he knew that the money he made would help his family.

“Yes. I agree. Have a nice day.” The doors opened, and Leah exited onto her floor. The doors closed again and Dan was alone, reeling.

Although he was the one who’d made the decision to pull away, it felt unfair that Leah wasn’t even willing to talk to him. He should have gotten a chance to come to terms with being a father to three babies. It wasn’t fair that, when he hadn’t been immediately okay with triplets, Leah had been finished with him.

In the back of his mind, Dan knew that what he was doing wasn’t fair either. Leah had needed him on Friday, and he hadn’t been there. She might need him again, and he wouldn’t be there, either.

Once he reached his floor, Dan walked quickly to his office. He raised his hand in greeting to a few coworkers, but didn’t stop. When he reached his office, he shut and locked the door, then sank into his chair. It was really over. Whatever it was that he and Leah had shared, it was over now. Finally and irreparably.

Dan knew that he wouldn’t be a good partner for Leah. And Leah couldn’t forgive him for not supporting her when she needed it. Neither of those things were ever going to change.

So, Dan would do what he was good at. He took out his checkbook. He and Leah had agreed on a sum each month while their child was growing up. Dan hadn’t paid it yet, since Leah was still pregnant and he was covering all her healthcare expenses, but he knew it was time to show that he was going to support her, at least in that one way.

Dan wrote the amount they’d agreed on, then paused. He tore the check in two and took a new one, on which he wrote triple the amount. Leah was carrying three times as many babies, so Dan would offer three times what they’d agreed. It was only fair.

Dan filled out the rest of the check, then paused. Perhaps he should deliver the check in person, as a kind of peace offering. But then he decided against it. He didn’t think he could handle seeing Leah in person again right now.

Instead, he sealed the check in an envelope and called for his assistant. It was better this way.

Once the check was on its way, Dan turned to his work. He needed to focus.

As if on cue, his phone began to ring. Dan snatched it up, hopeful for a fraction of a second that it might be Leah calling before he saw that it was his father. He was more disappointed than he’d expected.

Dan answered. “Hi, Dad.”

“Good morning.” Richard sounded as cheery as ever. “I’m swinging by the office this afternoon to review a few new projects. Maybe one of the last times I’ll have to do that! Anyway, I wanted to ask if you and Leah would care to join me for lunch.”

Dan’s stomach twisted. It was almost physically painful to still pretend he and Leah were dating when they’d never been more distant, but he knew what he had to do. If Dan told his father that they weren’t really dating now, before Richard had handed over the company, it would all have been in vain.

“I’d love to join you,” Dan said. “But Leah isn’t feeling well today. Morning sickness.”

“Oh, no.” Richard sounded genuinely disappointed. “I’m sorry to hear that. Well, I’d still love to see you. And please let Leah know we’re thinking about her.”

“Sure, Dad. Shall we meet at Oloyo’s Steakhouse around twelve?”

“It’s a plan.”

They said their goodbyes and hung up. Dan put the phone on his desk, then rested his head in his hands. This had all seemed so straightforward when he and Leah had agreed on their plan. Now, it seemed anything but.

Dan worked for a few hours, his mind wandering frequently, before it was time to meet his father for lunch. Oloyo’s was a short walk from the office, so Dan headed over a few minutes early. Richard was waiting in the lobby of the steakhouse. When he saw Dan coming, his smile grew.

“Hello there, Son.”

“Hi, Dad.”

They were escorted to a table, where they sat across from each other. Richard launched into a lively story about his morning misadventures on the commute to the office. Dan did his best to nod and laugh at the right times, but his mind was far from the restaurant. Thoughts and memories of Leah swirled through his head. The way their conversation in the elevator had played out was bothering him deeply. Maybe he should have said something different. Maybe he should have pushed for them to talk.

But maybe Leah should have been a little more accommodating. It was understandable that Dan needed a little time to come to terms with such a life-altering change.

More than blaming either of them, though, Dan just felt… sad. He missed Leah already. She would have elevated this lunch with her kind smile and humorous insights, just as she always did. They could have met after work or he could have brought her a snack in her office. They could have joked about baby names or planned a trip to visit her parents, as Leah had mentioned once.

Dan knew all the reasons why he couldn’t be with Leah. But that didn’t stop his heart from aching or his mind from running through all the moments they’d spent together.

“Son.”

Dan was startled to see that his father had stopped talking and was looking at him intently. Maybe Dan had been staring off into space a little too intensely.

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