Page 49 of The Boss's Triplet Surprise

The words hit Dan like a ton of bricks. He’d worried for so long that he wouldn’t be a good partner, but it was true that no one was good at anything right away. And it was true that Leah mattered more than work. So did their children. In that moment, Dan understood. Family was the most important thing. And with hard work, he could be the partner she needed and the father their kids deserved.

“It’s too late, though.” Dan shook his head slowly. “Leah doesn’t want anything to do with me. She made it clear that I don’t have a role to play in her life anymore.”

“Of course she did.” Richard smiled. “You told me you ran off after you found out that you were having triplets and that you haven’t supported her since. She must be furious. You messed up, big time. But that doesn’t mean that it’s too late. I’ve seen how Leah looks at you. You can still make this right.”

“Do you think so?”

“I do.” Richard nodded. “But Dan, if you go after her, if you try to win her back, you have to be sure. Family isn’t something you can do halfway. If things get hard again, and they will, you have to be there. Leah and your children have to be the most important thing in your life. More than work. More than anything. Can you do that?”

Dan nodded. “I can. I have to. I’ve let my fears keep me from her for too long. If she’ll have me back, I’ll make sure she’s always my first priority. You’re right. I can delegate work, but I can’t delegate her.”

“Good man.” Richard reached across the table and squeezed Dan’s shoulder. “Go. Win her back. But later, we are going to have a long talk about honesty.”

“I’ll be ready.” Dan got to his feet.

“Oh, and Dan?”

He turned back to his father. “Yes?”

“You didn’t ask, but I wanted to tell you. You’re still ready to inherit the company. Your honesty and openness today proved that you’re ready, just as much as your relationship with Leah does.”

Dan froze. “Thank you. I can’t believe this, but I almost forgot about the company for a moment.”

“Good.” Richard nodded. “I think you finally have your priorities straight. Now, get going.”

Dan hurried out to the car, his mind racing. He wanted to speak to Leah in person, not over the phone, and the weekend would give him the time to plan. He knew he needed to show her that he saw things differently now and that he was ready to love her.

The long weekend flew by. Dan ordered chocolates, flowers, and a set of three newborn onesies that read Daddy loves Mommy. Sure, they were cheesy, but they were true, and Dan could handle being a little cheesy for Leah.

Early Monday morning, before Leah usually arrived, Dan was in her office, setting everything up. He was nervous, but more than anything else, he was excited. He’d missed Leah unbearably during the months they’d been apart. He knew he’d missed out on so many milestones in her pregnancy and in their triplets’ development. He wouldn’t get that time back, but from now on, he could be the partner she needed. He was ready.

Dan waited in Leah’s office. He was ready to surprise her. He was ready to talk.

Nine o’clock, when Leah usually arrived, came and went. Dan waited. Ten o’clock came, then went. He started to worry. Perhaps she had a doctor’s appointment. Or a meeting. Or maybe something had happened to her.

Finally, at ten thirty, the office door swung open. Dan’s heart beat faster in anticipation. This was it. Yet the woman who came in wasn’t Leah. It was a brunette who Dan had seen around the office a few times, Bradyn or something similar.

“Oh!” She looked startled that Dan was in the office. “Hi!”

“Good morning.” Dan got to his feet. “I’m looking for Leah. Do you know if she’s coming in today?”

“Um.” The woman shook her head. “No, she isn’t coming in.”

“Do you know when she’ll be back?”

“Not for a while.” The woman bit her lip. “Leah’s maternity leave starts today. Since she has a high-risk pregnancy, she gets five weeks off before her due date. But I’ll be covering all her projects. Is there something I can help you with?”

Dan shook his head. “No, thank you. I’ll go.”

His heart sank as he gathered the bag of gifts and left the office. If Leah’s maternity leave had started, she wouldn’t be back in the office for months. He was going to have to find another way to contact her.

Back in his office, he pulled up her contact on his phone and called her. After ringing, the call went to voicemail.

“Hi, Leah. It’s Dan. We need to talk. Please call me back.”

He sent her a quick text as well. In this one, he added that he was sorry for how things had gone between them. Then he waited. And waited.

Over the next few days, Dan tried to call Leah several more times, but he couldn’t get through to her. She wasn’t taking his calls. He left her a few voice messages and texts, but he quickly realized that she wasn’t willing to talk to him. He could hardly blame her.

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