Page 19 of Boss's Baby Surprise

Marci sat next to me and patted my hip like she was petting the sad puppy I was. “It’s okay, we all go through it.”

“You don’t understand,” I whined.

“I know heartbreak when I see it. I’m sorry,” she said.

“How did you get so smart?” I asked as I sat up.

“Wisdom comes with heartache. I’ve been through more breakups than you have.”

“How am I supposed to continue working with him?”

“Well, at least you know your new number-one rule.”

I looked at her, waiting to be taught my new rules.

“Never date anyone from work, especially not your boss.”

She was right. It was one thing to have a crush on him while I worked for him and something very different to have let him seduce me.

“How am I supposed to survive the next couple of weeks of seeing him every day, knowing that I’m not a priority to him, knowing that I was just something to do before he had something else to occupy his mind?”

“I thought you said you barely see him these days,” she said.

She was right. I had barely seen Kyle over the past two weeks, and I no longer shadowed him. I was working with the drafting department. Okay, I could do this. I got to my feet and shuffled over to the tiny kitchen. I opened the fridge and pulled out an energy drink. It was one of the few things I felt like I could actually keep down these days. I had been feeling really woozy for a while.

“Since you’re home this weekend, let's get pizza.”

The thought of pizza made my stomach grumble, and not in a good ‘I’m hungry’ way. I set my drink down on the counter,slapped my hand over my mouth, and ran for the bathroom. I didn’t know what it was that I had eaten that had my stomach so upset, but this has been going on for a couple of weeks. I rinsed out my mouth and slapped cold water over my face before returning to our tiny living room.

“Are you okay?”

I slowly shook my head. “I’ve been really woozy lately, and the thought of pizza was too much.”

“Oh, God, no.” Marci stopped what she was doing, put her hands on her hips, and stared at me. “You’re not pregnant, are you?”

“What makes you say that?” Ice cold panic covered my body.

“Well, are you? Have you been using protection?”

My jaw dropped as I tried to remember whether Kyle used condoms. “I think so.”

“Oh, shit, Clarissa, you think so?” Marci’s tone was laced with concern and judgment.

Oh, shit was right.

We ended up going for a pregnancy test at the drugstore before stopping for Greek food for dinner. I don’t know why the thought of lamb smothered in cucumber yogurt sauce didn’t make my stomach upset when the thought of cheese pizza made me want to puke. Marci was great and tried to talk about absolutely anything other than the fact that there was a pregnancy test sitting in the shopping bag. All I could focus on was the fact that there was a pregnancy test waiting for me to take it.

“Let’s go to a movie tonight,” she said.

“Now?” How had she forgotten that I still had to take that test?

“Yes, now. The semester starts in a couple of weeks, and as soon as classes begin, neither of us is going to have time for random movies. It's gonna be study, study, study. You’ve got your portfolio to develop, and I’ve got to work on my capstone classes. Senior year is gonna be a real bitch.”

I just looked at her, unable to really think about anything. How could I worry about taking capstone classes and building my portfolio when there was a pregnancy test I needed to take and fail? I was terrified. I felt deep in my gut that I was going to pass it with flying colors.

“I don’t know, Marci,” I said. “I’m just so…”

“I know you’re preoccupied. Why do you think I’m trying to take your mind off it? Come on, you can pee on that stick in the morning just as easily as you can tonight. I’ll buy popcorn.”

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