Page 49 of Boss's Baby Surprise

“An apology?” he asked.

I shook my head. I didn’t see how I owed him one. “A paternity test. You said you wanted proof, and this is the only sure way to provide that for you.”

He grunted. What else had he expected?

“No,” he finally said. “I want to see him.”

Did Kyle think he could look at Leo and suddenly tell if he was the father? Would he recognize himself in the face of our little boy?

“Are you still interested in meeting him?”

“I am,” Kyle said. His expression was blank, and I couldn't tell if he was upset or tired or both.

“Would you be interested in meeting us at the Field Museum this weekend?” I asked.

He shrugged.

“I don’t know how to give you proof if you don’t want to take the paternity test. I can’t go back in time and somehow tell you before you left. If you want to meet him, you need to take the paternity test.”

“I’ll meet him first,” he demanded.

“I have to package your part of the test with Leo’s cheek swab and send it in together. If you meet us at the museum, you can do your cheek swab in the bathroom there.”

“It’s a cheek swab?” he asked.

I nodded.

He narrowed his eyes at me before nodding in agreement. “That should work.”

“Good. Leo is not going to know what that test is for. If he asks me, I’m telling him it’s a science experiment. And I would really appreciate it if you wouldn’t say anything to him until we haveresults. Or until you are comfortable accepting that you’re his fatherandthat you’re planning on being around.”

He started to say something but stopped. “Can we call a truce, then?”

I nodded and bit my lip. Tears stung my eyes.

“Being this angry is exhausting. And I don't want to be angry at you, Clarissa.”

“I don't want you to be angry at me either,” I admitted.

Saturday morning couldn't come soon enough. Leo thought it was great fun to be part of a science experiment.

I rubbed a cotton swab along the inside his cheek and sealed it in a test tube and put the box in my bag. As a reward, I promised him a morning at the Field Museum of Natural Science. It was always a treat because he loved the dinosaurs so much.

Kyle stood just inside the main entrance, waiting for us.

Leo got a little shy and crowded in close when I started talking to Kyle.

“Leo, this is one of Mommy’s friends. He wanted to come see the museum too, so I invited him.”

Leo nodded but didn’t seem too interested in meeting Kyle.

Kyle squatted down so that he didn’t tower over the two of us. His eyes went wide when he saw Leo clearly. He had to see that Leo looked like a miniature version of himself, the same dark hair, the same blue eyes. And the same stubborn streak.

“My name is Kyle. I understand you are an expert on dinosaurs. Your mom thought you might be able to help me learn something new.”

Leo eased away from my side slightly.

Kyle continued to ask Leo questions until Leo nodded.

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