Page 55 of Boss's Baby Surprise

“You look lovely tonight,” I said as she stepped into a restaurant.

It was another family friendly kind of place. It made sense. Why would she choose small, romantic places that would be good for a date when in the past five years, if she was eating out at a restaurant, it would be at a place that was good with kids?

“Thank you.” It surprised me how she was still capable of blushing when I complimented her.

“You wanted to meet with me.” I reminded her that this was her idea.

I honestly hoped that she was going to have the test results. I was anxious to set the uncertainty behind me. Even though there were times that I was convinced that Leo was my child, I didn't necessarily trust that gut feeling.

We followed the hostess to our table. Clarissa ordered a glass of wine. If she was drinking, that probably meant she was nervous.

“Is everything okay?” I asked after the waitress left with our order.

Clarissa played with her fingers and bit her lip. “I was thinking… I was wondering…” She started and stopped a few more times. “What do you think if I let Leo know that you’re his father?”

I sat up a little straighter. My heart beat a little faster. “Did the test results finally come in?” I asked.

She shook her head. “They haven’t come in yet. I don’t know what’s going on. I’ve reached out to the company, but they weren’t able to provide me with any tracking information, so I haven’t gotten anything yet.”

“But you’re willing to tell Leo I’m his father without that confirmation?” I asked.

She pinched her face, pursing her lips and drawing her eyebrows together in a grimace. “I’m not the one worried about the paternity test results. Iknowyou're Leo’s father.”

I sat back and cleared my throat. “I don't know, Clarissa. Do you think it’s really the best idea? I don't think it’s a good idea, at least not until you’ve received the test results.”

She continued looking down at her hands. “I thought we were getting along so much better.”

“Our getting along has nothing to do with your setting Leo up for disappointment. What are you going to tell him if those test results come back and show that I’m not the father?”

She started to laugh.

I couldn’t see what was so funny.

“I don’t understand why you're being like this, Kyle. I know you're the father. Just because you need the proof doesn’t change that.”

“If you don't need the proof to tell him, then why have you waited so long?”

“Because he’s five,” she said with an intensity that I didn't expect. “You weren’t around for him to know. He likes you, Kyle. It would be really great for him to also know that you are his father.”

“I don’t think I can do that right now, Clarissa. Not with everything that’s going on with work.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” she asked. “I thought your takeover from the Stone Group was going smoothly. Hasn’t the ownership already transferred? James seems to have already shifted into his senior consultant phase.”

“The transition is going well. I haven’t taken over complete ownership just yet. I have clients with my international office that I feel are falling behind. I have clients that need my attention, and I can’t focus on their needs if I’m being distracted by this situation with you and Leo.”

“Are you saying we’re a distraction now?”

I let out a long breath. She was upset. That wasn’t my intention.

“No, you’re not listening to me, Clarissa.”

“I am definitely listening. However, I don't think you're aware of the words you're using.”

“Maybe not. Maybe this was a mistake,” I snapped.

She folded the napkin from her lap and set it on the table next to her full glass of wine.

“Mistake? Me? Dinner? Or finding out that you had a son and getting to know him?”

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