Page 57 of Boss's Baby Surprise

“Okay, everyone,” James started. “As everyone knows, we are officially becoming the Chicago office for the Kyle Love Firm.”

I cast my gaze around the conference room. Everybody Kyle had brought in, Steve, Nick, and Alayna, were all there. Kyle was the only person missing.

“Shouldn’t Kyle be here for this?” I blurted out without even thinking.

“That’s what I’m here to talk to you about,” James said with an expression I thought might be a touch of disappointment. “Kyle has decided to relocate, at least temporarily, back to Hong Kong. I will be staying in the office a little bit longer than originally contracted for while he manages a situation overseas.”

I shot Alayna with a hard glare. She knew and she hadn’t said anything. She grimaced and looked away. I knew in my gut that grimace wasn’t meant for me.

“He didn’t say anything to me about that,” Steve said.

Alayna cleared her throat, and everybody turned their attention to her. “It’s my understanding that something came up rather suddenly. His original plan was to only be there for a few days last week. Apparently, the situation requires his attention on a more full-time basis,” she said.

My stomach plummeted. I couldn’t tell if I was breathing or not. I knew he hadn’t been around, but no one had said anythingabout his being out of the country. This was somehow worse than the first time he had taken off without saying goodbye.

After all, this time, he knew he had a son. He knew how much it had hurt me when he chose to leave before. My immediate discomfort was rapidly replaced by a fiery ball in the center of my chest. I was incandescent with rage. I sucked in a breath and held it, preventing myself from screaming.

“Are you okay, Clarissa?” Alayna asked.

I pasted a smile across my face, not expecting to fool anybody but needing to fool myself. “I’m fine. Sorry, you were saying?” I gesture back at James to continue whatever it was he needed to say. By that point, I could no longer hear words, just the roaring and pounding of my pulse in my ears.

I sat there and stared at the wall over James’s shoulder as he continued to give what I could only think might’ve been a pep-talk about how the office would continue to function under the Kyle Love brand regardless of his presence. I didn’t hear the words, and I didn’t really pay attention. It wasn’t until everybody was leaving the room and Steve stopped and patted me on the shoulder that I realized the meeting was over.

I startled, looking up at him. “I’m sorry?” I asked, aware that I missed what he had said.

“I said it’s just like the last time, isn’t it?” he said.

“What’s like the last time?” I asked. I was so stuck in my own head, I hadn’t noticed that Steve looked almost lost.

“Kyle taking off for the other side of the world just as we’re about to reach the end of a project,” Steve explained.

“Oh, yeah, that.” I let out a half -chuckle. I didn’t see anything remotely humorous in the situation, but if I didn’t laugh and joke about it now while I was at work, I was in danger of curling up on myself in a ball of crying mess. “You’re the one who works for him. I would think this would be something you have to get used to.”

“Yeah, I think he really pissed Alayna off this time,” Steve said before leaving.

I was the last one to leave the conference room. I walked in a daze right past the crowded office that Alayna and Jenna shared.

“Clarissa,” Alayna called out.

I might have heard her. I might’ve thought it was all a bad dream. I didn’t stop until I reached the receptionist desk.

Alayna was right behind me. “Clarissa,” she said again.

I looked at her and blinked a couple of times. I didn’t know what she wanted of me or what I wanted her to say. There was nothing that she could say that could fix this situation. Besides, no one here was supposed to know there was even a situation that needed to be fixed.

“I just wanted to let you know that I didn’t know there was anything between the two of you when he left for Hong Kong six years ago.”

“Who says there’s anything going on between us now?” I asked.

“I know the two of you are trying to keep it quiet. I’m not dumb, but Kyle is crap at keeping secrets,” she said.

“This sudden need to be in Hong Kong seems to be a bit of a secret. Don’t you think?” I asked.

“I seriously doubt he knew that he wanted to go to Hong Kong until he was on a plane and halfway there. There are some things he just doesn’t think through,” she said.

“But you figured there’s something going on between us now?”

“I’ve had my suspicions, but it wasn’t until I saw the two of you arguing that I actually worked it out. I just wanted to let you know I’m sorry he’s being like this to you.”

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