Page 56 of Billionaire Boss's One Night Stand

I headed into that meeting nervous and feeling neglected with Matt not showing up. But as I left the Gammon building, I felt calmer. That was a natural reaction. The tension was over. The suspense and anticipation of needing to be on and to do my best at that meeting were finished.

Still, a gnawing ache lingered in my soul. I was hurt, trying to get over the disappearing act that Matt thought was okay.

“I’m going to walk,” I told the three men on my team.

“Are you sure?” Eli asked. He was the biggest worrywart of us all.

Rupert was a runner up. “I can walk with you,” he offered kindly. “So you’re not alone.”

Honestly, I’d never be alone again. The baby in my belly would always be with me.

“No, it’s okay. I just want to think things through,” I said, pointing up at the sky. “At least before another storm comes through.”

Brad nodded. “Okay. We’ll see you later, Loren. Great job in there. You really saved the day, stepping up like that.”

Eli frowned and ran his hand through his hair. “I wonder what happened with Matt, though. He never bails on a team like that.”

Ha.There was a first time for everything…

Matt hadn’t just bailed on the team. He’d bailed onme. Me and the child we’d unintentionally conceived.

I walked back toward the Richards building, mulling over all the emotions that had hit me today. The nervousness of blurting out to Matt that I was pregnant. The waiting game before the meeting. The elation and high of wowing the Gammon peopleat that meeting. And now… this uneasiness. I didn’t know what would come next, but I wanted to have a clue of what to expect.

As I neared the building, I formed the best plan I could. Get my things, go home, and try to give Matt the space he clearly needed to wrap his head around the fact that he’d be a father. That seemed like the best plan of action.

I flung my tote bag strap over my shoulder and started telling the others that I would talk to them tomorrow. Like me, they were all high on the triumph of a productive meeting and ready to relax for the rest of the day. There was no need to fix mistakes and work well into the night like last time.

I made it as far as the front lobby before he showed up.

Running, his suit jacket open and flapping with his speed, Matt directed his shout and attention to me. We met each other’s eyes across the lobby. Time stood still. Tense and waiting, we made eye contact like that, and I turned to walk the other way, out the side door, instead of facing him.

Anger boiled to the surface, and I was suddenly unwilling to hash this out now.

“Loren! Wait!”

“Hell no,” I muttered. If we were to speak now, I’d be unprofessional, rude, and stubborn. None of which I wanted to show here, where colleagues and coworkers could see or overhear.

“Loren!” His footsteps pounded closer. He wasn’t giving up. He wasn’t stopping.

He ran after me, chasing me all the way outside, but I refused to turn or acknowledge him. I wouldnot. Being cool and unreachable, I kept my head lifted high and left the building.

22

MATT

“Loren. Please. Wait up.”

She heard me. I knew she saw me. She was deliberately walking away from me, and I realized that I had no grounds to feel angry about that.

In essence, she was giving me the same treatment that I had given her.

That wasn’t my intention. I didn’t tell her that I needed a moment to abandon her, but when John called to tell me that I was late for the Gammon meeting, I bet that was how she'd interpreted my actions. The rest of the team probably assumed the same thing.

“Loren.”

I grabbed her arm, as gently as I could but still firm enough for her to feel my presence and know that I wasn’t going to stop. I’d run after her faster if I had to, but I’d be damned if she wouldn’t give me a chance to explain. For her to explain to me, too.

“What?” she said, finally turning to face me, just as the rain began. It fell light and soft, like a drizzle, but she still had to squint to block it from getting into her eyes as she looked up at me.

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