Page 63 of Billionaire Boss's One Night Stand

“You’re not here to be a gold-digger?”

I almost gasped at her blunt question. The audacity of this woman. Then again, it was her company, her grandson. Stemming my anger and tamping down my defensiveness that rose to the surface, I drew in a deep, steadying breath before speaking. “No. I am not and never have been a gold digger. I am here to earn my pay as a career woman.”

“And what about my grandson?”

“We are having a baby together.” I lifted my chin up, refusing to let an inkling of shame show in my expression. After the loving that Matt and I shared with each other last night and the promises to make this work between us, I realized I had not a single thing to be embarrassed about.

“We are in love,” I added, not caring if that was too “sappy” or “mushy” for such a proper and prim woman to hear.

“Love,” she repeated dryly, even though it also sounded like a question.

“Yes.” I nodded once, refusing to be swayed out of this declaration.

Maybe this is a test? If Matt already talked to her, she wanted to meet me herself?

“You are that confident, despite only knowing him for a couple of months.”

“Yes. Three months, actually, but time is irrelevant. When you know, you know.”

She pursed her lips. I almost wondered if it was a smile she wanted to hide. Or maybe indigestion. I couldn’t tell, but she didn’t seem pleased.

I was screwing this all up! Fleetingly, I wished Matt were here to back me up, but he said he’d already gone to bat for us. It was up to me. I had to do my part to fight for what I wanted, and I would. I wanted Matt and our baby.

“Then what of the reports that your coworker, Tom, filed last week?” She raised her brows in that silent-question way that was getting on my nerves. I’d met some cool cucumbers before, but this woman was an ice queen.

“Matt and I had a lapse in judgment, erring with mixing business with pleasure when we were working.” I cleared my throat, proud that I could own up to that. “We recognized the inappropriateness of that—not that we were together, but doing so on the clock and in this workplace setting. We have agreed to keep our personal lives at home and focus on work here.”

“Hmm.”

That didn’t tell me much. Did she believe me? Was she grateful I didn’t lie and could face her directly? Was she annoyed and wanted someone better for her grandson?

“Tom has been bothering me since my first day here, a constant distraction on the team. Rupert, Brad, and Eli can bear witness to that pattern as well.”

She held up a hand. “No need to drag anyone else into this matter.”

“Oh.” I blinked, worried anew that I was butchering all of this.

“Thank you for taking the time to speak with me,” she said curtly, moving toward the door.

Well, I had to, didn’t I? With you barging in here and waiting to ambush me inmyoffice?

“Anytime,” I said as she exited.

Afterward, I tried and failed to get my mind on the work tasks I had to handle today. I couldn’t focus at all, though, and I panicked that everything was going down the drain.

Hailey was at the dentist. I couldn’t rely on her. The rest of the team were busy with tasks. And Matt was…

I winced, looking at my phone and debating whether I should call him. I didn’t want to cling. I didn’t want to bother him. I knew he had many things to catch up on since taking his long walk yesterday to come to terms with suddenly learning he’d be a parent.

As if on cue, the device rang. It wasn’t Matt contacting me, but someone else I could be distracted with.

“Emily,” I greeted happily. “How are you?”

“It hasn’t been one of the better days,” she admitted.

“Oh, no.” I frowned.

“Sometimes, I worry that everyone in the office is going to assume I’m less than because I’m pregnant. I mean, yeah, hormones mess us up, but it’s not like I’m a blubbering mess that can’t be counted on.”

---