Page 15 of Baby Perfection

“All buttonedup again, I see.”

Angie offered Lucius a cool smile, one she’d practiced endless times over the weekend in order to get it just right. “Same as always.”

He didn’t say the words, but she could hear them loud and clear:Not always.

Just as she’d rehearsed for endless hours to perfect her demeanor and how she intended to act when she returned to work and came face-to-face with Lucius again, she’d also agonized over her clothing. She didn’t dare select anything that remotely resembled upholstery. But she also didn’t want to wear anything too suggestive. Not that she owned much that could be considered in any way, shape or form the least suggestive. Still, it made choosing the perfect outfit a challenge.

She’d finally settled on a crisp brown suit and café au lait blouse. And though she’d ultimately decided to wear her hair up, it was in a looser style than usual. She looked professional, yet approachable, she decided. The epitome of the perfect PA.

Despite that, Lucius’s gaze swept her, stripped her. His eyes glittered darkly, the memory of their embrace lurking there like a menacing shadow. He held her with that single powerful look for a long, tense moment before his mouth curved upward in a knowing smile. “Buttons won’t work anymore. I know what you’re hiding underneath them.”

With that, he disappeared into his office, leaving her with a half-dozen sharp comebacks blistering her tongue, all unspoken. Later, she promised herself. If he made one more comment, she’d cut loose with every single one of them. To Angie’s relief, the morning swept toward midday without Lucius making any more suggestive observations. Instead, he filled her schedule to overflowing with a laundry list of endless tasks. Shortly before lunch, she glanced up to see an older couple approaching her desk.

“Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Ridgeway.” As always, she was careful to offer them a warm, friendly smile. “Did you have a good weekend with your grandson?”

“Michael was fussy.”

As usual it was Benjamin who responded, Geoff’s mother cloaking herself in painful silence. Grief continued to hang on the pair, carved deep into their faces and making them appear far older than their early sixties. It had been a rough three months for them, their pain and bitterness deepened by the intense dislike they’d felt toward Geoff’s wife, and the blame they heaped on her for their son’s premature demise. It didn’t make the least sense to Angie, but apparently they felt that the two wouldn’t have died if Lisa hadn’t insisted on a European vacation as a combination Christmas present and second honeymoon.

For some reason that blame also extended to Lucius and she couldn’t help but wonder if they’d somehow discovered that he’d had a sexual relationship with Lisa, as well—knew and in some emotion-riddled, illogical fashion held him responsible for Geoff’s death, too.

“Michael needs a more regular routine,” Benjamin continued. “Consistent parenting. Passing him around like a football isn’t helping.”

To her shock, Tabby Ridgeway spoke up, the first time she’d ever directly addressed Angie. “It won’t be for much longer. Our grandson belongs with his own kind, assuming his responsibility for carrying on the Ridgeway line, not raised by a man who puts his career ahead of family, who puts riches before everything else in his life.” Her cold gaze reflected the determination sweeping through her voice. “We’ll be awarded custody soon enough and then we’ll make sure Geoff’s son is raised right. Raised to overcome the stigma of having an amoral gold digger for a mother. Raised to resist the temptation his father couldn’t.”

Angie stiffened and it took every ounce of self-control to answer civilly, though it cost her. Still, she didn’t dare say or do anything that risked putting Lucius’s guardianship in jeopardy. “I know you’re all trying your best under very difficult circumstances. Do you need to see Lucius before you leave?”

Benjamin took over again. “We do need to see him, yes.”

“I’ll let Lucius know you’re here,” she offered. “Why don’t I take Mikey for you?”

“Keesha hasn’t arrived, yet?”

Angie caught the disapproval sliding through the question and deflected it with practiced calm. “It’s always a pleasure to spend time with your grandson. I don’t mind in the least.”

The couple reluctantly allowed her to take the baby, who reached eagerly for her in clear recognition. The instant she cradled him in her arms, he grinned, grabbing at her finger and tugging it toward his mouth. Who knew she’d be such a natural with babies? Delight filled her. She’d always wanted her own children, longed to experience motherhood. But part of her—the part Ryan had taken such cruel pleasure in giving a good, swift kick—agonized over her own inadequacies. She’d ended up believing that, like in all things domestic, she wasn’t capable of adequately parenting a child. Thank goodness the brief amounts of time she’d spent with Mikey had proven otherwise. A fierce determination welled up in her. She would make a great mother, and she wouldn’t ever allow anyone to convince her otherwise.

Suddenly aware of the Ridgeways’ intense gaze, she glanced at them. “Would you care for coffee or tea?” she asked belatedly, forcing her expression to relax into calm, dispassionate lines.

Before they could respond, the door to Lucius’s office opened. He filled the threshold with forbidding power, as dark as the Ridgeways were fair. “Tabby, Benjamin. Good to see you.”

It was a lie, Angie knew. In fact, they all knew it, but with the threat of a pending lawsuit, Lucius worked hard to keep their encounters low-key and polite. While he escorted the Ridgeways into his office, Angie indulged her maternal instincts. Mikey was a gorgeous baby and definitely took after his mother—no doubt an unfortunate turn of events from the Ridgeways point of view.

Mikey gazed up at her with huge inky eyes and offered a drooling grin that proudly showed off two pearly-white bottom teeth. He’d worked hard on them this past month and she suspected was working on another, which probably explained his fussiness over the weekend. She crossed to the wet bar and dampened a washcloth she kept on hand. He snatched it fromher and stuffed it in his mouth, biting energetically on the cold cotton. She slid a hand down his plump, silken cheek and shook her head.

“Poor little mite. Everyone wants you, though I suspect it’s for all the wrong reasons.”

For the Ridgeways it was their final connection to their son—a son with whom they’d been estranged following his marriage to the “amoral gold digger” they so despised. For Lucius it was a promise made to his best friend, and a keen sense of honor and duty that demanded he fulfill that promise.

While most would have thought that was the full extent of his feelings toward Mikey, over the past several weeks, Angie had caught a glimpse of something more. Something deeper. Something more powerful. And she couldn’t help but wonder if it wasn’t because Lucius finally realized that the baby was the embodiment of the two people he loved most in the world, that their spirit continued to live through Mikey. She could only hope so.

The phone rang and she used her headset to answer, leaving her hands free to care for the baby. “Diablo, Inc. Mr. Devlin’s office. This is Angie Colter speaking. How may I help you?”

“I thought this was the main man’s private line.” The voice was female, unquestionably young and brash. And oddly intriguing. “How come you’re answering?” she demanded.

“Mr. Devlin is currently in a meeting,” Angie explained. “The calls are routed to me whenever he’s unavailable to take them.”

“Huh. Most hotshot billionaires I know just use voice mail.”

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