Page 37 of My Not So Wicked Boss (My Not So Wicked 3)

Once she was out of hearing range, I whispered, “What was up with her?”

A look passed between Shelby and Emma that said they knew exactly what was up. Emma was the one to spill the beans on her sister. “We found out,” she said quietly, “the real reason she broke up with Bobby Jay is because he wants kids.”

“I thought he couldn’t have children,” I whispered back.

“He’s always wanted to adopt.” Shelby patted her heart. “I think now with Ryder having his own, he’s itching to have himself a baby something fierce.”

“And Marlowe doesn’t?” I asked.

Emma squeezed Henry, who was starting to fidget before he jumped off her lap and busied himself with some of the trains I’d brought with us. “Marlowe is afraid. She and Macey have always been the babies. I don’t think she would even know what to do with one.”

“Maybe she’ll come around,” I offered.

Emma shrugged. “Who knows.”

“I hope she does,” Shelby sighed. “Bobby Jay is in a world of hurt.” Shelby gave me an apprising sort of look. “You know, maybe if things don’t work out with the dashing Brit, you and Bobby Jay could give it a go.” She got a dreamy look in her eyes. “Oh my goodness, you would be the cutest couple, and Bobby Jay would make a great stepdaddy to Chloe.”

I snorted. “I don’t think so.” Bobby Jay was a nice guy and, like me, he’d been through an ugly divorce, but I wasn’t the least bit attracted to him. Which was probably my problem. Apparently, I was drawn to jerks, which was another good reason to avoid men altogether.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t avoid my boss.

~*~

I tried my hardest to avoid him. I even contemplated having Henry stay with Chloe and me in the cottage that night, but I knew what havoc taking a kid out of their own environment could wreak. Then I had the smart idea to just take the monitor myself, but the thing didn’t transmit that far. So I went with plan C.

After I put Henry to bed, I tiptoed down the hall and set the monitor in front of Miles’s door. I knocked then, loud enough so he could hear, but not so loud to wake up Henry, I said, “I’m leaving the monitor in front of your door.” Then I dashed down the hall. Not fast enough, though.

“Aspen, please wait.”

Damn. I stopped near the stairs. I held onto the banister, not bothering to look at him.

That didn’t deter him; he zipped down the hall. “Aspen.” He landed right next to me. I was taken aback by how disheveled he looked. His curls were going every which way as if he’d run his hand through his hair a million times today, and his normally pressed clothes were wrinkled. Too bad it didn’t make him look unattractive. The swooping sensation in my stomach was back.

“I’ve been hoping to talk to you today, but you didn’t come by this morning.”

“You could have found me if it was important.” My snark came out. Probably not a good idea for job security purposes.

“It is important, but I’ve been busy.”

“I’ve noticed.”

He touched my arm, I think before he realized what he was doing. He removed it almost as soon as he made contact. “I apologize for snapping at you last night. There is mounting pressure for me to finish this book.”

“You don’t owe me an explanation.” My eyes locked with his. “You made that clear last night.”

He let out a heavy breath. “You are right, I don’t owe you an explanation, but I want you to understand. I didn’t ask for this.”

I rubbed my chest, wishing I could massage the pain away. His statement brought back too many bad memories. “My ex-husband used to say the same thing,” my voice cracked. “I am very sorry for your loss. I know how hard it is to find yourself alone and raising a child, but that’s not Henry’s fault, just like it wasn’t Chloe’s. And just like Chloe needed me to step up and put her first, Henry deserves the same from you.”

Miles stood silently, but his eyes swirled with all the things he wanted to say to me. And by how brooding they appeared, I would say they weren’t all pleasant. However, he said not a word.

“I didn’t know your sister, but I know what it’s like to be a mother. I can promise you this, she didn’t want you locking yourself away every day from the most important thing in her life or placing him solely in my care. Not to say I don’t love taking care of him; I do. But someday I won’t be here.” Like maybe any minute now, when he fired me for lecturing him. I wouldn’t regret it. He needed to hear what I had to say. Henry was more important than my job.

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