Page 300 of Vegas Heat

“You knew?” I ask. I walk over toward her and she stands so she can take my hands in hers.

“I had a feeling. I knew everything was going to work out the way it was supposed to, but it got hard to keep the faith for a while.” Her eyes move toward my dad, and I’m certain the unfinished business between them is about to just be business again. She sits back down.

Mike picks up from his spot across from Joanie. “If Gabby is our final decision, which I want to confirm with the team before we officially announce, we’re going to need coverage from August onward.”

Joanie’s brows draw together. “Coverage?”

I sigh. “I guess it’s getting out. I’m pregnant, Cooper’s the father, I’m due September ninth, and I know Zelda left this position because she was pregnant but her baby daddy isn’t a player and this just seems to work out.”

Joanie’s jaw drops at my speech. “You’re p…p…you’re pregnant?”

I nod and smile, and Cooper tosses his arm around me to draw me in close again.

She presses her lips together and glances at my dad, and then she looks back at me. “So am I.”

Four heads whip in her direction at the same time.

“You’re…” my dad begins, and he stands.

Joanie nods.

“We’re…” he tries again, and Joanie nods again.

“But how…well, I knowhow, but when…” My dad trails off his line of thinking.

“I just found out,” Joanie says. “I’m not due until mid-November.”

“The off-season,” my dad says softly. He looks around in wonder, and then his eyes land back on Joanie. “Just like we planned.” He walks around the desk and takes her in his arms.

“Just like we planned,” she whispers, and he drops his mouth to hers.

“I’m sorry, kitten,” he says softly, and he doesn’t seem to care that the rest of us are watching.

“I’m sorry, too, boss,” she says back.

Boss and kitten? I wrinkle my nose with a bit of disgust again.

“So let me get this straight,” Cooper says, breaking into the sweet moment of reconnection. “My baby’s aunt or uncle is going to be two months younger than he or she is?”

Everyone in the room laughs. “That sounds about right,” my dad says, and he kisses Joanie once more before he moves back around the desk. “One big messed up but hopefully happy family.”

She draws in a deep breath and turns all business again. “I have a solution to the replacement substitute for Gabby while she’s on maternity leave.”

We all glance over at her to hear her proposition. “The marketing department has seen the benefits of these interns, and I would like to propose an assistant social media manager who can step into that role. I’d also like to propose an additional content creator who can assist the assistant while Gabby is out.”

Mike narrows his eyes at Joanie and steeples his fingers under his chin. He thinks it over, moving his two pointer fingers in front of his mouth for a beat, and then he nods. “I think it’s fantastic. Justin and Chloe?”

Joanie nods. “Justin as the assistant. Chloe as the creator.”

“Get the proposal on my desk and I’ll sign off my approval.”

I look back and forth between Joanie and Mike during this conversation like it’s a tennis match. Mike’s tone is professional as always, yet there’s some merriment there as he makes thishappen. He’s like another father figure in many ways, and I’m both ready and excited to work for him, and with my father and Cooper and Joanie, too. Permanently.

“Justin’s going to be my assistant?” I ask.

“Spongebob?” Cooper asks, and I can’t help but laugh at his original nickname for the guy who has become one of my best friends.

Mike looks a little confused at Cooper’s nickname, but he says, “As it turns out, Justin knocked his interview out of the park. He didn’t want to follow in his father’s footsteps, and he isn’t. He’s in a totally different division and he’ll bring a fresh perspective to the marketing department. He has proven his talents over the course of this internship, and we’re excited to bring the three of you on board.”

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