Page 35 of There Are No Words

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Allegra.”

“Wow, okay. I didn’t think she’d be the pound-me-into-the-mattress type, but that’s clearly what happened because you look beat.”

For some reason, I seethed at the way Jack spoke about her. It wasn’t like we hadn’t talked about girls or our sex lives before, but this was Allegra. “We did not sleep together.” I scowled at him, my warning apparent.

“Again,” Jack tacked on. Then he held his hands up and swayed back as though I’d sucker punched him. Honestly, if he kept talking about Allegra, then I might have.

I pulled on the back of my neck. “She hasn’t been feeling well, and it’s not just in the morning, it’s all hours of the day and night.”

Jack raised a brow. “Do people know the term is wrong? It’s called morning sickness, but that doesn’t sound right.”

I shrugged. “It should be, but that’s not how it works.” I opened my desk drawer and pulled out the pregnancy book I brought to work to finish reading. I figured if Allegra didn’t see it, then we wouldn’t have a repeat episode of the freak-out she had the morning she first saw the book. I didn’t want to upsether. That was the last thing I wanted. “This thing talks all about it. Some women get it worse than others.”

His brows furrowed and his forehead wrinkled. “Dude, you just carry that thing around? What’s the matter with you?”

I leaned my elbows on the desk and wove my fingers together as I held my hands in front of me. Choosing to ignore Jack’s idiocy, I asked, “Did you come in here just to bust my balls, or is there a valid reason you’re here?”

“Uhhh,” Jack grunted as though whatever the reason it physically pained him to think about. “The new guy has to go.”

I frowned. “Rudy? Why?” I hadn’t heard any complaints personally, but Jack was on the floor more lately.

Jack rubbed his forehead and exhaled. “He has short-term memory loss. He gets drinks mixed up. I know you wanted to give him a chance, but he sucks. We don’t need to have a reputation for screwing up orders.” He uncrossed his leg and leaned forward.

I cringed. Most of our bartenders were skilled and had experience, but Rudy was different. He was a hard worker, though, and I really thought he’d catch on quickly. Unfortunately, it had been two months, and he still wasn’t picking up the basics. “I’ll take care of it,” I finally replied.

“I hope that means he’s going to get a swift boot in the ass right out the door.”

I placed a finger over my lip and sighed. “It means I’ll take care of it.”

He got up and shook his head. “You’re such a softy. You’re going to try to train him again so that he doesn’t suck and can maybe, possibly keep his job.”

“I’ve got work to get to, so if you’re done, I’d like to get back to it.”

He opened the door and slapped on the wall. “You know, I don’t know what you’re worried about. You’re going to make a great dad.”

Just because I didn’t want to let an employee go? I shook my head. “Parenting is different than maintaining a business and taking care of employees.”

“Nah, man, it’s similar in a lot of ways, and you don’t give up on people. They’re going to be one lucky kid.” He grinned. “You may even earn that World’s Greatest Dad mug you’ll get at some point.”

Chapter Thirteen

Allegra

“I can’t believewe’re back here seeing Dr. Intrusive.”

I was pulling my hoodie over my head and stopped in my tracks at Brady’s words, my hands still at the hem. “Please don’t tell me this is going to be a repeat of last time.”

Brady crossed his arms, his muscles bulging, which had me looking away. Lately I’d been having a stronger urge to lick every part of him until I had my fill and sit on his face while he ate me out. Honestly, I’d always been game for a good sexual experience, but this was just extra. I was not usuallythishorny.

“Is he going to look at you the way he did last time?” Brady countered.

I rolled my eyes at his sheer ridiculousness. If he meant like I was his pregnant patient, and he had a job to do, then yes, Brady, yes he was going to look at me the same way.

It seemed like I wouldn’t need to clear away the intense desire I had for Brady because this weird thing he had with my doctor was doing that for me.

I pulled the hoodie up and over my head. “It’s freezing outside, but in here I’m roasting.”

“It’s called heat for a reason.”

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