Page 62 of The Wrong Boss

We would never be together. Whatever existed between us was the remnant of one night of sizzling chemistry. Nothing more.

“She’s great,” I said, and I meant it. “I always wanted kids, you know? Not—I mean, if I’d had the choice, I would’ve had a husband and a white picket fence, but I wouldn’t trade her for anything.”

“And the father…?”

We were approaching the doors, a gust of cold from the air conditioning inside raising goosebumps on my arms. I couldblurt it out right now. I could tell him he was the father. Rip the Band-Aid off.

Maybe it was cowardice that stayed my tongue, the desire to bask in his presence for just a little bit longer. So all I said was, “He’s never been in the picture.”

We stepped inside and faced each other. Cole’s eyes were dark as they met mine, searching. Evie’s eyes. “I’m sorry to hear that,” he finally said.

“It was for the best,” I told him, and I meant it. I jabbed a thumb over my shoulder. “I should check in to my room and get organized. I still have a bunch of work to do before the rest of the team gets here tomorrow.”

“Sure,” Cole said, taking a step back. Then he glanced behind me.

“Baby!” a voice cried out a moment before his gorgeous, tall, blonde fiancée stepped around me and wrapped her long, graceful arms around his neck. “You made it.” She kissed him on the lips, a little peck of greeting that looked as natural as breathing.

I watched Cole’s hands circle her waist. “Just played golf with your dad,” he told her.

“That explains the outfit,” she said, tugging at the collar of his golf shirt he’d changed into while I was raiding the pro shop. She turned to look at me, head tilting. “And did your assistant play too?”

I smiled, secretly gritting my teeth at not being spoken to directly when I was standing right here. “They needed a fourth, and I was volunteered for the job by Mr. Christianson’s father.”

“Oh. How fun.” Her smile was sharp.

“It was a beautiful afternoon,” I answered. “If you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a lot of work to do. Goodbye.” I nodded, spun around, and hurried toward the front of the building, where hopefully an employee would be able to officially check me in and show me to my room.

Letting out a deep breath, I ignored the gurgling, burning acid in my stomach.

He wasn’t mine. He would never be mine.

It was silly to feel heartbroken about a future that was never meant to happen, so I shoved those feelings deep down into the darkest part of my heart, and I focused on getting myself to my room.

It was about time I called my daughter, anyway. Her smiling face would cure me of these feelings. She’d remind me of what really mattered, not what-ifs and what-could-have-beens.

TWENTY-FOUR

COLE

Alba watchedCarrie disappear around a corner, then dropped her arm from around me and shot me a look that was utterly unimpressed.

“What?” I protested.

“You know what,” she said.

“Nothing is going on between me and my assistant, Alba.”

“I know it isn’t,” she said, “but I know that if you had your way, that wouldn’t be the case.”

Her words were a slap in the face. We started walking toward the elevators at the far end of the room. Her shoulders were stiff, and her eyes betrayed her fury.

And she wasn’t the only one.

“Do you really think so little of me, Alba?”

“I think you’re a man, and men cheat.”

“I’ve never cheated onyou.”

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