Page 203 of Bossy Hero

“Healthy,” Maddie says.

“Well, we already know that’s the case.Thankfully.” Lettie turns her big blue eyes on me. “What about you, Boss Dad?”

I dab my napkin at the corner of my mouth. “This lasagna is delicious, Lettie.”

“Aw, thanks. Now, what’s your guess?”

“I’m going with boy.”

Truthfully, I doubt I could handle a girl. It’d be nearly impossible to avoid comparing a baby girl to an imaginary memory of what Lettie was like.

Lettie shimmies in her chair, deviousness flashing behind her irises. “I say girl, but only because I like to be contrary.”

“We know,” Tomer quips, drawing laughter from everyone.

We’ve all stopped eating, our attention squarely on the dramatic reveal.

At a snail’s pace, she reaches into the envelope, retrieving a whole sheet of paper folded in thirds. A bit of overkill for three or four letters.

Lettie takes a deep breath and presses the page to her chest. “Here we go.”

Maddie reaches under the table to squeeze my thigh. The ache in my heart begins to recede at her slight touch, and my breath hitches. If a brush of her palm on my leg can trigger this swelling of emotion in me, Maddie truly holds my damn heart in her hands.

I curl my fingers with hers, and together, we watch Lettie draw this out. Despite my typical compulsion to get on with it—whateveritis—I sit back and enjoy her theatrics.

With her eyes closed, she flutters the paper around like a Polaroid. When she stills her arms, her gaze locks on Tomer’s. Love shines between them. It’s tangible.

Dammit. Am I about to fucking cry?

Over lasagna and salad in the break room of my own fucking building. What the hell?

Lettie gracefully unfolds the paper and reads it to herself. Surprise blends with her nervousness, making her facial features dance with joy. She flicks her gaze to Tomer first, her smile shining with sun-like radiance. Then she slides her line of sight around the table, landing on mine. Her eyes grow misty.

“Well, what do ya know? We’re gonna have a perfect little boy.”

As if we choreographed the movement, all four of us spring from our seats at virtually the same time. Squeals of delight fill the air. Possibly some coming from me, although I’m fairly certain I’ve never squealed before.

“Is it dusty in here? Something must have gotten in your eyes,” Maddie teases, cupping my cheeks and caressing my face with her loving gaze.

In my peripheral vision, I notice Tomer lifting Lettie in an embrace that sweeps her off her feet. But almost all of my focus is on Maddie.

Her eyes tell me so much right now.

Not only is she overcome with the joy of this moment, she’s still battling the fear that triggered her earlier. Although she wants to retreat from her feelings, she’s fighting. Her grizzly is stirring.

I need to give her space to do that. The only problem is, I don’t know if I can right now. I’m too damn needy over my own bullshit.

“Congratulations, Grandpa,” she whispers right before our lips meet for a chaste kiss.

When we pull apart, I can’t stop a frown from forming. “Ew. That makes me feel old as hell.”

An adorable giggle makes her shoulders shake. “Oh, don’t I know it. I’ve been a grandma for more than a decade now.”

I always forget about Drew and his two kids since they’re not here in Florida. Maybe she’d like to pay them a visit soon. After we end Lenkov, I think I’ll surprise her with a trip up there.

“You don’t look old enough to have a child, let alone an eleven-year-old grandson.”

“Oh really? Your vision must be starting to go with your old age. These are gray streaks in my hair, not blond.” She points at the sides of her eyes. “And check out the crow’s feet. They get deeper every year despite the gobs of cream I slather on them.”

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