Page 26 of With A Little Luck
“Absolutely not.” My free hand teases over her stomach, and the baby pushes back or moves at the exact same moment.
“That’s a relief, but no, I’m not.”
“Good. People are often put off by my directness, but it’s simply part of my personality.” Something akin to awe fills my chest as I chase the movements. “I-Is that the baby?”
“Yeah,” Quincy says softly. “Usually it takes twenty minutes or more for her to wake up after I eat, but she also likes to start moving when I sit down. I think maybe the motion of walking lulls her to sleep or something?”
“That seems logical to me,” I say, even though I truly have no idea if it is or not.
I know virtually nothing about children, but I’m going to rectify that. Infants seem even needier than toddlers or preschoolers, so some research is in order. I’ve spent a fair amount of time the last few weeks educating myself on pregnancy and birth, but there will be an entirely new human being to care for, on top of looking after Quincy.
The side of my face burns with the weight of someone’s glare, and I look up in time to spot her idiot boss with a death wish. He leans against the wall near where the restaurant gives way to the now-empty bar.
His demeanor says it all—he doesn’t like me, and the feeling is mutual.
My time with Quincy comes to an end all too quickly. She finishes what I would consider a decent amount of food and excuses herself to the bathroom.
Before she even makes it into the restroom, the owner stomps over with my check in his hand.
He drops it on the edge of the table and scowls. “Touch my employee again, and I’ll have you permanently banned from the premises.”
“Take better care of your staff, and I won’t be forced to intercede.” I shove my glasses up with my middle finger and quirk a brow. “She was wobbling around with no energy, probably caused by low blood sugar.”
He continues to glare.
The bored and disinterested look on my face remains as I refuse to break eye contact.
I truly couldn’t care less what he thinks. If he becomes a problem, I’ll snap his neck and dissolve his remains in acid.
His eyes narrow, and his jaw clenches as he fights to keep my gaze.
This must be an alpha pissing match.
I’ve never participated in one before, but whoever glances away first will know they’re not the more dominant alpha vying for Quincy’s affection.
The staring goes on for an uncomfortable amount of time, and still, neither of us is willing to submit.
“Oh, you already grabbed the check,” Quincy says, appearing at the edge of the table. “I was actually going to cover it. I messed up and brought the wrong food.”
“Absolutely not.” My gaze finally leaves the sullen alpha at the same time he glances at the omega. I suppose we’ll have to call that battle of wills a draw. “I’d like to pay for your breakfast, and my normal order if I can get it to go?”
I smile, hoping it comes off as sincere. The feeling is strange as it pulls at my facial muscles, and I make a mental note to practice more. Perhaps in the mirror so I can note the final result.
I’ve spent a fair amount of time in my life practicing how to mimic human emotions, but happiness is one I rarely rely on. I’ll have to work on it until it becomes more natural.
“I can put in a to-go order.” Quincy stretches over, patting my hand. “Thank you for breakfast. I feel much better.” Her gaze moves to her boss. “I’m sorry about taking a break… It won’t happen again.” Her face twists into a plastic smile, and she clears her throat. “I’ll go, uh, put that in.”
She takes off without another word, and once she’s far enough away, I focus back on Hartley. Yes, I recognized him even before doing a deep dive into his history, but if he’s looking for adoration for knowing how to toss a football across a field, he’ll be waiting for quite some time.
“She was concerned that you might fire her, but that’s not going to be a problem,” I say, leaning back against the leather of the booth. “Is it?”
He growls. “Of fucking course, it’s not.”
“Very good.” I nod, hoping he understands he’s being dismissed.
His eyes narrow.
I wait for him to say more or to issue some other useless ultimatum, but he sighs and walks away without another word.
