Page 76 of Secret Baby for the Boss

He paused. "I'm really sorry for how I blew everything out of proportion. You know how I can get. I was so angry at her, and at you, for keeping it a secret from me. But, I should have taken a moment to think it over before I went ape shit on you."

“You have no idea what it means to me to hear you say that,” I said softly.

“You're my best friend and I miss hanging out. I miss working out and talking shit. But above that, I don’t like this thing Emily is doing.”

“What is she doing?” I asked.

“She’s determined to do everything on her own, saying she doesn’t need anyone. But I know my sister, and I know that’s a load of shit. I don’t want to do that to her, take away her chance at happiness, just because I’ve been a selfish, petty asshole of a brother.”

“You know I’m going to use those words against you one day, right?” I asked with a laugh.

“Fuck you, man,” Ryan said, but he was laughing, too. “Drinks, later? To, you know, seal the deal. Or whatever.”

“Not tonight,” I said, “I have something I need to do. But tomorrow… you’re on.”

“Best get those carbs in so you can hold up against my superior drinking skills.”

“You can’t hold your booze to save your life.”

“Is that a bet?”

I chuckled. “It’s a bet.”

I ended the call, and laughed, shaking my head. God, I’d hated the idea of losing Ryan as a friend and I was glad he called. I felt like a huge boulder had lifted off my chest. And now if he's okay with this…

He’d said she was serious about me. And the truth was I felt the same about her.

If I let this chance slide now, I was a damn fool.

I pulled onto the shoulder of the road and turned the car around.

I had one more stop to make. It was time I took control of my life and took the next step. I couldn’t let the hurt from my past shape my future. This part was in my hands.

And it was time I stood up and did something about who I was and where I wanted my life to go. No more looking back. No more hiding.

22

EMILY

“Areyouokay?”Mrs.Collier asked, narrowing her eyes at me.

“Perfectly fine,” I said with a bright smile, even though I was not okay. I was so nauseous I was scared I would throw up on Mrs. Collier’s plush living room carpet. We’d scheduled an early Thursday morning meeting, and being in the large home she wanted me to consider when I decorated her two living rooms was intimidating. The rooms were each larger than my entire apartment, and the house was modern, sporting the latest furniture and paintings bought at auctions for the price of an arm, a leg, and, quite possibly, a soul.

“You’re very pale.”

“I missed breakfast.” That wasn’t a lie. With how sick I felt, I barely wanted to eat. I’d heard of people having certain food aversions while they were pregnant. Lately, I’d been having an aversion to food. Period.

“You shouldn’t miss breakfast,” Mrs. Collier said, tutting.

“I was just so anxious to get these designs ready for you.” That wasn’t a lie either. I’d been up multiple nights working on these designs, hoping that Mrs. Collier would finally be happy. I couldn’t imagine losing yet another client. Now that Parker was out of my life, I didn’t have him to fall back on.

It would be stupid of me to think he might still want me to do his apartment after everything we’d been through. Besides, I’d have to decline anyway. I couldn’t very well arrive months down the line with a big belly and not have him know what the hell was going on.

No, moving on from him was the only way to deal with this. No matter how painful it would be.

It was better this way.

I glanced at Mrs. Collier as she swiped through the designs on my tablet. She was the type of woman who always looked put-together, the epitome of the “perfect woman.” Her hair was impeccably done, clothes chosen by a professional stylist, and her shoes sensible but fashionable for a weekday meeting. She carried herself with an air of importance, and when she snapped her fingers, people jumped.

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