Page 47 of Adoration: Isn't What It Seems (Love Isn't What It Seems 2)

I smiled sweetly at both of them, although I felt like I was expending energy I didn’t have.

“No, not yet,” I spoke in the sweetest tone I could muster. “Well, I’m done for the day. I have to pick up my little man from daycare.”

The same second I said that, Elizabeth’s eyes drifted to my hand. I guess she wanted to check whether I was married. I shoved my phone into my purse, along with my notebook.

“Must be hard being a single mom,” she remarked, a little venom in her voice.

I glanced at her as I put my bag over my shoulder, wondering if she was mean or just jealous. Before I had a chance to reply, Alexander jumped in. “Liberty is doing a great job.”

I couldn’t hide my surprised look. Sometimes, I wondered if he was mocking me, but there was nothing but honesty in his tone and eyes. Since the funeral, it was as if things shifted between us. My temper didn’t flare at each word he spoke at me, he actually said please and thank you, and I found myself thinking about him too often, some nights even fantasizing about his hands branding my skin. I flushed with heat, maybe I should’ve figured out a way to go on a date. I had been single for way too long.

“Thanks,” I smiled, answering Alexander’s compliment. For some reason, those few words from him meant a lot. I didn’t feel like I was doing a great job, not even a good job, but I could use a little boost.

“Why don’t we give you a ride?” he offered, and I immediately shook my head. No way that I’d be stuck in the car with those two. Plus Elizabeth was shooting bullets at me with her glares.

“No, but thanks for the offer,” I replied quickly. “Have a good evening,” I told them both as I walked away from them. I couldn’t understand why it bothered me to think about him with that woman. And I didn’t want to examine that feeling right now. At all.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Liberty

The following week, Alexander had a different woman strolling into the office every day. They’d come to the office at the end of the day for their nightly outing. More like nightly fucking, but hey, I wasn’t jealous. I wasn’t jealous that these women were going out with my hot boss, or that they always looked like they just stepped off the runway while I barely got any sleep at night. Each one of them would smile superiorly at me, as they strolled out with Alexander.

Oh, how bad it agitated me!

Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. I shot a quick text to Layla, asking her whether she would babysit Brandon one night. Layla traveled back and forth between London and Scotland, and some days it was hard to figure out where she was. When she replied, agreeing, I sent a few texts to a friend, who jumped quickly to match me up on a blind date. God knew, she’d been begging for months and months.

It was Monday and before someone could stop me, I grabbed my purse and my coffee mug, planning on taking it into the kitchen on my way out the door.

“Where are you going?” Janet asked me, following right behind me.

“I’m leaving a bit earlier,” I told her quickly. “I have plans tonight.”

She smiled knowingly. “Date?”

We were in the kitchen by now, and I put my mug into the dishwasher. I chuckled softly. I felt like I was young and single again. “Not sure I would call it a date, but something like that.”

“That’s lovely. Have a great night.”

“Thanks,” I replied happy. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I picked up Brandon with a big smile on my face, and he ran into my arms. No matter how hard a day would be, this was my favorite part of the day and it made it all worth it. I’d walk through fire for him.

“You are early,” he said happily.

“I know,” I spoke softly. “I wanted to spend some time with you before Layla comes to watch you. And then I have a date.”

“What kind of date?” he asked, watching me with those big blue eyes as we walked hand in hand.

“Hmm,” I started. “The kind when two people go to dinner together, or movies, and the man pays. Something like that.”

We got home just in time to see Layla pull up in her car. We all hugged each other and went in. Brandon was excited to show her his bedroom.

“You have gotten so big, Brandon,” Layla marveled at him. “Liberty must be feeding you good stuff.”

“She is.” His smile was so contagious. “She gives me all the stuff I like, pizza and chocolate. If she cooks and she burns dinner, we eat cereal for dinner too. And she makes me eat vegetables only every other day.”

She looked at me in shock and I shrugged my shoulder. “We are working on my cooking skills.”

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