Page 81 of Silver Fox's Secret Baby

“Me too.” She arched a brow. “You betrayed me. I can’t believe you slept with my friend.”

Heat flushed my cheeks. “I’d say I’m sorry, but—”

“Yeah, I don’t want the details. Except you owe me and Alex an apology.”

I laughed. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“Does anyone else know about Pax?”

I shook my head. “I wanted you to know first. It will get out, and I suppose it will be a scandal. Clichéd older man sleeping with his intern and now his employee.”

“Wait? What? You’re still sleeping with her?”

Fuck. I hadn’t meant to admit that. “Not anymore.”

“But you were?”

I scraped my hand over my face. “For a moment, Tori, I thought... well...” I couldn’t say the words.

Victoria’s expression softened. “For a moment, you thought you might have what you lost, but then you found out about Pax?”

I nodded.

“You can’t forgive her?”

I stared at her helplessly. “I don’t know how. I look at her and all I see is what she stole from me.” That and the remnant of a dream lost.

"Forgiveness is hard, but maybe what she did has an explanation. Maybe she wasn't as selfish as we think."

“What possible forgivable excuse could there be for keeping my son from me?”

She shrugged. “Maybe none. But love isn't always rational. Sometimes, people make mistakes because they're scared or overwhelmed. No one is perfect, not even you."

I remembered how Samantha yelled at me that I’d been ashamed of her and sent her away. I wasn’t ashamed of her. I was ashamed of myself. Of my weakness for her. Of the rules I broke to be with her. Of the cliché I’d become.

“So you’re okay with what she did? Do you forgive her?”

“I’m upset that she kept Pax from you... and from me too. I don’t know if I forgive her since I don’t know why she did it.”

“So you do think there is a good reason to keep me from Pax?”

She stared at me for a long moment. “No. No, there isn’t. Not you. You’re the greatest father ever.” She hugged me. “Pax is lucky to have you in his life now.”

With my feelings validated, I hugged her back. “The gossip will be ugly, probably. She still works for me. I told her she could stay at the house. I’m pissed, but I won’t toss her to the sidewalk.”

“Maybe you could find her another place. You don’t want Pax in an environment where his father can’t stand his mother.” She was right.

“I’ll talk to her tonight about it. Thank you for being so understanding and supportive.”

“I love you, Dad.”

“I love you too, baby.” I let out a breath. “I’m heading home. I think I’ll work there today and figure out how to get ahead of this. Do you need anything?”

“Nope. Well, it would be nice if baby Hank decided to make an appearance, but other than that, I’m good.” She rubbed her belly.

“Alex makes you happy.”

Her smile was radiant. “The happiest.”

---