Page 24 of His Long-Lost Baby

“What are you working on?” he asks.

I hesitate for a moment before answering. I usually love talking about work, but lately I’ve been trying to get it off my mind.

“This app for a new plant care company,” I say. “And other things too, but that one I’m working on personally.”

“It’s not going well?”

I eye him. “Why do you say that?”

He shrugs. “When you talk about it you look… I dunno… upset.”

I swallow against a lump in my throat. “There’s this new employee.”

Carlos leans forward, interested. “New employee?”

I nod. “Yeah. Her name is Billie. She’s just… she’s been making things difficult. I don’t know if I can work with her.”

“What’s the problem?”

“It’s hard to explain,” I say, leaning back in my chair. “She’s just… she’s always questioning everything I do. Like, I’m the one in charge, but she acts like she knows better than me. It’s frustrating. But she’s also smart. We’ve ended up using more than a few of her ideas.”

Carlos laughs so hard he spits out beer.

“What?” I demand.

He’s still laughing. “Your ego a little bruised, bro?”

I frown at him. “No, it’s not that. It’s just… I don’t know how to handle her. I’ve never had someone challenge me like this before.”

Carlos leans back in his chair, a serious look on his face. “Look, man. You’re a smart guy. But sometimes you need someone to question your ideas. It makes them stronger. Maybe it’s good that she’s pushing back on you.”

I consider his words. Maybe he’s right. Maybe this is exactly what I need. “You think so?” I ask.

He nods. “Trust me. I’ve been in business for a while now. You can’t always surround yourself with yes-men. It’ll only hurt you in the long run. There’s more than that, though, isn’t there?”

“What do you mean?” I pick at my beer bottle’s label.

“All the things you listed about this woman are positives.” He smirks at me. “I think she gets under your skin because you like her.”

“What?” To my embarrassment, my voice pitches. “No I don’t.”

Carlos raises an eyebrow. “Come on, man. I know you. You always get flustered around pretty girls.”

I scowl at him, but I know he’s right. Billie is pretty — confident, with dark hair that falls in sharp angles around her face. She has a sharp wit too, and is a breath of fresh air at the company. I can’t deny that I’m drawn to her, even as she challenges me at every turn. It’s frustrating as hell.

“I don’t know what to do,” I admit. “It’s like every time I talk to her, I either want to strangle her or kiss her.”

Carlos laughs again. “Ah, the classic love-hate dynamic. How old are we again?”

I chuckle despite myself. “Shut up.”

“But seriously,” he says, leaning forward again. “Have you talked to her about it? Told her how you feel?”

I shake my head. “No. And I don’t date my employees. I’m not that stupid.”

“What if she didn’t work for you? Just out of curiosity.”

I suck in a breath.

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